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

In an interview with Tim Ferris, marketer, Seth Godin says that 97% clients drop out from his online courses. And under good conditions, 80% drop out. Yet there's are three core reasons why clients drop out and unless you tackle those issues, it's impossible to stop the dropout rate from spiralling. At Psychotactics, our dropout rate is a measly 10%. Which means that 90% of the clients finish the course. How is that possible? How come there's such a massive difference? This episode shows you what you can do to achieve far superior goals than many, if not most trainers online. ------------------------------------ In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: The power of energy management Part 2: Why the Safe Zone is important Part 3: Why you need group filtration and how to design it ------------------------------------ The Dropout Factor 97% of client drop out in most online courses. 80% of clients drop out from my courses. – Seth Godin The responsibility of the learning depends on the teacher. – Michel Thomas Wh

Should you lower your prices? In Part 1 of Persistent Myths of Pricing (And How To Overcome Them), we looked at Myth 1: Ending prices with 7 or 9 (e.g. $97 or $99 instead of $100) Now, let’s look at Myth 2: The Fear of Pricing—You can feel the “right price” in your gut. Should you lower your prices to get greater sales? Listen to this podcast as we explore the second part on the myths of pricing. ================= Imagine you’re in New Zealand right now. And you’re about to jump off a bridge—with a bungee cord, of course. What can you feel in your gut? Yup, fear. But how do you know it’s fear? And more importantly what would you need to do to get rid of the fear? Remember the fear you had when you first rode a bicycle? You probably don’t, but the fear existed. It exists when you’re learning to drive a car, going for a first date, and there’s even a trace of that fear when you first land a new job or show up on vacation in a city you’ve never visited before. The moment you are dealing with the unknown, the fea

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. Read: ww.psychotactics.com/myth-pricing-overcome/ Tell a friend: http://www.psychotactics.com/tellall ------------- “Don’t go out in cold without your coat—or you’ll get sick”. Which one of us haven’t heard our parents insisting on us wearing a coat? Almost every parent on the planet firmly believes that a cold is sure to descend upon you, if you don’t have that coat on. And yet, you don’t get colds because of the temperature outside. You get a cold from viruses—and guess what? Those viruses are more likely be

It might seem like perseverance is a good thing. We’ve been told to persist in the face of odds. Yet, there are times when you should stop. How do you know when to stop? And why bother to persevere when failure is waiting around the corner? Find out why perseverance can be a real pain, and when it can be a blessing. Enjoy this episode on perseverance and yes, enjoy the music. In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: The link between failure and perseverance Part 2: Is there a way to know when to stop? Part 3: Why perseverance could do with a coach To read this online:  http://www.psychotactics.com/why-persevere-fails/ To tell a friend: http://www.psychotactics.com/general/podcast-friend/ ===================== Should You Give Up? Or Should You Persist? When you get to your office and want to print some material, what do you do? You’re likely to turn on your computer, hit the print button and then voilà, out come a crisp, laser-printed copy of whatever was on your computer screen. Back in 1969, an optical eng

Where do we draw inspiration from? When we try to beat resistance, we tend to look at what wehaven’t done and what needs doing. Yet sometimes resistance can bepushed over with a simple concept of inspiration. Where do we draw that inspiration from? And how do we keep theinspiration constant? In this episode we look at inspiration, but also at the “lousycarpenter” and “trigger” concept. =============== It’s said that a bad carpenter blames his tools But what’s not said is what makes a good carpenter. A good carpenter isn’t always the one who has the bestequipment. But a good carpenter makes sure he learns how to usethat equipment fluently. And there’s a reason why you need to spendtime learning how to use the equipment. It’s called tiredness. Let’s take my early battles with InDesign, for instance InDesign is a layout program with which I do all my e-books andreports. I learned InDesign, but not quite well enough. So if I hadto do a simple task like updating the Contents Page, I had tomanually update it every

