Tribe or Cult: Drinking the CROSSIFT KOOL-AID!
April 7, 2009
You line up on the track with 8 other athletes. You are warmed-up, focused and ready to go. The trainer counts down, “Three, two, one!” and you are off! You can hear the smacking of shoes on the pavement and the heavy breathing of the other runners as you turn the corner and complete a lap. By now your lungs are working overtime, and your mind tries convincing you to quit. But you see you have passed everyone in the group, so you keep going.
After that lap, you run over to an Olympic Barbell with 95 pounds of weight. You grab it, press it over your head and proceed to complete 15 reps of squats. By the first one your legs are already on fire, and your arms shake from trying to hold the bar. Yet, you persevere, and you finish those 15 reps.
Round one: completed. By now you are sweating from head to toe and your legs feel like Jello. Then your heart sinks when you realize you have four more rounds to go. Welcome to Crossfit!
What is this Crossfit Craze all about?!
The main website, Crossfit.com brings in over 200,000 visitors a month with anywhere from 300-600 comments on ther blog DAILY! Seth Godin (author of Tribes) labels Crossfit as a HUGE Tribe of passionate athletes who love to put themselves through Hell every time they hit the gym. You will never see a group of more dedicated athletes that look forward to putting themselves through so much pain and agony as my fellow Crossfitters. So what exactly makes Crossfit such an addicting craze?
Why Crossfit is One of the Fastest-Growing Tribes:
- Incredible Sense of Community: Crossfitters join in with their peers and compete for new personal records, quickest times, and heaviest weights as they compare their Workouts of the Day (WOD’s). There is no threatening sense of competition! Everyone encourages and pushes each other. The real enemy is the workout itself (and the negative thoughts in your head), not the guy next to you who just lapped you.
- It Works! Individuals of all fitness-levels will begin to experience results immediately. Whether it is decreased fat-loss, increased strength, or improved cardiovascular performance, every Crossfitter can attest to being in the best shape of their lives!
- It Woke People Up! No matter how passionate of a fitness enthusiast you are, everyone gets bored of the same old routine and can inevitably dread the mundane routine of going to the gym. Whether it is performing the same exercises day in and day out, or waiting in line at a crowded machine, feeling insecure about the massive bodybuilders taking illegal substances, you get bored! Crossfit was just the Pattern-Interupt we needed! No more set routines, no more machines, just grueling pain! Everyday is a new surprise, and you compete (like a race!) with yourself and thousands of others across the country for the best time.
- For The Elite Only! Saying you a Crossfitter brings along a sense of pride. The “average joe” would never dream trying Crossfit, let alone finish a complete workout without puking. Crossfitters are the Senior Varsity players on the high school football team that everyone else looks up to.
- It Empowers People! A successful tribe will easily empower its followers to spread the word and facilitate the growth of the community. Any member of Crossfit can compete in the “Crossfit Games,” or get certified as a Crossfit Trainer and become an Affiliate and open their own Crossfit Gym.
How Can You Implement the Crossfit Principles into Your Tribe:
What can you do to create a stronger community and empower your followers? Crossfit does not have some high-paid Marketing Agency pushing their message. The tribe followers do it all for them. What can you do to get your customers and prospects to promote you?
An Inside Look at Crossfit:
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Happy Birthday Successfool!
April 3, 2009
Alejandro Reyes celebrated his 1 year anniversary of SuccessFool.com earlier this week (ironically on April Fool’s Day). This FOOL put on a great show with an epic line up! So happy Birthday @SuccessFool.
I have taken the time to write a post about Alejandro for a few reasons:
1. The Video Replay is a MUST-SEE! Even if you caught the live show, there is some killer (and refreshing!) content here! You got to listen to the wise minds of Ed Dale, Coach Deb, Michelle MacPhearson, Justin Brooke Sierra Friend, Preston Taylor, Lewis Howes, & Angel Aviles!
