Posts Tagged ‘Six Channels’

Those of you that follow me closely (oh, you poor people, please get out more) know that for some time I have been raving about Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why, and recommending that you watch his excellent TED presentation.  I follow Simon on Twitter.  I read his blog.  Few business development people have ever spoken to me as clearly as Simon does.

An aside here: I’ve read everyone I can get my hands on.  Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey, Napoelon Hill, Tim Ferriss.  Everyone (yes, I know, that’s not everyone, that was meant to be a range).  Some have things that I was improved by (thank you, Jim Collins), and some not.  This really doesn’t mean anything, except to me.  You will find that some systems work for you, and some don’t.  Some women/men are attractive to you, and some not.  My preferences are mine, and your experience may will vary.

I read an excellent post of Simon’s last week and commented on it.  I have checked back a couple times to see if there were responses, since my comment is by far the longest on the post, and even though I wasn’t expecting much.

Aside #2: I LOVE LONG COMMENTS.  I know some people are embarrassed that they write novels, but as long as you’re not threadjacking, I’d rather have a real conversation with you than have you post “Great post!  Keep it up!”  Not that I’ll be sad about those, either, but I like talking with interesting people, even if they don’t agree with me.  So comment away, and don’t spare the electrons.  You will always get a response.

Well, shoot.  Nothing there.  No response from Simon, even though I called myself his biggest fan.  In the comments section of his own blog.

Whoops.  Today I got a response.  He called me.

Right.  As in, on the phone.  Now, my article on the Six Channels of Marketing has not come out yet in the Scotsman Guide (due in September), so I’ve not posted anything on that here for fear of letting the cat out of the bag.  Suffice it to say, then, that the more personal time you invest in a contact, the more powerful it will be.  I hoped (didn’t really expect) that Simon would comment back.  I didn’t even hope that he’d click through to my profile and see who I was.  I never thought he’d email me.  Or visit my website.  And here, he went all the way through the whole thing and then CALLED ME.

In one action, here is how you take a fan and make him a fanatic.  If you thought I was excited about Simon Sinek and the things he has to say before, just wait.  I’m going to review the book, the video, all of it.  First, I think his message is excellent, right on target, and exactly what I needed to hear.  He’s concise, his explanations make sense, and what he says works.  And second, he acts the way he says you should.  If his why really is to change the world, then personal, one-to-one contact is the only way to start.  It is the only way to make a lone nut into a leader of a movement.

Consider me enlisted.  Much more about this as time goes on.  And doesn’t it always?

Welcome to the first edition of the Crystal Ball, where I tell you definitively what will be happening in the world over the coming days.  You have been warned.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will not be able to catch San Diego, and will fail to make the playoffs.  Again.

My class on the History of Money will attract more students than my Thomas Jefferson Youth Certification class this fall.  The Leadership Education Academy will be a resounding success, mostly because Janette Wagner, the organizer, is one of those hyper-capable people you hope to have as your friend.

The new Wall Street Reform Act will increase the fees you pay for credit cards, restrict credit for small businesses, and raise mortgage interest rates.  This will happen gradually over the next several months to two years, so that it will be possible to blame the banks for the increases.

The Obama Administration will blame the banks for the increases.

Mortgage brokerage firms will close in record numbers in 2011, and the number of active loan officers in the US will decline by another 50% from current numbers.  In case you were unaware of this, the new financial regulations make it almost impossible for brokers to survive, due to the nature of the restrictions on loan officer compensation.  In one example, the requirement that a loan officer be compensated only from one source – either the borrower or the lender, but not both – means that either your mortgage will carry a lower interest rate and huge closing costs, or a huge rate and low closing costs, but nothing in between.  And oh, that compensation cannot be based on the interest rate, although that’s how the BANK is compensated.

Mortgage lending will continue to increase in difficulty.  Credit will be further restricted, especially to marginal borrowers.  Loan costs will rise further.  Incidences of mortgage fraud will skyrocket.  The correlation will equal causation, but no one in any major publication or network will understand that.  It goes without saying that no one in the government will.

The Republican Party will take control of the House of Representatives in November.  The Senate will remain in Democrat hands.  Harry Reid will survive.

I will become Foursquare Mayor of Emmett’s and Ethel’s.

Mortgage interest rates will remain below 5% until November.  The GOP victory will cause them to rise, because a GOP win will be viewed as good for business – the stock market – and bad for government – the bond market.  Money will move from bonds into stocks and rates will rise.  The rise will be seen as a bad thing by most people, and will make possible charges that the Republicans have screwed up the only good part of the economy before they even take office.

The Obama Administration will charge the Republicans with screwing up the economy before they’ve even taken office.

My book, The Six Channels of Marketing, will be completed, and over 100 people will have enrolled in the PerfectHome program, by Hallowe’en.

The Utah Jazz will fail to sign another free agent.  Mehmet Okur will report to camp but be physically unable to perform until midseason.  The lack of a long-range shooter will restrict the effectiveness of the Jazz low-post players.  By December the Jazz will nonetheless be second behind Oklahoma City in the Midwest Division.

My sister Diana’s children will both sleep through the night – the same night – by Labor Day.

The final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy, Mockingjay, will deservedly become a New York Times bestseller, despite (because of?) its highly anarchic political bent.  Someone will be smart enough to see a gigantic business opportunity in the production of mockingjay pins.  An entire generation of young adults will be un-indoctrinated, and dedicate their lives to the preservation of individual liberty.  And the world will be saved.  So you see, there’s nothing to worry about.

Your predictions are welcome in the comments, and you may also submit additional topics for me to answer with a gaze into the Crystal Ball.  Which I predict the next edition of in 30 days.