Our summer festival is underway!

We kicked-off our 'Conference-for-the-price-of-a-Book' with our first TeleConference today on the theme of "Money, Meaning and Beyond: Tapping Into the Unexpected."

Despite some interesting telephone difficulties on my part, it was delightfully sweet summer fun to deliver the 7 Concrete How-To Steps and 3 Mindset Shifts. Which one were your favorites?

Whether you attended live, or are listening to the MP3 recording sent to you as a book buyer, post here to begin processing what you learned, and, if you desire, make a public declaration as to what you will now do, regarding your book.

Questions, comments , requests and/or arguments and debate will also be read by Tina and Andrea and when there's something to add, we will. ;-) And, call notes and MP3 recordings will be sent to book readers very shortly, including notes to the URLs we mentioned in the tools section.

I hope you take advantage of these proverbial 'festival grounds' to post a comment. Doing so also enters you into the draw for two prizes, a 100% complimentary seat in Lynne Klippel's My Book School (value over $300, beginning September) and Andy Wibbels forthcoming Accountability Workgroup to support your writing this summer (value approx $200, beginning July) (link coming.) We'll announce the winners before the next TeleConference on July 12.

Speaking of which, "next time" will see us go deep into the topic of "Thirty Ways to Get Your Mailing List To Respond (To The Benefit of Your Bottom Line.)" Once again, with a few unexpected ways of looking at these essential business tactics.

I hope you enjoyed today's call, and if you aren't part of the 'book-for-the-price-of-a-book' festival yet, make sure you peruse the comments to this post, and see the note just below. It's and easy and economical way to have fun, while boosting your business strength this summer.

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Not yet a book buyer and want to participate? We don't blame you! :-) We anticipate the energy of the festival to be high throughout the next two months. If you'd like to join in now, you have two options...

(1) Each recording will form the core of a separate new product beginning fall 2006, so you can purchase it then if you wish.

OR

(2) You can purchase the book now and receive MP3 recordings of any calls you've missed. Any live calls that are remaining are still free and open for you to join in on.

Have you been working on a book for awhile?

Maybe you have several titles in the 'works'... or even have a first draft done but need to begin the editing process?

Do you know how much a completed, published book would serve your business, but don't know how to take the next step, whether you're at the beginning, or near the end, with light at the end of the tunnel?

Many business owners dream of 'writing a book someday' but keep putting it off. What if, with the support of a best-selling author, you could turn that nebulous 'someday' to 'this fall?!'

While of course the work itself is up to you, we invite you to consider joining a new workgroup starting this summer. Led by Andy Wibbels, Multiple Streams Coach and Best-Selling Author of the highly acclaimed "Blog Wild!" published earlier this year.

(Not familiar with the concept of a workgroup? It's an action-focused group on steroids and involves making committments to follow through on chunks of your project from week to week...along with coaching guidance and expertise to smooth the book-writing way in front of you.)

The goal of this workgroup is simple, to give you the tools, support and guidance to help you complete a book by the end of the summer. During this program we will walk you through the following:

• 7 Concrete How-To Steps to make the book completion process easier and more meaningful
• 3 Mindset Shifts including the 'Gravy Pan' philosophy from Chapter 11 of 'Money, Meaning & Beyond' and how it applies to completing a book, or other project
• A list of 8 highly-recommended tools you'll need to facilitate your book's birth (transcription, shipping, proofreading, cover design, etc.) including URLs

It's all here, and takes the form of the Summer 2006 Book-Writing Workgroup with Andy Wibbels.

Why not make this the year you (finally) complete your book?

Date/Time: Four Tuesdays, July 25, August 1, (no class August 8), 15, and 22nd, 2006 from 300 to 355 PM Eastern (1200 to 1255 PM Pacific)

Fee: $197 general ($157 Members and Book-buyers)

Your book can be a for-print book, digital e-book, or even a manuscript for a publisher you already have a deal with. Just be sure to come either started already, or clear on what it is you'd like to complete... this isn't an 'ideas-only, brainstorming from scratch' scenario. The goal is real results and concrete completions by the end of the WorkGroup.

And yes, contrary to popular belief it is possible to write a complete book in such a short time. Andy did a complete rewrite of 'Blog Wild' in a short 3 weeks, and 'Money, Meaning and Beyond' was written in 45 days... if we can do it, you can too.

Sound like it's your speed? We're going to move, and by signing up, you agree to be held accountable... okay? Okay.

Click the appropriate link to register, and an email containing call-in instructions will be sent to you right away. As part of your investment, you will receive MP3 recordings of all calls, as well as a web-resource area for your book-writing tools, needs and resources. Andy will provide e-coaching from week to week via the web area, and you will have easy open access to your Workgroup colleagues online as well.

If you are a Multiple Streams member or book buyer, use this link to activate registration at the discounted $157 rate:
>> Register Now

If you aren't a Multiple Streams member or book buyer, and don't wish to become one just now, use this link to pay the general fee of $197.
>> Register Now

Either way, we are certain you'll find your investment a sound one. We stand by that or your money back, no questions asked.

Curious about buying a book, or becoming a Multiple Streams member to take advantage of the discount? Go to one of these links to purchase, and then come back here to use the $40 off link.

Multiple Streams book: www.MultipleStreamsofCoachingIncome.com
Money, Meaning & Beyond book: www.MoneyMeaningandBeyond.com
Multiple Streams membership: www.MultipleStreamsMembership.com

That's it! We look forward to you reaping the benefits of being in Andy's capable hands - he is ready and waiting to hold your 'feet to the fire' as you work towards completion.

Let the writing completions begin!

If a book could have feelings, this one would be giggling with delight.

Since they don't, I will. There's nothing more gratifying - not even cookies! - to a pair of co-authors than to see their book get cracked open, paperclipped, dog-eared and generally read to bits.

Thanks to Kris Carey of Lifestyle Catalysts for sending this photo in!

Check out Kris' 'First Monday of the Month Free Coaching for Highly Sensitive People' (or those who think they may be) at http://www.lifestylecatalysts.com/monday.shtml

Let's start with the funny stuff, shall we? Here is a sampling from my email inbox:

"I don't get it. Do people really buy books because they might win a vacation? What does that have to do with my business?"

"Pulleeese tell me you can help me NOT do an amazon day thing. I know they must sell a ton of books but I really think I'll die if you say I should, and it's NOT because I don't want to earn money either!!"

"I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE CREATING AN ANTIDOTE FOR THE INCREASINGLY FURIOUSLY PACED AMAZON LAUNCH REQUESTS."

"I was so mad about the amazon thing I got from 11 people today I unsubscribed from everyone. The least they could do is compile the doubles so we don't get the same identical oh so sincere message from everyone."

And then let's hear from just one well-known pundit:

"If your marketing strategy requires you to hit #1 in order to succeed, you probably need a new marketing strategy."
-- Seth Godin

Key word here: requires.

If you'd **like** to hit #1 for other reasons, or there are other reasons you feel are worth making the effort towards trying for #1 (addressed here) that's an entirely different story.

For the record, I do think there are reasons to 'go for' #1 at Amazon.

