It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee...

mikemcmillan · 11-04-2009, 12:09 PM

Stick with me, or not.

I was a high school chem teacher for 14 years. I love magic tricks and I used a lot of them to get and keep kid's attention. But more than fun, they can teach logic and problem solving--even a bit of reverse engineering.

Example related to Internet marketing.

I would walk into class with a styrofoam cup of coffee. I had an envelope on my lecture table in plain view. I would open the envelope, remove three index card sized pieces of paper--one red, one blue, and one yellow. Next I would ask for a student to volunteer to pick a volunteer--to keep it honest.

So I get a student to come up and hold my coffee cup which is nearly full of coffee. I ask them to move it slowly over the three sheets of colored paper and gently place it on one of them. Let's say they put it on the red one, just for an example. I then ask them to pour my coffee down the sink and look inside of the cup.

They would alway be amazed. Inside the cup they would see the words, "YOU WILL PICK RED" written with a sharpie marker inside the bottom of the cup. And the trick always worked--without fail, no matter what color they picked. (Only one coffee cup is used.)

So I used this as a problem solving exercise. I talked about reverse engineering the trick. You know the end result, what must have happened in advance of that result to achieve that outcome. The obvious is always overlooked--that's what makes good magic.

So now, in terms of Internet marketing (Oh, I'll give you the solution to the trick in a minute) how can this be of help?

Talk about product development. Too many people think, "I want to write a book about SEO," and they start writing. That may work. But think of product development as a great magic trick. Look at the end result you want. Maybe it's getting a front page Google ranking. That is the end goal you want readers of your ebook to achieve.

Now work backwards--reverse engineer the thing. If you're end goal it to achieve top Google rankings, what must happen before that, and before that, and before that? Start at your end result and work back to the starting point.

I know a lot of you do this, but product development even goes back even further than that. I strongly recommend that one writes a sales letter for their product before they even create the product. Doing this gives a blueprint for your product development process. You simply dump the stuff into your product that makes your sales letter true.

