"Critics can be our best friends because they reveal our flaws
and weaknesses." Benjamin Franklin

"Fear of failure is a deterrent to courageous decisions."
President Jimmy Carter

Have you ever felt the white-hot heat of being roasted in front
of 100 colleagues?

I'm not a big fan of criticism. Whenever I offer the point of view
that "there is no such thing as constructive criticism" it's always
good for a stimulating debate among the purists who say that there
is no improvement without criticism.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of having 100 very smart and
successful people collectively "criticize" then brainstorm one of
our toughest marketing problems. I was in Orlando for the
"Patches of Light" seminar hosted by legendary marketing expert
Gary Halbert.

Gary liked this so much he used this as one of his newsletters
(see Mitch's article as Gary's newsletter here).

The two men at the front of the room leading the roast have had
more marketing success over the past 30 years than many of the
top ad agencies. Between them, Gary Halbert and John Carlton
are responsible for a billion dollars of products and services sold,
and are considered two of the finest copywriters and marketing
minds in the world.

They attacked my marketing problem with double-barrel buckshot,
and enjoyed every minute of blasting holes in our theory, approach,
strategy and tactics. They sliced, diced and skewered every word I
uttered. They roasted, toasted and barbecued until I was singed,
then seared, then scorched. My butt is still on fire.

When it was over, I got warm applause for standing in the fire. I
suffered the slings and arrows to get to the breakthrough answers
we needed. And we got answers.

It was a breakthrough experience. I heartily recommend you do a
"hot seat" experience IF you really want to break down barriers,
bust through BS, and break out to bigger and better poss-abilities.
No real growth can occur unless and until we let go of existing
thinking and the comfort zone of the status quo.

It's not easy; but it's well worth it. Are you ready to stretch?

I had the opportunity to spend three days experiencing major
breakthroughs being part of a dozen business building hot seats,
designed to generate solutions to people's marketing problems.

There were no handouts, no pontificating and no Success BS!™

Here was the entire agenda in one sentence:

"Who has a marketing problem?"

If you volunteered, the only condition for roasting was that you
really wanted to solve your marketing problem. Don't laugh;
many people have big problems, but have no intention of listening
to suggestions (even from experts) or doing what's necessary to
solve them.

If you have problems and are serious about solving them...

Here are 21 Pearls of Wisdom I Dug Up for You!

1. Don't worry about improving your image. Improve your substance.
The world is starved for substance. Most people are working on image.
Few work to improve substance. Those who do will stand head and
shoulders above the rest.

2. Fail fast. Drop losing projects immediately. After trying to find a
solution to a marketing problem that simply didn't exist, Gary Halbert
wrote three words on the white board that most of us were thinking in
our heads: DROP THIS PROJECT! It's not easy to let go of things
we're emotionally attached to, but it's necessary to move on.

3. Most people are self-absorbed. Appeal to their selfish side.
Forget yourpoint of view. It doesn't matter. If you want to sell Johnny
Jones what Johnny Jones buys you MUST see Johnny Jones through
Johnny Jones eyes. What does he want more than anything?

4. If I found the cure for AIDS, everyone would get it.
How much money I make would not be an issue. When you discover
something important enough, the goal is to make sure everyone who
wants or needs it can get it. Shift attention from how much can you
make to how many people can you help. The money will come.

5. NOTHING is risk-free. LIFE is not risk-free.
You're a heartbeat awayfrom a Christopher Reeve moment. If you
can't accept risk, you are living on the wrong planet. What risk can
you take that might alter the quality of life as you know it?

6. Hire experts. Don't even try to do everything yourself.
Especially when itcomes to the most important parts, including copyrighting
and crafting your sales message. Don't spend a fortune on the unimportant
things, then economize on the pivotal items. Know when to bring in the experts.

7. Outspend the other guys. Many businesses do things on the cheap.
Shoestringing and bootstrapping are successful strategies when money
is tight. When money is there, spend it. A business campaign can rise or
fall based on the money behind it. Don't hesitate to invest money,
especially on the important things. If you don't have it, find someone
who does and share the bounty. 100% of nothing is still nothing!

8. You don't want to sell just one million books (widgets, etc.).
You want anyone who wants what you have to be able to buy it. Don't set
arbitrary limits. Find a way for everyone who wants what you have to get it.
You will be enriched in the process.

9. Don't become a student of products. Become a student of markets.
Know your markets better than you know your products. If you fall in
love with your product, it will blind you to reality. Fall in love with
markets. If there isn't a market, reconsider or drop the product. Use the
SRDS, the Standard Rates and Data Service directory to find your
buyers. It's not a cheap resource, but it's vital if you
plan to reach a pool of hungry fish.

10. Don't do LMS "lesser mortal stuff" (a favorite Halbertism).
Delegate everything except your highest value work. If you run out of highest
value work, do the next most valuable work. I you earn $100/hour, for every
$10 hour you spend doing $10 work, you need a $190 hour just to break even.
Don't do $10/hour work or you won't ever reach your highest and best value.

11. Two things get a person's attention and interest: showmanship
and the reason why. To get the attention of the person you're after, a little
theatre will go a long way. Be creative. If you've have an important message and
20 centers of influence, don't send them a letter. Send them a COURIER!

Gain their interest is with a powerful reason why. Why would they, why
SHOULD they give you their time and attention? What's the most compelling
"reason why" you can give that satisfies their self-interest? If you don't know, ask
your buyers.