But again for the record, here is why I (personally) will never go this route, and some follow-on thoughts about how this might apply to you.

(1) I've sworn off adrenaline.

That doesn't mean I don't have any in my life or business. Sure, the first month we hit $1000 in earnings per day, I had some great adrenaline! But this is the #1 reason I won't pursue an Amazon Campaign, even though I have at least two book marketing campaigns in the works this year.

Amazon Campaigns focus on this "one" day. They're the epitome of an artificially-created intensity. This isn't a bad thing. Terry Fox masterfully created intensity by aiming for a cross-country run on an artifical leg in one summer. Intensity generates intense interest, and that's why these work.

Which is why I think it's more interesting to create intensity over time. Less intense intensity, perhaps, but sustained over a length of time. Perhaps you can find a way to create intensity through a different goal. How about the most books sold over the course of a month? Or a week? The number of books sold through 10 associations? Through 3 major joint ventures?

(2) I prefer less breadth, more depth.

As a business owner, I like both. Breadth is essential to business strategy; depth is essential to my helping heart.

This is similar to point (1), but the important difference is this: I enjoy having a business where it's still plausible that I and my team can meet, or reach, or talk to the people who're interested in what I have to say, in reasonably-sized groups over my lifetime. Don't get me wrong, I've 'been there, done that' with huge databases of customers, several times.

But by leveraging a marketing funnel, and being willing to spend a portion of time in active revenue (coaching, consulting, etc.) in addition to passive revenue...it usually doesn't take longer than 6-12 months to prove you can earn healthy six-figures with a database of 3,000 - 5,000. That's with a well-defined niche market, of course.

Do you want a business where you're almost completely hands-off, and you just count passive income? (Pause here a moment because the knee-jerk answer is almost always yes. Yet, in this community of 'money AND meaning' the thoughtful answer is ALWAYS no. Always.)

(Side note: Someone ask me about the time I was shocked speechless after meeting a business guru who was giddy about a money-gushing business that allowed him to never have to deal with people.)

If you want a business that's actively engaged in changing and uplifting of hearts and minds...what would be more rewarding - reaching more people with a lighter touch, or fewer people and going deeper? There's no right or wrong answer, only clarity around your choices. It's a spectrum.

I care more about reaching a **certain kind** of person (one that cares!) than reaching lots and lots of almost any kind of person. So I prefer a marketing a campaign that focusses more on those types of people. Amazon Campaigns for me, are less efficient because they use a scatter-gun approach.

(3) I find doing the same thing as everybody else, annoying.

Call it ego, stubbornness, or something else. A large part of my make-up is dressed in 'contrarian' clothes. I like trying the untouched tray at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Besides, there is truth to the fact that once something's been done enough to have detractors, it's probably been done enough period. As with all marketing tactics, once something's been done...once the trail is blazed...it's already time enough to be inovating something different.

Catching the wave of the Amazon Campaign right now may have less upside than when it was new. Based on anectdotal evidence alone, there may be a lot more downsides. One of my mastermind group colleagues admitted they received almost 100 times more unsubscribes to his list when he did his Amazon campaign. That's 100 times...was it worth it?

For him, yes. He had a 'son-of-a-gun, if they get pissed at me inviting them to buy a book for 20 bucks, then I'm doing something wrong' attitude about it. Interesting stuff.

(4) I'm dedicated to anti-hype.

My husband still thinks 'marketing' is a dirty word. (But he's coming around.)

Marketing, to me, is everything. It's whether you're wearing lip-gloss as you sit having your lunch on a bench downtown. It's what kind of paper you print your resume on. Do you think I'd get more requests for autographs at book signings when I'm wearing my hair in a bun with my new cat-eye glasses or, when I'm wearing my contact lenses, hair down? It's marketing, I'm telling you.

And because I'm hard-wired to care about things, it annoys me when there is a backlash. Not that the world should be all rainbows and ceiling wax, but marketing is communication. And what I think (not so secretly, after this post) when I get approached by someone (else) to participate (again) in creating a really big Amazon Day result...is....

- I wonder who on all of our lists will in fact NOT buy the book...
- I wonder who will get so annoyed and unsubscribe...
- I wonder who could get turned off of coaching, or prosperity or health, or other new-age or not-so-new-age topic...

BECAUSE OF the marketing technique used. (Amazon Days or no.)

I know, I'm an idealist and a romantic. And this isn't rigorous thinking. (This isn't solely a 'business strategy' post.)

But I do wonder that. And... I think about things like being a credit to my profession and to the work I try to stand for. So I always spend a little extra time thinking about a non-hyped way to present new ideas.

The books I help announce through Amazon Days are always worth the cause. And I know those authors will be spending the rest of the year doing other things to move their ideas forward, because they are worth it. So for them, it's about Amazon Days AND other things.

For me, I skip the Amazon days because I'm about marketing on a quieter channel and preserving my energy. Where others may be hollering, I like to see whose ears will prick up because I'm whispering. Does this make sense to you/for you?

If you find yourself with an allergic reaction when on the receiving end of an Amazon campaign email, certainly think twice before trying it yourself. It will almost certainly be a complete and utter flop.

On that note...

(5) The final reason I personally will never do an Amazon Day is - I like looking at the horizon.

I like planning to win the war, not the battle. Not that 'battles' aren't fun to win - I love a great game. So maybe it's an 'I'm getting older' thing - what do you think?

It's much more compelling to me to ask:

- How many universities will stock your book and develop programs around it?
- Did what you write change the way an industry was perceived?
- How many times did your book get read by each person, and were they energized each time?
- Did readers tell you they've lent their book to three people and had to drive over to make sure they got it back, each time?
- How many post-it notes were stuck in the book and how much 'life work' was evoked as a result?
- Could someone read your book 5 years from now and still find 'work' to be done?

I don't know what my coach will say when she reads this. She'll probably just smile because there are a lot of "I"s in this post.

So I'll leave you with just one more.

The bottom line is, Amazon Campaigns are just not 'me.' Until and unless they are, they might sell tons of books, but, thanks to the way I'm built, I'll (personally) never do one, ever, even though I sometimes have days when I *wish I wanted to*.

After all, they sell books, right? And what's the matter with that?

So the next time you receive an Amazon Day invitation, read between the lines. What's the abiding message you can get from my (albeit very personal) reasons for and against Amazon?

And for the author in you - whether you're for it or against it, love it or hate it...think the Amazon heyday is over or here to stay...what will you do? What is your Antidote to Amazon?

What's important to you ---- in addition to selling lots of your book?

Design a campaign around that, so your book promotion strategy reflects the entirety of what you want for your business, and who you are. And that's all I got to say about that.

In honour of the launch of Kim George's new book "Coaching into Greatness," we held a 60 minute bonus call on the topic of how to apply abundance thinking to concrete situations in your business.

The lucky people who bought Kim's book were able to attend this call live, but if you weren't able to do that, and would like to view a list of the 60 items covered in the call, just click the link below the recording buttons. To listen directly to the list via audio, and hear additional comments on each point, you can turn on your speakers and press the play button, or download the MP3 link.

Which one of these concrete suggestions to tap into abundance most resonates with you?

