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Sometimes it’s the most simple things that trip us up. I’ve done it, I’d guess you’ve done it, in fact… I don’t think I know a single entrepreneur who hasn’t made this mistake at least once in their marketing.

The funny thing is, this one thought is both one of the fundamental things that everyone should base all their marketing on… and is also one of the most common pieces of advice given out in my million-dollar-only Platinum Plus mastermind.

And the reason for that is very simple — this is one of the most powerful fundamentals for your business, and it’s also one of the absolute easiest to get wrong.

This video is about how to not make that mistake again.

Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think…

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65 Replies to “The One Big Mistake Absolutely Everyone Makes (and how to avoid it)”

  1. I thought I had this down, but listening to this again, I realise that I don’t! Thanks so much for this great, insightful video Jeff! This is exactly what I need to hear right now in my process. “Enter the conversation that’s going on in my prospect’s minds”. “What is holding them back?”. Will stick these notes on my notebooks, laptop, etc! Much appreciated! 🙂

    • This was so helpful! I have a process to identify exactly what is holding someone back when I work with them one on one, so I’m in a great position to be there. However, I wasn’t connecting that when I offer speaking or written materials that the topics don’t have to be more advanced, that most of my audience is at an entry level. Much gratitude!

  2. Thanks, Jeff! As a PLF-Owner it’s great to be reminded of this important Point: You are not your Market! And as an artist I must say: this is really new stuff!

  3. Hey Jeff, nice insight by the way.

    A fish only knows he lives in the water when he gets out, so its hard to think outside the box when you live in the box.
    Thanks a lot to be this inspiration for everyone who wants to became wealthier and happier.

    Cheers from Brazil!!

  4. Yep…Liked your thoughts!
    You are speaking about empathy. Being able to fit in your prospects shoes for the most time possible… and make language and com resonate with them.. 🙂

  5. I opened this post with no real expectations for anything helpful or applicable ( don’t take that personally) and was surprised to find such simple value in what you shared. I am in a crossroads of work/life and slightly uncertain as to where and or how I want to invest and expand my talents. Strangely, this may have enlightened me on a path already in consideration.
    Nice start to my day

  6. Thanks Jeff! This video really spoke to me – what an EXCELLENT reminder. Thanks for adjusting my perspective and reminding me to approach my copywriting from THEIR shoes, THEIR longings. I really appreciate all you do! Thanks for always having such consistent and GREAT content!!! 😀

  7. thanks Jeff, It is so easy to get caught up in my own head (for many reasons), and forget what I need to do which is to speak to where my clients are right now in their wants and struggles getting there. thanks so much.

  8. Thank you Jeff, so much. Strangely (or not) I am an independent music professional. Songwriter/Singer, and performer. Just watched your video, and listened carefully to you. What you said makes so much sense. I could certainly do with a few lessons myself. My ‘website’ for instance, is very much ‘ Work in Progress’. Friends say I have 2 speeds. 1. Very slow. 2, Stop.
    Thank you again Jeff for your wisdom.
    Sincerely,
    Peter Lawlor…

  9. I often think about this and how it can be hard for me to really appreciate how something feels to someone else. But I also find that if I look around in my own life in an area where I’m not an expert, and if I’m honest with myself, I can find a similar mindset to what they probably feel. And that helps me be empathetic.

  10. I have heard this many times before. However, this video was absolutely packed with a great re-frame on understanding the customer avatar, and was the WAY I needed to hear it. And, perfect timing. Thank you, Jeff!

  11. Hey, Jeff –

    Wow. Those are words to live by. I’m a professional educator, and have been doing seminars and trainings for three decades and more – and this is something I have to remember every single time I’m doing a presentation: the students don’t know what I know. They don’t have the background, the fundamentals of where I’m coming from, and I *have* to speak their language – to build a bridge between what they *do* know and what I’m trying to teach them. I have to get inside their heads, to feel where they are, and to show them what of that they need to change… otherwise, I’m just standing there talking for no good reason.

    “You’re not your market” is that same truth, seen from a slightly different perspective. Brilliant.

  12. Thank you!! Such a great reminder. And you made this just for me right? Sometimes it feels like it.
    You are a gift to us. Thanks

  13. Hey Jeff,

    I was at your PLF live event 2015 a few weeks ago. And this was the most important intro discovery I made, I was
    amazed at how easy you moved through it at the beginning without really emphasizing it. As usual I thought it
    must be my crazy way of looking at the world. Bottom line you know this stuff and are on the pulse.

