How to "sell" self-help books to people who don't want them.

(photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/)

"Selling" self-help seems impossible when people don't want it.

But that's the secret itself...

I've been working around this area for years. The people who are already interested in self-improvement books aren't really the ones you have to worry about. And trying to get their attention is very difficult, because there is so much competition in that field.

So you have to work on niches, not shot-gun it. I've been selling by author recently, and that seems to work pretty well, once you've figured out which authors are actually selling - or what specific books are selling. Of course, this limits you to mostly public-domain books and anything you can work them into, like audio books or courses.

Again, though, there are only about 9 authors who still sell regularly - and of those, none have incredible demand.

But since I've been studying marketing, I may have made a breakthrough in this area.

You don't "sell" anything. You offer solutions to stress.

When you target the stress in peoples' lives, you can open up the entire world to awakening.

Because just about everything out there is self improvement, if you really look at it. Learning how to garden better is self-improvement, isn't it? Finding what the best car on the market is a form of self improvement, isn't it?

The people you want to convert to self-improvement aren't those who are actually looking for it, they are those who are looking for solutions to some sort of stress in their lives. That's the keyword - stress.

All stress is covered in any decent book on self-improvement. Sure, they may settle on meditation as an answer, or diet, or health, or financial worries - but they are all dealing with stress.

Stress is actually and only either not knowing what your purpose is and/or not following it. Just trying to "get by" or "make a living" is inherently filled with stress. Because anything that makes you feel bad is off your purpose-line in some way. And tells you that you should be changing something.

But the avenue to reach these people is through whatever stress subject they are fixated on. If they want to lose weight (because they are eating too much because of their purpose-related stress), then you talk about diets - but also then bring in the mental/spiritual reasons they are having weight problems. Same for health. Same for finances. Same for work problems.

All of these have the same set of solutions (although they have to be tailor-made for that individual).

So this then gives a route where we can tell anyone about how to get on the self-improvement bandwagon - simply start solving the problem most real to that person at it's root.

And that way, we start reaching the whole planet...

Neat, huh?

Quickly reprogramming your life - the Internet way

And if you reprogram your mind, via the Internet,

do you lose it down a rabbit hole?

Nah - it's not that easy. There's lots of failsafes along the way - plus, there's an automatic route back.

OK, why I'm bringing this up: in my marketing research, I've discovered 1) that the world is nichefying at an incredible rate because of the Internet - which is a good thing, and 2) there are now technical ways to do this which allow you to concentrate and narrow your focus - which will then ultimately reprogram your mind into something quite different than what you currently think is "normal".

First the failsafes: Common sense keeps you from doing things that would be self-destructive. Well, most of the time. These can be over-ridden, but usually one keeps from personal destruction. If you're hell-bent on doing it, anything is possible. But for the vast majority, there are certain patterns you've held onto which keep you safe in most circumstances.

The road back is because you never really forget old patterns. And usually you can readopt these easily - it just takes a little less effort than changing an old habit into a new one. Slipping back into old ways (like an addiction) is easier than coming off that addiction. Mental bread crumbs and all that.

Now, what are these ways to reprogram yourself via the Internet? Well, the social media we have also has developed aggregators which can be programmed to simply and only give you the data you really want. Like Yahoo Pipes and FriendFeed. You can take all sorts of data which has RSS feeds and get these filtered into only the data you want - and then pipe these into a feed reader so you only get the data which interests you and you think is valuable.

When I went down this line with marketing, I soon saw that by putting these blinders on, you would simply and quickly become an expert on that niche subject and would be putting yourself into conversation with other people who have similar interests to yours - your clients and associates. And that is the way to really make it in any niche - surround yourself with key data that has to do with just that niche, and then blog/write/podcast/video about it all the time. People who are collecting that type of data will then seek you out.

It's actually a natural function. That's how you pick your friends and how they pick you.

And it's how you are constantly reprogramming your mind.

Only now, the Internet also allows you to do this much quicker - and influence a helluva lot more similarly-interested people than ever before.

The worry was the rabbit-hole concept from Alice in Wonderland (as made famous by The Matrix movie). People have described going down into rabbit-holes of interesting data-leads, only to emerge hours later with nothing to show for all their fascinating Internet surfing. (Probably a smile on their face, but maybe not.)

By creating aggregators to find you data and filters which then clean and purify this data into only things you are interested in, you can then build your own blinders so that you are only getting that data which makes you happy. And so, you become a walking expert in a particular niche - and in search engine marketing, this is how you can then grab top spots so that people can find your products.

Essentially, you reprogram yourself into success.

But that is really what all these books and tapes and videos on self improvement are all telling you, isn't it? They are trying to get you to quit listening to the herd mentality and start listening to yourself. And when you do, you become concentrated on the one thing which will give you everything you want in life.

