The Three Month Vacation Podcast: Online Small Business|marketing Strategy Plan| Sean D'souza | Psychotactics

When Jim Collins wrote "Good To Great", he did talk a fair bit about the Hedgehog Principle. But what he stresses more on, is quite another concept called "Preserving the Core and Stimulating Progress". Why does this concept matter so much? And how do you combine the Hedgehog Principle with this concept? And where does the big, hairy, audacious goal fit in with everything? This episode shows you how to tie all the elements together in a neat little bundle. Time to escalate that route to greatness, don't you think? -------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: Preserving the Core + Stimulating Progress Part 2: The BHAG Part 3: Your Action Plan To Greatness Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources 5000bc: How to get reliable answers to your complex marketing problems Why Happiness Eludes You: 3 Obstacles That We Need To Overcome Find out: Do We Really Need To Start With Why? -------------- Preserve the Core AND Stimulate Progress Recently a client ca

There are two options in life: greatness or mediocrity. But greatness seems so elusive, even so pompous. How do you call your work "great"? How do you even know or benchmark "greatness?". And can a small business achieve greatness or do you have to be a dominant player like Apple, Disney and Walmart. In this episode we get right to the root of greatness and how the book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins changed my life. But instead of the massive journey to greatness, this episode shows you a tiny path. A path most of us can manage with just a little bit of effort. A life of mediocrity is hardly worth living. Here's the pathway to greatness. ----------  Useful Resources / To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/79 / / Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com / / Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza / / Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic ----------  Part 1: The Hedgehog Principle Part 2: Preserving the Core + Stimulating Progress Part 3: Big, Hairy Audacious Goal—The BHAG Right click

Storytelling has a lot of guidelines and rules. Yet, some of the critical elements slip under the radar. You don't realise storytelling elements and secrets that are hiding in plain sight. And storytellers can't always explain what they're doing?and so these elements of storytelling get left out. And yet, they're incredibly powerful. Like for instance, the concept of "anticipation" before the "problem". It's nowhere to be found? Unless of course you listen to this episode on how to tell riveting stories. Welcome to Goldilocks land! http://www.psychotactics.com/three-elements-storytelling/ --------- In this episode Sean talks about how to create stories that are very powerful. Part 1: How the ‘The Wall’ changes the pace of a story Part 2: The power in using the ’The Reconnect’ Part 3: Why anticipation is so critical in storytelling Earlier Recording: Right click and ‘save as’ to download this episode Re-Release: Right click and ‘save as’ to download this episode Useful Resources and Links The Brain Audit: How

When your client picks up your report, can you guarantee they'll read it from start to finish? No matter how good the content, there are precise elements that cause a client to completely consume the report. This episode delves into three of the most important elements that makes your report stand out and more importantly, get read. http://www.psychotactics.com/secret-getting-your-report-read/  ------------------------------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: What makes a report powerful? Part 2: What are tiny increments? Part 3: How to empower your reader Earlier Recording: Right click and ‘save as’ to download this episode. Re-Release: Right click and ‘save as’ to download this episode. Useful Resources and Links Dart Board Pricing: How To Increase Prices (Without Losing Customers) The Headline Report: Why Headlines Fail The 70% Principle: Why It Knocks Procrastination Out of the Ball Park  ------------------------------------- Back in the year 2003  I wrote an article where you just had to tak

The Three-Month Vacation, that's one of the things that make me really happy. But what else is required to keep that happiness level up? The key lies in identifying the obstacles. When we remove the obstacles, we know how to get to happiness. This may seem like a weird topic to take on, but check it out for yourself. Happiness isn't some weird pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It isn't some Internet marketer promising you endless clients. It's reachable, you know. So check it out. -------------------- Useful Resources Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic Transcript:http://www.psychotactics.com/three-obstacles-to-happiness/ ---------------- When I was 8 years old the highlight of my week was “coconut water”. On Saturdays, I’d go with my father to get all the provisions for the week. There was no drive to the supermarket ten times a week. Instead, once a week, we’d get on the train, then walk into a market filled with fresh vegetables, meat, fish and fru

Is the 10,000 hours principle true? And if it's true, what are your chances of success? And what are the biggest flaw? How do you take the concept of Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 Hours story (He took it from a K.Anders Ericsson study) and reduce the number of hours? Is talent really attainable in fewer hours?  http://www.psychotactics.com/expertise-fewer-10000-hours/ ----------- Hi. This is Sean D’Souza from Psychotactics.com, and you are listening to the Three-Month Vacation Podcast. This podcast isn’t some magic trick about working less. Instead, it’s about how to really enjoy your work and enjoy your vacation time. Have you ever watched a 16-year-old go for a driving test? They probably practice for two or three off and on, and then after that, they drive. Now, imagine they changed the rules of the driving test. Imagine they said that you needed 10,000 hours to drive. How many of us would be on the roads today? Several years ago, best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called “Outliers”. Within that