    Seriously appreciate you.

  14. This is a good thing to know. I am not in the education market, but am offering a drug free alternative for Chronic Pain Relief. So for me it is always the challenge to be in the conversation of a person in pain. Having been in chronic pain for over 3 decades makes it easier but I really need to make sure my message is relevant and understandable for the people just learning about the PEMF Technology that my products are based on. Same concept, just a little different twist! ( and a good chance for a shameless plug!)

  15. Fred Murray

    Reply

    When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I needed to hear that especially “you are not your product” and “You need to enter the conversation that is going on in your prospects’ mind’
    Thanks and
    Namaste
    Fred Murray

  16. Great reminder, Jeff! I get caught up trying to be ahead of myself, to be impressive to my market, but I _am_always forgetting that while there is always room for my improvement, I am already way ahead of where most of them are! It’s embarrassing to think about how much time I’ve spent(wasted) spinning my wheels in the wrong spot. I’m going to get back to work, with a better focus! Thanks!

  17. This is a timely reminder for me to never lose focus on your customer. Such a simple lesson but one which can have a huge impact on your success!

    Thanks Jeff!

  18. So true!

    As a health and optimal living coach I always need to remind myself that I’m NOT writing this article to impress my colleagues, but to help my ideal client. Great reminder!

  19. Super grateful for this reminder, Jeff! Clearly you have entered the conversations we are having in our minds about this.I was just considering creating an upsell product that was more advanced. PS. As a Meditation (for Entrepreneurs) expert, I love that you mention Meditation as an example 🙂

  20. Eugenie Verney

    Reply

    Thanks for the reminder, Jeff — so easy to forget that we’re not our market!

  21. This is a very powerful insight Jeff and a great reminder. Thank you. So is the best way to get into our prospect’s heads, to ask them questions? Ask them to comment on our videos? To get their feedback? Thanks!

  22. Yes , you are right Jeff. We have to keep reminding ourselves to start where they are at. Thanks.

  23. This was really great. I had never really heard this perspective and it makes a lot of sense. Easy to forget.

  24. You hit the nail on the head, Jeff.

    That’s similar to why the most talented athletes rarely make the best coaches.

    We have to step outside of ourselves and see things from the other person’s perspective.

  25. Jeffrey Miller

    Reply

    Thanks for the reminder to speak to people in the language they hear. Or rather speak into their listening.

  26. Thank you for the reminder. I will have to remember to phrase the information in everyday language

  27. Thanks for the gift of your personal enthusiasm! I have made the decision that you are my guru and I will learn from you. I have the goal of purchasing your product launch formula when I complete my two-year master’s program in Creative Writing. It may be still in the future, but I have selected you as my mentor among all the rest and I am preparing myself for creating my products. I am attending Lindenwood University online to learn my writing craft. I am starting to build my list now so that by the time I am ready to launch I will be ready to devote myself to it full-time. I am disabled physically, but do not intend to allow that fact to define me.

    I am an introvert, like you, but your enthusiasm convinces me that I don’t have to be an expert before I start. So, I listen to all of your videos with the solitary goal of using every bit of advice you share with us. I delete the other guys. I figure by the time I’m out of school, I will be ready to write my information products and will have the luxury of time needed to work.

    I have had the goal of sharing information with people for most of my life. I have looked high and low for a mentor and until I came across your videos, did not feel that I had found one. Now, I do. I’m in this project for the long haul, Jeff. Thank you for showing me the way. Keep on sending those videos, I’m counting on them! I like your T-shirt collection, by the way.
    Lynette

  28. Nikki Merzliakov

    Reply

    Hi Jeff! Perfect timing with writing PLC for a seed launch 🙂 Thanks for the reinforcement!

  29. This is not only great wisdom for marketing but for life. We are all supposed to think about others, not ourselves. Zig Ziglar comes to mind when he said to help others get what they want and you will get what you want. Put others first and you will receive abundantly.

  30. A REALLY, REALLY GREAT REMINDER! I want to now look at every part of my marketing and ask: Am I addressing what really concerns them and am I speaking at their level? It is so clear that no matter what else I’m doing – e.g. mental triggers, etc. – if I’m not also doing this one thing, I’m making this one big mistake and everyone loses…

  31. Thank you Jeff for consistently making my Sunday thoughtful!

    As I was watching you, I remembered the first time that I was delivering training to a sales force, and how I presupposed these many things that they already knew, and I was so wrong….

    From then on, I started to make this big effort in trying to make every subject almost self-explanatory and obvious-easy to understand, and that was the beginning of a great journey as a trainer and as a humble leader.

