July 7, 2009

Blessed With Ideas

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I’ve been through some challenging times recently. It’s not easy, but thankfully I’m able to pick myself up. When I was first hit by those challenges, I felt terrible. Fortunately now it’s was all over.

For the past weeks, I was blessed with ideas coming from the Universe via some friends. I truly believe the Universe sent all these angels to support my work.

A meeting with another entrepreneur friend, while we are discussing on something that we can work together, another totally new idea came out, and we decided to embark onto this new idea. It was simply amazing how this idea came about.

Another day I went to visit a learning center. From the center I got another idea that can help to beef up my training program.

A visit to a friend who is also in education industry opened up new opportunities and ideas again. This is simple amazing.

An old friend suddenly called me from no where, asked to work together in another training program that I had always been doing. The best thing is he already has a ready pool of people.

If these aren’t the work of the Universe, what are? Now my job to turn this idea into reality with the gift I was given. Thank you, I am blessed.

 

June 26, 2009

Lesson In Marketing 2

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Let’s discuss more about lesson of marketing from fishing. From the last post, we mentioned about choosing the right pond. A pond where you can find fish.

Is it true that you can surely get your fish as long as you find the right pond? The answer is NO! Ok, I only have a few fishing experiences, still a newbie in fishing but I ever experience zero fish for the whole night. You may ask: maybe there’s no fish there. If there’s really no fish in that pond, I won’t feel bad. But my three other friends caught at least ten fishes that night, and I got zero; that sucks.

Casting the line into the right pond is the start of your marketing steps. The rest of the steps takes skills and planned moves. Like fishing, from the time the fish bite your bait to bringing the fish up takes skills. And every move is planned.

If you start to reel in the moment you feel a fish bite your bait, the fish will escape. In marketing, when the prospect take your bait, come to you; and you want to do a closing right away, it will scare them away. This is call closing too early. You try to close when the prospect is not ready.

On the other hand, if you reel in too late, the fish would have eaten the whole bait and escape as well. Then you lose your bait and the fish. So if your prospect comes, you give and give; when your prospect gotten enough from you, they will run.

It’s all about timing. You allow the fish to bite for a while, maybe drag the line away from you. When you find that it’s time, reel in fast to have a hooked on the fish. This is called closing at the correct time. Giving them enough, but not enough for them to run.

Another distinction is fighting with the hooked fish. When the fish is hooked, it will try to escape. It will want to swim away, so it will create tension on your line. If you fight it by pulling all the way, the line will break, then you lost the fish. Some salespeople, do the same thing; although face with objections, they continue to pull until the line breaks. This is what some called hard sell, it turns people off.

To successful fight with the fish, the pull and release method should be used. You pulled it in, then you let it run. You pulled again, and let it run again. Then you do a final pull to get the fish out of the water. In marketing, you asked and you let your prospect talked. Ask again, let them talked again. Then you ask the last time.

Hope this add value to you.
I will have to fish a few more times to get more distinction about marketing from fishing.

 

June 17, 2009

Lesson In Marketing

Posted by Joe Lee under Business, Marketing
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For the past 3 weeks, I have learned so much about marketing that I believed I know more than any marketing graduates out there. There’s one thing I am sure of – you can’t learn effective marketing from textbooks.

Textbook will not teach you where to find your prospects. Textbooks teach you marketing to the masses, shows you marketing that requires millions of dollars. But what if you run a small business and funds are limited. You can only afford to invest thousands or even hundreds of dollars in marketing. What can you do?

I took up fishing in the last 2 months, and I found 2 simple business lessons through fishing.

Lesson 1. Go to the place where there are lots of fishes.

Lesson 2. Ensure those fishes want your bait.

I did fish at a place where there are only a few fishes in the pond. My bait is fresh, but no fishes caught that night. I also learned that some fish don’t eat some bait.

When it comes to marketing, the same principles apply. Do your marketing where there are lots of prospects, and ensure they want what you are offering.

The first advertisement I placed 3 weeks ago gave me 1 response. Horrible result! Why? Because I placed at the place where fishes don’t go. However, you wouldn’t know whether there will be fishes until you fish at that location once.

Immediately, I changed strategy. I look for ponds where there are lots of fishes. Not only that, they are the kind of fish that I want. Lots of fishes is one thing, but a particular kind of fish is another. You can have big crowd but they are not eating your bait, then your marketing failed. You have to find prospects who want to what you offered.

Identify who will want your product / service. In today’s world, you can’t offer to anyone. There’s only a group of people who are suitable to have your product/service. Find out who are they, and where they usually swim.

After the first advertisement, I started to find places where my prospect are gathering. Throw in the bait and the marketing process start. The rest of the marketing process requires other skills and preparation. But the first step is to identify where your fishes are.