Imagine you had a program that generated over $150,000 a year. Let's also imagine that this program always had a waiting list and that clients loved it. Would you stop the program, or let it run? In 2006, we started the Protege Program and by 2009, it came to an abrupt halt. But was it abrupt? And why did it stop in the first place? These stories and more show up in the Psychotactics story. There's not a moment of boredom as we head into the roller coaster of 2009 and beyond. Where we explore the crazy world of workshops, this time outside the safety of California. It's one nutty, exciting ride. Buckle up, because it's action-packed and full of lessons for your own small business. http://www.psychotactics.com/stopped-protege/ Psychotactics Workshop Story: Part 2 “This transcript hasn’t been checked for typos, so you may well find some. If you do, let us know and we’ll be sure to fix them.”   It was February 2006 I’d just started a crazy venture called the Protege. Well it was crazy for me at least. I’d wri

Imagine being a hostage at your own workshop! Imagine not having access to your own venue; having to take permission from someone else just to conduct your event. This is the crazy story of the very first Psychotactics U.S. Workshop. And while it's an entertaining story all by itself, there's a lot to learn as well. What went wrong with the strategic alliance? What did we do when the credit card company went bust? And how did a hurricane come to our rescue? Let's go on this on part one of this crazy roller coaster ride into Psychotactics land. http://www.psychotactics.com/crazy-workshop/ ================ In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: What went wrong with the strategic alliance? Part 2: What did we do when the credit card company went bust? Part 3: And how did a hurricane come to our rescue? Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources The Brain Audit: Why Clients Buy (And Why They Don’t) Another Psychotactics Story: The Early Years-Psychotactics-Movi

When you're speaking to a client or presenting your product or service, do you have a ton of "ums" and "ahs"? Do you find it frustrating, but don't know how to get rid of that irritation? And if you're recording an event, a whole bunch of ums and ahs can cause a major headache in editing?plus push up editing time and frustration levels. So how can you get rid of all your ums and ahs in under 15 minutes? http://www.psychotactics.com/speaking-professionally/ ---------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1:  How to get rid of ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’ when podcasting or speaking in  under 15 minutes Part 2:  The sound of spit and how to get rid of it Part 3:  Why you need variation in your voice Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Resources Read about: Why A Relaxed Brain Works Faster Than A Tired Brain Preacher or Teacher? Why Our Clients Struggle To Learn Skills Quickly Other techniques:  Why Variation Is The Hallmark of Outstanding Presenters ---------------- The  T

Who's Doug Hitchcock? And in a world full of goal-setting exercises, why does Doug's system stand out? Find out why most goal-setting goes hopelessly off the mark and Doug's plan works almost like magic year after year. Find out not just how to set goals, but how to create a stop-doing list (yes, that's a goal too). And finally, learn why most goals are designed for failure because they lack a simple benchmarking system. Find out how we've made almost impossible dreams come true with this goal-setting system. http://www.psychotactics.com/goal-setting-successfully/ ------------------------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1:  Why most goal-setting goes hopelessly off the mark Part 2: How to set goals, but how to create a successful stop-doing list Part 3: Learn why most goals are designed for failure because they lack a simple benchmarking system Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Resources Chaos Planning: How ‘Irregular’ Folks Get Things Done Learning:

What's wrong with this statement?  Instead of wondering when our next vacation is we should set up a life we don't need to escape from.? There doesn't seem to be anything wrong, is there? And yet this entire line is based on a myth. And that's not the only myth that circulates so well and widely. Another myth is that a business has to grow; has to increase clients; has to increase revenues. But is that why you really got into business? Did you set out to create a life that's work, work and more work? Join us as we explore three big myths, and destroy them: Myth 1: That your business needs to constantly grow bigger.  Myth 2: Somehow you'll have more time, and your business will be on auto-pilot / Myth 3: That we need to set up a life where we don't need to wonder about our vacations. / / Yup, incredibly silly business myths. Let's take them head on and get some sanity back into our lives, instead. http://www.psychotactics.com/three-business-myths/ ================ In this episode Sean talks about Myth 1: That

In the last three episodes we considered what makes a product or service irresistible. In this episode we tidy up things with a complete summary. Hooray! 

When you're so focused on a sales page, it's easy to forget that that sales page/landing page is just one tiny step in the whole sequence. There's a sequence that precedes the landing page. Most of us that create products or services ignore that sequence. We assume the product or service alone should have the spotlight. Which, as you're probably guessing, is a mistake. You need all the steps that come before the landing page. The landing page is the event? What comes before? Let's find out in this episode on the steps involved in creating an awesome buildup. ---------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: How do you create a build up for your product? Part 2: Why you have to create a ‘moment in time’ for every product? Part 3: What is the one biggest reason our product launch fails? Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources Something cool to read: Why “Failure” Is Just A Pre-Sell For Success More cool reading: How Pre-Sell Sold The Article Writing Course