That "one thing" is different for every single person alive on this planet.

It's just the way things are. And why the way things are - if you wanted to look.

So, worry not - it's all cool. Just be yourself and listen to those things you feel you should - that make you feel good all the time. And as you improve your filters and aggregators, you'll be easily replacing your old datums and mental habits with new ones.

Cheers - and Good Hunting!

5 Keys to Success In Anything You Really Want

Here's 5 Success Keys to Getting Anything You Really Want

1. Seek the Silence daily.
2. Find your vision.
3. Plan your work.
4. Work your plan.
5. Build your support group.

I've studied thousands of self help books, recordings, lectures, transcripts, articles, blog posts, you name it - over the half century I've been on this planet. And they really only boil down to five key points anyone can use to improve their lives. Use these and you'll be able to achieve or acquire or accomplish anything. Anything.

These are nothing new. And you've heard them all before in one manner or another.

But this time: Write them down and put them on the wall in front of you - or on your computer monitor on a tabbie - or the ceiling above your bed (if that's where you do your best thinking). Memorize these and tell several people about them. Blog about them, Twitter them, Do a podcast or a video or stumble them. But get this word out.

Because they work. They always have, they always will. And if you want a better life, if you want someone around you to have a better existence or solve some problem, write out these five keys for them and tell them just what I told you.

I didn't invent these. They are as old as the hills - or older. But we can use them right now, today. And that's the point of writing this now.

1. Seek the Silence daily.

Some call it prayer, others meditation, others yet - just a quiet time, like a long walk in the woods or sitting in a favorite chair looking out on a scenic view. The point is to find a few points daily where you can sit in a quiet space, relax, and let your thoughts simply go. Get some peace.

As you get more peace into your life, you'll be able to work easier and more efficiently. You'll lead a calm, comfortable life. And good things will happen to you all the time.

Plus, the calm, the peace expands around you. You'll be helping people quit worrying and enjoy their lives more - all because you enjoy yours.

2. Find your vision.

Now, find out what you really like to do, what you really want to get into your life, what you would rather be doing if you didn't have to do anything else for a living. What you want to wear, how you want to look, how you want to feel.

Haanel, Wattles, Bristol, Peale, Shakespeare, Plato - the list is long. They all said this. Jesus and other religious phil0sophers, prophets, and sages all covered this.

Get a quiet time and figure out what it is you really want. Hill and Nightingale say to write this down on two little cards. Write it like it's already done - not, "I want a ....", but "I have a ...." One card goes on your nightstand by the bed. The other goes with you to work. Review this three times a day, preferably at the same time. Get the feeling of this being already there - how great, how satisfied, how grateful you feel for this showing up, being brought to you.

Thats' your next step. Take your time and work it out. You probably already have an idea. Go for it.

Then review it at least three times a day and every chance you get in between. The more you chew over your vision in your mind, the more details start to appear - and the more real it becomes. You'll get inspiration and intuitive insight on how to make it happen faster as you do.

2. Plan your work.

The trick in this is to plan out what you have to do in logical sequence - what has to happen first before something else can. Just lay out your ToDo list all in sequence. Simple steps - but only those things that you can do. And only write down the really vital things. It's not a grocery list or a wish list. It's a sequential series of steps you need to do to get the next part of your vision to actually occur around you.

You know what these steps are. Just write them down so you can work on them and get them done.

Nothing gets done in this universe without some sort of action taking place. Dreams remain just daydreams until you act on them.

So write them down so you can.

3. Work your plan.

Now, how you get these done is important.

You get them done one at a time. Period. Work on one thing and get it done. Then the next. And then the next after that and so on.

All multi-tasking is over-hyped. Computers only "multi-task" by working on one thing at a time for a short period of time each, and in rotation - and they slow down and crash when asked to work on too many things at once.

Sure, if you're waiting on something to finish, you can do something to fill in - but drop that and get back to finish what you started originally as soon as you can. Once that's done, then finish the next thing you started. Concentrate on getting what you started done - in the order you started it. And preferably, you can organize your life so that you don't have to start more than one thing at a time.

Yes, there is true multi-tasking. Put one computer doing one thing and another computer doing the second thing. In business, this is called hiring more people. Two people can do two things at once - one works on one thing, the other works on the other thing.

Just the way this universe is laid out. Penalties for routinely trying to "multi-task?" Nervous breakdowns - a "crash". Computers are modeled after human thought, after all. They can only "think" as good as we can. Take the hint. Work your own list from the top down. Only.

If you don't get it all done that day? Put it in your pocket and bring it back to work the next day. When you do get it all done, lay out the next steps you need to do. And then work this list from the top down. Keep the same list and check it off. Don't re-write it every day. Just do it, complete it. There's always more paper ready when you start your next list.

