I have had the unfortunate experience of being around certain individuals who enjoy blowing bubbles in my face. The translation of a “bubble” in Dr. Marc’s World, is crap (aka BS). My crap meter” is very sensitive. So when I see a bubble blowing my way, I don’t run: I POP IT!
In the world of business, there are two things that matter:
R&R – Results and Revenue.
Did I say Results OR Revenue?
No, I did not.
Results and Revenue are like pizza and beer…like a hamburger and ketchup…like peanut butter and jelly. They are virtually inseparable. But for some folks, it’s all about blowing bubble. Their lives are like an empty Tiffany’s bag: The outside is impressive and the inside is a vacant shell.
A woman who I know, wrote a book. Part of her agreement with the publisher was that she purchase 1,000 books (at cost) as a means of chumming the waters and seeding her sales. Her goal was to move 5,000 copies – including the 1,000 she purchased with her own funds. Bottom line: She didn’t even make it one fourth of the way. Not even close. What she DID do is tell everyone that she was an accomplished author, and did so in a way that was belittling to those around her. In reality, she blew a big bubble. We (those around her) knew that her book was nothing more than an expensive, and relatively ineffective business card.
Her goal was to set herself above the competition. But she could only hide from reality for a short time. It soon became very apparent (and very public) that she was an empty Tiffany’s bag. To make sure that she knew that those of us around her knew the score, I popped her bubble. I won’t get into HOW I did that other than to say that it was done quite effectively.
A gentleman who used to be a friend, changed careers and decided to become a social media guru (like everyone else on the planet – LOL). He read a number of books, subscribed to a number of blogs, and built himself a fort of poop. He once pointed out to me how many google impressions he had (compared to me) – how popular he was.
To this former friend, I pointed out something that I believe is more important than the number of Twitter followers one has, or the number of speaking engagements one has booked: REVENUE. Someone who does a lot of posting, speaks a lot, and has a lot of followers, but generates less total income than I make in ONE EVENT, is a bubble blower. They are of the same mindset as other unsuccessful entrepreneurs out there who measure their status by actions rather than results. They look at their life as “Hey everyone, look what I’ve done!” rather than “Hey everyone, look at what I’ve accomplished.”
IMPORTANT: I should note that there are many folks out there who are committed to the public good (i.e. those who strive to save our environment), and whose results far outweigh their revenue. But these folks aren’t out there to become millionaires: They are out there to make a difference. They aren’t in business. They are just doing good.
The folks to whom I refer – the bubble blowers in the business world, are folks who are clearly out there to build their business- yet, they are doing anything but that. Oh sure, they are busy – but they aren’t productive, and the are certainly not PROFITABLE!
I know that many of you are on your way to becoming bubble blowers. You are busy, but you are not productive nor overly-profitable. To me, that’s just wasteful. A person who writes a book that doesn’t sell – is a bubble blower. A social media speaker who has a lot going on, but not a lot of income to show for his efforts, is a bubble blower.
The bubble blowers are looking to fill a box to hand down to their kids:
BUBBLE MOM: “See what mommy did: Mommy wrote a book!”
CHILD: “How many copies did you sell mom?”
BUBBLE MOM: “Shut up and go to your room!”
Being KNOWN is temporary.
Being PRODUCTIVE and PROFITABLE is better.
It allows you to support your life, and to
enhance the lives of those around you.
I am a consultant to many small business owners. I am their “private armory” (so-to-speak). In other words, I am no different to my clients than an exclusive leather supplier is to Coach (the folks who make the ultra-luxury bags). I get paid to be a supplier (of information), and in return – to maintain those relationships, I keep our relationship where it belongs – behind closed doors.
I measure my success via Revenue and Results. I do not spend each weekend speaking for chump change. Rather, I focus on my business relationships and how I can best serve my clients. In exchange, I am paid VERY WELL. I speak quite often, but I don’t dump down my fees so that I can fill up my calendar. To ME, that’s like selling Rolexes at 50% off – just so I can sell greater volume. A lower price married with high volume = commodity.
When I so desire, I do public seminars. A public seminar is an event in which I (Dr. Marc) am scheduling myself to speak, and inviting members of a specific profession, the public, or both – to attend. A perfect example is my HEADSPACE Seminar. Whether I have 30 people in attendance or 300, my purpose for doing the seminar goes well beyond just having bodies in the room. The event serves a greater purpose in terms of revenue, and contributes to a level of success and profitability that only hardcore marketers can understand.
The POINT: Before you hire someone to be your guru, and before you start bowing down at your new guru’s feet, consider their R&R (Results and Revenue). Don’t be stupid! Don’t look how many Twitter followers they have, or how many results come up when you do a Google search. Remember, there are criminals whose Google search results may be just as “impressive.”
It’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s hype. In every field are countless numbers of gurus. One of my goals is to wake you folks up so that you avoid the mistake of forming relationships with “gurus” who – from the outside, look like a powder blue Tiffany bag, but are as vacant as an ice cream store during a cold winter’s day in January.
Have A GREAT Day!
…Dr. Marc