» Continue reading

This online video was recorded at the 2006 SuperConference held by Andrea J. Lee, Milana Leshinsky and Michael Port. The material coverd is applicable to any service business with a desire to put partnerships, alliances, and other strategic business relationships to the core of their business. Both strategy and concrete tactics (how-to) are covered...not just theory.

Are you tired of 'going it alone,' wish you had a 'quickier, easier, smarter' way to bring intense value to your clients, or have an inkling that there is a *much* bigger 'pie' to be shared if you can only figure out how to work with others...this online video series is for you.

Webcast to six countries when it was held live in May 2006, the conference met with standing ovations on both days, and covered advanced topics such as 'Online Business Management,' '6-figure TeleSummit Events in Your Pajamas,' and 'How to Share the Money, in partnerships.'

As part of your purchase of this 2-day conference, you also receive a full set of powerpoint slides and PDF workbook (96 pages) to complement the videos. Take as much time as you like to watch and listen, review, and implement. Your purchase is covered by our 100% money-back guarantee.

Click here for more details including video clips, full agenda outline, and the link to buy.

http://www.PowerofCollaboration.com

The honor of your company is requested at a one-time event for coaches, authors and all business owners committed to serving others for a living.

For Once And For All Let's Tell It Like It Is:
Out, Out, Out with the Obsession with 'Money, Money, Money!' In Our Businesses...

And Say Together From the Rooftops: "We Want MEANING with Our Money..."

How Would You Like To Be Part of a Movement to Make BOTH Money AND Meaning, Sustainably?

That's right - you can make a living while making a difference.

We at 'Creating What Matters' are willing to stake our professional reputations on it:

There's more to running your business successfully than you can learn from getting an MBA. And the first step is busting old paradigms about how it 'should' be done, through long hours and another excuse to your family (or yourself.)

This is something to care about folks...

It's An Unprecedented Opportunity To Open Your Mind to The Idea That 'You CAN Have it All' as pie-in-the-sky as it *may* sound.

In fact, Business Owners of all stripes are reaching five, six and seven figures more quickly than ever before, in a diversified way that reaches more people; in a deeper way, and s-u-s-t-a-i-n-a-b-l-y without indenturing themselves to the marketing hamster wheel from hell.

Isn't that worth celebrating, together, just once?

Because that's what makes us different, we think. As business owners with heart, we want more than just money, agree?

So What's This All About, Exactly?

You Are Invited to A One-Time Only "Virtual Conference"
for Business Owners Who Make a Difference For a Living

The theme is "Money, Meaning and Beyond: Tapping Into the Unexpected" and it's a gathering of hearts, minds and bodies via teleconference once a week for the next 5 weeks.

Starting June 28, 2006, we'll meet together to delve into the world of sustainable money and meaning, as introduced in the new book "Money, Meaning and Beyond: 27 Unexpected Ways to Create What Really Matters for Business Owners."

Dates/Times:

5 Wednesdays, from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific) starting June 28 and ending August 2, 2006 (no call July 5)

Location:

Virtually, from Your Own Telephone, or via MP3 recording 'after the show'

About The Teleconference Content:

Each practical call will be delivered personally by Andrea with a combination of how-to steps and everyday business principles that may surprise you - these are mundane things like salad bowls, frogs and even your sex life that are easy and natural to 'latch onto,' even as they light a firecracker inside your head. This is the key to integrating them into your everyday reality!

Plus, you may be interested to know that the 5 hours of Teleconference content covers the *most* requested and specific business-building topics we get, period.

Each topic regularly commands consulting fees of thousands of dollars to implement, but for this unique occasion we are making the material available to create a special momentum. See for yourself:

TeleConference #1:
How We Wrote (And Published) Our 2nd Book in 45 Days (And You Can Too)

Wednesday, June 28th, 2006 from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific)

Tap into the concept of the "Gravy Pan" and start acting on a do-able plan to publish your own book quickly and easily. We'll share the specific tools we used so you can cut to the chase.

TeleConference #2:
Thirty Ways to Get Your Mailing List To Respond (To The Benefit of Your Bottom Line)

Wednesday, July 12, 2006 from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific)

If you're a parent, or have ever been a child, did you know how have a very special skillset you can apply to your mailing list? We'll cover 30 ways to "Nag Your Way to Success..." and get your mailing list to respond, the way you want.

TeleConference #3:
10 Differences Between a Virtual Assistant Who Costs You Money and a VA Who Makes You Money

Wednesday, July 19, 2006 from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific)

This advanced topic is profound yet simple. And we'll share a "Lesson from a Golf Course" to help you make the shift. If you want to make a big difference in your business, you will be building a team. Would you recognize a great team member if they were standing in front of you? You can.

TeleConference #4:
10 Reasons to Weave Coaching Into a Non-Coaching Business: For Immediate Effect

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific)

A popular topic for non-coaching businesses who appreciate the benefits of a 'coaching approach.' Everyone from a tattoo parlor to a printer ink reseller can earn more money by understanding coaching from the inside-out. And hey, in addition to 10 Reasons, we'll also give you at least 3 *ways* you can get started...sound like a deal?

TeleConference #5:
How Not To Mess Up A Joint Venture: Including A Formula for Sharing the Money

Wednesday, August 2, 2006 from 400 to 455 PM Eastern (100 to 155 PM Pacific)

Learn how a wacky concept of Heaven and Hell can help you make a giant leap towards maximizing joint ventures. And then get the scoop on the formula for sharing money in a clear-cut way. This last part usually leaves people jumping up and down to get off the call and implement...just a head's up. :-)

Event Cost: Free When You Buy - and agree to start reading - a copy of the book...

'Money, Meaning & Beyond: 27 Unexpected Ways to Create What Really Matters to Business Owners''

(US $19.95 +s&h)

You can start reading before OR DURING the conference.

This last part actually means a lot to us. More so than the fact that you get the virtual conference for the price of just one book, as enjoyable as that is to organize.

You see, we know there are a LOT of books lying around, bought in a frenzy, that are never read, or even cracked open. Our goal is the opposite. That is, that every book we ship gets read by at least one person.

So if you're willing to commit to at least starting to read the book before the conference ends, wonderful! Just go to http://www.MoneyMeaningandBeyond.com and let the reading (marinating, pondering and a-ha-ing) begin.

We hope to spark a season of conversations about money AND meaning, sustainably, like none other - the whole reason for this celebration in the first place.

That's it! Five hours of enjoyable, meaningful and profitable content in the form of a Virtual Conference... all for the price of a book. Oh and yes, as 'conferencel-goers' we'll be asking you to join the fray...you can debate, discuss, connect and generally celebrate together at the Money and Meaning Blog. We'll bring the streamers...

So will you accept our invitation to celebrate and explore the possibilities?

Remember festivities end August 2...

To register for the "Money, Meaning and Beyond: Tapping Into the Unexpected" Virtual Conference, go to http://www.MoneyMeaningandBeyond.com and pick up your copy of the book.

Instructions on the number to call on beginning next Wednesday will be sent to you right away.

(By the way - if you've already bought and have started reading the book, fabulous! Your copy of the instructions is on its way to you now.)

