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

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

Starting up is always rough—and especially when you're a small business that at first has no clients and no credibility. In this episode, 5000bc member, Christopher Cook talks to Sean D'Souza about how to get over the inner chatter. How to get past those starting blocks and whether it's possible to be superhuman. -------------------- Useful Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/61 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic How to get reliable answers to your complex marketing problems?(http://www.5000bc.com/) Brain Audit: Why Clients Buy (And Why They Don’t)  (http://www.psychotactics.com/products/the-brain-audit-32-marketing-strategy-and-structure/) Goodies: How To Win The Resistance Game(http://www.psychotactics.com/free/resistance-game/) -------------------- In this episode Sean talks about Part 1: Why Roadblocks Are Universal Part 2: Why Talent Is Not Inborn Part 3: How To Successfully Get Ri

What is the meaning of life? This utterly vast and philosophical question pops into our lives with amazing frequency. But is it the right question to ask? What if we move the words around a bit and asked another question. Like: What gives your life meaning? Hmm, that changes things a bit doesn't it? And even when we change the words, we may still move towards the specific. So why does the abstract help more? Find out in this episode. http://www.psychotactics.com/meaning-of-life/ ---------------------------------- The  Transcript What gives your life meaning? It was 6:20 AM. I was close to the beach, halfway through my walk, listening to this podcast on Transom.org. There was this reporter who was asking older people how they went through their lives. They were 100 years old. She started out with this question, which was: What is the meaning of life? I’ve grappled with this question before, and it sounds very philosophical, but then somewhere in the middle, the question changed. Those words just interchanged

The reason why we find writing to be such a tedious task, is because we don't understand the barriers that get in our way. Instead, we write, edit, write, edit — and drive ourselves crazy. One of the ways to get over the barriers is to use the Captain Kirk and Mr Spock method. What is this method all about? Find out in this episode of the podcast. --------------------  Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/59 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: How to use the Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock method of writing Part 2: The power of preparation Part 3: How to decide on your ‘One Word’ Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources The Brain Audit: Why Customers Buy And Why They Don’t Article and Audio: Three Unknown Secrets of Riveting Story Telling Live Workshop: How to create ama

Storytelling struggles without a catalyst. And yet a catalyst doesn't have to be in your face. It can be quiet, almost introspective. So how do you create powerful catalysts for your stories? And then once you have the catalyst in place, how do you connect the story back to your article, podcast or presentation? -------------------- Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/58 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com  Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic -------------------- In this storytelling episode Sean talks about Part 1: What is a catalyst and why you need it in your story Part 2: What is the point of a story Part 3: How to use storytelling in your presentations, articles and sales letters Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer. Useful Resources and Links Live Workshop: How to create well-told stories that create a bond with your audience without sounding unprofessional Article Writing

No matter where you go, you run into people with the same problem?time. Whether you're a small business owner, or run a big company, it's all about time, and getting things done. A lot of time saving can be done without too much effort on your part?and by simply using software. Software that does very smart stuff is what we all need. Here's the list of three core areas where I use the software. -------------------- Useful Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/57 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic -------------------- Software and Hardware Mentioned In This Episode: Mac  Default Folder: http://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/ Text Expander: https://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/index.html Dragon Naturally Speaking: http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm Mailbox: http://www.mailboxapp.com Evernote: http://www.evernote.com Dropzone: http://www.mailboxapp.com Plantronics DSP400: Plantro

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!  -------------------- Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/56 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com  Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic -------------------- 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 Right c

When you're writing articles, it's easy to get locked into the mistake of simply starting up the article. That's a mistake—a big mistake. Outlining is what counts most of all, and yet outlines are hated with a vengeance. Is there a way to create outlines so you don't drive yourself crazy? And how do you create outlines for products, workshops etc? Let's find out in this episode on outlining, in The Three Month Vacation.- ------------------- Note: To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/55 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: What is the ‘Concept of Curiosity’? Part 2: The Three Part Outlining System Part 3: What is the Extraction Method? Right click here and ‘save as’ to download this episode to your computer.   Useful Resources and Links 5000bc: How to help you layer out distractions, and focus on the things you want. Read or listen to : 

It's easy to pick up bad habits. Knowing what causes bad habits to succeed enables you to make good habits meet with similar success. In this episode we dig deep into the trio of trigger, routine and reward mechanisms. And how every one of them play their role. But then we go deeper into the world of groups and how the groups matter. If you've struggled to maintain good habits on an ongoing basis, this audio (and transcript) will show you the elements you have to put in place to succeed. ==== Useful Resources To access this audio + transcript: http://www.psychotactics.com/54 Email me at: sean@psychotactics.com  Twitter/Facebook: seandsouza Magic? Yes, magic: http://www.psychotactics.com/magic To subscribe to the podcast, please use the links below: iTunes   |  Android   |  E-mail (and get special goodies)   | RSS -------------------- In this episode Sean talks about To create a good habit or a bad habit you have to have three core elements in place. Part 1: How a good habit start with the cue Part 2: Why

Haven't you visited a web site and left shortly after reading an article? Why did the site fail to get you to sign up? Or why didn't you buy a product or service? The answer lies in the content of your articles and the way you structure them. Article writing is about creating a solid "next step", so that clients follow one of three sequences. What are those sequences? Find out in this podcast on the "next step". In this episode Sean talks about The 3 successful ways to creating a next step with your articles.Using these steps you will sell more products or consulting or workshops or whatever it is that you want your customer to go ahead or go forward with. Part 1: The importance of the 'Editorial Next Step' Part 2: The 'Sales Next Step' and how it causes resistance Part 3: The 'Embedded Next Step'  and how to use it.    This is The Three Month Vacation, and I'm Sean D'Souza. Christmas for me was the most fun time of the year when I was growing up, and that was because as a kid, there were always presen