Are “Marketing Paradigm’s” holding you back?

Well I did want to Vlog about this topic,
but my readers tell me they would rather
read than listen to my, common as muck,
Yorkshire accent!

So maybe I should save my talking for my
one on one calls where people aren’t as
concerned by the accent, as they are by
the notes and scribbles they make filled
with actionable content and ideas.

Anyways – this post came about from a weird
and unrelated song on the radio!
(cos my brain makes some very strange
connections at times, well a lot of the
time really.)

Picture the scene:
I’m driving back from the school run,
enjoying the sunshine of a spring morning
and the upbeat tunes the radio DJ’s are
playing.

Then as the next song starts,
I hear the chorus:

“So wake me up when it’s all over
When I’m wiser and I’m older
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn’t know I was lost”

From the song: Wake Me Up, by Avicii

How the heck it relates to talking about
Paradigms is anyones guess – But my brain
suddenly started remembering my early days
at Comcast selling Cable TV & Telephone
services in the UK.

Of the 30+ new sales people taken on by
Comcast, ONLY TWO had any previous experience
with other operators, the rest of us came
from all walks of direct sales backgrounds,
my own being Double Glazing. Hence we had
ZERO experience of what to expect!

So when it came to examining our pay structure
and bonuses, our sales director at the time
asked the question.
“Considering all the benefits and the
pricing of our services, What percentage
of folks do you believe you’ll get to join
us?”

Those experienced guys quoted the
“Industry Averages” of around 25-30%
(Figures considered totally acceptable and
paid the highest rates of commissions elsewhere)

The rest of us genuinely wondered why they
set the target so low?
We figured at least HALF of everyone we
showed the packages to would jump at the
chance to get a better service for a
cheaper price!

The experienced (older & wiser) guys
looked at us in total disbelief!

“We can’t possibly sell 50%, the Industry
Averages are 25% for a reason, NO ONE has
ever beaten those stats!”

And that’s where our boss said
“OK – Let’s create a NEW PARADIGM,
We’ll DOUBLE the bonuses for anyone who
hits 60%!”

And that’s when I had to look up the
word ‘Paradigm’
“The definition of a paradigm is a
widely accepted example, belief or concept.”

Well it was Widely Accepted, Believed,
And Proven – that ALL other cable operators
in the UK were achieving around 25% conversion
rates.

We just didn’t know it!
(Those 2 experienced guys did – and by
month two – both had QUIT!)

As for the rest of us –
‘We didn’t know we were lost’,
reminds me of how were were.

No clue or idea, as to why the industry
standards were 25%,
But hey – HUGE Commissions for hitting 60%!

So we went for it.
In fact we set ourselves up to hit 70%,
because A) we believed in our product &
B) if we missed 70 and hit 63 or thereabouts,
we earned those mega bonuses!

Without getting into too many details
– this made a difference to our basic salary
of TEN TIMES MORE!
(so you can see why we were motivated)

Just because someone somewhere tells us what
paradigm applies – does NOT mean paradigms
don’t shift!
(And applies to all industries/areas/anything)

Once we had hit those targets month after
month, we started getting visitors from
other cable companies wondering how we were
getting such amazing results.
And after many visits, discussions, team
meetings etc.

The only difference was our Mindset!

We just couldn’t see why people wouldn’t
want our service, and we were not about to
settle for less than those HUGE commissions
offered.
And once one of us had hit those figures,
another did, and another, until we all hit
them month after month!

(Bragging sidenote:
My own personal best on one month, was an
official 95% conversion rate! – And I argued
that in reality it should have been 98%,
as I was penalised for not selling to
the EMPTY houses!… Grrrr!)

That reminded me (and while I was looking
up the word paradigm) of some bits I’d
read about Roger Bannister.

A name I think most folks have heard of
– as he was the first person EVER to run
a mile – in under 4 minutes!

Before that, since the first international
Olympic Games held in modern history in
1896, It was claimed to be IMPOSSIBLE to
complete a mile running in under 4 minutes.

But our Roger created a New Paradigm in 1954.

Since then over 1,400 athletes have beaten
the 4 minute mile, and it is now the
standard of all male professional middle
distance runners.

The takeaway:
Just because people tell you industry
averages – Doesn’t mean they are fixed,
or set in stone!

If you believe beyond a shadow of a doubt,
that you can, and will, accomplish your
goals and targets, and you take the action
needed to keep on keeping on until…

Then you WILL find a way.

And I’d love for you to join me in
‘Not knowing I was lost – and finding
a new path!’

So by all means use industry standards
as a GUIDE.
But do not be ruled by them!

EXAMPLE –
“What if I struggle with all things techy
and don’t fully understand computers
– Can I still make it online?”

Why Yes – Look at Randy Smith (<- ME) 😉
– full time online for over 13 years now,
and still doesn’t have a clue when something
goes wrong! (But I know how to google
search and/or ask for help when I need it!)

OH – A link for you.
If you want to burst through your own
paradigms and learn step by step how to
build a sustainable online income.

I highly recommend you join John Thornhill
and I in the Partnership To Success program,
that has helped hundreds of people achieve
real online success.

Back in 2005/6 – after 5 years of failing
to make anything work – John gave me some
coaching, and within months I was earning
a living online.
Since then I’ve gone on to help him create
the P2S program and help those who join to
get to where they want to be.

And we’re now setting a new paradigm with
a $1 trial – because the program genuinely
helps people, they stick around!
https://randolfsmith.com/likes/1dollar
It’d be great to see other coaches follow
suit, but I reckon they’ll stick to industry
standards of wanting all the cash upfront…
lol

Whether you do or don’t – I hope this post
helps get your mindset to a new paradigm of
believing in yourself 🙂

And yes, had this been a Vlog, I would have
given more examples and spoke more about my
own experiences of beating paradigms.
(Blame my readers – and my accent ;))