Another point - how do you go at this? Calmly, cheerfully, and expectantly. Like everything you want is going to show up shortly - you are just "clearing the decks" so that it has a place to set when it does. Remember the first step - get your own peace happening daily. And let the world revolve around you for a change.

4. Build your support group.

Surround yourself with people, books, recordings, articles, blogs, etc. that share your vision or some part of it.

These are mentors, mastermind group, accountability partners - they go by many names. The point is that you have some point, great or small, of your vision in common. And that's the point that you cover with them. Because you are helping them to achieve their own vision - their own purpose.

Move the rest off somewhere or let them drift away. You only want to concentrate on these few which you can directly help and they can help you. Seems harsh, but it doesn't have to be. Factually, you'll find that as you concentrate on your purpose, your vision, the people you need will start showing up in your life and all the distractions will start dropping away.

Your job is to simply concentrate on your vision and get their advice and support for that part of your vision they can contribute to. Don't bother them with the whole rest of it - keep that to yourself and someone who has that in common with you. No two people are exactly the same, even twins. No two people will have the exact same set of mastermind partners. But people can mesh and coincide at certain points. That's what you share with them - and help them with their similar point.

Remember the old adage - "You can't get without giving." Some say to give first in order to get what it is you want. And there is the best type of giving - open-handed with no expectation of a return. If you want success in your life, look around you and find someone you can help be more successful. For free. Sure you have your business - but every time you do something for someone else, give them a little more than they expected, like Wattles suggested a century ago, and as the Good Book said a few thousand years ago. Give in abundance and abundance will return to you.

It's just the way this universe is set up. (And why criminals and critical people live such awful lives. ) And why smiles are contagious.

- - - -

So there you have it. Write these down and memorize them. Get it so you can count these off on one hand (or your toes, if that's the way you count). Just five points. Reword them anyway you need to so they are easy for you to remember.

Get these going in your life and you really can't be anything but an outrageous success from here on out. Sure, I could write (and have written) books about this area - and so many, many people have throughout history.

The point is that these five points are all you need - and you can work out the rest, or whatever additional advice will come to you as you need it.

So:

1. Seek the Silence daily.
2. Find your vision.
3. Plan your work.
4. Work your plan.
5. Build your support group.

Or - Prayer--Goal--Plan--Work--Group

You see how it goes? Have fun with this!

9 Authors who have changed your life

There are 9 bestselling authors who continually sell and have changed your life.

You may or may not know their names - but someone you know has read their books and applied them to get incredible success, wealth, happiness, health - anything you could want, they have used the data in these books to find them.

Someone you know has read these authors and has changed their lives. And you look up to them or have been influenced by their own success.

These 7 authors comprise a personal development bible of sorts - composed of their books.

How to get inspired answers.

Here's how you would use them to take yourself to whatever heights you want, to achieve or acquire anything - anything at all - that you really want.

First, get copies of their books. This can be in any version, since they are all found in the public domain these days. I'd suggest you get the physical books, although you can also use digital versions.

Second, choose one book at random.

Third. in that book, choose a random point and start reading until you have an "AHA!" moment. This is where you suddenly have an insight on something you are doing, working at, or some way you have been acting.

Fourth, get a yellow pad and start writing down your inspired idea. Write down everything about it and don't stop until you've got it all down.

Fifth, put that plan into action - merge it into what you are already doing.

That's really the simplicity of it all. As you keep doing this, you will continue to refine your own purpose in life and the plan you are following to get it fulfilled.

It's just too simple. But it works - every time.

The 7 authors and their books.

Here's those authors and their bestsellers:

1. Napoleon Hill - "Think and Grow Rich", which was based on his 17 Volume "Law of Success" (Get both books.)
2. Wallace Wattles - "Science of Getting Rich"
3. Charles F. Hannel - "Master Key System"
4. Genevieve Behrend - "Your Invisible Power"
5. Dorothea Brande - "Wake Up and Live!"
6. Robert Collier - "Secrets of the Ages"
7. Claude M. Bristol - "Magic of Believing"

If you have the time to read all of these, you'll find (as I did) that they keep repeating the same basic data, although they give their own personal views of how this data applies to them and to people around them. You also get their distinct applications - how you can apply these into your own life, simply and easily.

I make no apologies for their writing styles or their influences.

I do tell you to keep an open mind as you read these. There are incredible data you are going to find for yourself that can make fantastic changes in your life if you let them.

A high-tech way to get inspired answers.

1. Get audio versions of these books and put them into an MP3 player or MP3-capable CD player.
2. Set this machine to play at random.
3. Play it in the background and keep your yellow pad to hand.
4. When you get that flash of inspiration - stop the recording and start writing.
5. When you finish writing, implement that new idea and it's plan into what you already have going.

