Apple sells the experience. Their Why – is thinking differently. Volvo sells safety.
Both are rooted in experience based selling and engagement with the heart. The Volvo message at the core, is rooted in fear. No, that’s not why people buy one. Not on the surface anyways. But parents who own Volvos have a deep intrinsic attachment to Volvo, because they’re buying a safe ride for their family. Starbucks sells the happy emotion of comfort and a social meeting place experience, not the coffee, and Jeep sells adventure to suburban moms who drive it to the mall. But hit the mountain bike trail, and you won’t see a jeep. I love the jeep, and I love the trail. Leaving my neighborhood in suburbia, you’ll see the jeep. At the trail you will see muddy cars, toyotas, SUVs of all sizes, but rarely a Jeep. The Jeep image is about adventure and their followers are cultish, like Apple. Just stepping into the Jeep gives them that feeling of adventure.

What emotional attachment have you created to your consumer? Apple connects with the heart and mind. The individual. Want proof? Apple followers don’t care if the company they work for is PC exclusive. They have ipads and Macs and iphones anyways. Why does an executive at any company walk into Apple and buy from a kid with blue hair and a nose ring? It’s because there’s a bit of the blue haired kid in each of us. Apple slogan: think differently. All Apple users including me believe that we think differently. We think out of the box or no box. Apple has done a great job creating that tribe.

If you want to be like Apple you have to be like Apple. Think differently. Stop telling people what to buy and why (features and benefits) and start connecting with their heart. If you want a little bite of the Apple, connect your consumer to a larger, deeper, more altruistic meaning. What can you really, authentically do for them? This is where a professional writer comes in. Speakers and consultants who hire me to craft their brand or write PR articles and blogs for them, aren’t just speakers. They’re changing peoples lives. That’s authentic, and true. Their worse, create transformation and inner healing. One Corporation I’m working with, sells a vacation destination. But I say they offer you far more, than just the features and benefits of a beautiful sky, and a place to fly to with your family. They offer you Freedom. Freedom is different than a product, a service or a destination. Freedom is something every soul craves.

The groom, is the most influential speaker in the world.
He gets millions of hits on You Tube.

When I’m with him in public, we are swarmed by people asking for his autograph. You’d think he was Obama, Russell Brand, or Beckham. But he’s even more powerful than that. His brand is strength. His message is power. And when you meet him, you realize anything is possible.

When he speaks, people listen. Check out his statistics.

He has many facebook pages and each one gets from 40,000-100,000 likes. His You Tube videos are off the charts. His book is a best seller. His speaking engagements are sold out. In Asia, his fees can rival a president. My clients are speakers, and no other speaker can top him. Not the greats of the past, like Zig Ziglar, or even the rising young stars of today. When they talk about the “it” factor, Nicks just got it.

The wedding ceremony was at the Donald Trump golf club in California. The couple exchanged vows on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.
When the wedding planner stopped at my table and tapped me on the shoulder, asking me to say a few words about the couple, I scrambled for words. I’m a writer, author, and coach. Not a speaker. I work with 1 per centers, a term I use to define world changers.

When Time magazine prints their next influential person cover, I’m voting for Nick Vujicic, as the most influential person of our time. In 2012 Nick finished his second book, recorded his second music video, and will address audiences of millions in stadiums across the globe. He’s met politicians, celebrities, and dignitaries. He’s been featured in commercials, land was the star of a Hyundai commercial during the World cup soccer championship. If you don’t know who he is, I’d have to ask you what cave you’ve been dwelling in. In this next decade Nick will be making movies, writing books, and saving lives.

When I coach my speaker friends through the process of building a brand like Nicks they don’t listen. They do it their own way. So even the top speaker after Nick has less than half of his presence, views, and opportunity. Large corporate sponsors, check him out. If you want to double your business, and reach the heart of your consumer, this is your spokesman. Nick Vujicic. Speaker, businessman, husband, guru, teacher, friend.

When I stepped on stage after the wedding, I talked about how their love blossomed at my home in Texas, as my sons, (the ring bearers) watched. It was a true fairy tale for the most influential man in the world.

When I wrote my first book it was the same way. Books changed my life, and authors gave me wisdom that helped me interview for jobs, conduct presentations, serve others, and win business. In the corporate world, books by CEOs and sales mentors shepherded me along a path to do business in Europe, Latin America,  Singapore, and beyond.

Words help people and organizations grow.

I’ve heard people say “write what you know” but sometimes it’s what you don’t know that’s worth exploring
Write about what you are passionate about. Not just what you know. Take a risk, if necessary. A lot of great ideas were born from risks taken, and from persistence.  It takes more than just thoughts, and dreams. Writers write. Take action and let your dream see the light of day.

When a gunman walks into a school, it’s broadcast on Youtube immediately. What if something occurs inside your organization? Have you trained your employees on basic mandates for cellphone usage, video uploads, and other content protection during a crisis?

When I worked in the crisis management field on the ground during an air disaster, all content in and out was protected. It was simply too sensitive.

In the wake of the Japanese nuclear reactor disaster critics across the airwaves continue to investigate GE and the Japanese government for the way they have handled the crisis, and for the safety measures in place (or not)

It has become standard issue to hang corporate chieftains up for the world to see, when things go wrong. Billions are lost. Lives are at stake. Oil spills, heads roll. In a crisis – someone has to pay.