Is resistance a game? It can feel a bit like that when you're almost always on the losing team. But often the reason why we lose to resistance is because we don't realise how the brain works. And this brain stuff was studied by researchers at the University of Cincinnati. What they found was astounding. In just over 10 minutes, our brains start to waver and we lose focus. So how can we make sure we don't give in to resistance? Find out in Part 2 of the Resistance game. ============== Imagine you had two loans to pay back Loan A was $100,000 at 19% interest per annum. Loan B was $200 at 1% interest. Which loan would you pay back first? Loan A or Loan B? If you chose Loan A, then almost every financial consultant on the planet would agree with you. Except Dave Ramsey To everyone, but Dave, the logic is clear. Loan A has a much higher rate of interest. Logically you should pay back the higher rate of interest first. But as you’d expect, Dave disagrees. That’s because Dave understands inertia better than most oth

Resistance seems like an overbearing force in our lives We want to achieve a lot, but as soon as we get started, resistance kicks in. But did you know there are ways around resistance? Resistance loves a loner. If you’re working alone, you’re just setting yourself for an encounter with resistance. Resistance loves to play the game of winner. We need to put resistance in second place. Here’s how to go about the task of winning the resistance game. ============= Resistance loves a loner Because loners have limited energy. They start out on a project, all excited about what’s about to unfold. Then, for some reason or the other, they lose their way. And that’s when resistance gangs up on the loner big time. It’s not much of a fight. The loner is already exhausted. One tiny tap on the head from resistance, and the loner falls into a heap on the floor. But this miserably one-sided bout could be avoided with the understanding of group work. In Africa there’s a saying: If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want

When it comes to feedback, almost of us hit a blank wall. Ask a client to "help you fix" your product or service and you get two or three small suggestions. So how about a 1500 word answer instead? What if you could get the client to go into every nook and cranny and give you feedback that would drive you crazy? Yes, of course it drives you crazy, because you have to go about fixing everything? Or do you? This episode on feedback goes deep into what you should ask, why and when you should ask for the feedback. And then how to cope with feedback when you can't fix things. It also talks about how feedback causes the clients to come back repeatedly to buy your products and services. Sounds exciting? Well go on, listen to the episode. And if you missed part one here is the link. Read and Listen: http://www.psychotactics.com/secret-feedback/ Listen: http://traffic.libsyn.com/psychotactics/86_Feedback-The_Secret_of_Returning_Clients-Part_2.mp3

Most of us are like crazy chickens, focused solely on attraction and conversion. They fail to see the biggest resource in our business—returning clients. If you're able to keep your existing clients and they buy everything in sight, you may never need new clients again. But what magic spell would cause them to buy everything in sight? Incredibly, the answer is "feedback". Wait, not testimonials—feedback. Feedback is that ugly sound of "complaint". It's screechy and seemingly yucky. But we're not just aiming for a bit of feedback, but feedback that's 1500 words or more. Yup, how do you get a mountain of the "yucky stuff?" Let's find out why you need to get deep into the world of feedback. And put your Teflon suit on. You're going to need it. Join us as we explore Part 1: How do you get feedback? And when do you get feedback? Part 2: Why safety plays a big role in feedback Part 3: How to copy with feedback =========== I’d been driving for about 5 years before I got to Auckland, New Zealand When we moved here, h

What’s one of the biggest “rookie mistakes” when putting a landing page together? It’s the rookie, sitting down and writing the entire page at their desk. If you want a reasonably boring landing page, write it yourself. But what if you didn’t write it yourself? Who would write it for you?  Find out more in Part 2 of this series. ============== In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: How do you find the ideal client? Part 2: What happens when you dig into a single problem? Part 3:  What do you do with all the other problems?  ============== There’s a reason why I moved from PC to the Mac. In 2008 I had to do a series of presentations for a radio station.  Since the clients of radio stations are always looking for ways to get the attention of their clients, the presentation of The Brain Audit seemed like the perfect match. If there’s one thing I’m very possessive about, it’s the slides for my presentation. I tend to make changes, simplifying the content and moving the slides around until the very last minute.

