Why you should poke fun at yourself
Issue# 2721
- WEALTHY: The most important thing to know before asking for a promotion (Michael Masterson)
- HEALTHY: How a brunch buffet can ruin your weekend (Craig Ballantyne)
- WISE: Ben Franklin on being humble
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Why you should poke fun at yourself (Paul Lawrence)
- The reason your success will never truly be complete (Bob Cox)
- It’s Good to Know… about cuts to 401(k) plans
- Add "lamster" to your vocabulary
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How to Ask for a Promotion… and Get It
The most important thing you need to realize before asking for a promotion is this: Your employer is not really interested in you and why you think you deserve a higher-paying position.
He’s interested in himself. And he’s interested in his business – the problems and the challenges his company faces every day. He may be in need of someone to help him, but he doesn’t care about how wonderful that person is. He just wants to know: "Can this person solve my problems?"
If you think of your objective as a direct-marketing problem, it will be relatively easy to achieve.
Direct marketing is the science of creating positive responses with sales copy. By using its proven secrets, you dramatically increase your chances of getting the kind of response you are looking for.
The direct marketer knows that, to make a sale, she can’t waste her prospect’s time by talking about herself. Everything she says in her sales pitch must be focused on the prospect’s problem and how much better his life will be after buying the product she’s selling.
This is exactly what you have to do when you make your case to your boss. In this case, you are the "product" you’re selling. You have to let him know that you understand exactly what his problems are and that you have solutions for each and every one of them.
[Ed. Note: This article was adapted from Michael Masterson's bestseller, Seven Years to Seven Figures: The Fast-Track Plan to Becoming a Millionaire. For more specific advice on how to get a promotion and start building your wealth FAST, go here.]
"To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness."
- Benjamin Franklin
Win People Over by Giving Them a "Superiority Complex"
"Actually, I’m a total weakling," I told Bob. "I’ve got a lot in common with the guy in those classic bodybuilding ads who kept getting sand kicked in his face."
Bob had just commented on how I looked like I worked out a lot – and I sensed that, because I looked so "big," it bothered him.
We were meeting for the first time, and I wanted to secure a deal with him. I didn’t want him to feel intimidated or get his guard up. (Not that being bigger and stronger is worth much when it comes to business.) So I used an old comedian’s technique to win him over.
Not only did I admit to being a "natural-born" weakling, I told him that I’m a lousy athlete. I said that any strength I had was artificially created through years of working out – and that the moment I stopped exercising religiously, my muscles would melt away with alarming speed.
Bob did just what crowds do in a comedy club when a performer uses this technique. He smiled and loosened up.
People don’t go to a comedy club to listen to some guy on stage who presents himself as being smarter, better looking, and making more money than they do. They go to feel good. And when a comic uses self-deprecating humor, it makes them feel good about themselves. It’s just human nature.
Putting yourself down to build up the other guy works just as well in the business world – whether you’re trying to close a deal, get other people to support your objectives, or win new customers.
Here’s an example of how it works…
John, a real estate multimillionaire, was interested in buying an office building that was about to go into foreclosure. The owner had taken a risk when he bought the building by using almost all his cash for a down payment. Then, when the economy slowed and several tenants moved out, his cash flow slowed to a trickle… and he was in trouble.
When John met with the owner, it was clear that the man expected to take a financial beating on the property – and was blaming himself for the situation he was in. So before John even made an offer, while shuffling through the papers in his briefcase, he chatted about his own "problems." Shaking his head, John said, "I don’t know how it happened, but I have no control over anything at home." He confided that his wife ruled the roost – and he felt lucky that she even allowed him to watch football on Sundays.
There was a smile on the owner’s face as he read through John’s offer… and then, feeling very much in control, signed the contract.
Here’s another example…
When Jane was hired as the manager of a retail jewelry store, she expected trouble. The assistant manager was 20 years her senior, and had worked for the company for eight years. Needless to say, he resented having been passed over for the promotion.
As Jane walked through the door her first morning on the job, the assistant manager made some flippant, borderline-offensive comments. The other employees laughed, and Jane knew she had to do something quickly to overcome this potential obstacle to her success.
She could’ve given the assistant manager a verbal lashing in front of everyone, but she knew that would simply make matters worse. Instead, a bit later in the day, Jane asked him to come into her office.
"I’m going to be honest with you," Jane admitted. "I’m so scared about doing a good job that I almost lost my breakfast this morning."
