What I Learned from Brian Tracy…

Yesterday I went to lunch with Brian Tracy best selling author who has helped millions achieve their goals. After the lunch he did a all day seminar and below are my notes. I ended up buying every one of his products that he had for sale because I thought he did a FANTASTIC job!

After his seminar Brian and I did a short 5-10 minute interview but it looks like the audio didn’t record for some reason so I’m very disappointed. Nevertheless I have Brian’s contact information so perhaps sometime in the future we can do an interview.

Here’s a picture of Brian Tracy and myself

Brian Tracy & Reed Floren

Only the top 10% go to events

As an American you should always predict growth 80% of the time you will be right and when you are wrong you will eventually be right

The average amount of times people try a new goal is less than 0

Someday Isle… Someday I will… people go to Someday Isle when they procrastinate

Rule #1 Vote yourself off the island (Someday Isle) no excuses you can achieve your drams.

Where you are on the income graph is what you are currently worth, you need to change your mind and upgrade your skill sets

True beliefs are based off actions

Make decision to earn more

Most American’s start at nothing and oftentimes go back to it

The key to success is working harder than the other guy

Put one crab in a pot and it can get out; but lots of grabs in a pot and none of them will get out. Negative people are the crabs holding you down.

The worst time wasters are those who aren’t going anywhere and want company

Most people go through life in blinders

A students specialize
B students generalize
C students manage
D students own companies

People earn a certain income and then adjust their lifestyle

What is your most valuable financial asset? It’s your earning ability

You spend the equivalent of one days pay for 1-2 billion people in this world every time you spend $1

Invest 3% into getting better and what you do.

The very best way to invest $100K is in your education, it’s the investment with the highest rate of return.

Decide to be the best the rest will default to mediocre.

The most important person in the world is YOU

You have as many votes in this election as Bill Gates

How much do you like yourself?
The more you  like yourself the better. 95% of what happens to you is how you view yourself.

People doubt themselves and are setting themselves up to fail

Tell yourself “I like myself”

The more you like yourself the less rejections, less fear and less failure you will encounter

Love what you do

“I love my work”

Use your best skills and abilities

Talk to yourself positively

The more you like yourself the more you’ll like other people and when that happens more people will like you and they will buy more from you

The most important thing you can do is what you do afterwards

Take ACTION!

Succeed or learn from it you only fail when you don’t take action

Winners learn and self correct

If at first you don’t succeed skydiving isn’t for you

Sales is the ultimate fallback job, 80% of sales people are at the bottom

Selling is an orderly and logical process

Every skill is learnable

Positive knowing you know how it works because you have witnessed it

You can learn anything you need

Nothing works awe well as you assumed try 5 or 10 times and you will perfect the recipe

The only time you change the recipe is when you have mastered it

Law of cause and effect

Thoughts are causes

Conditions are effects

Success leaves tracks for someone to follow so you can model them

When you are growing up money means candy it’s a reward, oftentimes when we get money we spend it right away because of this conditioned response.

You must learn to save money and make it make you happy.

I like money
I like making money
I like accumulating money

You become what you think about the most. Think about success!

Successful people are very careful about risks and don’t gamble.

What do the top 10% think about?
What they want and how to achieve it…

Unsuccessful people think about what they do NOT want and whom to BLAME

How to get someone you dislike out of your head, write them a letter that elaborates on these 3 points:

God bless them, I forgive them and I wish them well.

Who have you not forgiven?

You have 2 fires in your life..

1.Fire of desire
2. Fire of what you don’t want

Put more wood on the fire of desire

Optimism is the #1 foundation of self-esteem

Unrealistic expectations
Try more
Resist longer

The only person stopping you is YOU

Law of probability

Pick your 3 most important goals in 30 seconds or less

Typically they are

Health
Wealth
Relationships

Diagram

6 is the amount of times it takes to learn something permanently.

95% of life is habits

Unsuccessful people say “Work is where I go to play with others” they socialize all the time

Income: Hourly rate

$50,000 / 2000 hours is $25

$100,000 /2000 hours is $50

Refuse to do anything that pays less than that, if you wouldn’t pay someone $50 an hour to do that task then don’t do it yourself.

Law of 3 take and make a list of everything you do and 3 do 90% of your income
Mine would be related to Product Creation, Joint Ventures, List Building, Sales Copy, Split Testing and Public Speaking (yes that’s more than  3…)

Work more on the Big 3 and get better at them 80/20 rule

Contribution will increase  your success faster

A goal without writing is a wish

Future oriented are the top 10% they think about the future

Idealization

Wave a magic wand on what you want to change and ask yourself  What would happen? How to make it happen?