When we think of exclusivity, we often see sales pages that seem to have these ticking clocks. They're creating urgency by forcing our hand. And as small business owners, we often buy into that urgency. Yet, you don't need to resort to these cheap gimmicks when you have the twin factors of exclusivity. So how do you use these twin factors to your advantage. Here's Part 2 in a series of 3 on "How to Create the Irresistibility Factor". In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: The Power of Product Exclusivity Part 2: The Benefit of Working with Smaller Numbers Part 3: The Myth that you have to be Big to be Successful Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Resources 5000bc: How to get reliable answers to your complex marketing problems The Brain Audit: Why Customers Buy (And Why They Don’t) Special Bonus: How To Win The Resistance Game ================= What Are The Factors in Play Behind An Irresistible Offer: Part 2 of 3 The Power of Exclusivity There’s an anecdotal st

How do you make your product or service irresistible? With tens of thousands of similar products or services in the market, can you use simple techniques to create a great offer? This episode shows you two psychological methods that we can't turn down?as humans. We love both the buffet and the specialty. No matter if you're a small business or a big one, you can use these techniques and increase your product and service sales.  In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: Buffet vs. Specialty Principle Part 2: How Studio 54 put out a buffet of fantasy Part 3: What does this mean for you when you’re selling a product or service? Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.     What Are The Factors in Play Behind An Irresistible Offer: Part 1 of 3 Imagine you’re Frank Sinatra. No matter where you go on the planet, people know of you. Doors open magically for you. People can’t help but gape in wonder as you show up at an event. So imagine a place where the great Frank Sinatra can’t ent

Success is good. Focus is good. Until it’s bad. Incredible as it may seem, focus can cause a massive blindspot in our business. So what’s the option? Surely it can’t be distraction? Actually it’s a mix of both that’s required. Using the concept of “spinning plates”, you can avoid the blind spot of success and the mindlessness of distraction. ----------------------------- Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Once upon a time in New York’s Catskill Mountains lived a man called Rip Van Winkle. You’ve probably heard of this story. I heard it when I was a kid. I’ve kind of forgotten what the story was all about. As the story goes, one autumn day he wants to escape from his wife’s nagging so he wonders up the mountain with his dog. He hears his name being called out. He sees a man with antiquated Dutch clothing. This man is carrying a keg up the mountain; he wants help. They proceed to a hollow in which Rip discovers the source of the noises. There are a group of bearded men wh

There’s a difference between the “four-hour work week” and magic. You can create revenue in a short week. You can’t create magic.Magic is what we all want to create with our work. Most of us love our work. It gives us purpose and satisfaction. And yes, we’d love a “three-month” paid vacation—or just any vacation at all. And that’s the goal. The goal is to work hard, but to also have a great time. http://www.psychotactics.com/podcast/ ===== I don’t mow the lawns. I outsource it. I don’t do my accounts. It’s what keeps my accountant in business. I bake my own bread, cook my own food, but at least half of the time it’s all outsourced. In fact, when I think about it, a good chunk of my life is outsourced. I don’t build my own computers, code my own programs, generate my own electricity. I didn’t even bother to weave my own carpet. So yes, you could safely say that outsourcing is a good part of my life. What I don’t outsource is magic It’s magical to write my own articles. Do my own books. Draw my own cartoons.

When we sit down to write a landing page, we usually have a ton of confusion in our heads. We have so many elements on that landing page. What should we put first? What should we leave out? The sales of our product or service depends on us having incredible focus. So how do we get that focus? The answer lies in the "pebble system". The moment we apply the "pebble system" we are able to prioritise what's important to our client—and to ourselves. The sales page gets crystal clear and we stop going around in circles. So what is this "pebble system" and how do we use it right away? -------------------- Useful Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/64 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic -------------------- Improve your planning (with chaos): http://www.psychotactics.com/chaos Write your home page/about us page: http://www.psychotactics.com/web ---------------------- In this episode Sean talks ab

Why do we learn so slowly? Is it because we're not good learners? Is it age? Or is it something quite different? The problem of learning (and teaching) is dependent on the concept of Teacher vs Preacher. When you're a preacher, you give the feeling of a ton of information, but there's no true learning, no true application. A teacher, on the other hand, is completely tied to getting the student to apply the skills. When you're creating info-products, writing books or articles, this what needs to be kept in mind. Are you a teacher or a preacher? And are you following a teacher or preacher? Here are three benchmarks to watch for! -------------------- Useful Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/63 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic The Brain Audit: http://www.psychotactics.com/brain -------------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: The Responsibility Factor Part 2: The Three Step Be

When you're giving away bonuses, it's easy to believe you don't need to give away your best product or service. The best information always needs to be sold—so you can earn a decent living. And yet, this podcast episode takes an opposite stance. You need to put your best stuff out in front—free. Yes, give away the goodies, no matter whether you're in info-products or content marketing; services or running a workshop. Giving away outstanding content is the magic behind what attracts—and keeps clients. -------------------- Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/62 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic -------------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: The Concept of Consumption Part 2: Why Package Your Free Content Part 3: Why You Must Feel Pain Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources 5000bc: Where smart people come together to help e