That's it. That's the invitation. We hope you'll RSVP now and take advantage of this one-time complimentary event. It would be an honor to have you join us.

Go to http://www.MoneyMeaningandBeyond.com to buy the book and get a jump on reading. Our shipping department is standing by.

Just one last thing...if you can't attend the calls at the time they are being held live, we WILL be making MP3 recordings available. Each of these will remain available to you as a Book-Conference-Participant, however they will also become separate products for sale in the fall, each at its own price.

So if you decide to join the Conference-for-the-Price-of-A-Book but can't attend live - DON'T FORGET to book time in to actually follow-through and listen. Deal?

See you at the festival grounds...one week from today!

http://www.MoneyMeaningandBeyond.com

Questions, questions. Here's a common theme these days:

"Should I do an Amazon Campaign to launch my book?" "Does it work?" "I hate them, do I have to?"

"Why haven't you done them for your books, Andrea?"

Of all the hundreds of coaches, consultants and business owners we help succeed, many of them end up writing a book. This is fantastic. There are many reasons to write them, and "to catalyze my business growth" is definitely one of them. (It doesn't have to be costly to you either.)

But then we come to the question of marketing the book, and whether the ubiquitous 'Amazon' campaign is the (only) (best) way to go. Short answer: No.

However, this one is interesting. A lot of people I respect greatly, do them. And I get asked to support them at least once a month. So although when working directly with clients we come to a decision about whether to "Go Amazon" pretty easily...I decided to post what I think are the best reasons to do an Amazon campaign.

The reasons NOT to do one are coming in my next post. Or at least, the reasons I (personally) will never do one, so you can think it through for yourself. (And, by popular request, a third segment on this theme is coming the second week of July, on "If Not Amazon, Then What Do I Do?" which I hope will help you along the path to creative something innovative and wildly profitable, while reflecting your business values.

For now, here are the Top 10 Reasons to do an Amazon Campaign.

(1) It gives you a deadline.

By definition Amazon Campaigns are done on a single day. There is a great power to having a target date like this to have your book inventory, shipping facility, sales verbiage, etc. ready.

(2) It gives you public accountability.

By asking all your joint venture partners to help you make the launch a success, you put yourself on the line. There is little to no welshing out on following through when all eyes are on you.

(3) It can be a lot of fun.

Watching your book climb the charts from hour to hour, starting at book rank 250,000 or less, and gradually moving up to wherever it ends is a lot like a game and wherever you end up, you have reason to celebrate.

(4) It will boost your energy and give you more drive.

Public validation on this kind of scale is energizing. You'll receive lots of attention and let's face it - we all like that at least some of the time. This energy becomes the crazy driving fuel for your next project.

(5) Credibility.

In many ways, doing an Amazon Campaign can signal to those around you that you're playing big, here to stay, going for the brass ring, etc. because you have to have a certain amount of infrastructure, support, and technology in place ot make it all fly. In this way Amazon Days a 'St. Elmo's Fire'-like coming of age thing - ritualistic, almost - in the online business context.

(6) Exposure.

The cumulative effect of a well-executed Amazon Campaign can get your name remembered by people who may matter to you down the road. After doing one, you may find it easier to get the attention of A-listers who can become key strategic partners. No matter how many times you post on his blog, Tom Peters' team will take more notice if you hit #1 in business.

(Actually, scratch that, if this list is resonating with you, you probably want to do both - post lots to Peters' blog AND nail the Amazon thing.)

(7) You get bragging rights in your marketing materials.

It may not seem like a big deal, but being able to add a graphical "#1" to the cover of your book in its next printing IS actually pretty big. Not to mention the headline you can add to your webpage. Or the fact that you're now a 'best-selling' author - each and every time you get introduced as a speaker, on the radio, or quoted in Entrepreneur Magazine.

(8) You give others a reason to talk about you to their lists.

This is the biggest reason I would ever consider doing this. I think the main benefit of Amazon Campaigns is the ability it gives you to encourage joint venture partners to do something for you. It's a cool thing. And because it's deadline oriented, you can drive your energy towards a finish line together.

Think about it...if you just wrote a book and just want help marketing it, it's a lot harder to get a joint venture partner to commit to when they'll send something out, IF they'll send something out, if there's no compelling reason to do so.

Amazon gives you the compelling factor required to cause action among your allies and partners. Big. Sometimes I feel as though this point is SO big, it overrides even the fact that it's a good book, or that you want it read by people...know what I mean? Cuz collaboration can make or break you, but one mediocre book can't.

(9) It's great practice.

Recently I advised a private client to try Amazon because his market is very likely to respond to the crediblity of a campaign. And, my not-so-secret agenda with him was to have him practice executing a big marketing campaign.

Many, many people online think they can announce something and it's done...there's some kind of fogginess around the idea that any good campaign worth doing requires multiple mailings, multiple tactical paths, multiple connections and a duration of time to do properly. While what we're talking about with Amazon happens on one day, there is often a 30 day window of investment on either side of that day (if not more, especially before).

It's plain old good practice to build muscles for these multi-pronged, comprehensive marketing campaigns.

And last but not least...

(10) You'll sell books.

It's true! As much as people gripe and whine, they do also seem to buy books because of Amazon Days. They work. Or, at least they have worked.

I think they'll continue to work, but not as dramatically, for a while, but I highly doubt there'll be many Amazon Campaigns (the way they are now) this time next year, for example.

So have a think, if you decide to do one, good on you. You'll sell books and make some money, and most of all, bring new people into your business funnel so you can find the ones you'd like to service more, with other things.

Regardless of Amazon, books are fantastic doorbusters that lead to more business - especially for money-AND- meaning-seeking entrepreneurs.

Post below as to why you'll pursue an Amazon Day Book Launch (or why not), what you're stuck on getting together to make it happen, and most of all - the date of your big Day. I may or may not announce it for you but you can comment anytime!

Enjoying the theme of this post? Click to read "Why I (Personally) Will Never Do An Amazon Campaign' and coming soon, 'If Not Amazon, Then What Do I Do?"

Quote #1 -- Overheard while watching the Stanley Cup Final last night, as said on the fly by one of the commentators:

"Taking a page from the Farmer's life, "I don't care if it hurts, the cows have to be milked." '

It was particularly poignant as we watched both teams play their hearts out. And legs, and feet, and entire bodies, in pursuit of the goal. Congratulations to both the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes for a fantastic series. If anyone knows the name of that commentator, I'd love to hear it.

Now turning to how this might (or might not) apply to your business...

Quote #2 - From p. 58 of Money, Meaning and Beyond: 27 Unexpected Ways to Create What Really Matters for Business Owners:

"Many - MANY - business owners complain about not earning enough money. They complain LOUDLY. ****BUT*** if you've been complaining about it for more than one month - not earning enough money is not really an emergency for you."

If you have to milk the cows, you will milk the cows. (If you must make money this month, you will make money this month - you must.) If you don't have any real 'cows' then, well, you'll keep lying in bed, right? Are you leaving any cows unmilked? Where are your cows?

Alright, enough with the cows.