Did you know that landing pages fail almost at the headline stage? We’re all told to create landing pages.  So why do they fail? The answer, it seems, can be found at any international airport. When planes land, they don’t land all at once. They land one at a time. Yet on a landing page, we scrunch the issues together. We throw everything at the page. That’s a mistake. And this episode tells you why it’s a mistake and how to fix it. ======= In this episode Sean talks about Element 1: How to choose one problem Element 2: Defining why the problem is important Element 3: What to do with the rest of the problems Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources Find out: Why clients buy and why they don’t. Listen: The biggest “rookie mistakes” when putting a landing page together? Read or listen: How To Design A Sequential Landing Page—Part 2 ========== When you’re at a derby, you notice something interesting. Every single horse bolts out of the gate all at once. But wai

Why do we struggle to write? The ONE word? What’s that? And why does it play such an incredibly important part in article writing? That’s what we explore in this second part of what I’ve learned in article writing. We also look at why we struggle to write—Yes, we seem to get in our own way most of the time. How do we get others to help us? Find out more here. ========= In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: Why the ONE word concept is your compass in the darkness Part 2: Why when we sit down to write, we often get into a state of randomness Part 3: How can you be sure you have the right ‘One Word’ ? Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resource 5000bc: If you suspect that your business could be bringing in a lot more revenue but you don’t have a clue how to make that happen without hype or hassle, 5000bc is a must-have resource. Listen or read: Part 1 of Three Interesting Things I Know About Writing ============== Element 3: Why the ONE word concept is your comp

Writing isn't easy-but it isn't hard either The key to writing is to know what strategy to follow, so the road isn't bumpy all year long. This episode isn't about going down memory lane. Instead, it's practical advice I wish I'd had—Like how to choose the right coach or the right editor. Writing isn't all about you. Writing depends on the coach, the editor and the client. This podcast is about a strategy that's not commonly expressed and approaches writing in a more philosophical, yet practical way. In this episode Sean talks about Element 1: Why a Coach And Editor Are Incredibly Crucial Element 2: Why Writing For Yourself is A Tedious Process—And To Be Avoided Element 3: Why the ONE word concept is your compass in the darkness Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources 5000bc: There is a lot of information on the internet. You can read and learn from it. But in 5000bc the discussion is about you. About your specific problem. And how to go about your specific

Whenever you hear the story of products and services, it’s always a sugar-coated, goody gum drop story. You rarely get to hear the not-so-great side of things; the mistakes; the second-guessing. In this episode, you get to hear what’s happening behind the stage. How—and why—we started the article writing course; how we decided to go to the Netherlands and do a workshop; and how we launched several of our products without a sales page.  If you like back-stories as much as I do, you’re going to love this episode. ============================= The  Transcript “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.” Hi. This is Sean D’Souza, and you’re listening to The Three-Month Vacation Podcast. This podcast isn’t some magic trick about how to work less. Instead, it’s about how to really enjoy the work that you do and to enjoy your vacation time. Billy Joel: I dreamt the song. I dreamt the melody, not the words. I had a dream, and then I

Risk doesn't just come in one flavour, yet The Brain Audit takes away a ton of that risk. In this second episode on risk, we take a forensic look at what happens when you release a new version of your product or service. Is it still the same product or service? Or is the risk magnified many times over? And how do you overcome such an unwarranted risk? We also look at pre-sell and why it reduces, almost eliminates risk. Why pre-sell done right is like a soothing balm that doesn't seem to bother the client (or you) very much. This episode is loaded with the biggest reasons why clients don't buy, and why pre-sell works like magic. You'll love it, guaranteed (Ok, that was a joke). But really, you'll like it a lot! --------------------   In ‘part 2 of this 2-part series’ Sean talks about Part 1: What’s the link between risk and pre-sell Part 2: How pre-sell works like magic Part 3: The big reasons why clients don’t buy Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Resources Read:

If you were to boil down marketing to a single word, it would be "risk". When a client is ready to buy they still hesitate. Even when there's a sense of urgency on their part, they still go through a series of steps before they come to a decision. What are those steps? Why do clients seem to back away at the last minute? In this two-part series, we examine the "big boy"?risk. And we find out how it sits on its end of the see-saw and dominates the buying process. We then use The Brain Audit (yes, it's a book you should read) to remove those barriers that cause risk. Find out for yourself how we get to the end point and do so much more than just risk-reversal! -------------------------- In ‘part 1 of this 2-part series’ Sean talks about Part 1: Why Clients Don’t Buy (Understanding The Elements of Risk) Part 2: Why The Risk Factor Changes With Every Version Of Your Product/Service Part 3: How Pre-sell Dramatically Ramps Down Risk Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Re

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