Matt Caulfield's NLP and Hypnosis Blog

Regulation in NLP - The HPC

2009-11-11T06:51:00.000-08:00

Regulation continues to be a hot topic in NLP, with everyone seeming to have an opinion about how it should be regulated and who should be doing the regulating.

Well, here in the UK there have been some very interesting changes in the regulation of health professionals recently. The Health Professional Council (www.hpc-uk.org) has been established and from 1st July this year it is now in charge of regulating a collection of health professions (obvious really, given it's title).

It has created a list of "protected title", i.e, job titles you can only call yourself if you are accredited by the HPC. Calling, passing your self off, or alluding to yourself as, one of these protected titles without relevant qualification is criminal offence.

Most relevant to NLP are the following psychological titles that have been protected:

Practitioner psychologist
Registered psychologist
Clinical psychologist
Counselling psychologist
Educational psychologist
Forensic psychologist
Health psychologist
Occupational psychologist
Sport and exercise psychologist

There are moves to add psychotherapists to this list, but so far the psychotherapy profession has resisted the move, preferring self-regulation. However, if they cannot prove that self-regulation is effective then they may lose control of it to the HPC.

There are also rumours that hypnotherapy and clinic hypnosis will be absorbed in to the HPC regulatory framework.

If hypnotherapy is absorbed in the HPC, how long will it be before connected fields such as NLP and EFT are also absorbed?

There is quite a clear argument for such practices as hypnotherapy and EFT, etc to be more firmly regulated, as they are primarily used as a therapy. It seems absurd to me that someone who has done and online hypnotherapy course (or in the case of EFT, no training whatsoever - since it is not regulated at all and the information is free to obtain) can set themselves up and start seeing clients, some of whom may have serious mental health problems.

But that is happening. A lot.

However the problem I have with excessive regulation of NLP is that NLP has such a broad range of application. Does a person who wants to train in NLP to improve their sales ability, for example, need to be as strongly regulated as someone who intends to use it as a therapy?

Of course not.

Remember NLP IS NOT A THERAPY (www.nlpisnottherapy.com). Although it may have it's roots in the therapists and therapeutic processes of the early 70's, but has, since the early 80's, branched out into personal development, business, education and sports, to name just a few. It is an educational tool that can be applied to any field you wish.

But, it is becoming quite clear that something has to be done and the NLP community (for want of a better word) need to start working together or accept external regulation from a body such as the HPC.

The irony, of course, is that certain legal precedents that came out of several court cases in the 1990's and early 2000's (when Richard Bandler attempted to subsume control of the technology he created) essentially deregulated the field of NLP entirely, ruling that NLP had been the public domain for too long for one person or organisation to claim ownership (and therefore control and regulatory responsibility) of NLP.

But there we go. NLP, eh?

Regulation in NLP?

2009-10-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

A recent BBC investigation (on BBC's Inside Out television programme) has generated a lot of interest:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8303126.stm

If you live in the UK you can see the programme again here (for a limited time only)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nbwhs/Inside_Out_North_East_and_Cumbria_12_10_2009/

I have been inundated with people involved in the NLP and hypnosis scene putting their opinions across, so I thought I would put some of my thoughts down.

What this programme made clear is that there are a lot of sham, shoddy and lazy companies, therapist and qualification bodies out there. What it DIDN'T mention where the hundreds (if not more) of respected, professional and ethical therapists and organisations out there.

So, bear in mind, that this was a very, very one sided view and one with a very limited scope (not really an exhaustive study! In fact, I would argue, a bit of lazy sensationalism that has probably indirectly negatively effected the reputations of 100's of professional therapists. But that really is the standard of "investigative journalism" nowadays. Anyhoo, that is a rant for a different blog!)

However, it did bring up some interesting points:

The commercialisation of NLP and hypnosis has been going on for years and, I am sure, will go on for much longer. The problem is with this is that it attracts charlatans and scam artists who are out there to get a quick buck, as well as, I am sure well intentioned, but deluded, people thinking they have skills and abilities they don't have.

The argument for regulation in NLP and hypnosis has been rumbling along for years, but with the field becoming more and more popular over the recent years (both for people seeking a practitioner to help change and for people wanting to become practitioners themselves) the urgency of the argument to discuss more robust regulation, and if it is need, has been growing and growing.