2. Alejandro has become a great friend of mine! BUT more importantly, he has becomea great mentor/role model. I have learned so much from this guy in the last 6 months, it’s insane! Ali is known for his incredible weekly Ustream Show, and he inspired me to start my own!! In this whole Internet Marketing World, who can you find that you trust, respect, and look up to? (Not many?) Well, when you find that person, study them, follow them and learn from them!
Successfool’s 1 Year Anniversary Show:
Flip Cam Confessions (Part 1)
April 2, 2009
Exciting news (not really). I got my FIRST Flip Cam today! I see every Internet Marketer and Online Expert walking around with one of these things so I figured I have to have one too, right?! WATCH the video below for my MinoHD’s FIRST On Screen Debut…Academy Awarding Winning Material…
Confessions of a Flip Cam Fanatic, Part I
9 Reasons Why You Need to Get Your Hands on a FLIP CAM-TODAY:
- Some of your best ideas happen when you least expect it-you can take this thing everywhere
- It’s never been easier to film yourself talking while driving your car-and if you get in an accident, the footage is great exonerating evidence
- There is no better way to solicit testimonials from people you just met five minutes ago
- You can easily sneak the camera into Super Markets, Hardware Stores or even Wal-Mart so you can film product reviews and do fun experiments (watch Jackass: The Movie)
- There is NO other Camera out there on the market (ok, the Sony Webbie, but it like just came out yesterday) that produces that high quality of video for this low of a price
- It features a Kung-Fu Grip, Action-Sliding USB Arm that swings open at the press of a button (which, frankly, NEVER gets old! I think I already wore mine out)
- DV Tapes are a thing of the past…like your old 45′s (had to ask my Dad what those were) and Atari. The Flip Cam records a digital mp4 file that instantly loads to your computer.
- Now it’s never been easier (and cheapier) to become a YOUTUBE STAR-which is good because none of those kids make any money.
- Most importantly, the Flip Cam creates VIDEO! Video is the most powerful MEDIUM for getting your message across to your prospects. If you are not creating Video in your marketing, you are still stuck in 1999…and back then I was still slingin’ my parents’ antiques on eBay just so I could pay for a new car stereo to impress this girl I liked back in High School.
WARNING: Chip on Shoulder-RANT: I still believe the majority of Marketers are NOT using video correctly online (heck! I’m not…yet!) Get outside the Box and stop mimicking what everyone else out there is doing, cuz it’s BORING, and we are all tired of it! Think Creative, Creative, Creative! Use Emotion! Make people laugh, make ‘em cry!
Just put yourself out there, be genuine (and original) and prepare to kick some butt!
MY next post might just have to be the first draft of the Official Video Commandments. 1st Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Create Crappy CONTENT! <—But now is not the time nor the place.
If you have made it this far, I would like to thank you. Much love!
Lesson 1: Market Research
March 20, 2009
Lessons from a 30 yr Old Finger Painter
by Michael J. Alaniz
As our Mastermind Group ventures further into the world of online marketing, one of the most important discoveries we have made is the necessity for Market Research. The largest mistake an online marketer/entrepreneur can make is to create a product or service without first asking a few important questions.
First, is this niche a large enough market? and second, is there a problem in this niche where my product or service would be able to solve it? This is where Market Research can save you lots of money and more importantly, time!
The Two Must-Ask Market Research Questions:
1. Is This Niche Large Enough?
Just for fun, let’s say there is an entrepreneur who has expertise in the area of finger painting. They decide to create a product that will teach people how to do self-portraits using their thumbs and the color blue. This is something they really enjoy doing and since all their family and friends comment about how great the paintings look, they’re sure it will be a hit.
So this entrepreneur immediately goes to work, first securing a domain and then creating their product. Once they finish, they send out an e-mail to their friends and family to spread the word about your their new product. Two weeks go by and then two month…but still no sales!
This is where market research could have saved time, money and some lost confidence. If our online marketer had taken the time to survey the internet for blogs, forums and websites, they would have quickly seen how large (or how small!) the finger painting community is. From here they would have a better understanding of what this niche is up to and what they’re currently buying.
