When I Was 14 I Almost Died in a Plane Crash

…with my whole family.

But I’ll get back to this in a minute…

Did you know the SBA offers low-interest disaster loans as an affordable way for individuals and businesses to recover from declared disasters?

I don’t know how I’m going to pay my employees next week bud

This is what a friend and client of mine said to me yesterday…

But it wasn’t what he said… but how he said it.

He’s was afraid…

And he’s right to be…

This Coronavirus shit storm we’re going through is serious business.

It’s SMART to be afraid!

If YOU’RE NOT afraid, you’re an idiot!

But there’s a difference between fear and panic.

And that’s EXACTLY what the pilot in that 6-person Cessna didn’t do…

He didn’t panic!

That’s why I’m alive and able to write this email to you today…

Because some smuggler 36 years ago,

…I didn’t even know… kept his cool!

As the plane took a nose dive, all I remember was trying not to vomit…

While getting my face squeezed by the g-force against my window!

By the way…

My friend’s fear is the same fear all of us are feeling right now…

Fear of the unknown, fear for our well being, both personal and financial…

Fear for our friends and family’s health and businesses that have already taken a direct hit.

Here’s what I know…

The pros are on the case and based on what I’m seeing…

They know what they’re doing.

We’re making progress, the outlook is better than it was last week, even though we’re not out of the woods yet.

Stay focused on your day to day…

…and STOP WATCHING THE NEWS FOR GOD’S SAKE!

Remember to go to this link for your Florida, State and Local updates.

…and for global updates here are the best two resources:

  • The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • WHO (The World Health Organization)

Anyway, back to how we can get our hands on some money! 

Yes!…

The SBA offers disaster loans as an affordable way for businesses to recover from declared disasters. 

It’s called, the:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

And I’ve been sharing it with every business owner I know…

Keeping your doors open for business is priority #1.

So any funds at low cost you can get your hands on for internal cash-flow emergencies is a good strategy to follow…

Let me know how it goes…

 

Claudio “Glad to be alive” Alegre

 

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Why The Strongest Culture Always Wins

Super Bowl 54 did not disappoint!

No doubt both teams deserved to be there…

No doubt both teams were well matched, and ready for the big show.

I did notice a difference… a big one! Continue Reading

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How To Get People To Listen and Act On Your Demented Sales Pitches

 

Have you ever delivered a pitch so outrageous…

So insane…

That when you finished the person said:

“GET THE F**CK OUTTA HERE!”

But wait!

What did she mean?

Was it a…

“Get the f**ck outta here… before I call security!”

Or…

“Get the f**ck outta here… No Way! … Tell me more!”

You want the second one…

But If you want this kind of reaction you have to…

Stop talking about yourself, and focus on the psychological action triggers that your prospects are predisposed to…

These are powerful and inevitable emotions we’re all subject to…

The main ones are:

Greed, fear, shame, pain, and status…

This means you have to get to know your audience better than you know you own wife or husband…

What makes them tick…

What are they afraid of…

Or love for that matter (fear unfortunately is a stronger motivator)

What are they embarrassed about…

What’s creating stress and frustration in their lives…

And doing so frequently.

Start there!

What do you think is easier….

To sell a high-end strength and conditioning fitness program to married out of shape men over 50…

Or to out of shape men over 50 who recently got divorced?

The divorced bunch of course…

Because after being nestled in the comfort and security of a twenty year old relationship…

And suddenly finding himself in the darwinian jungle that is the current dating scene….

At the very least, in order to compete with alpha males clearly at the top of their game…

This recently divorced minnow who has zero chance of getting any action anytime soon…

Has to get his sh**t together and start looking the part!

So getting in physical shape by hiring a fitness coach would be a top priority for him.

You can’t score at a singles bar looking like this… 

 

 

 

 

 

Not while this younger stud is having a drink at the same bar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losing that battle is not only demoralizing… but shameful!

So if you’re a fitness coach or local gym owner…

You not only want to take advantage of the busiest season of the year (Jan 1st – Feb 15th)…

But also go after a hungry segment who are ready to pay you pretty much anything you ask…

Out of shape men over 50 who are recently divorced…

What do you think your offer, and creative need to convey to this group?

What trigger points must you activate to get these guys off the couch and their porn-hub account…

And into your gym?

By the way…

If you think this will work for this target audience…

What do you think it would do for divorced women over 40?

Just a thought!

 

Claudio “Crazy Offers” Alegre

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Is Your Real Estate Business a Hobby, Job, Career, or Vocation?

Many of my friends and colleagues are realtors. Some of them do better than others. Most of them are scraping by. Less than 1% are CRUSHING IT!

