Sandi Smith's E-Zine May 2006

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1. Swimming with Sea Snakes On the island nation of Niue, the passengers of the National Geographic Endeavour expedition ship had a chance to snorkel and dive with sea snakes. Snakes are bad enough, but these sea snakes are one of the most venomous species on the planet. One bite accompanied with an injection of venom and you’ll be dead in ten seconds. Most people hate snakes; it’s innate. Some feel we’re wired from birth to fear snakes. But here’s the catch: sea snakes hardly ever bite. In fact, they are more docile than your Dachshund. They are also very curious. They will swim among you, winding their two- to six-foot long bodies in the water around your body, butting your mask, checking you out. Step on one, even accidentally, and you’re dead. Be stupid enough to pull one’s tail, and it will be the last thing you do. So it was a blast for me, a student of fear and facing fear, to sit back and watch how people reacted to this invitation. Before I could reach the sign-up sheet, all 18 places were filled. The reasons why people wanted to do it were varied: “I can’t miss a chance to be in the water,” “I love seeing new species,” “I came here to dive everywhere I could.” Rarely is fear in our lives so blatantly labeled as in swimming with sea snakes. However, we face (obliviously, most times) more subtle fears everyday: the threat of debilitating traffic accidents, the avoidance of a tough conversation, the absence of enough money to do what we want to, a challenging relationship. Perhaps if we labeled our fears more prominently, we could determine how to best face them. Where are the sea snakes in your life? Are you swimming with them? Or are you one of the ones who is staying out of the water for most of your life? Are you a little too slow to the sign-up sheet, the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in your life? All 18 swimmers came back just fine, with one awesome story to tell. They were not afraid of being afraid. When faced with sea snakes in your life, how will your story read? Back to Top 2. Mind Matters Seminar When you’re happy, you get more of what you want in life. More money, better relationships, and greater abundance come your way. The fastest way to wealth may not be those get-rich-quick guides; instead it may be the way to happiness! Sandi Smith will be showing you the way to a more fulfilling life in a series of seminars. If you know her, you know how extraordinary her life has been. Not only has she been studying happiness and fearlessness, she walks her talk. She will be spilling all her secrets. The first seminar is May 25, 2006 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in Richardson. You won’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind evening of information that will literally transform your life and those around you. There will be no recordings of this event. Sign up here. Limited seating, so don’t delay. Register for Sandi’s May 2006 seminar: How to Find Happiness Back to Top 3. A Stranger’s Eyes When we write our own marketing materials, it’s easy to get bogged down in the process. We’re too close to our own businesses. We get hung up on describing who we are, what we do, and who can benefit. How can we be more effective if we want to write our own marketing copy? A great way to get feedback on your marketing materials is to show them to a complete stranger. Their perspective is amazing and will be invaluable to you. Here’s how to observe them for maximum benefit. 1.   First, put your ego in check. What they tell you might make you say ouch, but better you find out now before you’ve sent your materials to hundreds of prospects.       2.   Give them permission to speak directly and frankly to you.       3.   Observe how long it takes them to figure out what you do. If it takes a long time, it could be back to the drawing board, or it could be that you simply need to add a succinct tag line to tie it all together.       4.   Would they hire you? Can they see the benefit of hiring you? Are your benefits clearly explained? Did you get a WOW response or a Ho-hum response or something in between?       5.   Is the next step clear to them? What do they need to do to initiate a relationship with you? Is your call to action clearly worded?       6.   Ask them for any other observations and thank them for their time. Show your marketing materials to a slice of your community: someone at church who doesn’t know what you do, someone in an association or Chamber of Commerce you belong to, someone in your gym or tennis club, a dinner partner, and a neighbor. This exercise will give you great insight on how to make your marketing materials crystal clear and very effective. Back to Top

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Sandi Smith
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