Note: Beginning next month I’m going to answer readers’ questions in this newsletter, so feel free to email me ([email protected]) with any relevant issue. I will withhold your name unless you give me permission to use it. Please keep your questions brief and, unfortunately, I can’t answer each one privately. I intend this as a service to all my readers..

Leverage

Leverage is the power of influence to change behavior and gain an objective or advantage. Archimedes famously observed, “Give me a lever and I can move the world,”

How do you gain leverage today? How do you convey your value to buyers in a manner conducive to gaining trust and securing their business and building your revenues? Here are some techniques you may want to consider:

• Use examples. Cite areas where your ideas are being used to great competitive advantage (or where they aren’t being used to great detriment). If your point is that employees aren’t “resigning” today but rather “escaping” bad bosses, show that companies with ombudsmen have far lower attrition rate. (You see, I just used an example.)
• Apply comparisons. Your fees are tiny compared to budgeted allocations for parking lot plowing and repair, office greenery maintenance, employee theft, breakage, discarded cafeteria food. Moreover, you’re providing an ROI many times the investment.
• Change the perspective. Of course the prospect has no budget for your services, because the prospect was completely unaware of you and your value until this meeting. But “budget” and “money” are two different constructs. A budget is an allocation of money, and money can be reallocated if there is a better return on its investment—which is what you provide. True buyers can reallocate money and change existing budgets.
• Provide immediate value. Don’t consult for free, but suggest that providing remote workers with instructions on how to manage their day is far less productive than providing them with the results expected of them by day or week or month or project. When the buyer asks, “How would be do that?” reply that if you could ask a few more questions you could have a proposal in front of the buyer in 24 hours.
• And that leads us to speed. Speed is as important as content today, in a volatile and tumultuous world. If you can demonstrate that you can solve a problem or implement innovation imperfectly but rapidly, it’s far better than a futile attempt to do it perfectly over a long time period. Success, not perfection, is the key leverage point today.

Those are some ideas for your “lever.” If you employ them well and with confidence, you can move your world.

Developmental Opportunities

Six Figures to Seven (627)

I haven’t run this in several years, and then only twice in the US and once in London, once in Sydney. It’s occurred to me that I now know additional and faster ways to reach seven figures, having helped hundreds of people to get there. And the pandemic experience has major implications. Million Dollar Consulting and “seven figures” are metaphors for achieving the lifestyle and true wealth (discretionary time) that you desire. This experience, which I may never repeat at this stage, will get you there.

February 10-11, 2022 (two full days)Las Vegas, Nevada

Fee: $4,500.

Million Dollar Consulting^® for the World

I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It's only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI?

Hosting Revenue-Generating Meetings

Too many seemingly good meetings with no business resulting? You can’t pay the mortgage with meetings held. Learn how to transition business meetings, speeches, Zoom calls, and even networking into short-term business. You need to “run through the tape,” right?  NEW: I’m video taping the six-hour session and you can obtain the video for half-price, $750. Order here:

The Role Play Workshop

Join me in Dallas on April 29 in an intimate setting for a day of role play where we exchange roles and practice from “both sides.” We’ll deal with sales meetings, referral requests, networking discussions, expansion business, advisory offers, overdue payments, rejecting scope creep, and whatever else is on your mind. We’ll also be adjusting language to reflect today’s new realities in terms of technology, remote meetings, social mores, economics, strategy, and much more. For example, do you realize there’s a vast difference between “budget” (always strained) and “money” (always available)?

The Power Community Experience

I’m launching a new variation of coaching and growth for people who seek an intense, shorter-term opportunity to grow dramatically. It will combine group and personal advisory help, and will mix several opportunities for self-development. Join me for 60 days on specific growth topics and personal coaching in a small group, including weekly Zoom calls, monthly livestream broadcasts, free participation in one of my workshops, and much more. Beginning mid-March, discount for joining this month:

Beyond Thought Leadership

Six “stars” from my community from five countries will be interviewed by me in this live, 2.5 day experience. I’ll be introducing new IP, case studies, and role-plays. And the final interview will be with me. This is one-time only, it was difficult to organize. Limited participation, in Miami in November, register now, no one else can offer this experience for your growth.

Ferocious Time Management

I’m tired of wasting my time hearing people tell me they have no time!!In a rare appearance in San Diego, I’m going to help you ruthlessly organize yourself so that you have time to close business, deliver a remote speech, create a book outline, and learn to tame wild beasts before lunch. Seriously, time is “elastic,” and you can stretch it to accommodate what you need to accomplish. Moreover, most people work too hard to achieve too little. Discretionary time is wealth, not money, but we’re prone to work so hard chasing money that we erode our wealth. Create greater output in a 20-hour week!