So how big should a niche be?
There is no right or wrong answer to this, but if the community/market you want to sell only has a couple of forums, blogs and websites then you can’t expect to make a large amount of money. The simple concept is the bigger the audience, the bigger the chance for making sales. Now keep in mind this also has to be a market that spends money, but we’ll touch more on that in another article.
2. Does my Product/Service Solve a Problem?
This is the biggest lesson I have personally learned so far. Instead of wasting valuable time trying to think of products, the best thing to remember is “the market has already spoken.” This means each niche has already expressed what it wants, it just takes time and research to find out what this is.
Thanks to blogs and forums, we now have the ability to survey the opinions of a market place. You can accomplish this by going into any forum, read the posts and ask yourself the following questions:
“what are the reoccurring themes?”
“are there any problems people keep mentioning?”
“what specific topics are continually talked about?’
The answer to these questions should be the foundation to your product/service. That’s it! This is what makes market research so powerful. It is basically mind-reading your audience.
So the next time you find yourself sitting around trying to think of the “Next Big Thing,” simply remember “the market has already spoken.” Your job is to simply listen and answer these problems with a solution.
Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings. Don’t feel bad if you feel overwhelmed with your personal online journey, because we feel the same way at times!! But this is allot of fun, so lets learn together.
Please feel free to comment on this article, let us know what you think and how you approach market research. We’d love to hear from you.
Drunk Karaoke, Killer Bunnies & Internet Marketing
March 11, 2009
Take-Aways From The Underground:
Two weeks ago I joined the Best-of-the-Best at Yanik Silver’s incredible event The Underground Online Seminar 5. It was a four day extravaganza that attracted all the heavy-hitters under one roof to share what’s working and what’s not! And of course, it wouldn’t have been a Yanik event with out a Casino Night, a Live 80’s band and gorgeous bond Girls flirting with the guests.
I could lie to you right now and say that I spent those four days in my chair taking pages and pages of notes and I am here to pass them on to you, but I won’t. I spent the majority of the conference outside in the halls meeting and building relationships with incredible individuals. (I felt like I was back in High School ditching class again!) I have three incredible Take-Aways that have brought me that much closer to The Internet Lifestyle, and I would be doing you a disservice if I did not share. So here we go…
From Left to Right: @MelCoach, @RyanAngelo, @UnMarketing, @James Wedmore
TAKE-AWAY # 1: Relationships First. When I first made the decision to “go online,” I tried to do it all by myself. I wore every hat from copywriting to programming, and I never bothered asking anyone else for help. I didn’t know anyone else in this “Internet Marketing World” and I quickly became frustrated. It wasn’t until I began attending more conferences and expanding my networking circles that I realized I was creating incredible relationships with people who were more than willing to share their advice and input.
This is the reason I spend my seminar-time in the hallways. I am getting to know fantastic people who I can help in some way. At the very worst,I can introduce them to someone who can help them. In just a short time, I have obtained a core group of individuals that I know will help me out when I am in need. This is no revolutionary topic, but it was an epiphany for me. I learned all of this from Carrie Wilkerson (@Barefoot_Exec) who masterfully knows how to work any room and connect everyone in some way. If you attend any Seminar, you will see just how many people’s lives she has already affected.
So, Take-Away #1 is build relationships first! Get out there and go to conferences, local Meet-Ups, and anything else where you can meet like-minded people. Be willing to give selflessly and watch as your investments return tenfold!
And when you can’t connect at seminars & conferences? Use Social Media! That’s what it’s there for! Get on Twitter and Facebook and work the room like you would a cocktail party!
TAKE-AWAY # 2: Be Creative in your Marketing. You’ve heard the old Marketing Sin: “Don’t Be Boring!” But it could never be more true! With the power of Social Media and Web 2.0, it seems like everyone is an expert! Today, it is very difficult to get your message out to the masses because there are simply so many other messages (many are just like yours!). Your solution: Get Creative!