    Interestingly enough, one time I invited a colleague of mine to one of my sessions and he said: “Are you delivering to a First Grader kind of Audience?”…. and maybe he was right, but that was what my clients needed and wanted, because WE were not THEM, and our mental STATE was on a different place.

    And to your point Jeff, this is the Cognitive trap that we have to constantly overcome…. and I guess that listening to our prospects and driving Seed Launches allows us to fine tune that fallacy .

    Thank you Jeff for helping me change Humankind one Sunday at a time,

    Angel

  32. Thank you! Thumbs up 🙂 My writing mentor keeps tells me ‘write like you are speaking to the local supermarket cashier, we have to be accessible to the man in the street, leave out the jargon and pompous language’.

  33. Thanks, Jeff! What I appreciate the most about your message this week is that I’m not alone. Sometimes I’m hard on myself for not being able to get my messaging right. Thanks for letting me know your plats and you sometimes struggle with this.

    Ready to move forward after PLF Live! This week, I WILL take that first step I assigned myself.

    Thanks again!
    Melissa

  34. Thank you – I was thinking about this very topic just this morning! Working on a title for my main course offer…and maybe it’s too lofty for beginners to think it could apply to them, when they are the target market. Thanks!

  35. Jeff, I’ve been studying marketing for over 20 years, and I’ve been following you for about 5 years now, and I still view myself as a newbie when it comes to launching products. Your videos and tips are always right on the money. Thanks for all you do!

    Lou

  36. Jim Shanklin

    Reply

    Thanks, Jeff,

    Not only a great quick lesson, but one worth “revisiting” frequently as we build more contacts and followers. Very much appreciate your videos.

    Jim Shanklin
    Contratto, Inc.

  37. Jeff, the One Big Mistake was a strategic reminder. I’ve made notes, saved the video URL, and am making it a part of my own launch. Also just downloaded the “16 Rules” e-book. More strategic reminders. Thanks very much!

    Jim

  38. It’s not about me selling my customers products, it’s all about guiding them through the transformational process! They are the hero of their own story. Coming off PLF Live 2015, I’m in the PLF modules consuming the content ready to launch next month! The PLF community is simply amazing offering support and real time examples of launches in progress.

  39. Excellent points, Jeff. My consultants have told me that for years, you said it best (thanks!). I’ll bookmark/watch this one repeatedly. As a top industry expert It’s more fun and mentally challenging to spend ones’ time in the super-advanced genius pro level content…but that doesn’t match where the majority of the customers are. You explained it well; another top industry man told me to ‘dumb it down’ a lot, so you don’t fly over customers’ heads (whoosh), by being too advanced. It’s always been a top issue for me; your video motivates me to “remember you’re not your customer”.

    I liked your point too about we’re as SMEs an intrusion/just a small part of their busy lives. Well said…your free videos here “move the free line” up well, best IM content ever…thanks for being so helpful/relevant, I recommend you to my colleagues. A+

  40. Great video. I definitely needed to hear this. I too, cater to different levels with both VA clients, and VA coaching and training.

    This has me thinking about how I’m presenting to them for sure.

  41. Beginners mind! I also appreciate the quote about “Enter the conversation that’s going on in my prospect’s minds”. Thanks Jeff !

  42. Thank you for this little message. It is very important to understand that we are not our market and that we will be more successful at connecting with clients and potential clients if we attempt to identify with where they are and how we can help them where they are.

  43. Carla van Raay

    Reply

    Jeff, just want to say ‘I love you.’ You are the salt of the earth kind of guy. A pity you are in the States and I am in Perth Western Australia because the time difference is a big hindrance, to name just one. May you thrive ever more. Carla

  44. Linus Reg D'Souza

    Reply

    Jeff
    i really liked it that You have a platinum club to offer unlike the other sales gurus
    it is good to grasp that sales is not just an inane primary school but there is middle and high school too
    i wish with Your guidance i could become rich in sales

  45. This is truly an excellent lesson to learn for everyone who has achieved some kind of milestone or success in their life.

    In hindsight though Jeff, it can be difficult and challenging for people to just come up to you and give you the much needed feedback, especially if they aren’t in your inner-circle.

    I suppose the one thing that could really show your humility is to keep your door wide-open and invite feedback. Be intentional about inviting feedback and let it come streaming in.

    Careful though, once you let it open, be ready to receive it! Ask, and you shall receive 🙂

    Thanks for sharing!

    Suwandy

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