The anger in his eyes dissipated as Jane continued: "I know that I’m an outsider, and there must be a ton of things I don’t know that could ruin me. I’m hoping I can count on you – so, together, we can make this the number one store in the chain."
The assistant manager’s attitude completely turned around. From that moment on, he went above and beyond the call of duty to get the entire staff to support all of Jane’s decisions.
Now before you try this self-deprecation technique for yourself, there is one important caveat: What you say about yourself must ring true, or you’ll completely alienate the person you’re trying to win over. But when used correctly, it is a very powerful tool – and only one of many that I have in my arsenal.
There is nothing more important to a business career than knowing how to deal with other people. If you want to have every advantage on your side, click right here and check out my free report on People Power Skills.
[Ed. Note: Paul Lawrence is a successful entrepreneur and publisher who has started over a dozen profitable enterprises. If you're interested in starting a new business with less than $100 in capital, you should take a look at Paul's Micro-Business program right here. It could add thousands to your bank account in as little as 30 days.]
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4 Simple Strategies for Maintaining Your Success
By Bob Cox
Way back in January, you set a goal for yourself. Let’s say you wanted to lose 10 pounds by July 1. After months of hard work and discipline, you’re down nearly 12 pounds! Success!
Now… how do you keep yourself from slacking off and erasing everything you’ve achieved so far? Here are three ways to maintain your success:
1. Work hard even when no one is watching.
Commit yourself to excellence without the need for someone else’s approval. Yes, it is wonderful to receive a "pat on the back" from friends, family, or coworkers. But it’s much better to develop your own personal sense of pride and accomplishment.
2. Never arrive.
This may sound counter-intuitive. But one of the best ways to sustain success is to think of your goal as a construction project that’s always in progress and yet to be completed.
Never see yourself as having finished your goal journey. Condition yourself to actively keep learning. Learn more about your field when your goal is to advance in your profession… learn more about technique when your goal is to advance in a physical skill… and learn more about what everyone else in your industry is doing when your goal is to advance your business.
3. Be persistent.
If you keep going the extra mile – or even taking one more step after everyone else has given up – you will keep getting results. Over time, this will become a way of life… and you will be unstoppable.
[Ed. Note: If you have dreams you want to achieve and goals you want to accomplish, you CAN do it on your own. But you could reach success so much faster with step-by-step guidance from success mentor Bob Cox. Bob - who has worked one-on-one with four billionaires and monitored the techniques they used to succeed - can help you determine exactly what you want out of life and the exact steps you need to take to get there. Find out how to become one of Bob's proteges right here.]
3 Steps to Keeping Your Energy High on Weekends
If you work hard all week, then find yourself "crashing" on the weekend – just when you need even more energy to do the things you love – here are some tips for you:
1. Go to bed and get up at the same time as you do during the week.
I guarantee you won’t be tired all weekend – and you won’t have trouble falling asleep on Sunday night.
2. Start your weekend days with 30 minutes of fun activity.
It doesn’t have to be a structured workout (you can save that for during the week), but getting up and getting moving will get you off to a high-energy start.
3. Avoid high-calorie, high-sugar brunches.
A surefire way to make yourself sleepy is to load up on orange juice and pancakes after your weekend "workout." So skip those foods, stick to an omelet filled with vegetables, and drink green tea.
And when you get together with your friends, keep your energy high by going for a hike or bike ride, rather than sitting down in a pub or movie theater with a bunch of high-calorie snacks.
[Ed. Note: Regular exercise can help keep your energy levels high any day of the week. Fitness expert Craig Ballantyne has put together a high-energy program that allows you to burn fat and build muscle in three 45-minute sessions each week. Learn more here.
For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, get your free subscription to ETR's natural health newsletter.]
It’s Good to Know: Cuts to 401(k) Plans
One-quarter of U.S. employers have eliminated matching contributions to employee retirement plans, specifically 401(k)s, since last September, according to a recent report from discount broker Charles Schwab Corp. Another quarter have limited enrollment to certain employees. Most of these companies claim these measures have been taken temporarily as a result of the ongoing recession.
(Source: Reuters)
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Word to the Wise: Lamster
A "lamster" LAM-ster) – a word with obscure origins – is a fugitive, especially from the law.
Example (as used by Christopher Loudon in The Financial Post): "The vast majority of identity-changers become scurrying lamsters, spinning an endless wheel of lies and deception… ."
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