Goal Orientation

1.    Decide exactly wha you want, be specific
2.    Write it down only 3% do this
3.    Set a deadline
4.    Make a list what to do and how to go about doing it
5.    Organize the list be sequence and priority goal+ plan will increase probability of success by 1,000%
6.    Take Action ASAP
7.    Do something everyday on your major goal

Which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on your life and you can start working on it in 24 hours

Then make a list of how to do this and organize it so you can take action.

Excellence orientation think about being excellent all the time

Join the top 10%

I commit to Excellence

5-7 key result areas are your weakest. Your weakest skills set sets the top of your income

What 1 skill would absolutely double my income

By the yard it’s hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch

All skills are learnable
You are 1 skill away from doubling your income

Ask yourself how to do things

Action Orientation

Take ACTION have a sense of urgency only 2% do this.

Part 2

Management style

What is working?
What isn’t working?

Who’s working?
Who isn’t working?

Grade your employees

Do more of certain that’s – what’s working
Do less of the other things – what’s not working
Start something brand new
Stop certain things altogether

Zero Based Thinking

Should we spend money in this area?
Kn owing what I know now what I do this again?

Whenever you have stre3s you are at a zero based thinking

How do you get out of it now fast?

The only reason you will

The only response you will get is why didn’t I do this earlier?

Avoid sunk costs (irreversible)

Face the world as it is and not as your illusion

What’s the reality?

Top performers are Always perfectly honest with themselves they face their reality

There will be more sellers than buyers
Selling is more complex
Requires greater focus, what/who is their target market
Greater preparation

You must upgrade your skills

Who is the perfect customer for you?
Why does your customer buy
What value do you provide your customer?
When do they buy?
Where do they buy?
Why won’t they buy?
Who else do they buy from?
Why do they go with them?
Why do they go with you?

The importance of referrals – birds of a feather flock together

When you meet a prospect for the first time their fear will be high and confidence low

Credibility is the most important thing

High trust society

Fears and doubts high your credibility is low you need to tip the scale and make your credibility outweigh their fears

Everything counts; everything adds up or takes away.

Dress professionally

Use a nice pen like a cross pen not a chewed up Bic

This will give you a halo effect and boost your credibility

3 parts of preparation

1, Precall research
2. Precall objectives
3. Post call analysis

Write stuff down

You lost 50% of what you learn after an hour
80% after a few hours
90% by the next day

Customers are more demanding
Sales require multiple calls (4.6 on average)

Always take a gift

Who determines your price? Your competition does.

What is the ideal gift? The best gift is information that helps you.

Closing today is harder than before
No money, no need, no reason, no urgency

What can you do to give urgency?

Give them a reason to buy now

Become Brilliant on the Basics

Always room for improvement grade yourself from 1-10 a grade of 7 or better is good.

1.    Prospecting – qualified prospects who can and will buy and pay in a reasonable time
2.    Establish rapport and trust
3.    Identify needs accurately
4.    Presenting
5.    Answer objections
6.    Closing the sale
7.    Given resales and referrals

You know everything you need to know to make a decision you will agree this is a fair price and you like it so why not try it?

People want a fair price but not cheap

95% of sales presentations can be better

I like myself, make other people feel important.

A person can only reject YOU if they know YOU

Your goal is to work by referral only

Each person know 300 or more people say just 10% are prospects for you that’s 30 people and those 30 know 300 and so on.

Weakest skill determines your income ceiling

What one skill could help you the most if you are excellent at it?

Take paper and give yourself a goal with a deadline to improve on them. Create a list that is step by step what to do and get better at that skill so you can reach your goal

Get better at what you do

Practice 80/20
Job to create and keep customers
Spend 80% creating and 20% keeping customers
Sales funnel

Is what I’m doing leading to a sale?

Keep your hopper full
Getter better at prospecting/closing

Everyone who does well started out doing poorly

Relationship selling

100% is emotional and they justify it by rationalization

Relationships come first

Sell onto others as you want them to sell unto you

Go in naked (without sales literature) and help your customers

Listening builds trust, let your prospect speak 70% of the time and you speak 30%

When you talk ask questions

Ask good questions about what they need and then solve the problem?

Listing comes down to 4 things

1.    Listen intently and don’t interrupt
2.    Pause before replying
3.    Question for clarification
4.    Answer their question in their own words

How do you mean? The person who asks questions has control

Takes 4 seconds to make an impression and up to 30 seconds before you’re in big trouble.

Read books on looks, fashion and presenting as you will make yourself more attractive and be able to sell more

Relationship selling
Consutive selling
Educational selling

Do a survey
Problems unsolved
Needs unmet
Goals you have

Invitational close

Do you any questions or concerns? Why don’t you give it a try?