Dean Hunt (The man behind The Killer Bunnies!) of Buzz Marketing (www.DeanHunt.com) is a Creative Genius, and he shared with Yanik’s guests a great tactic for finding the creative edge in your marketing. Start by taking all of the assumptions in your industry (ex: restaurants industry uses menus, cooks your food, and serves it to you with a wait staff). Why not flip those assumptions upside down (solution: a restaurant where you bring the food yourself and prepare, cook and eat it yourself).
Another legend in creative UN-marketing is Scott Stratton of www.Un-Marketing.com. His tactic is simple. Use video in unique and different ways and allow your viewers to do the leg work and promote your content for you (viral, baby!)
In other words, to be creative you must do the complete opposite of what everyone else in your market is doing! Your actions should all be news-worthy (Hey! Free Advertising!). I mean look what I am doing: I am a Newbie Internet Marketing teaching Internet Marketing through the power of video, humor & storytelling.
Final Thought: Don’t settle for Boring, because your prospects definitely won’t!
TAKE-AWAY # 3: Dream Bigger: I really resonate with this next take-away and want to pass it on to as many entrepreneurs as possible. It is the concept of having a Passion and a Vision that is Bigger than YOU! It’s quite simple really. If you have a reason for doing business that encompasses more than just “to make money” or “to be really rich,” than not only will you have an incredible feeling of fulfillment after each and every accomplishment, but you will notice that no obstacle will ever stand in your way. When you are determined to make something a reality, “impossible” does not exist.
The most successful speakers at Yanik’s event all seemed to incorporate this concept into their presentation one way or another, and it really became the unifying theme of the weekend.
I have seen many people pose the question differently: “What is your Passion?” “What is your WHY?” etc, but the QUESTION that really hit home for me came from Tony Robbins himself. At a recent event of his I attended, he asked everyone in the audience the question: “What were you made for?”
Bam! That hit me like a ton of bricks.
I ask everyone who is reading this to take a second and answer that question for yourself. “What were YOU made for?” For me it was extremely difficult to answer, but I believe that once you have the answer to that question, nothing can stop you!
In conclusion, I learned a lot more than I listed above, but those were these three biggies that will help anyone build a solid foundation in their business so they too can be successful online!! I also learned plenty of steathy-ninja tactics that I will be sharing over the next few weeks! So don’t worry & stay tuned!
P.S. I have two quick videos from Yanik’s Underground that I would love to share with you. The first one, I asked everyone I could for their Definition of “The Internet Lifestyle.” And the second, well, I was caught on tape singing..don’t ask!
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| The Internet Lifestyle | James Wedmore Sings |
What’s YOUR Definition of The INTERNET LIFESTYLE?
March 2, 2009
Straight from the Underground! Yanik Silver put together another AMAZING event at his Underground Online Seminar #5! I was overwhelmed and impressed by the high-caliber of individuals that Yanik attracted during this weekend.
The Big Question:
So the Big Question is: Does The Internet Lifestyle Exist, or are we just chasing the elusive Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow?
Is it all about sleeping in until noon and working three hours a day in your pajamas? Well…maybe, but to find out for sure, we asked some of the biggest Internet Marketing today one question:
What’s YOUR Definition of The Internet Lifestyle?
A Mastermind with Bryan Elliott of ASN
January 3, 2009
While Bartending (my night job) a Private Party, I was introduced to Bryan Elliott, the founder of Action Sports Network. I quickly decided that we needed to pick Bryan’s brain so we could learn as much from him as possible.
We set up an Interview with Bryan and the rest of the gang to learn more about him and his marketing experience. We were surprised to see how he has harnessed the power of Social Media to create a following of 900+ members in just under three months. And it was this past December that he held his FIRST Live Event for his Networking Group: So-Cal Action Sports Network. This group consists of CEO’s, Small Business Owners, Marketing Directors and other Entrepreneurs who fall into the Market of “Action Sports.” This includes anything from Surf & Skate apparel to energy drinks and music.