I don't know the answer to be honest. But I think there is definitely a need for some form of stronger regulation, or at least education. People looking for NLP and hypnosis are overwhelmed with hundreds if not thousands of people making claims, (some totally outlandish!) about what they can do, how is a newbie meant to know what is kosher and what is a scam? There is a strong argument to made for a (genuinely) independent body to educate people about NLP. Sadly I still haven't seen a body that fits that criteria, nor am I actually convinced that is practically possible.

There are 2 problems I can think of with increased regulation: Who does the regulating and on what criteria?

I haven't heard anyone offer an effective set of criteria yet to use for regulation, apart from the rather vague "ethical guidelines" that don't really mean anything and are so ambiguous as to be pointless. (Particularly with NLP) no one can even agree what it actually is! So how can you regulate it effectively?

And, most crucially, who is going to be the regulator? Often with things like this, the role of regulator fall to the people who shout the loudest, these people often have a very strong personal interest in controlling NLP (usually for financial gain) or are petty bureaucrats who just like bossing people about. Both of which, I am sure you can agree are not the best personalities to be given control of a field (any field).

Any, I would argue that blanked regulation of NLP is unfeasible and unnecessary. NLP is NOT a therapy (www.nlpisnottherapy.com), it is primarily a methodology and a toolset. The large proportion of people I train in NLP have no intention of ever using NLP for therapy and want to use it in a professional or personal setting (sales, business management, communication, education, etc). These people don't need as higher a regulation as people who are making claims about therapy. With NLP having such broad ranging applications it seems clear to me that it needs a sliding scale of regulation.

I think, although I cannot speak for them, this why the Society of NLP has always avoided excessive regulation (for more details, listen the "Modeling the Masters" audio series at www.modeling-the-masters.com). They believe, very strongly that NLP is an educational field, not a therapeutic one. John La Valle, the president of the Society of NLP uses NLP predominantly in a business setting.

Rather than regulation, I suggest, initially, more clarification should be encouraged. Trainers should explain what the training involves and what the qualification is for. This onus should be placed on training companies (who should really avoid marketing hyperbole!). I make it quite clear in my trainings and in my marketing literature, that I do not teach NLP for "therapy" I teach the methodology of NLP that you can apply where you want, and always make it clear that if you intend to do NLP for therapy you need additional training and study.

Matt

The Menu Is Not the Meal

2009-10-09T02:46:00.000-07:00

The number one presupposition of NLP, as if it was written one the back of one of the stone tablets brought down from the mountain, is considered to be "The Map Is The Territory".

The saying "The Map is Not the Territory" actually comes from Alfred Korzybski's General Semantics and states (very, very simply) that the words we use to describe something is not the thing (if you are thirsty no matter how many times you said "water" you will still be thirsty), however we often act as if the words we use are the things we are trying to describe and the words we use to describe something can actually change our interpretation of what it is, for example if I said "be careful, that dog bites", I have essentially changed your reality and you will act as if it is true...

In NLP, Richard Bandler took this phrase and expanded it to describe the idea that our internal representations (how we think about things, what images, sounds, feeling and tastes and smells that we create in our minds) of the world are not the world. These representations are just a map of the world that we use to navigate the external "territory", but more often that not we forget that this map is only a map and act as if it IS the territory. From which problems can arise!

However, I have discovered over the years of teaching NLP, this phrase can be a tad too abstract for people to get their heads around. They are so used to treating their map of the world AS the world that the idea that is isn't is not adequately conveyed in the idea of the "the map is not the territory".

So, I prefer an alternative analogy or metaphor that that I believe was said by Alan Watts (in his usual light hearted way), and that is "The Menu is Not the Meal" If you think about it, "The Menu is Not the Meal" is a much better way of thinking about our internal representation of the world (our "menu") and how they interact with the outside world (the "meal").

The description of the food is not the food; reading the menu does not make us full (although, ironically, it may make us feel more hungry!). The description of the food written on the menu, the picture of the food (if it is a menu from a dodgy takeaway!) or the waiter describing the food to you (if you in a fancy restaurant) and the way that description makes you feel IS NOT the food. It will never be the food. You cannot experience the food until you actually eat it! But, you need the menu to know what you could be eating, to help you make an informed decision and to understand the food (this is your "map") and, obviously there is a feedback there; we have to have eaten the food, or some of it, so we can create a representation of what the menu is describing.