12. Understand the Triangle of Marketing... copy, message and audience.
COPY is #3, the MESSAGE is #2, and the AUDIENCE #1. Put your focus on
the audience. Make sure you have the right/best/hungriest/rabid audience, or your
message and copy won't ever get seen, heard or read. A mediocre message to a great
audience will always do better than a great message to a mediocre audience. Know
your audience, hone your message, and don't scrimp on copy. Like an interesting
story, good copy gets read.

13. Don't care about what ANYONE thinks. Ask yourself, "So what?"
How often do we hesitate and delay because of what others might think? We
thwart our success and happiness worrying about what other people think.
We don't regret the shots we take, even when they don't work out. We regret
most the shots we don't take. Do what your heart desires. Don't worry about
what others think. So what?

14. Tell your story. A powerful story creates an emotional link.
I call this the E-Link. John Carlton, one of the world's highest paid
copywriters, says personality is missing in most marketing messages.
He suggests we "pinch them in the butt" and tap the passionate sweet spot.
Tell a story. Connect it to what the person can DO (achieve, accomplish),
and how the person will FEEL (the strongest E-Link).

What story can/will you tell?

15. Greedy people lead lives that suck. Enough said.

16. Gun to the head thinking can get you out of a jam or tough time.
If someone had a gun to your head, and to save your life you had to craft
the best message you could, what would you say?

17. There's too much bad news. We can't hear the voices of light.
Cats find the sun spots. They seek the patches of light. How can you be
a source of light?

18. Speak "from down below"... if you want your cred-ability to soar.
Don't speak from your mouth; speak from your pelvis. Imagine your entire
chest cavity as one big voice box. Speak "from down below" and you will
create a stronger, more powerful presence.

(Thank you, Burt Dubin for this little known sage advice used by opera
singers to get the most from their precious instrument).

19. You're NOT in the marketing business. You're in the ARITHMETIC business.
If your arithmetic doesn't add up, you won't have a business for very long. Start counting.

20. You want to sell your products and services to "addicts"...
profound, irrational, passionate, rabid, insane people who buy frequently and
spend a lot. That's your IDEAL buyer. Where are they? How can you reach
them? What will you say to them?

21. 10,000 hours... how long it takes to become really good at something.
That's 2,000 hours per year for five years. It can take doctors and other
professionals twice that long (10 years), and most self-made millionaires
take four times that long (that's right, 20 years is the average time it takes
for self-made millionaires to achieve "overnight" success). You can't invest
a few hours in something and expect to become an expert. There are many
self-proclaimed "pseudo-gurus" who emerge after one or two successes and
claim expert status. Experts hone their chops over time.

What's your expertise? Hone it, refine it and continuously improve it.

No More Success B.S.™

Our instant gratification society claims millions of lives each year
who fall for the Success BS™ that the road to success, fame and
fortune is quick, easy, painless and risk-free.

To that I say, NO More Success B.S.™
Aren't you tired of the poop that passes for wisdom?

Entertainers, artists and musicians practice 10,000 hours to hone
their chops, most of it in solitude and anonymity. Entrepreneurs
suffer ups and downs, ins and outs of all kinds over many years
before they hit their stride and achieve consistent, lasting success.

There are no shortcuts. Then again, why should there be? The
journey, the process itself is the reward. The achievement of a
goal or objective is icing on the cake. The real payoffs are what
we learn, how we grow, who we meet and how much we pass
on to others.

If we polish up and internalize these pearls of wisdom, especially
those that challenge our existing boundaries and beliefs, the payoff
can be priceless.

If we seek out and embrace critics, we will learn things we could not
know otherwise. It's courageous to listen to the truth, especially
when it's unpleasant. Seek the truth and embrace it. Don't run from
it or hide from it. The truth WILL set you free.

Things I disagree with most can often be the truth that does me the
most good. Beware of what you defend, protect and reject. It just
might be a life-changing gift in disguise.

This weekend I opened up to the possibility that my view is skewed
(it is), and my thinking is broken (we all have blind spots). That
doesn't mean I'm broken, just my thinking. Last weekend I didn't
defend, protect or project an image or vested interest. I didn't try to
prove I was right, look good or be inauthentic. As a result, I got
astounding insights and an amazing amount of valuable input.

Thank you, Gary Halbert for sponsoring this mind-stretching weekend.
Thanks, Ken Kerr for inviting me and making it possible for me to be there.

I hope in sharing these Pearls of Wisdom they make as much a
difference in your quality of life and quantity of prosperity as I
know they will for me.

With my highest esteem, I am yours truly,

Mitch

PS... Today more than ever, people are hungry for substance
over style, truth over hype. The dumbing-down of advertising and
marketing communication, combined with lowered expectations and the
unrelenting appeal to our ignorance, not our intelligence have us thirsting
for messages with substance and truth.

In the spirit of substance and truth, we at Axelrod Learning commit
to raising, not lowering our level of conversation. We acknowledge
and honor you for being smart, savvy and ready to explore that which
challenges you, even if you disagree.

We esteem you and hold you in the highest regard. We commit to
providing you with substance and truth.

NO MORE SUCCESS B.S.™

Mitch Axelrod

P.S. Get my new book, "The NEW Game of Business", first edition available here...

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