So what are these one-percenters doing differently than everyone else?

They’re not smarter or more knowledgeable. They have access to the same inventory everyone else does.

They have the same amount of hours in the day. And I would say they face many of the same challenges.

So what makes them so successful?Continue Reading

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How To Craft an Ad Not Even the Most Cynic of Prospects Could Resist

She was sorting her mail right over the garbage bin, like most people do.

A little while later she was closing every single pop up ad on her screen, and ignoring every ad Facebook flashed in front of her.

She was a rock, completely immune to advertising.Continue Reading

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How I Saved My Best Money Making Skill From Chaos and Lameness

It’s been too long since I’ve blogged on this site!

And it’s not like I’ve had droves of complaints and requests to get back to it… it’s just that I needed to, physiologically, mentally, and spiritually.

I’ve had a tidal wave of work come my way… I have multiple interests I’ve been pursuing, a couple of playground projects, plus my own exclusive client work.

But I’m loving it!

I’m loving it because in the words of a tagline I created for a friend of mine who happens to own the most honest and prolific yacht sales/acquision consulting firm in South Florida, Andy Silva… (if you’re in the market for a big boat, check him out at:  www.yachtconsultinggroup.com)

“It’s not a lifestyle unless you live it on your own terms”

The one thing that blogging always did for me was to create a rip channel, a narrow pathway for my shore waters to get back out to sea.

I only understood how visceral that need was until my office furniture was entirely blanketed with yellow pads, post it notes, and moleskines all over the place.

The moment you start to feel stressed when doing what you love, something needs to change.

But don’t change your passion, change your process.

If your passion is also your top money making skill, then you’re a very lucky man or woman…

By the way… what’s your top money making skill?

Don’t feel bad if you have to think a bit hard to answer this question.

You’ll be surprise how many people struggle with it. I sure did!

You see when you are a writer you write… I mean you read and write, but mostly you write.

You write your thoughts down, your feelings, observations, ideas, plans, sales letters, promos, ads, evil schemes and heists!

Writing is how I make sense of it all.

It’s also how I make a living because if my emails, ads, and promos don’t perform I don’t get paid!

The thing is when I don’t write this way  (meaning in a way that focuses my thoughts and ideas) my thinking becomes circular and chaotic, and so are my results.

When I write in this format (with discipline and mindfulness) my thinking is organized and focused, and so are my results.

What regular blogging does (at least for me!) is to organize those thoughts in calendar order even if I don’t hit publish right away.

I can’t tell you how intoxicating and mind-bending the feeling of letting your mind freestyle away is.

My unsolicited advice to you, is take to your unique skill the way a crack addict takes to his pipe… in trembling desperation and with a tunnel vision focus.

Something else happens when I blog.

I create an unspoken agreement that what I write I’ll publish. Like a social contract of sorts.

This will keep me fresh in people’s inbox and front and center on my favorite social media channels.

So if writing, creating videos, selling on the phone, or designing websites is your thing –get after it, find your process!

Do it daily, get better at it.

Treat your talent with the respect it deserves, and don’t ever think it’s either enough to succeed, or that it will never decay  –because mediocrity is always waiting for you to get complacent about how much talent you think you freaking have.

Here’s something else…

I don’t want you to care one iota about measuring your progress when you’re doing this.

Here’s my guarantee… YOU’RE MAKING PROGRESS! Keep at it.

For me, it’s writing, largely in this format.

For you, I don’t have the slightest clue! You have to figure that out yourself.

What’s for sure is this  –Your unique skill needs to be honed, crafted and practiced constantly.

Feed the beast daily and your muse will show up more often. Even when you’re not ready for her!

This is what will separate you from everyone else, how you’ll stand out, and why someone will joyfully write you big fat checks for your product or service!

Here’s to you leveling up. Enjoy the ride!

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Why The Inability to BS One-Self is The Most Valuable Asset an Entrepreneur Can Own!

http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-cool-man-cracked-mirror-image1926107

We, collectively as a species, have an infinite capacity for self-deception. I think Einstein said that… not sure, didn’t look it up, don’t care… IT’S TRUE!Continue Reading

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If You Change Your Words, You Change Your World

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-words-have-power-word-orange-notes-image59739852

Of all the things you can do to grow a business that matters, writing and producing compelling and story-driven content is what will bring you the highest return on investment.

Yet it’s usually the last thing in people’s mind!

Most businesses downplay or outright ignore message strategy altogether. Instead they focus on what I call “tactical beauty”, which is usually devoid of any real thinking or empathy elements.

The power of words, when properly and effectively applied, engage both the conscious and the subconscious mind.