What's **REALLY** in the way of you making your business work the way you want? What's the TRUTH about what has you stuck? The truth, now.

I did this just this exercise this morning, myself. Take a (kind, loving) very direct look in the mirror and think.

Then take some notes. You can even post them to the comments here.

The truth, even painful, once shared, becomes the cure.

If you've ever had the inkling you struggle too much to get where you want to go, this post is for you.

You're likely here reading this blog because you are a service professional of some sort. In other words, you help others for a living. Many of you, I know, inspire and change lives for a living. This is phenomenal and I'm glad you're here.

Today I wanted to post a very special 55-minute audio for your listening pleasure (or at least your listening 'provocativeness,') because the concepts I cover in the call may be contrarian for you.

The topic is 'Receiving: The Overlooked Half of Successful Collaborations including Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances, etc.'

The overarching theme of theme is this: That there are things in your business (money, help, the exact advice or insight you wish you had) that are there right now, that for whatever reason you are saying an unconscious 'no' to or at least 'not seeing clearly' because if you did see these things clearly, you would receive them with open arms.)

The fact of the matter is, I made a great personal shift in my own business - financially, yes - but even more so mentally and psychologically last year when I realized this.

I made a great leap forward in my ability to help more people, more deeply when I changed my mentality from being 'Athena, the Warrior Goddess' with my sword ready...to being what I call a 'bowl.' And it all came from stopping behaving like a sword in life, to being 'as a bowl'. Big difference.

A bowl receives, you see. Whatever it may be: rain, fresh ripe berries, grain, bread, wisdom, laughter...a bowl, inherent in its shape, exists to receive. For whatever reason I really resonated with this mental imagery after years of 'fighting' my way through life. And boy has it made a difference.

Does this resonate with you? Do you feel as though you fight your way through life too? Maybe your 'sword arm' is feeling a little worse for wear? Or you've wondered if there's a better way. Answer? Maybe there is. Maybe it's the way of the bowl. :-)

In any case, I don't just wax on about bowls here ;), there are actually 6 major points - both nutsy boltsy practice AND metaphysical - about Collaboration that we cover in this clip. Just hit the play button with your speakers on to hear it live, or click the 'Download MP3' link to save it to your hard drive to transfer to your MP3 player. No charge or obligation.

Oh, well, actually let me say this. After listening, it would be a gift to me to receive a comment from you about it.

As new online travellers visit this blog, your posts about what you found most useful in the audio help them decide whether it's worth listning to. Or, you can also post any notes you may have taken. In this way, we'll add new dimensions of richness together for future visitors. Kinda like a virtual stone soup!

Enjoy. It's one of my favorite clips this year, and I thank Lisa Wilder and Michael Port from over at the 'Think Big Revolution' Team for providing the clip - this call was held in their 'bailliwick' as a part of their regular series of Think Big calls, every Monday morning.

A lot of coaches give sample coaching sessions to prospective clients as part of their marketing. On the surface it seems like a good idea. What better way to understand the deep benefits of great coaching than by experiencing it?

Dig a little deeper though, and you'll find a few traps under the leaves. Giving away coaching sessions for 'free' as 'taste tests' can very quickly lead to a full week of calls with no earnings to show for it. Converting people from a free session into a paying coaching client is one of those things that's both an 'art and a science' and there are now quite a few products being offered to help with this part.

For that reason I won't comment on the actual converting part, but offer a couple tidbits as food for thought:

> Although I sometimes recommend that you stop giving away sample coaching sessions completely, I've been known to make exceptions. **If** you become proficient at converting people from free-session-takers to for-pay-clients, by all means, keep doing it. **If** you aren't, there are cheaper ways to bring tire-kicks to you which don't require your time...plus it gives them a way to 'hang around.'

> What are those cheaper more efficient ways? Pink Spoons of any kind. Remember a pink spoon is something that is small, free, highly valuable, accessible to many without using your time, and above all, provides a very compelling 'taste' of what you offer for sale. A great pink spoon example is a group teleclass or an email-based mini-ecourse, such as the one you can sign up for at www.AndreaJLee.com or www.MoneyforCoaches.com. (These are free for you to use as templates; just insert your own content!)

> Consider making your free session a pay one, when the client signs up. So, when they buy their coaching package of 3 sessions, their sample sesion is session one. This is something Ken Zaretzsky, MCC and ADD Coach living in Chicago, swears by, absolutely, and I've seen it work for many different coaches...just make it clear near your sign up form that this is how it will work.

On the whole though, when a Coach comes to me saying a variation of 'I'm working way too hard and I like the money I earn, BUT I can't see how I can make more money - I don't have more time....'

My answer is invariably - carve a piece of time out of your calendar 'from' your 'free-sessions' and 'give' it to (1) a strategic plan to create multiple streams of passive income OR (2) starting apprenticing some Associate Coaches to divert some of your prospects to.

These are the two biggest most reliable ways I know, to leverage, as a coach. (More on the topic of Associate Coaches and how to add streams of income delivering coaching to more people than you have time for - in a book due out this fall. Post your questions below...)

Your thoughts and comments?

It's been more than 2 years and hundreds of posts since the birth of this blog in June 2004...definitely high time to create a convenient list of the 11 most-popular posts...for visitors who're finding their way around.

So here they are:

(1) 8 Steps to Mastering the Multiple Streams Product Funnel | Click to read

(2) How to Hire for Your Online Business | Click to read

(3) Visual Coaching Aid #1: "Imagination" clip by Dentsu, Inc. | Click to read

(4) Three Simple Things about Coaching Certification | Click to read

(5) Andrea's Personal Top 5 Ways to 'Un-crap Your Day' for Business Owners Who Work at a Computer |
Click to read

(6) Harnessing Your Business Metrics: Numbers Make Simple with the Multiple Streams Spreadsheet | Click to read

(7) No-Fee Audio Recording and Transcript: "Deepak Chopra's Book Publicist: A Conversation with Arielle Ford, America's #1 Publicist" | Click to read

(8) Yoga for the Mind | Would you like a regular Coaching Paycheck? | Click to read

(9) PDF: What makes me most pensive about Thomas; Or, "I never thought I'd be an historian" | Click to read

(10) What's the Bravest Thing You've Ever Done, Coach? | Click to read

(11) Refugees from Coaching | Do you know someone who is trying to quietly slink away? | Click to read

While we're at it, just a touch of history here...

Although the name of the blog has evolved over the years (from simply 'Andrea's Blog' to 'The Multiple Streams of Coaching Income Blog' to the current 'Money, Meaning and Beyond Blog') the goal has remained the same:

To Help Create What Really Matters for Coaches, Consultants, Authors and other who serve others for a living... including more time, a greater sense of personal freedom, financial success, passive income, spirituality in business, and of course marketing and overall thinking outside the box...

Enjoy your stay, and if so inclined, leave a comment or three...it's music to this blogger's ears, especially since my/our job is to be useful to you, and we can only know if we've succeeded if you tell us. :-)

And if...as you browse your way around, you find yourself looking for ways to engage further with the concepts and principles, the best next steps are:

(1) enter your email address at left, right near the top of the orange column - this way you'll be notified when new entries are made here, and

(2) visit the Money & Meaning (M&M) Store link under the 'Categories' Subheading at left. It's where you'll find our print books, TeleSeminars (fee and free), CDs, and other assorted products and services.