I think "The Menu is Not the Meal" is an easier and more immediate (it is simple, easy to understand and grounded in our experiences) to understand that our internal representations of the world around us are not the world around us, than the phrase "The Map is Not the Territory".

So, do you prefer the analogy "The Menu is Not the Meal"? Or do you like the more traditional "The Map is Not the Territory"?! Please feel free to leave your comments below.

NLP Practitioner - 25th September

2009-09-21T02:40:00.000-07:00

I have a few last minute places left on my NLP Practitioner training that starts this Friday (25th). Know anyone that is interested (you could earn some commission!)?

Click here for details

Richard Bandler on iPhone app: FREE for a short time!

2009-09-18T04:57:00.001-07:00

A message from John La Valle:

"I just received this announcement and want to share it with you!!

Just released on iTunes – MindSpa iMeditation by Dr. Richard Bandler. If you have an iPhone™ or iPod Touch™ download immediately while it is free and make sure to give the app. a 5 star rating with superlative reviews. This is the first of many apps coming.

The MindSpa application takes the unique capabilities of the iPhone and iPod Touch to a new level by simultaneously providing auditory and visual neural brainwave entrainment with biofeedback. This is the first iPhone application to combine three scientifically proven modalities to provide deep relaxation leading to a calmer mind and better sleep.
http://www.purenlp.com/iphone-app/index.html
Or use your iPhone or iTouch and look up keyword Bandler or Mindspa in applications.

Done in conjunction with Hästens, Sweden’s oldest manufacturer of beds, made of natural materials, and NeuroTech, Inc., a privately held company doing research and development in neuroscience for many years, this app is GREAT!! And it's FREE for a very short period of time!

You can also visit Hästens by clicking this link:
http://purenlp.com/hastens/index.html

And you can visit NeuroTech, Inc. by clicking this link:
http://www.purenlp.com/neuro-tec/index.html"

Thanks,
Matt

2 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Today.

2009-09-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

I tell people on my NLP Practitioner trainings that it takes a sufficient amount of "fly time" in the real world outside and after the trainings to "get your wings" or embed the skills. The biggest concern I get from trainees is that they don't intend to see clients so how can they practice the skills? My answer is always that, if you leave your house (and who doesn't? If you have agoraphobia, let me, I can soon sort that out!), you have plenty of opportunity to practice your skills with the people you will interact with, whether that is the person next to you on the bus, or colleagues at work, or the person at the checkout in the supermarket! So, I try and offer suggestions of exercises and experiments that they can do to practice their new skill set.

Two of the most powerful ways to be an excellent communicator is to:

1) Answer a question with another questions.
2) Answer a question with story or metaphor.

So, to become a better communicator instantly (well in a few days) is to answer every (or almost every, don't take the mick!) question with one of those two things. I suggest doing one for a day and then the other next and alternate for a week. So one day answer questions with a question, the next answer questions with a story (don't get too carried away though, you don't want to bore the people!). Do that for a week an notice how much better your ability to communicate and gain rapport with people...

Matt

The Mentalist’s NLP Episode.

2009-08-13T02:30:00.000-07:00

I was catching up on The Mentalist the other night (running a bit behind). The episode that focuses on NLP. A friend text me soon after and said it was hardly a glowing representation of NLP. And you know what? I couldn’t criticise the episode at all.

It was a spot on satire of the worst sides of the NLP, the idiot trainer who has got so full of himself he doesn’t realise that he is really just a nerd, with a terrible voice (the actor got that spot on) who is nowhere near as charismatic as he thinks he is, churning out the same old stuff repackaged in a slightly different way. The cult like behaviour of much of the trainings, the Anthony Robbins style “woop, woop” sessions that get the attendees all worked up into a lather. The badly understood and therefore applied (and therefore demonstrated) NLP techniques and methods.

It is what I have been battling against in NLP for such a long time: the idiots, the charlatans who offer ineffective, substandard training and churn out people with a totally false sense of competence and confidence.