What We Learned From Bryan:
In just one hour of interviewing Bryan, we were able to grab some pretty powerful stuff! But what amazed us the most was Bryan’s humility. Although he founded Action Sports Network and built it from the ground up, he does not seek power or credit for his accomplishments. Instead, he looks at himself as a servant of the Networking Group, and that the real focus is on the members and where THEY want to take ASN.
It is this attitude and mindset that one MUST have in order to be successful with Social Media. Put your group and members first. Listen to their wants and needs and simply fulfill them.
Bryan Elliott used LinkedIn to obtain over 900 members in under three months. We are all excited to see what he will accomplish in 2009.
Bryan will be featured on our Webisode Series: realityMASTERMIND which will be debuting this Spring 2009! Watch out for him, and many other EXPERTS who are helping us along the path as we go from zeros to Internet Marketing Heros!
The Mastermind-Mindset: A Lesson in Thought-Shifting
December 2, 2008
On our never-ending quest for achieving the “Internet Lifestyle,” this past Monday we met with Success-Coach & Mentor Pam Ragland, who taught us a little about thought-shifting and removing Success Blocks!
Starting a new Business Venture on a relatively new medium (The Internet), we had NO IDEA that we had pre-conceived beliefs in our Sub-Conscious. Personally, growing up with parents who worked extremely hard for every penny they earned, I have always correlated “making money” and “success” with HARD WORK!
Pam was the first to point out that a thought like that is simply not an Absolute Truth and can actually hold you back on your path to Success. This whole idea of eliminating “limiting beliefs” was really intriguing to all of us, because we realized it was the power of the Internet that is really able to eliminate this “Old Way” of thinking.
The Power of The Internet
We really are in a time of Incredible Change! If you have read books such as The World is Flat and The 4-Hour Workweek, you know just what I am talking about. For the first time in history, WE ALL have the ability to empower ourselves with the knowledge and skills to build a business and change the World!
My autoresponder will automatically send e-mails to subcribers while my Virtual Assistants in the Philippines are bookmarking my blog posts and performing draining data-entry tasks. In the meantime, I am talking in real-time with my programmer in India as he works on my new website. That of course, which leaves me to do what I love doing most: …nothing!
Pam’s advice was eye-opening and very inspiring. She asked great questions that caused us to second-guess these beliefs that we all had about work, success and life. “Why does work have to be hard?” “Do you want to spend the rest of your life working 16 hour days? Is that your definition of Success?”
I pass on a bit of Pam’s wisdom and advice to you now: Next time you sit down to tackle an assignment, whether it is writing a blog post, creating a new product, or cleaning your room, ask yourself “How can I make this process as effortless as possible?” Chances are, you shouldn’t be working as hard as you are!
Pam Ragland will be featured as a guest on realityMASTERMIND when it airs in the Spring of 2009. In the meantime, you can learn more at www.PamRagland.com & www.AskPamRagland.com. Get on her list and tune in to her FREE UStream Calls every Tuesday!
Mastermind Word Jumble
November 23, 2008
We stumbled upon a really cool website that let us create a word jumble for Free! Check out Wordle at www.Wordle.net and get started on your Word Jumble today!
To create ours, all five of us sat down and started coming up with words that described what realityMASTERMIND meant to us. The picture below is the result of what this project is for us. And we just thought we would share this cool picture with you. Enjoy!
Mastermindism #61: No Stupid Questions-Just Stupid People!
November 11, 2008
There is no such thing as a Stupid Question…just Stupid People! Well, if you have properly screened your Mastermind Members before allowing them to join, you won’t have the problem of working with people that are at a low caliber. Therefore, you should encourage your members to not hold anything back! Whether it is an idea, a comment or question, never judge or criticize. What you may first see as a “stupid idea,” may spark something genius! It is all about letting the creativity flow freely and comfortably through the room and your members. With that in mind, never hesitate when something is on your mind for fear the group might judge you.
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