Warning Explicit: Wow, It's been a long time since I posted something here...
It's been a long time since I posted regularly here on our beloved WF. And I notice a lot of new members, as anticipated, have joined the forum. Much congrats to everyone who's fortunate enough to be here on this forum, and of course heartiest congrats to Allen... for the forum has continued to outdo itself every time I thought that this is it... the plateau has now been reached.
And since you might not have read anything I ever wrote here, I think a little introduction is in order.
I started Internet Marketing way back in 2005, but it was only in 2008 when I took some serious coaching and started making serious money. I was in high school in 2005, and in 2008, which is also the year I joined WF, I was a second year student at IIT Delhi... studying Civil engineering.
I started out a foolish little kid who was trying to pretend to be a Guru... and smart people often saw right through me. But I was just trying to do as I had been taught. Most people were just rehashing stuff, and so that's what I did too. I rehashed what my coach taught me, and sold the same info. Made some money that way.
Tried a lot of different things out there, but most never produce consistent income. Till date I haven't found a source of consistent income following any system any one else taught. Damn straight!
The reason why I am writing this letter today is because I have a few things to say. I have been really stupid in the past, and I would like others to gain some leverage out of my experience.
I also want to just talk to someone who's learning the ropes and show them what's working for me. God knows that just a couple months ago how easy it would have been for anyone to approach me and have me mentor them for free. I am a born teacher, and I like to teach. Even in my own company, my directors tell me that I teach them most of the time. I am way too happy teaching and consulting. Showing people what to do.
However now that I have taken on a new apprentice (my own brother, actually) I would like to shape his career for the next few years. And even though I can not possibly take on the role of a mentor for anyone else right now (It's too difficult to take care of even one mentee... it's a full time job, really. I don't understand how others take on six or seven apprentices at a time... don't they have anything else to do?)... I can and will still teach you some things that will surely help you along your way to success.
Here's my list of commandments:
1. Never put a dollar amount on yourself: I often hear people say that if they could only make x amount of money (say $3 Million) they would happily retire. That is the easiest way to sell yourself short. There is no goal that is too large, and there is no dream that is too big. Everything's attainable or obtainable. So instead of saying I want to make $20,000 a month and I will live happily ever after... say, that in the Phase I of my business life, I want to get to $20,000 a month. Once I get there, I will find a larger goal, but that is my goal for now.
2. Act as if you are already successful: And that involves more than just affirming your gratefulness to God. Act as if you are a ****ing tycoon. Dress the part. Speak the way a tycoon would. Hire like a tycoon. Decide like a millionaire. Dream like a visionary... and chase your dreams like a lion. Live in your dream home already... start your new business already. Start networking with important people yesterday. Do whatever you are supposed to do once you are a hotshot. Remember: this is it. This is the real life. You are living it right now. This is not a dress rehearsal. So stop acting like you are waiting for something. And start living your dream life already. Work like you mean business, and ravish life like Don Juan (or Lakshay Behl) ravishes women.
3. Devote complete days to planning: I plan a lot. As soon as I have an idea, I start building blueprints. I think in stages... Stage I: Get the first client. Stage II: Leverage the case study. Stage III: Templatize the process, and Stage IV: Dominate Niche nationally and consequently globally. I also think non linearly: most people think 20% increase in income annually is good, and 100% is great. I have been making at least a 1000% leap for the last three years. I devote 2-3 days to completely plan out an idea. But this planning should not stop you from taking action fast.
4. Talk to successful people: And then I devote another 4-5 days (upto 2-3 weeks for larger ideas) to talk to really successful people (some of whom are my friends that I networked with, others are on my team, and one is my mentor. Of course also talk to really big hotshots in the industry you wish to enter). I only network with the really successful people. And I only seek advice from experienced veterans. Contrary to popular belief, these people love giving out advice much like myself to people who are not yet as successful as them. These people are neither hard to reach, nor hard to approach. They don't spend energy trying to position themselves as a mentor or advisor... instead they have devoted lifetimes to leading and changing the landscape of the real business world out there. One of their many aspirations is to leave behind a legacy, and you could help them by seeking out their advice. Oh, and it doesn't have to cost any money at all.
5. Get a mentor: Preferably someone who just recently retired from a top management or director level post... or even a CEO from corporate America. These people had hundreds of employees working at their command just a few short months back, and now even their own children don't listen to them. If you are willing to not only seek advice from them, but also follow their instructions, they will be more than happy to help you out.
6. Incorporate: If you haven't already incorporated, why the hell are you saying you want a business. Incorporation is the first step to starting a real business. Getting an office is the second. Even if that office is a small room in your home, it has to someplace no one can bother you. Concentration is super important. And then incorporating has tax benefits as well. Talk to a financial adviser about that.
