How Harley-Davidson got started, what led to their success, and what you can learn from them to help you grow!
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
David Cooperfield - live at the MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas! You might be fascinated to know what I discovered behind the curtain. I was lucky enough to assist him with one segment of his show. Of course I was sworn to secrecy and cannot reveal the magic behind that trick.
Watching a master at work inspired me to do more than just watch - to observe and learn. I can reveal to you the secrets of David Copperfield that you can apply to your business.
There is no magic
The first rule. Reality. You will not reach success - in any field because of magic. Copperfield does not claim magical powers. He proudly points out that it is illusion. Masterful illusion. The secret is in the mastery.
Illusion is more powerful than reality
You might wonder - "how does he do those amazing things?" And you might believe him to be embodied with special powers. Why? Because you see what he wants you to see - through the skills of direction, suggestion and having the right things hidden from view. How can you use these skills to create the right illusion for your customers?
You can create the right illusions when you understand and apply the power of communications.
People believe what they want
You can control what you want them to see but you cannot control what they believe. You can, however, influence what they believe and feel. If people want to believe in magic - they will. If your customers want to believe in you - they will. It is up to you to influence them to want to believe in you.
The audience is always right
Your customers are always right. Never argue with them. Demonstrate that you understand their position and respect their feelings. Then guide them in the direction you want to take them. Occasionally the audience did not react the way he expected or a volunteer was slow to follow instructions. Copperfield never pouted. Instead he acknowledged the misunderstanding and adapted.
Preparation is everything
Imagine the tremendous amount of rehearsal that goes into a David Copperfield production. Scripting, movement, positioning, lighting, team coordination, key words, timing, coaching. Now imagine the results if Copperfield stopped rehearsing. Have you and your people stopped rehearsing your marketing and sales messages? Imagine your improved results after you rehearse.
Pepare for the unexpected
Even with good preparation things happen. First - smile. Then continue to move the illusion in the direction you want. Don't show stress or any of the negative emotions (anger, indignation, disgust). Your customers will react to any negative emotions they perceive in you.
Believe in people
Copperfield's team moved about the stage and audience in harmony - always in the right place at the right time. They were personable, effective and efficient. The team member who volunteered me established rapport, qualified and instructed me. When it was my turn - it all happened the way he predicted.
Surround yourself with a good team. Then make them an excellent team with the right training, guidance and encouragement. Then trust their intentions and respect their abilities. Most of all - model the message and character you want them to follow.
Offer them Hope
Copperfield's illusions work - because the audience wants to believe in the possibility of magic. Your customers buy from you because of their hopes. Your staff works with you because of their hopes. You run your business out of hope. Understand how fundamental the power of hope is. Offer possibilities. Offer opportunities. Offer hope.
Make it fun
Copperfield showed that he enjoyed his work and his customers. At one point he even spoofed his own illusion by redoing it in slow motion - revealing all the goofy things that we might have missed in real time.
You are the model for your staff and your customers. Show that you are having fun. Sure you need to be serious when required. But occasionally let the child in you show through. Be impish. Flash that spark of passion. Laugh - at yourself, with your staff, with your customers. Never laugh at them. If your staff is having fun - your customers will enjoy doing business with you more. They will want to believe in your illusions - and they will tell others about you.
Be vulnerable
Copperfield's parents were in the audience. He acknowledged them. Then he told us how his father had wanted to be in show business - but did not pursue that dream because of his father's (David's grandfather) stubborn prejudice against a career in show business. David revealed an inner pain. Why? That shows that he is human like the rest of us.
Reveal a little of your inner secrets - a failure, an imperfection, an unfulfilled dream. Don't pretend to be perfect. If you do - we will hate you. Instead be real - so those around you can see and believe that you are like them - human.
Don't be seduced by the magic of technology
I was surprised to see, that before the show started, the stage was empty. No props or equipment to clutter up the message and distract our eyes from Copperfield. Yes, technology was used - as tools to support and enhance the illusion. The technology was never allowed to become the show. Clearly, Copperfield was the creator of the illusions.
Who or what is sending your messages to your customers? Do your customers mistake the technology as the center stage? Does the technology harm the relationship with your customers? Use the tools to support your message. And insure that you and your people are the center stage.
You don't need a cape
Remember Mandrake the Magician? David Copperfield looked nothing like him. In fact he was rather casually dressed. Curious, I thought. Then I realized that you don't need a cape, top hat or magic wand to create illusions. And maybe this was David's most important message to his audience. We all are capable of creating the illusions we want. If we learn the fundamentals, focus our efforts and invest in ourselves and our people.
David Cooperfield - live at the MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas! You might be fascinated to know what I discovered behind the curtain. I was lucky enough to assist him with one segment of his show. Of course I was sworn t...
Pricing is an important aspect of every business because price is used to create financial projections, establish a break even point, and calculate profit and loss. It's also important to establish a good price poin...
Pricing is an important aspect of every business because price is used to create financial projections, establish a break even point, and calculate profit and loss. It's also important to establish a good price poin...
Clients are always asking us the “secrets” to life/career success and fulfillment. You’ve heard of David Letterman’s Top Ten – here is Cheryl’s Top Twelve steps toward greater fulfillment in your career and your li...
David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business.
David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website
Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development.
Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit.
He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine.
He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball.
He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