Got questions or comments you don't want to post on the blog? We like helping. Just send an email to support@msoci.com and one of the Money & Meaning team, including Tina or I/Andrea will be happy to get back to you.

The Complete Contracts Manual for Coaches by Contracts Professional and Coach Brenda Cody is available for every coach who wants clear guidance on when and how to implement professional contracts in your business.

This includes an in-depth outline of the major components a top-notch contract should consist of, and sample wording for each, so that you can come up with exactly what will work for you without costly legal or consulting advice.

Click here to go directly to the purchase page, or read on for more details on why I stand behind this product created specifically for the professional coach.

» Continue reading

This newsletter arrived in my email inbox today and is a shout-from-the-mountaintops example of the power and grace of selecting a Niche Market. Have a quick read through - I know you're not likely an Alpaca Breeder, but read it anyway. It'll take you one minute.

---begin email---

Dear Friends,

Just thinking about you and what you might be doing to stay cool this summer. We thought that you would enjoy a snap shot of a typical day on the ranch at Alpacas of Anza Valley.

This picture (worth more than a thousand words), took place on a warm May day last year. Sandina, the white, fully fleeced, near-term Mom occupies most of the pool while the other females (Pilar, Marisol & Wind Sock) wait patiently for their turn at the shower. Since this picture, we welcomed in 4 cria (baby alpacas) from each of the adults and now each alpaca is expecting again. Even our maiden Coconut Crunch ( the little one with the white face) will be a Mom early next year. Just today, as we watched them patiently waiting for their daily shower, we had deja vu about this scene last year.

Sandina's cria is due by the end of June, so expect another update to announce the arrival. In the meantime our herd of 15 (10 females and 5 males) enjoy a new 4,000 square foot "play pen" for extra romping at sundown. The alpaca life style constantly presents joys beyond our wildest imagination.

On Saturday July 1, we take part in the old fashioned 4th of July celebration in the park . Two of our little ones will participate in a "petting zoo".

Julie continues to expand her business coaching practice. Recently she added group teleclasses for people interested in the alpaca lifestyle. She enjoys assisting people across the country with their decisions to become alpaca breeders. Don continues to service the local people as "The Computer Doctor".

If you find yourself desiring a romp in the country, give us a call. The animals always love to show off for visitors.

Hugs & Humms,

Julie & Don :>)
Julie & Don Roy
Alpacas of Anza Valley
(951) 763-4222
www.AlpacasAV.com

Your Alpaca Business and Investment Coach
www.AlpacaBusinessCoach.com
www.AlpacaBusinessNewsletter.com
www.AlpacaCDs.com

-----end email----

Isn't this just fabulousness incarnate?

I know there's a lot - a LOT - of information and guidance 'out there' about the selecting of a niche market. And, in one of those odd quirks of business, selecting a great niche turns out to be one of those very difficult things, for some.

In this case, I stand behind my opinion that 'Some things can't be taught, but they can be caught.'

Sure, you can say that a niche market has a common set of problems and issues, and they 'hang out' together in a way that you can access easily. (In medium to large numbers, ideally.)

But less concretely, I like to borrow a phrase from Robert Bolles 'What Color is Your Parachute' and turn it, by saying - a great niche market is the intersection of your heart's deepest gladness and the world's greatest need. THAT is my abiding personal definition of 'the market I'm meant to serve.'

Not all markets and not all business owners have a spiritual relationship with their work, and that makes me all the more grateful that I do (at least most days I feel so.) ;-)

So what of the lovely Julie Roy and her Business Coaching focus on Alpaca breeders? Brilliant, especially for what you can 'catch' in the above. Care to comment?

Alright, I will.

> Note how instinctively you know this is not a huge market. It's statistically significant - you'll find specialty trade magazines and associations for alpaca owners/breeders - however you probably 'never thought of this' as a possible niche market, yes?

> Also note how correspondingly, you can probably guess there's no real competition for Julie in her servicing of this market...

> Consider how Julie doesn't need a huge number of clients to have a lovely stream of coaching income? A niche market, once picked, can be a faithful friend indeed.

> Lastly, I particularly love the intimate way the email embodies on a dialog that's low key, easy to digest, and a pleasure to continue into the future...

I first found out from Julie that she was going into this market in fall of 2004. She was at he beginning of her own path as a breeder and had me take this photo of her with two finger puppets (of Alpacas, made from Alpaca fur, of course.) It was the beginning of what you see above and I'm delighted.

Please join me in congratulating Julie, hubby and extended furry family on their path, and pass her information along to any Alpaca fans you may know.

As for your own niche - whether you're finding it or refining it:

What has happened in **your** life, good or bad, that would be most helpful to the world for you to share?

And....

Are there any other Niche Superstars who'd care to step up, make themselves known?

Comment below...

May I ask, as you put time into your business this month, have you thought about how you'll be able to make m'oney while taking a vacation this summer?
In fact, has anyone bothered to show you how you can take more time off, do less and earn more? Because if you don't know the answers, how are you going to take a truly stress-free, joy-filled time off this year?

This is such an important topic that affects your quality of life. If you can't spend time with your family enjoying the freedom of being self-employed, what's the point, right? (Keep reading to the bottom of this post for the skinny on the above photo - yep it's me - and our family holiday plans this summer.)

Well, here's something that you can put in your (proverbial) pipe and smoke, if you so desire. It's another in our line of 'Sixty in Sixty' offerings - a popular TeleSeminar format that covers 60 points on the given theme, in 60 fast minutes.

A complete bulleted list of the 60 items follows below, but be sure to access the recording as well. I really can't help myself sometimes and go into quite a bit of breakdown/detail on each point, time permitting.

Enjoy! And to join us on our next 'Sixty in Sixty' or other Open House TeleSeminar on the topic of Money and Meaning, go to http://www.makemoneyandmeaning.com to sign up for 'The 5 Keys to Money and Meaning, Sustainably.' We'll send you up-to-the minute invitations each month.

And now here's the list.