Directive close

Do you have any questions or concerns? Well then  the next step is… and I’ll take care of all the details…

Resale and referrals

Resale 10X easer than new sale
Referral 15X easier than prospecting

Be referable
Move fast on questions or concerns
Need for speed
Provide value

Sure thing right away

Ask for 2 or 3 referrals would you happen to know 2 or 3 people who may need my services?

Even ask that of people who don’t buy your service

26 Comments

  • Jay

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    What a fantastic mentor to meet personally. Brian Tracy is one of the BEST. My favorite words from your notes are “You are 1 skill away from doubling your income.” Just goes to show you, never stop learning!
    Jay
    http://www.TheSmallBusinessNanny.blogspot.com
    NEW! http://www.How2BooksandsVideos.com

    Jays last blog post..Are your site visitors vanishing without a calling card?

  • Rick Falls

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Reed,

    You are a special breed my friend.

    Brian is awesome, and so are you, for attending his seminar and then sharing the experience with us.

    Thanks for continuing to be “the best you” that you can be.

    We are lucky to know you.

    Thank you Reed, for sharing.

  • Judi

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Wow! you must have been writing all day! I love Brian Tracy too, have several of his books, and heard Jay Abraham interviewing him. I’m sure, much as you missed the littlest Floren, it was time well spent. 🙂

  • Carrie Pierce

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Hi Reed,
    Some great pointers and ‘insider’ tips here, without a doubt.
    Thanks so much for sharing them with us today!

    -So sorry your audio didn’t turn out. It’s rotten when that happens…

  • Sharon Dugger

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Thanks Reed for sharing your notes with us! Brian Tracy is awesome, my favorite pro trainer is ‘Jim Rohn’, check him out at http://www.jimrohn.com you’ll be sooo glad you did!
    See you at the top Reed!
    Sharon Dugger
    http://www.yourhomefreedom.com

  • Jorge EZ Affiliate

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Reed, Thanks for all the great tips and for taking notes for us 🙂

    Jorge

  • normz2

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    I have to admit that Brian is good. He is quite polished. Those skills take time to develop. Thanks for sharing.
    norm.

  • Brian Carelse

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Wow, Brian Tracy is my all time favorite motivor.

    He inspired me to write a book on how to get over a divorce in 7 steps.

    Also The Fundamentals of a Successfull Relationship.

    Lately I wrote The e-mail Butler

    and The Revolutionary Internet Marketing System

    Thanks Reed.

    Hows Baby?

    Brian Carelse

  • John Bandy

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Hi Reed,

    Man I am overwhelmed. I received my starter kit from Success University today and they sent me a CD by Brian Tracy {Success Mastery Academy} with 12 topics on Maximum Selling Strategies. After reading your article I am
    anxious to listen to the CD. The set also included one by Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar. I enjoyed this article so much. Thanks for all that you do Reed.
    John

  • Chris Imamshah

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Hi Reed,

    Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed reading your notes. Thought I would also share one of my favorite sayings which I read every morning before I start working.

    ” Watch your thoughts, they become your words,
    Watch your words, they become your actions
    Watch your actions, they become your habits
    Watch your habits, they become your character
    Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

    Please keep sharing the good stuff Reed.

    Thanks,
    Chris
    http://www.fastinternetmarketingtips.com
    http://www.christineimamshah.com

  • Jimmy

    Reply Reply October 8, 2008

    Awesome blog report today.
    I would like to share with you one of my favorite
    Brian Tracy quotes…”Never give up. Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want”
    Keep up the good work.
    Jimmy

  • Dora Kok

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Thanks Reed for sharing with us what you had learned from Brian Tracy. Although I’m not a U.S. resident, his name rings a bell. I think he conducts seminars outside of U.S. If I’m not mistaken he had been to Malaysia before and I would love to attend one of his seminars if he comes back again.

    I believe if one keeps one’s focus on whatever one wanted in life, one is sure to succeed.

    Dora
    http://www.DorAsia-Enterprise.com

  • Jussi Koiranen

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    “Law of cause and effect
    Thoughts are causes
    Conditions are effects”

    I learned this a long time ago, but the way it was put here was brilliant. I need to come back to review these a few more times. That audio is a much appreciated feature.

  • 2ask.ws

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Great post reed. Itself worth a price of an ebook

    2ask.wss last blog post..Do’s and Dont’s of SEO for Google

  • David Braybrooke

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Brian Tracy is one guru that I would be listening to!

    Green with envy that you did one-on-one with the man Reed – lucky you!

    ‘What is your most valuable financial asset? It’s your earning ability.’ I would be inclinced to say that it is your ‘learning ability’. Education leads to opportunity and paths the way to the bank vault.