 

June 15, 2009

Gaining Learning Experiences

Posted by Joe Lee under Business, Daily Stuff
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Challenge, disappointment, joy, excited, anger, learning, sadness, lost, happy, focus, perturbate visited me in the past 3 weeks. I’ve experience almost all kinds of emotion a human being can experience in the past 3 weeks.

Most importantly, I had a steep gradient kind of learning experience. It was pretty steep that there was some price to pay. Yes, I had many learning experiences throughout my life but most of them lasted a day, and I moved on. This time it went on for weeks, and there is a price to pay.

Nevertheless, I had gain tremendous experiences in the past weeks. I gained a huge amount of knowledge through all those mistakes I’ve made. Those mistakes broke me. I was destroyed, devastated. I lost confidence.

Today, when I woke up, I was different. I am filled with confident again. After bringing all those mistakes together, turning them into learning experiences, I am stronger now. Not many in the world has the courage to do what I do which means not many has that kind of experience that I had now.

With the newly acquired knowledge and experiences, how can I become worse? Like what the late Buckminster Fuller said, “You never learn less.” Especially in the past 3 weeks, I was learning at an accelerated speed. Last 3 weeks I probably learned what some people learned in 3 years.

In my next post, I’ll share about what are the lessons I’ve learned.

 

June 1, 2009

Awesome YSBC Preview

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For those of you who followed this blog, you will probably remember about the last post about the Youth Success Boot Camp Preview.

Last Saturday,we had our first preview, and it was a awesome. We had 4 registered for the Boot Camp, and 1 pending. I felt it was a great start.

I am really blessed that I found my path in life. I also felt blessed to possess the skill and knowledge to add value to our younger generation. Even after the preview, some parents actually stayed around to chat with us, wanting to find out how they can further help their child. This simple gesture made me realize that running this Boot Camp is definitely what I have to do for a long time.

I also want to give credit to the awesome team. From handling the calls to the paper work, everything is handled with a flow. Seriously, without them this preview is not even possible. Thanks Jean, Jeffery and Andi for making this possible.

Today, Jean received an encouraging email from one of the parents who registered their child. This is what she wrote:

From: CXXXXXXX
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 10:05 AM
To: Jean Hoo, Actionpreneur P/L
Subject: Re: Reminder: seminar on 30 May 09 (sat) at 10.30am

Hi Jean. It was a pleasure meeting you and attending the seminar on
Saturday.

We were so inspired by the presentation that we had signed up for the Boot
Camp without thinking to check my children’s schedule. Unfortunately, my
eldest has got school cca camp which is compulsory on 15-18 Jun 09. As I
would like my 3 children to attend together, I would appreciate a
postponement of participation for all 3 of them.
Pls let me know when the next Boot Camp session will be held.

Also, my church friend has registered interest in the Boot Camp (she has 2
teens aged 13 & 15). Is there another upcoming seminar like the one held
on 30 May 09?

Thanks & Rgds

If you want to find out when is the next seminar, please visit Youth Success Boot Camp.

In the meantime, I wish you all the best in whatever you do.

 

May 26, 2009

Preview of Youth Success Boot Camp

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Facing ups and downs while we are planning the 1st preview of Youth Success Boot Camp on this coming Sat, 30th May. I’ve experience discouragement, demoralized to joyous and excitement.

Ran an advertisement last Wednesday, but the response was pathetic. No call at all. That was devastating. Many thoughts went through my head. Doubts arise from my mind – Is this a test or is this a sign?

Had a discussion with Jean, we were running out of time and ideas. We need to do something quickly, real quick. We have to change plans again. We decided to give advertisement another go. One last advertisement placed in a better section on this week.

In the meanwhile, Jean sent emails to parent support group inviting them to the previews. We are doing one last shot to make it happen.

On last Friday, there was a call from that no-response advertisement. 1 call from that advertisement, it was a terrible rate of response, but it’s enough to send us into celebration. We went for a movie as a celebration.

On Saturday, 3 emails came in, asking to reserve seats to the preview. Jean and me celebrated over and over again.

Today, we have 20 parents confirmed attending the previews. This is before the advertisement is ran. By tomorrow when the advertisement is out, we should have more. I am manifesting it to be a full house.

If there wasn’t the first setback last week, probably I wouldn’t understand that the confirmed attendance can be so sweet. From the devastating emotion last week to today’s excitement, I realized why the Great Spirit wants me to go through those discouraging moment.

For parents who like to attend this Youth Success Seminar for free, you can register online at
www.youth-success-boot-camp.com.

It’s on this coming Sat, 30 May 2009.

Time: 10:30am – 12:00pm or 2:00pm to 3:30pm.

