NLP Presuppositions – Part 1

NLP Presuppositions – Part 1

A Fitness Sales and Marketing Guest Post by Adam Toohey

1. The Map is not the territory

How many of you started your fitness businesses and had an idea (Map) either in your head or on paper of what was required of you to make it happen, only to find out later that you were either totally wrong or about half right regarding what REALLY had to be done (Territory) to make it happen?

Your may have the greatest goal setting/planning strategy known to man and that is great. Remember that there will always be those things that are thrown up in your face (we sometimes refer to them as challenges) that you were not prepared for. How you handle these things can either build character and strengthen resolve, or they can destroy confidence and shatter dreams. The choice is yours.

2. People respond according to their map of the territory

To understand and appreciate your clients' world it pays to understand and appreciate that their "Map" may be different to yours even though the Territory is the same.

In fact, every client you have will have their own unique "map" and in order to really serve them and connect with them, you need to know what it is.

An easy example of this would be a new client comes to your Bootcamp or Training session and finds it "too hard." Their idea or "map" of what a Bootcamp or Training session is, was different to what they got. In other words, according to them, you kicked their ass too much.

You can find out a person's map simply by asking them quality questions like "What's life about?" "What does Bootcamp mean to you/what be Personal Training in your own words?"

The better quality question will always produce a better quality answer and help you learn much more about your client.

3. There's no failure – only feedback

How many people do you know need to change their pants at the thought of Failure? Maybe you are one of them? If that is the case then I encourage… I URGE you to make this belief your own.

You simply cannot fail if you take this on board; everything is a learning experience. You either learn that what you are doing works or what you are doing is not working and it's a good time to change your approach.

I remember a time when I was out at Sea and I had to get up and present "Detox for Weight Loss" for around 50 people. If I said I was brimming with total confidence then I'd be lying. I was totally out of my comfort zone, out in the middle of the Sea on this bloody big barge and about 10,000 Miles from home. What if I stuffed up the presentation? What if nobody signed up for a Consultation? BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH… You know how the story goes. Ultimately I was afraid of Failure until something inside of me said "Don't worry, if you stuff it up there's always next time to do better"

Adopt it into your life now and do it by saying out loud "There is no failure, only feedback"

4. The meaning of the message is the response it draws out

This assumes that as the communicator you are fully responsible for the messages you put out to get the right point across. If you have ever been misunderstood, the onus is on you to get the message right, rather than the person you are communicating to being difficult or being able to understand the drivel that you are spewing forth.

Bootcamp Owner David Creswick once told me his clients were not getting great results. He had given them an awesome Nutrition Plan for them to follow that he had created himself and had told them that by following this plan they would get results.

After camp one day David brought his Bootcampers in and said "You all should be following the plan that you got in the first week of camp. You really need to try and stick to this because by the end of the first month you should be seeing some great results"

David really does care about his campers and wants them to achieve the results they desire. There's one problem… The message is not being communicated effectively and in David's language (words and body) there is not enough conviction or congruency. "Try" and "Should" are words that you want to eliminate from your Vocabulary Now! When a client hears "try" and "should" then they will try, and they should get results. It's David who needs to change the message so that the true meaning can be heard.

5. If what you're doing isn't working – do something different

So Nick "The Man" Mondigues goes out one night with the goal of picking up a GLAMOUR. A seriously hot girl who blokes simply fawn over and he goes out armed to the teeth with a bunch of cool pick up lines he got from Google. Fast forward to 3am, the 14 lines he used (he only had "The Top 5" to begin with) got "The Man" 7 NO's, 3 slaps in the face, 2 dirty looks and what was left of a strawberry daiquiri AND a Hairy 6"4" JACKED Boyfriend named Bazza wanting to beat the piss outta him.

After now drowning his sorrows, Nick brought out the beer goggles ended up heading home with the 42 year old Cougar his mate Dom picked up last week.

Cursing those "Snobby Bitches" the next day for not wanting to jump at the chance of being with "The Man"

THEN…

The very next week "The Man" tries the same thing!!!

Definition of Insanity – Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Same Cheesy Lines = Same Result (unless of course Tom gets his hands on him and gives him a beat down)

You got a marketing campaign that isn't working? Do something different.

Your online marketing sucks? Do something different or get Market Annihilator

You put an ad on Facebook that draws no sales? Do something different.

Having trouble keeping clients for a long time and creating a bond with them? Read "How To Win Friends and Influence People"

Sales page not converting? Change it or get these guys to do a website for you

Your sales and marketing isn't where it needs to be, get Chris to personally help you by joining his private coaching program

6. The person with the most flexibility influences the outcome of any interaction

Almost all of us don't mind hearing the words "I'm very flexible" and let us save that context for another conversation. The flexibility spoken of here is your communication flexibility.

One Saturday I had plans of getting soooo much work done on the business and I was certain that it would help catapult my business into at least the middle of next week. So just as I sat down at the PC to write up a KILLER Blog Post I heard the arguments start. WHO IS GOING TO MOW THE LAWN???

For 30 minutes the bantering continued until I (the great flexible not stubborn as a mule guy that I am) got outta my chair and without a word, shout outside and proceeded to mow the lawn. It actually took less time to mow than it did for the family to argue about it. The very next week I got a gardener in to not only mow the lawn but also tidy up the massive garden – all for the cost of a little Personal Training. He who has the flexibility will influence the situation especially if done with certainty.

So – How does it all relate to you and what can you do with this information?

Do this

1.     Start thinking about YOUR "Map" in relation to your business and life

2.     Think of a time you could have better understood/appreciated someone elses  "map"

3.     Find out someone's "Map" by asking them questions like – "What's life about?"

4. Adopt the belief "There is No Failure Only Feedback" and OWN IT!

5. Think of the message you are sending your clients – Does it draw the response you desire? If not then do the very next step NOW!

6.     If what you're doing is not working – CHANGE IT! This goes for the message you may be sending, the marketing you may be doing over and over again and expecting a different result, or it could just be the way you are responding to those around you. Does it Empower YOU, does it empower them?

7. BECOME FLEXIBLE!!!

8.     Re-Read this post and truly about these into your life.

9.     Tune in for Part 2

10.   Go out and kick serious ass in 2010.

If you have any of your own presuppositions that have had an amazing impact on your life or currently do be sure to post em up below.

Adam is a Certified NLP Practitioner and Coach who also owns and operates Toronto Fit Body Bootcamp