In japan, the sea walls the government built around the coastline weren’t tall enough. Who knew the tsunami that would hit would be taller and more powerful. Critics maintained that either GE or the government or both should have known to build the reactors on high ground, versus ground level.

But hindsight is 20/20.

In writing a book recently, the CEO and I wanted to emphasize the power of personal responsibility.

We created an early chapter to lay down the foundation of the power of One, because if an individual employee can get that concept first – the rest of the team benefits and you’re in flow.

In a crisis, everyone has to pitch in. The Blame game will only destruct, distract, and destroy. A crisis can destroy people, marriages, and corporations from within if the individual parts fight against themselves.

Crisis management is about being prepared. Are you?

I met Aaron on the streets of Dallas, where he’d gone for food, and I’d gone to serve food to 400 homeless men and women. I learned he was a writer, and we became fast friends. He’s an intellect, with several books in the pipeline, and a lot of life experience.

We’ve written together, we’ve had many dinners together, and now he’s my brother. He’s a success story. He’s off the street, thriving, with property and a new truck in Arkansas. He’s still the same person I met on that parking lot, only he’s got a new perspective. He’s been surrounded by addiction, in the shelters, where homeless go to counselors to get state distributed drugs, and in his past life where he was a gambling addict who earned thousands in one poker game. We agreed that even in the wealthiest mansions, addiction exists. Aaron said it best. “We all want to feel good. But addiction is simply filling that empty space with everything but God.”

The answer? It’s not simple. My friend, the director of a drug treatment program, can tell you that. My homeless guys who enroll in and then leave, addiction programs, can testify to that. Nothings easy. But it all starts in the mind. A lot of addiction is about contentment. and maybe boundaries.
Take baby steps, reach out. Do it all over again. And I’m not just talking about drugs here. I know some people who are addicted to Facebook and blogging and it takes just as much away from their loved ones as anything else would. Might sound extreme, but three hours a night disconnected or unplugged from the people in your own house, sounds like an addiction to me. Albeit, not along the lines of heroin or meth.

What are we focused on? Whatever that is, will grow, and flourish.

Writing about how to get rich is interesting, because it forces you to spend a lot of time thinking about what rich really means.
And the good news is that no one talks about attraction or manifestation anymore. No, these guys are writing about legacy, authenticity, and doing the hard things.

Ryan Chamberlin recently quoted Darren Hardy about the Compound Effect of doing several small things well, over and over. Versus doing a million things to get ahead. Tony Jeary and I brainstormed about what it means to be a 1 per center – and both agreed that its about living strong in your faith, family, and finances. His book Success Acceleration gives you the principles to go where you want to, faster than ever before. Gary Smalley, an amazing man with a large legacy, has been a relationship expert for decades, and really practices the concepts he’s written and talked about. He lives a rich life. And he helps others to as well. The point?

Think about what rich means to you. Focus on that, and Eliminate anything that takes away from it.

Abundance always brings more to your life. But it also takes away time from your life. More friends, more money, more houses to manage, more work opportunities. It all takes time. So be discretionary. Choose well.

Prov 4 says guard your heart. I love that, because instead of attracting more, networking more, and connecting more, we can think about being strategic. What is it you need to guard?

I was flattered to be recently named “One of Americas most influential writers, not because of how many but because of WHO she reaches. Tammy has the ear of the Executive reader.”
Although Seth Godin or my other favorite bloggers might not agree,
It was a nice quote, and reminded me to narrow my focus even more in 2011. I want to help others have rich lives. And that means staying strong.

Here’s a question I got on my blog recently:
“Would you have any suggestions for how I can get more exposure for my book?”

There’s no easy answer to that, except to do whatever you can to market to as many people as possible. Social media is a great buzzword, but what does it really mean? Facebook Twitter, plaxo,
linked in and anything on the net are all ways to get the word out.

You have to take responsibility for your own marketing…
Don’t rely on a publisher, because they’re relying on you. Books sell because authors sell them!

How can you sell yourself and your book?

1- become an expert
Whatever it is you like to do, blog about. Write articles. Write ezines, do radio interviews. Get a niche and become an expert.

2- cross-pollinate.
Do all you can to associate with different groups.
Get out of your comfort zone into a lot of different groups of people,
in many mediums.

3- write, market and publish your book.

Books are the new brochure.
Use your book to get speaking engagements, send to CEOs, and get your legacy and wisdom to the world…

Are you interested in writing your legacy?

The first step, is to WRITE.

This is advice a world famous writer gave me years ago. He said: writers write.

And thats the advice I give people today,
Start a journal.
Write your story.

Many memoirs have been sold for millions of dollaRs and they’re just stories of peoples lives.

What is your story.?

My best coaching advice is to guide you to catalogue the best stories, and emotions about your life today.

Invest.

Invest in what you want to keep. Invest, and watch it grow.

When you don’t, you’ll see the outcome of neglect, like a garden choked by weeds. Just a reminder. If you love someone, invest in them. If you have something worth keeping, invest time, thought, emotion. This applies to every area of your life.