60 Ways to Do Less, Earn More and Have a Meaningful Summer Vacation, for Business Owners

1. Schedule your vacation in advance and make it stick.
2. Shift your mindset about summer and it being 'slow.' It's not - not necessarily. In fact it can be the peak of your revenue cycle.
3. Use the language of summer in your promotions.
4. Use the images of summer in your promotions.
5. Meet the objections of 'Summer is slow.' head on.
6. Offer a summer sale.
7. Look to your current list of people who've bought something and do a rollover-sale.
8. Offer a summer-themed version of your regular offering.
9. Partner with a summer-focussed event such as a carnival, street fair, summer camp, barbeque.
10. Partner with a summer-focussed business to offer something complementary.
11. Observe and pinpoint physical locations that are very busy during summer.
12. Revisit your list of 'problems my niche market is experiencing' and find the seasonal ones to target.
13. Do a promotion that has to do with kids, or otherwise engages the prospect/customer through one of the most important things in their life - family.
14. If your offering is hard to make 'relate' to summer especially well, consider a marketing campaign that focusses on clients in a place where it's not summer, like in Australia!
15. Decrease your expenses. Cut some out for summer.
16. Make more out of your current expenses.
17. Be stricter about your own workload - set summer hours for your office hours.
18. Delegate dramatically more to a second-in-command.
19. Incentivize word-of-mouth with summer-themed prizes. Summer is a great time to build referrals with all the 'extra' get-togethers that happen such as picnics, family get togethers.
20. Have an open house BBQ in the spirit of summer. (Recall the power of the perfect Pink Spoon...)
21. Add zip to your affiliate programs in summer.
22. Find another stream of income that's a tool that supports your clients in achieving the summer THEY want.
23. Repeat the proven result. Identify your most profitable endeavor and rejig and redo.
24. Create a fuss with other people. E.g. Have a 'community' sale.
25. Repeat #24 but online. Create a community 'fuss' online in your market for summer.
26. Test things fast in the summer...it's a great time to fail forward rapidly.
27. Sell someone else's stuff.
28. Cross promotion...obvious but proven way to increase the number of prospects/clients in your business funnel.
29. Pre-publish and set your autoresponders for the entire summer. Keep them short and sweet.
30. Reprint articles in your newsletters...the most popular ones that've driven results before.
31. If you haven't already done this, add teleseminars to your list as an upsell tool.
32. Don't complicate things. Critically examine your to-do list and ask..."what's somethign I've already done before that can be used to tick some of my to-dos off?"
33. Find the minimal level. Write less. Reply to fewer emails. Leave shorter voice messages. Keep the flyer at fifteen words, not fifty.
34. Cancel or shorten your meetings. Put fewer items on your agenda that are must-dos.
35. Find something very compelling to do this summer for fun. People do what they do because they have nothing more compelling to do. Get something compelling to do for fun, or you'll slip and slide into working more than you want.
36. Stop (or pause) any big, new projects. Start-up requires a special kind of intensity and energy. If you want to do less, make more and have a great summer vacation, reschedule big new launches for after September.
37. Focus your promotional efforts on your most profitable items.
38. Focus your promotional efforts on your fastest selling item.
39. Stop doing the silly stuff. Make a list of 5 things you commit to taking a vacation from doing for the next 3 months.
40. Kick start by decluttering your physical space. You'll waste less time finding things when you'd rather be having a water-fight outside.
41. Change the arrangement of your physical space. Earning more even while you're working LESS is a big mindset shift and these shifts are supported when you shake up your environment.
42. Raise your prices, especially if you've been 'meaning' to do this for a while.
43. Fire the bottom 10% of your clients. (Especially if you're a consulting or other service provider.)
44. Enrol your kids in helping with sundry, rote stuff to save money and share the experience of your business with them.
45. Declutter your brain by writing a vision for your summer. Decide on 3 broad-stroke strategies that you want to focus on for revenue generation. And three strategies to focus on expense reduction.
46. Buddy up on things. Halve the work by sharing the load, both big tasks and small.
47. Stop creating content from scratch this summer. Instead use stories and case studies.
48. Consider finding an apprentice or volunteer who will learn from you in exchange for their 'manual labour'.
49. Create habits to make meaning with family members. Quality experiences happen while you're doing other things.
50. Have somone else be a guest writer on your ezine.
51. Have someone else be guest host on your membership calls or teleseminars.
52. Ask, vigilantly, "What's closest to the money?" and follow through on the 'money path.'
53. Bundle existing products of yours into a new summer offering.
54. Help others make it easy to make money in the summer.
55. Target vacationers or tourists with your service. Summer naturally brings this new, significant traffic. Take advantage!
56. Piggyback a promotion on a big event in your town. E.g. The Calgary Stampede.
57. Partner with a true blue summer institution to generate traffic.
58. Chat with your current 3 biggest clients and ask them if they'd like to pilot something else in the summer. Especially good for your Corporate client accounts.
59. Make sure you use humor and tap into the five senses in the summer.
60. Sponsor a summer event.

Remember, to receive details about the next Open House call on the topic of Money, Meaning and Beyond, go to http://www.MakeMoneyandMeaning.com and submit your email address. We meet every second Wednesday at 3pm Eastern. See you next time on July 12!

And...in the spirit of going 'beyond'...here's a bonus item...so make that 61 ways to 61 Ways to Do Less, Earn More and Have a Meaningful Summer Vacation

61. Make sure you have an 'ice cream cone' product. Summer is statisticaly more of an impulse buy type of time. Small amounts of money are easier for people to spend because they are treating themselves. Take advantage by making sure you have a fun, low priced item for sale in your business funnel.

Enjoy! And post questions, comments or suggestions - which one of these will you use first/most/never? Just hit the 'comment' link below to talk back.

Oh and yes...as promised, if you're curious, the photo above is a self-taken shot in Antigua, our last Caribbean holiday. This year we're off to Vancouver and the Okanagan from June 30 to July 9, and then somewhere exotic that hubby gets to choose, last minute from August 3 to 15.

Andrew Sobel writes about the Beatles and how businesses can learn from them about team-building and success, especially long term.

If you're wondering how 'fun' can remain an intrinsic part of your team's success;

You're curious about the idea of creating a successful brand, and are open to mini-individual brands within it so you aren't the only person in the spotlight;

Or you just like the idea of cross-pollinating your thought-pool with a success story from the music industry, this is a neat little article from strategy + business:

The Beatles Principles | http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/06104?pg=3#authors

Note: You will be asked to register before seeing the full article...I'm a on/off reader of the publishers of the article, 'strategy+business,' and can tell you they don't spam, and faithfully provide an easy unsubscribe.

You can also try the PDF link | http://www.strategy-business.com/media/file/sb42_06104.pdf

P.S. More on how much (how deeply, and how richly!) we can learn from music and the music industry in future posts here. This ranks as a definite favorite topic of mine...

And finally, an excerpt for you who may not want to go to the 'strategy+business' link:

If we want to understand the Beatles' relevance to management teams, the place to start is February 9, 1964. On that night, the group made its American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in front of what was then the largest television audience in history. The black-and-white clip of that performance is now a pop-culture classic.

Before a theater full of screaming teenagers, the four young musicians - John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr - are relaxed and confident as they kick into "All My Loving." Ringo's drum kit is elevated above the stage - then an unusual arrangement - so that he is as much the center of attention as the other three Beatles.

It's an ensemble of four equal players, not a flamboyant lead singer with his backing musicians. They're all smiling. They're having the time of their lives. If ever there was an antidote to the malaise of "grinding it out mechanically," it was visible on the stage that night.

The Beatles are a noteworthy example because the whole of their accomplishment was so much greater than the sum of its parts. The reasons are evident in the way they worked together as a team; how they collaborated to write their songs; the techniques they used to enhance their innate creativity; and the approaches they used, for most of their time together, to defuse the inevitable tensions that arose among them.

The magic was far more than just the music. There are, in fact, specific strategies - I call them "the Beatles Principles" - that you can use to re-create a bit of the Fab Four's juju. If you have to field teams of high-performing professionals, or if you're trying to improve your organization's teamwork, creativity, and capacity to connect with customers, here are four principles to work and play by.