    Love Brian Tracy! … Le classique!

    Regards,
    Dave.

    David Braybrookes last blog post..? Selling Madonna! ?

  • Florencio Gido Jr.

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Hi Reed,
    Lucky for you to rub shoulders with “EAGLES” like Brian Tracy, he is one of a kind. I like his books and audios too. I’m looking forward to attending one of his future seminars. Well, I don’t envy you, one day I hope you will be like him. Thank you so much for sharing. What you give comes back to you many times over. Please continue soaring…

  • PV Reymond

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Hi Reed,

    Thank you for posting your notes here.

    Brian is one of my favorites… It is powerful stuff and it can help a lot of people to move forward.

    Thanks,
    ^PV Reymond

    http://www.pvreymond.com

  • Damji

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Thanks To Brian Tracy For very Useful Tips.

  • Kent

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Great Information! I agree with 90% of everything! 🙂

    Thanks for sharing Reed!

    Kent

  • Kent

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Here are my concerns from my experience from other mentors:

    You want to have the person you’re talking with…have them speak 100% of the time…and the ONLY time you say anything is if you’re asking questions. Also, by asking the person “Do you have any questions or concerns?” You’re opening up for problems. The person asking the questions is the person in control of the conversation. Never let the other person ask questions, or if they do, make sure you answer it with a question.

    Also, if you say “Why don’t you give it a try?” They ONLY thing running through their head is all the reason why they shouldn’t give it a try….which will give them reasons NOT to purchase. The correct way is to say “What’s running through your head right now?” and “Is it ok if you give it a try?” This makes it THEIR choice to take the ownership on moving forward and also the quickest way to get there.

    Also, he says to be focused on the sale. That’s the farthest thing from the truth. Forget the sale, focus on helping the person at hand. That is the ONLY way to build trust within the person so that they’ll purchase anything from you forever. Brand Loyalty. That’s why Donald Trump can sell bottled water, clothes, and so many other things….not because the stuff is any better than anyone else’s……just because they trust him. If Donald Trump was ever focused on the Sale, nobody would trust him.

    Just fyi.

    Kent 🙂

  • TRIPTI SONI

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    Hi Reed
    Great stuff for your readers,I an a big fan of brian tracy you are lucky to spend time with him Thanks for posting slowly I am going to become edicted to your blog posts
    have a good day
    tripti
    http://www.quickincomewithsuccess.com

  • C

    Reply Reply October 9, 2008

    This is great. There are so many gems here. “Vote yourself off the island” – I love that.

    He talks about other people’s negativity, but we also need to beware of our own negativity. He mentions self-esteem and positive self-talk, but we need to become more aware of when we are undermining ourselves. Often, it’s very unconscious. I talk about this in my book “The Key to Everything” – just click on my link.

  • Laura Jo Richins

    Reply Reply October 10, 2008

    I love Brian Tracy. Thanks for sharing your notes. I get to go see Brian next month at a conference of http://iLearningGlobal.tv affiliate marketers.

    I love being able to promote continuous learning. It’s something I can jump on board with.

    You might want to check out their marketing program at http://Richins-iLG.com

    Thanks again for the great notes!

  • Delords

    Reply Reply October 11, 2008

    Great Post reed and great lessons and inspirations from a great mentor like Brian Tracy

  • admin

    Reply Reply October 12, 2008

    At Everyone, thank you meeting Brian was definitely well worth it he’s a very smart guy.

  • Juliette Ferguson

    Reply Reply November 22, 2008

    Reed, Thanks for posting this. I am quoting ‘YOU’ quoting Brian Tracy on my Leadership Paper for my MBA in my Leadership course. Ironically, in a very round-about way, it was Brian Tracy’s words from a seminar that lead me to get my MBA now rather than putting it off. I have listened to many Brian Tracy tapes over the years and he is always spot on! An Executive Director from a local non-profit came up to me at a fundraising seminar and we were talking about Brian Tracy. She had just been to a seminar (this is probably in April of 2008ish) and mentioned the quote “Your weakest skill sets the top of your income”. I asked my husband what my weakest skills are and it seemed to be the tipping point leading me to obtain my MBA now! I was searching for those words and couldn’t believe it when I found your site!

    In a roundabout way, Brian Tracy indirectly lead me to my MBA this year rather than next. It was this quote that decided it, “Your weakest skill sets the top of your income” (Brian Tracy, 2008, as interpreted by Reed Floren who attended his conference).

    Reference on paper:
    Tracy, B. (2007). Reed Floren – What I learned from Brian Tracy. Retrieved from http://www.reedfloren.com/what-learned-from-brian-tracy/.

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