They were there a long time before I got into NLP and they are certainly there now. The problem is the more popular it becomes (and it really has exploded in the last 5 years) the more idiots it seems to attract.

To quote Topher Morrison “Personal development is one of the most inauthentic fields outside of politics and Hollywood!”. They are all smiles and false confidence and concern to your face, but turn your back and they will be lifting you wallet or stabbing you between the shoulder blades...

What can be done, eh?!

Coaching, Counselling and Consulting. What is the difference?

2009-08-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Coaching is the phrase “de jour”. Everyone is suddenly a coach these days. Many people I know who used to call themselves “consultants” or “counsellors” are now calling themselves “coaches” and the feedback from people that have been on some “coaching” course, these courses seem to be just counselling courses with a different name.

Why? Because coaching is HOT right now, it is the big thing of the moment, I am sure something will come and takes its place at some point in the future, but right now, for some reason coaching is where it is at. So you are getting a lot of people jumping on the “coaching” bandwagon to try and make a buck.

And who can blame them?

The problem is with everyone running round calling themselves coaches now, there is a confusion about what a coach actually does.

So, I thought in this post, I very briefly go through the 3 fields; “coaching”, “counselling” and “consulting” and describe what makes each of them what they are.

Consulting
I once heard that you consult with an organisation and coach an individual. Which is not a bad way of looking at things. They are both focus on the same thing: outputs. However, the way you go about consulting is very different to how you go about coaching.

With consulting (in it’s purest sense) a consultant goes into an organisation, looks around, does an assessment and makes recommendations, the organisation then can either choose to, or not to follow up on those recommendations

Counselling
Counselling and coaching, on the surface, can seem very similar, the structure of a counselling and coaching sessions are almost the same (hence, I think, why a lot of coaching training just seems to try and wedge counselling ideas into the coaching “box”).

The difference between coaching and counselling is the area of focus. Counselling focuses much more on peoples feelings and is often remedial in it’s approach (helping people undo negative emotional associations).

Counselling is often unfairly maligned by the “self development” field. Mostly by people who don’t understand it. I know some very good counsellors who have got very good results.

And finally: Coaching
I have left the definition of coaching last so hopefully you can see how it differs from both consultancy and counselling.

Coaching is a one to one process (although I have seen it done in small groups) that focuses on peoples behaviour and the output of that behaviour.

Contrary to some people’s opinion (and marketing literature), there is no one “right way”, or single process to coaching (although there are recognised and effective techniques that are generally used), it should be treated as a function, and that function is to be an extra bit of the clients brain, to help them get clear about what they want and the criteria for that, so that the client can make clearer and better choices. How you do that is really up to you, coaching is a discipline and an art, not a science!

2010 Training Schedule

2009-08-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

Just announced! My 2010 training schedule.

The RECESSION BUSTING 2009 prices are fixed for 2010. Now is the best time to train in NLP and make massive savings, with the "green shoots" of recovering showing more and more each day these prices won't stay this low for long...

Licensed NLP Practitioner Training

Spring
Module 1: 16 - 18 April
Module 2: 23 - 25 April

Summer
Module 1: 30 July – 01 Aug
Module 2: 06 Aug – 08 Aug

Autumn
Module 1: 01 – 03 Oct
Module 2: 08 – 10 Oct

Licensed NLP Master Practitioner Training

Spring
Module 1: 21 – 24 May
Module 2: 11 – 14 June

Autumn/Winter
Module 1: 05 – 08 Nov
Module 2: 19 – 22 Nov

Business Applications of NLP
08 – 09 May
16 – 17 Oct

Coaching Applications of NLP
15 – 16 May
23 – 24 Oct

Lost Art of Oratory (Public Speaking and Presentation Skills
19 – 21 Mar
24 – 26 Sept

Practice Builder Master Class
27 – 28 Mar
26 – 27 Jun
18 – 19 Sept

Supervision Days
06 Mar
04 July
05 Dec

For more details and to book, please go to www.mattcaulfield.com

Matt

NLP Musings

2009-08-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

If you read the previous post, it will tell you that this blog has moved to a brand new wordpress based blog specialising in how to build your own therapy or coaching practice at www.thepracticebuilderblog.com,

However, because I have been blogging here for nearly 5 years, I really didn't want to give this place up and let it go to the dogs. So, I will be continuing to post to this blog in a semi-regular fashion (when the mood takes me, or I have something special to say!), it will focus on my involvement in NLP and related topics. It will be mainly my own opinions and thoughts about NLP, the personal development movement, the state of the NLP industry etc.

