That's the fear at the heart of leading with your best. Because it's bad both ways. For most people, that's enough justification to never try anything at all. You might think of it as perfectionism or procrastination, but it's just fear at the end of the day. Tomorrow we'll talk about the antidote. Best thoughts,~Jonathan […]
Yesterday we talked a little bit about how to decide what to share when you are starting to put yourself out there. Do I keep the good stuff until I have an audience? Or do I share it when nobody will ever see it? In order to make it clear how/why it's smart to always […]
You think, "I'll save this for a special occasion!" so you wait to drink the champaign, use the fine china, or whatever it is that you're saving for later. Then a special occasion comes along and you think, "I've been waiting so long, this doesn't feel special enough." And suddenly you're in a "specialty spiral" […]
Person 1: "Would you look at these numbers?!"Person 2: "I am. Are those good numbers, or are they bad?" Data tells what's happening. Emotions tell why it matters. Combine both for impact. In the example we can see that data, by itself, does nothing to help someone understand the point you're trying to make. You […]
Storytelling isn't dead. It's your most powerful tool to captivate. I'd bet you $5 that we were telling stories for 10's of thousand's of years before we harnessed fire. Today, movies & narrative-based video games are HUGE industries. The takeaway; if you focus on features try sharing a story or two instead. Watch what happens. […]
Five points if you get the reference with the image... Anyway, let's get into it. In the sales world there's a common topic of conversation: objection handling. But, I find the term... well... objectionable! Why? It programs you to believe that you're doing something wrong! You're not doing anything objectionable by selling solutions to important […]
Being visible is great. Being unforgettable is better. Create material that sticks in the minds of your audience. I see a majority of people desperate for eyeballs and attention, but they have zero understanding of what makes something memorable. Hint: it's emotional impact, novelty, or fear. Do with that information as you will... Best thoughts,~Jonathan […]
A call to action isn't just a button; it's an invitation to a journey. Make it irresistible. Hint at the adventure you will take together. The amazing sights they will see. The incredible powers they will gain by exploring the deep dark jungles of the human mind. That works great! You know what doesn't work? […]
Trade secret: Emotion drives action. Logic justifies it. Use both in your work. Even if you are the most logical person on the planet, you are still going to make the choice that feels right and then paper over that emotion with a mountain of "reasonable" justifications for why it's the right choice. I see […]
"The person asking the questions is in control." You'll see this quote all the time in the sales world, but I still haven't heard a solid explanation for why. The Sales Guru Of The Week just repeats it because the Sales Guru Of Last Week that he stole it from heard it somewhere else too, […]