"Eight Days a Week"

When the young Beatles first hit the top of the U.K. charts in 1963, with "Please Please Me," they seemed like an overnight sensation, but they weren't. Behind their seemingly effortless playing were thousands of hours logged performing together in the clubs of Liverpool and Hamburg. This face time forged the individual Beatles into a cohesive, tightly knit team that Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger called, enviously, "the four-headed hydra."

Today, we have almost forgotten about the importance of face time in building familiarity and mutual trust - the requisites for teaming seamlessly under pressure. Some companies have gone so far as to promote the concept of "virtual teams," whose members have never met one another, and never will.

This approach can work for engineering and other technical projects, but if you have to perform for clients and customers, forget it.

As the CFO of a Fortune 500 company told me recently, "All of the big banks and professional firms tell you they are 'global.' But most of them cannot field a team of people, drawn from these far-flung operations, who know and trust each other and who have worked together before. You really notice when the individuals on the team are relaxed, communicating, and having fun together - or, as the case may be, introducing themselves to each other for the first time outside your office door."

That behavior is a tip-off, says the CFO: "I notice how they are getting on with each other because this tells me what a long-term relationship with me and my organization might look like."

The Beatles demonstrated that true esprit de corps comes from intense, shared experiences.

End of excerpt. Continue reading at The Beatles Principles | http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/06104?pg=3#authors

How can you run your business like the Beatles ran themselves?

In Chinese, there is a word pronounced 'Se,' that sounds a little like those war movies when someone says 'Yes, suh!' (Emphasis downwords on suh/se.)

'Se' refers to what happens in your mouth when you eat a piece of unripe fruit - a raspberry, banana or most famously an unripe persimmon. Even if you haven't accidentally bitten into one of those lately, you can probably remember the last time you did, right?

There's no word to describe this 'taste' in English, alas. The closest thing Wikipedia gets to it is the idea of something being 'astringent.' Apparently unripe fruits contain tannins that constrict organic tissue in a way that puckers your mouth.

In any case, all this talk about unripe fruit and the concept of something being 'Se,' is to bring home a point about ripeness in business.

Have you ever considered the ripeness factor of something - anything - in your business?

Far too often, I believe, things that aren't going well (not fast enough, not profitable enough, etc.) in business are simply because the timing isn't right. Translation: Whatever it is, just isn't ripe yet, and yet you're trying really hard to eat it.

Examples of these 'things' could include:

- A joint venture project. (Maybe it's a great possible joint venture but the idea you're presenting isn't landing on receptive ears - the person just had a baby, or is taking the summer off, or is launching their own book this week...)

- Writing that article that's overdue. (Perhaps it's an article that needs to wait until you do something (live something) that's in your schedule for tomorrow, so you have a cool new case study to kick it off with. Yes, ripeness plays a role even when you're late on something.)

- Writing that book that everyone says you should write, for that matter. (Much that same as above.)

- Deciding to amp up your Public Relations efforts. (Are you sure the work you're doing right now is true, for you? Could you be just warming up, and actually the next iteration or clarity around your service offering, niche, or marketing statement is the one you should be trying to get onto Oprah with?)

I talk more about this in the chapter called "Picking the Ripe Apples" in Money, Meaning & Beyond, but here is an excerpt from the footnotes for that chapter. (I just know footnotes rarely get read, and this one is too good not to highlight a bit.)

excerpted from page 301, "Footnotes for Chapter 13: Picking the Ripe Apples"

The concept of the ripe apples first came up during individual coaching sessions in winter 2005, and I use it regularly when working with clients on the issue of 'struggle.' During the writing of this book, I've been reading a Canadian novel by Gail Anderson-Dargatz called "The Cure for Death by Lightning" which contains a section that beautifully evokes the sensibility and intended message in 'Picking the Ripe Apples' [...]

"If a raspberry is ripe, caressing it with your fingertips will bring the berry rolling into your hand. But wait for that ripeness. A berry plucked too early has no sweetness, only a coarse flavor that will pucker your lips up tight. When a berry is ready you'll know by its softness, the deep purple-red color, and the ease with which it gives itself to you."

---end excerpt---

Let that last phrase sink in a bit, would you? "When a berry is ready, you'll know by [...] the ease with which it gives itself to you."

As we pursue money, meaning and beyond together, I invite you to embrace the fact that ripeness is important in business. I do, at least I try to, every day. (Example self-talk, and language coaching clients learn to use: "What's ripe today...what's fresh and ready?" "This feels seriously green...")

As you apply the idea of 'ripeness' to your own business (or life, for that matter), here are a few things to consider:

What, if anything, are you working on that just isn't working? It feels like you're pushing it uphill each day, only to have it roll backwards during the night?

Suspending your desire to complete these 'things' for just a moment, is it possible that the best solution may be to let it go, at least for now?

Certainly some people will use this concept to justify procrastinating or laziness on their part. But I believe you know the difference and using your discretion, can distinguish between something that you aren't doing that is right to do right now, and something that needs to be left alone to ripen.

In my experience, people who are bright, especially, can find solace in the idea that there is such a thing as 'ripeness' in your business. All of a sudden things become a lot less complicated and effortfull.

Final points to ponder:

Would you knowingly eat an unripe raspberry?

What (income, client, delightful project, much-hoped-for result) has already fallen - nice and ripe - at your feet, and you can pick up without struggle? I guarantee there's some there.

Ripeness in business. Does this apply to you?

The International Coach Federation has invited me to present on the above topic at their 11th Annual Coaching Conference this fall. The theme is "Quantum Thinking on Human Potential … Tools for the New Frontier."

Here is the description of the 90-minute session, which I'm delighted to be delivering for the first time on Saturday, November 4, 2006, from 2:15 PM - 3:45 PM:

"The Coaching Electric: How to Be, Do and Have a Greater Impact through Technology"

Coaching is human; Technology appears not. Yet the newest technologies have the potential to enable coaches to reach more people, and have a greater, deeper impact than previously thought possible. The process of exploring this leading edge requires us to deepen our coaching skills and strengthen our capacity for leadership.

Expand your concept of what meaningful and profitable coaching looks like by visiting with these colorful and compassionate case studies. All technology will be demonstrated and real client perspectives interspersed with a hands-on game (in pairs and small groups) in addition to lecture and Q&A.

I think you're going to be particularly excited by the case studies, I know I am! Each of them is such a breathtaking example of how much an individual coach can do - when they are determined and willing - to reach more of the right people in a sustainable way for them. You'll also hear real words of feedback from real people these coaches have affected.

With three simply fabulous keynotes speakers also already confirmed by the Conference Team, I'm looking forward to this gathering of coaching minds and hearts very much. (Which keynotes? Lynne Twist, Guy Kawasaki and Daniel Pink.)

Oh and yes, the Multiple Streams of Coaching Income team will be sponsoring a booth in the exhibit hall, so do come by and visit. We'll be doing lots of pink spoons that you can take advantage of...

Register for the conference by July 31, 2006 and save $100.