Meaning that a well crafted and positioned message, with a strong value proposition, targeted to the right audience and delivered at the right time, will almost always hit a nerve.

Just remember, before you touch the brain you must touch the heart!

Also, don’t forget –if your product, service, or you SUCK,  it won’t matter what words you choose!

Here’s a video I usually point people to in order to describe not only what I do, but the mindset they must have when it comes to creating the right message for their businesses.

Enjoy!

Stay sharp and fired up 🙂

Get our FREE full 7 Step High-Impact Customer Ad Formula and…

Become a Better Marketer

 

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Aligning Healthcare Providers and Patients

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The secret to better care in hospitals is about aligning providers to patients. The question of course, is how?  The way we do it is by creating an immersive environment based upon data. The end result is that people change. The ideas that surround them, help connect people in a deep, emotional way. –@gapingvoid

What I love about this idea, what I find powerful about it… is that it’s premised on the belief that “people change”.

If you’ve spent any time in the healthcare trenches you instinctively know this is a novel concept.

Why? Because the level of bureaucracy, cynicism, and apathy in healthcare is the highest of any industry.

Healthcare is in dire need of change, specifically a culture change. No wonder listening to the guys from

No wonder listening to the guys from healthUX @gapingvoid lead the conversation with empathy, better experiences, and deeper connections between healthcare providers and patients fills you with hope and wonder about the future in this space.

The good people in the industry need to hear this, they need to feel the energy around it if they want a change in culture.

The focus must be on the people with the right attitude and on patients and their families!

 

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What You Need To Know To Market Your Business in 2016

whyareyoumarketing like isYou hear the buzz, people talking, you see it online, read it on magazines, it’s everywhere!

Everyone is telling you to look into social media for your business!

But the information is overwhelming, plus you wonder, does it really work?

You may be thinking, “I’m financial planner, a dentist, a retailer… I’m not a marketer or a media company, plus my patients are not online anyway!”

I understand, I do… But listen, don’t be the guy that bought 500 horses in 1907… Why?

Because the Model T made its debut in 1908 with a purchase price of $825.00. Over ten thousand were sold in its first year, establishing a new record. Four years later the price dropped to $575.00 and sales soared. By 1914, Ford could claim a 48% share of the automobile market.

…and you are stuck with 900 ponies at an Avg price of $300 a piece …and guess what!!? You lost!

Don’t be that guy …bet on the future, bet on progress, especially when your business, your life, depends on it!

So here’s what you need to know first before you do something about it:

  • You are not what you do, today you are a media/marketing company first, then you are everything you went to school for!
  • Produce content in the right context in any form that provides value, answers questions, and solves problems for the people that pay you for what you do or sell.
  • Educate yourself when it comes to marketing your specific business online …the information is out there, make the time!
  • Today the market decides how good, and therefore how valuable you are. Your income will reflect your value in the marketplace.
  • Respect people’s time above everything else.
  • Learn to engage with millennials (they have the energy), Boomers (they have the money) and centennials (they have our respect!) , they have the man and the purchasing power.
  • The number one thing you are competing for along with everyone else is one and one thing only: Attention
  • Mobile phone screens are where the attention is. Phones are the gateway to people’s minds, hearts, and pubic areas. Make sure you show up on people’s phone in the context of all 3, or at least 2 of the 3.
  • You need to have an effective presence on at least 3-4 of these social channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube, Snapchat, Vine, Pinterest, Medium, Anchor …and be on the lookout for new platforms. Learn the user psychology of each of these.
  • You need to start telling stories in video micro-segments that lead to bigger micro-segments…
  • You must have a website that does only 3 things: educates/informs and offers solutions to problems – collects emails (builds an email list) – and generates leads and sales.
  • Get out of your office and go meet new people.
  • Orchestrate an organized referral process with your existing customer base.
  • If Amazon sells what you sell, get rid off your inventory and find something else to do! I’m serious…
  • Start using video and voice in your business. Look at FB video, Instagram, Snapchat, all have newly minted video functionality …start using them, your clients are there!
  • Social Media is the internet today …don’t bet against the internet!

Let this sink in for a few days, then come back to it and start checking off what you are already doing versus what needs to be done, and get busy.

A few points to remember:

  • don’t get overwhelmed.
  • pick your sources of information and education well.
  • listen to everyone, but act on only a few.
  • stick to practical advice, learn, do, fail, learn, do, fail, learn, do, succeed.
  • productivity is key, be smart with your time.
  • social media is hard work.
  • In social media: strategy before tactical, always.
  • Don’t spam people.

This is broad I know …it’s a map, you can use it to get closer to the objective of using social media to promote your business for the benefit and in the context of your specific target market.

Rock on!

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