The term reverse engineering is used a lot today, but it really is a powerful tool to end up with products that achieve a certain goal.
~~~~~~~

Oh yeah, the magic trick. You would hate me if I told you how I did that. I'ts better if I make you think and toil over the solution first. Yeah, you'll probably hate me more for doing this, but think on it for a day. I'll post the way it's done Friday at noon. Have any ideas? Post 'em, I'd be curious. Have fun

!

Jack J · 11-05-2009, 04:03 AM

Oh! Don't I just hate it when this happens.

There I am merrily going about my business and someone throws a spanner in the works - or a question I don't have the answer to - and suddenly I'm distracted from my master-plan. Again.

No I don't know how you do that. Yes, I really would like to know! No, I don't like admitting that I don't know the answer. No, I don't like being the first to admit that I don't know the answer - but I'm OK with knowing that I am at least brave enough to admit it, others won't be!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike McMillan

So now, in terms of Internet marketing (Oh, I'll give you the solution to the trick in a minute) how can this be of help?

Isn't this coffee and card magic more about leading your customer to pick the result that you've anticipated and prepared for?

I'm no expert at doing that properly either!

Mike, pretend it's Friday already.

There's only me here at the moment.

You can tell me!

PLEEEEASE TEACHER!!!!

Listen! I GOT WORK TO DO!

Yes. Alright. I'll come to class on Friday.

sanjid112 · 11-05-2009, 04:40 AM

Magic always make my curiosity arouse. Now, that happen here. The truth is, I don't know your trick. So, I wish you told me on Friday.

Magic teach me about not to say I can't before I try it. Magic keeps me believing that nothing is impossible if you want to try. Even if it fail, at least you ever try it. And I believe that I learn something from it.

Another thing magic told me about, planning. Always be prepared and plan wisely before you got into action.

Thanks for sharing this Mike. I'll attend your class on Friday. I'll put it on my reminder

-Malik

tryinhere · 11-05-2009, 12:46 PM

My guess is there was no random guess of a volunteer picking a volunteer, the outcome was known before the process started, the class was amazed but those planning the illusion all knew before they started ?

I suppose in relation to your back engineering of the affiliate stuff, no one really is amazed they took number one spot if they knew the outcome before they started, and put into the play the illusion / result from the start.

Ann Writes · 11-05-2009, 06:46 PM

What a cool trick! I would have loved to have been in a Chemistry class like that!

So now they call it reverse engineering. Well, if its about starting with the end goal in mind and working backwards to set up what you need, then it's a strategy that I generally tend to use especially when it's a project or goal that I haven't encountered before.

Jack J · 11-06-2009, 05:14 PM

Is it Friday yet?

Do I have the right Friday?

Berticus · 11-06-2009, 08:35 PM

I believe it is Saturday... 20:35 Central Standard Time. A solution?

mattlaclear · 11-06-2009, 08:53 PM

Love your thread Mike. You are so right about counseling marketers to write their sales letter first BEFORE creating heir product. I second what Ann said too about wishing you had been her chemistry teacher! If you had been mine maybe I wouldn't of had to become an Internet marketer in order to pay my bills!

Paula Steen · 12-03-2009, 08:41 AM

Mike!! How does the coffee cup trick work?

Please tell me. I must know.

truehs · 12-03-2009, 10:28 AM

I have heard it said before that if you have a problem that you want a solution to there are probably others with the same problem seeking a similar solution. I like to use that as the basis for my product creation ... think of problems that don't yet have a solution, than seek out a solution.

As far as the trick goes ... the two "volunteers" are in on the gag? It is probably more simple than that!

11-04-2009, 12:09 PM	#1
mikemcmillan Mike McMillan War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MI Posts: 1,300 Blog Entries: 5 Thanks: 859 Thanked 1,014 Times in 388 Posts Social Networking	It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... Stick with me, or not. I was a high school chem teacher for 14 years. I love magic tricks and I used a lot of them to get and keep kid's attention. But more than fun, they can teach logic and problem solving--even a bit of reverse engineering. Example related to Internet marketing. I would walk into class with a styrofoam cup of coffee. I had an envelope on my lecture table in plain view. I would open the envelope, remove three index card sized pieces of paper--one red, one blue, and one yellow. Next I would ask for a student to volunteer to pick a volunteer--to keep it honest. So I get a student to come up and hold my coffee cup which is nearly full of coffee. I ask them to move it slowly over the three sheets of colored paper and gently place it on one of them. Let's say they put it on the red one, just for an example. I then ask them to pour my coffee down the sink and look inside of the cup. They would alway be amazed. Inside the cup they would see the words, "YOU WILL PICK RED" written with a sharpie marker inside the bottom of the cup. And the trick always worked--without fail, no matter what color they picked. (Only one coffee cup is used.) So I used this as a problem solving exercise. I talked about reverse engineering the trick. You know the end result, what must have happened in advance of that result to achieve that outcome. The obvious is always overlooked--that's what makes good magic. So now, in terms of Internet marketing (Oh, I'll give you the solution to the trick in a minute) how can this be of help? Talk about product development. Too many people think, "I want to write a book about SEO," and they start writing. That may work. But think of product development as a great magic trick. Look at the end result you want. Maybe it's getting a front page Google ranking. That is the end goal you want readers of your ebook to achieve. Now work backwards--reverse engineer the thing. If you're end goal it to achieve top Google rankings, what must happen before that, and before that, and before that? Start at your end result and work back to the starting point. I know a lot of you do this, but product development even goes back even further than that. I strongly recommend that one writes a sales letter for their product before they even create the product. Doing this gives a blueprint for your product development process. You simply dump the stuff into your product that makes your sales letter true. The term reverse engineering is used a lot today, but it really is a powerful tool to end up with products that achieve a certain goal. ~~~~~~~ Oh yeah, the magic trick. You would hate me if I told you how I did that. I'ts better if I make you think and toil over the solution first. Yeah, you'll probably hate me more for doing this, but think on it for a day. I'll post the way it's done Friday at noon. Have any ideas? Post 'em, I'd be curious. Have fun !

11-05-2009, 04:40 AM	#3
sanjid112 Banned War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 183 Thanks: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... Magic always make my curiosity arouse. Now, that happen here. The truth is, I don't know your trick. So, I wish you told me on Friday. Magic teach me about not to say I can't before I try it. Magic keeps me believing that nothing is impossible if you want to try. Even if it fail, at least you ever try it. And I believe that I learn something from it. Another thing magic told me about, planning. Always be prepared and plan wisely before you got into action. Thanks for sharing this Mike. I'll attend your class on Friday. I'll put it on my reminder -Malik

11-05-2009, 12:46 PM	#4
tryinhere Pete Young War Room Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: downunder Posts: 1,939 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 315 Thanked 462 Times in 315 Posts Contact Info	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... My guess is there was no random guess of a volunteer picking a volunteer, the outcome was known before the process started, the class was amazed but those planning the illusion all knew before they started ? I suppose in relation to your back engineering of the affiliate stuff, no one really is amazed they took number one spot if they knew the outcome before they started, and put into the play the illusion / result from the start.

11-05-2009, 06:46 PM	#5
Ann Writes Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 31 Thanks: 10 Thanked 5 Times in 3 Posts Social Networking	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... What a cool trick! I would have loved to have been in a Chemistry class like that! So now they call it reverse engineering. Well, if its about starting with the end goal in mind and working backwards to set up what you need, then it's a strategy that I generally tend to use especially when it's a project or goal that I haven't encountered before.

11-06-2009, 05:14 PM	#6
Jack J Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: United Kingdom. Posts: 14 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... Is it Friday yet? Do I have the right Friday?

11-06-2009, 08:35 PM	#7
Berticus Seriously War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... I believe it is Saturday... 20:35 Central Standard Time. A solution?

11-06-2009, 08:53 PM	#8
mattlaclear Lethal SEO Kung Fu Master War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Mason, MI 48854 Posts: 3,669 Blog Entries: 39 Thanks: 1,519 Thanked 1,216 Times in 594 Posts Social Networking	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... Love your thread Mike. You are so right about counseling marketers to write their sales letter first BEFORE creating heir product. I second what Ann said too about wishing you had been her chemistry teacher! If you had been mine maybe I wouldn't of had to become an Internet marketer in order to pay my bills!
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12-03-2009, 08:41 AM	#9
Paula Steen HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 206 Thanks: 169 Thanked 138 Times in 31 Posts	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... Mike!! How does the coffee cup trick work? Please tell me. I must know.
	See you at the Warrior Conference!

12-03-2009, 10:28 AM	#10
truehs Broken Bones War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: USA Posts: 242 Thanks: 8 Thanked 122 Times in 26 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: It's time to work a little magic here! I challenge thee... I have heard it said before that if you have a problem that you want a solution to there are probably others with the same problem seeking a similar solution. I like to use that as the basis for my product creation ... think of problems that don't yet have a solution, than seek out a solution. As far as the trick goes ... the two "volunteers" are in on the gag? It is probably more simple than that!