 

May 15, 2009

Youth Success Boot Camp Preview

Posted by Joe Lee under Business, Daily Stuff
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Step by step, we are actually moving towards a more complete preparation of the Youth Success Boot Camp (YSBC). Now we placed an advertisement in newspaper next week, and conducting previews for the Boot Camp.

Right now, I can see the whole process leading to the actual Boot Camp forming up. We’ve form a team to ensure the success of the Boot Camp.

I’m getting excited about it, and at the same time afraid of what’s gonna happen. Advertisement is up, and there are uncertainties in every area from attendance to signing up. Every stage needs to be monitored, yet every stage is at a uncertain stage right now.

Jean and myself have done what we can do in this short period, the rest is up to the Great Spirit. I admit fear is accompanying me when decision of Youth Success Boot Camp was made.

Maybe it was ego that made me push it through, but now, right now I have to go to faith. What I need now is the unswerving faith.

 

May 5, 2009

Inspire Your Child To Be A STAR

Posted by Joe Lee under FREE GIFT
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I am grateful to many people recently. Many who has supported the launch of the Youth Success Boot Camp. Andi, Jeffrey, June, Peng Tatt, Austin, Mike thank you so much for offering your support.

Also I learned a lot during the process of executing this plan. What I learned is much more than what I read in those marketing books. I must understand the behaviour of parents and teenagers; that can make my marketing plan a little bit tricky.

Understanding teenagers is my forte. Years of running courses for them does help in understanding them better. Firstly, treat them like an adult. Most parents face the problems of treating them like children. That’s because parents see their children growing up, in their eyes a child is always a child.

But parent can’t use the same method of treating a young child on a teenager. This may backfire. A teenager wants to be heard, understood, aired their views, trusted, respected. Teenagers are actually facing lots of stress themselves. It’s a stage where they learn to be an adult, yet may not be as mature as an adult yet. They are looking for acceptance into the environment as an adult. Therefore they may try outrageous things to grab attention. But don’t hold them to it.

I believe that there must be a reason behind all those outrageous behaviour. Find those reasons and parents can understand them more. Parents who like to understand more about motivating your child can download a copy of this e-book, Inspire Your Child To Be A STAR here.

 

April 21, 2009

Youth Success Boot Camp

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Finally, finally, finally!

Youth Success Boot Camp (YSBC) is officially open for registration. The program will be held on 15 – 17 June 2009.

We overcome waves of challenges leading to YSBC, finally today we start our marketing. There was even a time when the thought of not doing it came across my mind. But I know I have to do it irregardless of all the naysayers around me.

We have to start all over from scratch because of the change of plans, venues, marketing strategy, team members. Fortunately with the support of Sean and Jean, we manage re-plan and execute everything.

I’m extremely excited about this program not because it’s new, but because I know I can add more value to the youth. I’ve done this sort of program with the school since 2003, and now I can expand this program to many more youth, inspiring them to excel in all they do.

If you or your friends have any teenage kids who are between the age of 13 – 17 and want the kids to learn about success principles, build confidence, boost self esteem, improve results in school and life, you may want to help pass this news to them. They can visit Youth Success Boot Camp to find out how this program will benefit their kids.

Also we are actively looking for someone who are keen to promote Youth Success Boot Camp. Email to info@actionpreneur.com to learn more about the deal.

 

April 6, 2009

Fractured Ankle

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As usual, Sunday morning is my weekly football session. Went to Bishan Park full of joy as it’s my favourite game. But something unusual happened. I forgot to bring my socks. Fortunately another team mate brought an extra pair.

Actually that’s the first time I forgot to bring socks. I had a strange feeling surfacing from within, but I chuck aside.

In this game I’m playing a relax role – defender with nothing much to do. Even in the late 2nd half, I’m still full of energy. There’s no panting, my legs are good.

That’s when things happened.

A through ball from the other team’s midfield to their striker. When the striker is ready to shoot, I stretch my leg to clear the ball. Somehow we tangle together, I feel my ankle was pulled to the extreme.

In seconds, I felt the pain from my ankle flowing to my brain. The pain is unbearable, I’ve never felt this kind of pain. I have to yell it out. I believe I was yelling for at least a minute. My first thought was, “did my leg break?”

The rest of the team came to support. I guess with the yelling, they knew it was serious.

When the pain subsided, I wriggled my toes hoping that they are moving. A sense of relief came upon me. Toes still moving means leg still intact. But I can’t walk at all.

After X-Ray, the doctor found out it was a fracture ankle. Now I’m on clutches, with a minimum of 6 weeks recovery date. So I’m out for the season.

What I most worried is actually the trainings that had to do. Got to find replacement now.

It’s an experience on this incident. Of course, I don’t want to go through it again, but I will always remember that unbearable pain.

 

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