7. Stop ****ing around with what's not selling: I see most people here trying to sell what people don't already buy. Just stop doing that. People don't wake up in the middle of the night thinking "I wish I had an e-book to teach me how to lose weight". They think about losing weight, and a real world solution that makes them slim yesterday. They will buy pills much more easily than they will buy an e-book. And they will go to buy their Gym instructor's recommendations even easier than that. They will buy anything that has direct and instant gratification of their needs of money, vanity and sex. So sell what's selling all over the world. My litmus test: Is this a product or service that is already being offered at at least 4-5 businesses in ALL the top 1000 cities of the world? Like restaurants or spa's or gym's or dance classes... they can be found everywhere. They are the businesses people need everywhere. And they are the businesses that will make you max. money. Not some "underwater cat-juggling video series home study course with free PDF transcriptions".
8. Sell experiences, not benefits. I am sure you are aware that you can charge higher if you sell a hope by promising a benefit, as compared to selling a commodity. But the top dollar is made when you sell an experience. In the guru business, the experience your customers crave is reassurance. And if there's entertainment value to it too... you are great. Tony Robbins products are sold because he reassures them that there is hope. Fran Kern reassures you that you can be a lazy surfer and still make money. David deAngelo sells the reassurance to ugly, fat and usually not so affluent guys that they can be desirable to women too, and that they can get affection too. Notice how I said affection, not sex. These people know what experience their folks are craving. Madam Mayflower knew that her clients were looking for an escort that they could talk to, tell jokes to, and have a conversation with. Of course these escorts were a sure thing, but the clients could have bought sex for a lot cheaper in the NYC. They paid top dollar for an intelligent and charismatic girl who was affectionate, admiring and respectful of these gents. If Madam Mayflower (Sydney White) sold commodity, it would have been sex. If she sold benefit, it would have been pleasure. But she sold an experience, and that was admiration for some, affection for others and respect for the rest.
9. Learn the art of prospecting: Most businesses get it wrong. You get a 2% conversion rate on your website? I guess that is acceptable because you don't have any personal time investment in it. But how about getting a 20% conversion rate? Is it possible? Yes. How? By having a laser targeted list of buyers who already purchased multiple similar products from you very recently. They are your best prospects. When looking for an offline consultancy client, look for those who are already advertising. Far too many consultants are broke because they tried educating their people the value in advertising... they failed in effective prospecting. When I tried selling websites door to door, I made the same mistake. I didn't just spend my time on the people who would be interested in such a service... I was offering it to everyone. So create ads that attract only your prospects, and REPEL, or even OFFEND the people who are not your prospects.
10. Most business owners don't know jack**** about marketing: Help them sell more, one strategy at a time, and you can make so much money leveraging their products, their money, their ads and their customers that the big shot internet millionaires will appear "cute" to you. If you can help business owners effectively sell experience to their clients, then you have created value at multiple stages... which is the key to exponential profits.
11. Don't sell just anything: I hate people who are affiliates for every me-too launch out there. I am still waiting to find a powerful authority even in the IM niche who says that this product is jack****. Don't buy. Without any ulterior motives, that is. Sell valuable experiences. ONLY.
12. Fail: Fail more. My partners say I have Midas touch. They are wrong. I just make way too many offers, and fail way too many times. They see my 5 successful campaigns and they easily overlook my failed 50. You just can't succeed without failing. I know you are not afraid of failing. Most people aren't. What you are afraid of is the social repercussions of failing. What will my wife think? What will my children say? What will my friends say? What will their friends say to them? Social embarrassment is what you fear. Trust me... a brave man (or a woman who takes initiative) is only to be admired. And those who mock you for trying and failing... drop those jackasses like a piece of hot rock. This is also a cleansing exercise... or a thinning exercise... to weed out useless "friends" who bog you down.
Follow these twelve commandments religiously. And you cannot go wrong.
It's been an interesting hour... and I like what I have done with it. Hope you take some value out of it, and start living your life like it is meant to be lived. You are moving closer to death every moment... and while that is a scary thought... you must realize that everyone dies. But only a handful - truly live.
Wishing you all success
-Lakshay Behl
P.S. Almost forget: Act when you are not fully prepared I never wait for the perfect moment. I have never had the perfect sale, and I have made over 200 deals personally. Never had the perfect ideal scenario. NEVER. But I always acted. I mean not in the beginning. But now I act despite being not ready. And the idea has served me well. I record products with a sore throat. I launch marketing campaigns without products being completed. I talk to business owners even when I don't have anything to offer to them. All the logistical steps can, and should be handled later. But test your ideas as soon as you can, and if they are worthy ideas, get them rolling ASAP. Without worrying too much about the near future...
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