Don't worry if you seem to find new things when you listen to these tapes. When you get an inspired moment, you tend to focus on that new idea and so quit receiving external inputs like listening or reading. What you should be doing at that point is writing down this inspired idea - so turn off that tape and bookmark that page so you have time to write it all down.

When do you do all this?

Probably you'd best be doing this at a set time daily - I like first thing in the morning, but it can be any time. If you are busy on your work - getting your plan done - then maybe you should do it at night when you're done for the day.

But you should do this daily and always keep your yellow pad to hand for the inspirations which strike you out of the blue.

And all the world's riches will become available to you...

Seriously.

Give it a try.

Update (9/27/08)

I would add:

Dale Carnegie: "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
and
Earl Nightingale: "The Strangest Secret"

Brings it up to nine.

Get a clue - there's a whole system out there running your (and everone else's) universe...

Of all these self help books, all those self improvement tapes, all the religious dogmas, every ideologue, there is a single underlying system which explains how everything works and fits together.

Woooof. That's one heady statement to make.

But I've been working this over for over 8 years now as a steady research and collecting notes the earlier 40-some - on just about everything that crossed my path. So when I say that I've been able to boil down the universe into a single system, it just might be plausible.

The basic is back on the farm. Did you know that Nature runs the same, no matter what you believe, or practice, or what party you belong to? True. Plant a seed anywhere on this planet and as long as it has enough sunlight, enough nutrients, and is warm enough to do it's job - you'll have a sprouted plant. Keep these conditions long enough and that plant will make seeds so you can make more plants.

Heated greenhouses in Antarctica prove it.

So how do all these religions say they are the only way out and that all others are (whatever)? They are simply running marketing silos, trying to build a monopoly of belief and so finance their buildings and what-not.

That's a bit cruel, and perhaps steps on everyone's toes at once. But if you analyze organized religions against marketing data, that's what falls out.

Back up a bit.

All - and I mean all - religions and phil0sophies contain certain common points. One of these is the "Golden Rule". Every single historical belief-system we have on this planet has recognized that there is a definite reciprocity on this mud-ball we live on. What ever you do has consequences - and these all come back to haunt or elevate you. Your choice - treat people like manure and you'll get manure dumped on you. Treat people with respect and you'll get respect. Be charitable, get charity. Help others, get helped.

On and on and on.

Most nations have outlawed capital punishment - who wants to cast that first stone?

I think that if you looked hard enough, you'd also find some recognition of the Law of Attraction in all these - but it's a different search. I know it's been written about in both the New and Old Testaments. And Huna mentions it - which is the oldest-known philosophic system still practiced on this planet.

Of course, this above would then be a complete study all on its own. And I'll leave that to theologists to study up as part of the postgraduate studies. I'll keep to the broad strokes.

Let's just go with this idea that, like Nature, we are all living on this planet under the same rules. We all have bodies which are different hues and shades, but all function the same. There are only so many blood types, and they can all be fixed with varying degrees of success when they get broken.

It is just logical that all these religions, cults, and belief-systems (extremist, moderate, conservative) work because of that underlying common system, not in spite of it.

How would I go about explaining it?

1. Take Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich" as the base, and back up to Huna's 7 principles to explain how this works. 
2. Expand to his Law of Success, and widen the scope to include Haanel's Master Key System, as well as Mental Chemistry. 
3. Compare with Science of Getting Rich. 
4. Examine the phenomenon of "The Secret", which is pushing the Law of Attraction. 
5. Review Atkinson's works along this line, as well as Earl Prevette. 
6. Back this up through Genevieve Behrend to Thomas Troward. 
7. Which then brings us right back to Huna as an overall and underlying base for all modern self help. 
8. Then come forward through current religions to show their similarities and posit the point that all religions (and all belief-systems/world-views) depend on a common system of philosophy in order to work at all. 
9. Now, the base foundation for a common system could be laid, taking just the key points held in common by all above authors and Huna. 

 And this is just the beginning. Once you lay out the basic principles, personal techniques could be approached, so that anyone could improve just about anything in their lives (thought being the first point of creation, any system of thought would then enable anything to be created/achieved/acquired).

As well, an approach to world peace is possible. If all war is either economic or ideological in origin, it would be possible to show that everyone would be richer if you allowed free commerce, as well as other human freedoms.

This underlying system does exist. Interestingly, it isn't a question of proving it, but disproving it... Because it runs on faith for fuel. Faith is based on knowledge and understanding. Those that doubt only limit themselves. The best gains to be had are by thoroughly immersing oneself in the subject. You can't try out a pair of boots to see if they fit and wear well unless you put them on, first.