"If they're laughing, they're buying."

"The #1 trigger of human laughter is surprise." ~Jerry Corley

Set up their expectations... shatter their expectations... surprise them... equals laughter. Incongruity creates humor. Without incongruity, double-entendre and surprise, there is no humor. The best comedians incorporate these into their acts smoothly, but they are still using these basic formulae.

What does this have to do with you?

"If they're laughing, they're buying." ~ Jeffrey Gitomer



That's what it has to do with you. The more you can incorporate humor into what you already do, the more impact you'll have and the more money you'll make.  This is something I'm working on everyday!


To your success!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY.  Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:
Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html

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Entrepreneurial Advice from the Front Lines!

Here are some of the great tips shared by my friends last week!  I posted this graphic (I'm so sophisticated that I wrote these on a whiteboard!) and asked my Facebook friends for feedback.  Here's what they had to say:

"Listen to your gut. Listen to people who are successful at what they do and what you do. Don't give people more credit then what they are really worth. Listen, listen, listen...evaluate. Follow your gut."  ~LaShonda Anderson

"To much to share here. Short version:

1. Know your purpose. Know what drives you, fuels you. Unless you do that FIRST and then connect that to why you want to be in business, you will never have the energy and passion you need to build a world class business. 
2. Become a student of business. Study successful business models. Study BUSINESS. There's an 80% failure rate in the first 5 years of business and of the 20% that survive, 80% fail in the next 5. That's 96% over 10 years. Know WHY they fail. 
3. Learn how to build a system that produces consistent results. Learn how to replicate it (make it teachable to others) so that you can create a business rather than an over glorified job. I could go on and on. :-)" ~Joe Orsak

"Be BOLD." ~Doc Compton

"Network network network. And don't be afraid of telling people what you do. Remember. Timid salesman have skinny kids, and we're all salesman.  Oh...... We're all a tad crazy too." ~Coy Christoffel

"My advice is this, focus on what you want to do. I wanted to start a business writing resumes so I did. I wanted a website and focused on learning how to build one. While it was important information, it didn't benefit me, it fustrated me. For the time and effort I should have just hired someone to do it for me. I lost the focus of what I was trying to do while saving a few dollars. Keep your sight on your vision and pay someone to help with the rest." ~Jessica Anderson

1. GO FLAT OUT. Do whatever it takes to achieve your goal and bring your dream to life.
2. SUPPORT YOUR IDEA. Invest your time, money, thought, and energy into it. If you don't, don't expect anyone else to.
3. KNOW WHAT YOU DO BEST. And do the HELL out of it!
4. GO FOR BROKE. Put your ass on the line. If you truly believe in your idea, it's worth risking everything you currently have.
5. SETBACKS ARE INEVITABLE. Don't let them get you down. Find things to keep yourself inspired. Remember, every failed attempt is another step forward.
6. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. Look down the road, not just to next payday, or even next year. A wise, wealthy man once said, "I refuse to buy a Cadillac until I can write a check for it. If I have to wait a little while, that's okay; they'll still be making them then." That Escalade can wait. If you "make it" before you've made it, you'll end up a frustrated failure.
7. ELIMINATE DEBT, SAVE, & INVEST. You can not build wealth and pay on debts at the same time. It is mathmatically impossible. Create a tactical plan to eliminate all debt, including the house. The word "Mortgage" means "death grip." Don't save for EMERGENCIES, save for OPPORTUNITIES. Invest prudently in financial vehicles that will cause your money to replicate itself in your sleep. And remember, if it's on your ASS, it's not as ASSET.
8. MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK. Don't wait on handouts or "Right place, right time" thinking. Get out there and make it happen. Take it by force.
9. BE IN LOVE WITH YOUR IDEA. You'll be spending a lot of time with it, make sure you love what you're doing. Just making money gets boring after a while; do what your LOVE, and money will chase you down and tackle you to the ground every chance it gets. ~Michael Neal

"Surrounding yourself with like minded people is key, and I think may be the most important thing. While growing up I never thought about being a entrepreneur, but when I graduated from college I began to meet entrpreneurs every where I went just in my daily activities. After getting to know some of them, my mindset began to change and I began to develop a entreprenerial mind and spirit. And basically the rest is history. So it all started with spending time with other enterpreneurs.

I also think READING is a important part of being a entrepreneur as well. Read books about your industry and also books by other successful entrepreneurs because even though they may be in a different industry, you can apply some of the same principles to whatever your industry may be." ~Roscoe Douglas II 

To your success!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY.  Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:
Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html

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How's Your Follow Up?

Are you aware of these Follow Up Statistics?

McGraw Hill did a study and found those businesses that boosted their marketing and advertising during a recession grew 275% over the 5 years proceeding. However, those businesses that cut back, if they were still in business, only grew 19%.

48% of sales people never follow up with a prospect

25% of sales people make a second contact and stop

12% of sales people only make three contacts and stop

10% of sales people make more than three contacts

Here's how that behavior affects your sales performance...

2% of Sales are made on the second contact

5% of sales are made on the third contact

10% of sales are made on the fourth contact

80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact

Are you committing any of these follow up statistics crimes? If you are, I would recommend automating your follow up by creating a system. If you aren't going to employ a system, then you've got to put more work into it. Either way, if you aren't contacting people again and again and again, you're costing yourself good business. The reality is very few people purchase on first hearing of you.

If you buy into the above stats, 80% of your revenue comes after the fifth contact. It looks like only 3% of sales require only one contact. Ahhhh.... so that's where your money is!!  Need more tips for increasing your sales performance?  Check out 10 Ultimate No B.S. #MonsterTips to Help You Sell More and Earn More Money NOW!


To your success!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY.  Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:
Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

For more information on Mark as a speaker or presenter check out http://livebigdieempty.blogspot.com/p/about-mark_29.html

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