I hope at will be more often interesting, informativative and thought provoking (the polite way of saying controversal and possibly offensive...), but I cannot promise that at times it won't be self absorbed, indulgent or just dull.

Matt

PS, I also cannot promise it will be free from spelling and grammatical errors...

The Blog has Moved!

2009-07-20T04:41:00.000-07:00

After 5 years (give or take) posting here I have finally decided to move over to a stand alone wordpress blog (the reason it has been so quite here recently - well for quite some time...).

You can find the new blog here:

www.thepracticebuilderblog.com

As you can probably tell by the title, this new blog will concentrate on the "Practice Building" side of my training, giving hints, tips and musing about how you can start up, grow or rescue your therapy or coaching business. I am aiming to put an article up there on a weekly basis, but more or less depending on the time I have available. I will also be re-starting the somewhat stalled "Practicing Building Web Classes".

Being a nostalgic person I am loathed to let this blog go completely (it was my first "proper" blog!), so I am thinking of ways to keep this blog alive, I will let you know once I have decided what to do with it!

Regards,
Matt

Affiliate Marketing - An Easy Way to Create Extra Income

2009-07-16T02:08:00.000-07:00

Do you want to easily create an additional stream of income?

In the “Professional Practice Builder Handbook” I talk about the importance of creating multiple streams of income, preferably simple, automated systems that generate a regular revenue with very little effort, to give you time and energy to work your coaching business.

One of the easiest and best ways of creating an additional stream of income when you are just starting out (or when you are up and running!) is affiliate marketing: You promote someone else’s product that is relevant to your customer base and for every sale that is made through your promotion you get a percentage of the sale.

It is usually done online via a personalised link to the products sales page.

Simple huh? This has advantages over producing your own products to sell or stocking third party products is that there is not set up costs and you can easily promote it to your current client base.

I use affiliate programmes to both create additional streams of income and to promote my products and course. They really are a win/win strategy for everyone involved.

Because I now use ClickBank to sell the “The Professional Practice Builders Handbook”, you can quickly and easily set yourself up as an affiliate and be promoting the ebook (and earning a 25% commission on each one that you sell) in a few minutes.

Then all you need to do is a few additional minutes work a week to promote and check your strategy.

Easy. And a very simple way to gain an additional cashflow for very little work.

Here are some suggestions how you can start immediately making money off selling the “Professional Practice Builder Handbook”:

Write a review on a forum that you use
This is an excellent way to promote your affiliate products. But remember, forums take a very dim view on obvious “selling” entries. If you are going to write a review make sure it is measured and fair and not just a bg sales pitch!

Write a post on your blog about it.
Remember the rule above, blog readers don’t like being overly sold to, they don’t want to read an advert!

Send a mail to your list
Do you run a training company or practice group? Then using your current list is an ideal way to promote the handbook.

Unlike the previous 2 ideas, you can get away with a more “salesy” approach. Your mailing list subscribers should appreciate you are running a business and as long as you are honest about it and sincere about why you think this product will help them.

Add it to your product page
Nice a simple. Already sell products? Just add the link to your products page

Those are just a few suggestions, I am sure you can think of more than I haven’t even considered!

What are you waiting for? Sign up to clickbank and start making money right away!

If you have any questions or would like any help setting up your affiliate link (including being supplied with an graphics or images), please do not hesitate to contact me.

All the best,
Matt

The Professional Practice Builder Handbook Has a New Home!

2009-07-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

After toying with a few ideas to promote the handbook, I have set up a stand alone site purely to promote the handbook. Advertising it only on my main site broke my own rule about “niche” and specialising!

You can now find "The Professional Practice Builder Handbook" here:

www.thepracticebuilderhandbook.com

It is now advertised in dollars, purely to meet the demands of the American market (it is something you should consider if you intend to sell information products), and the payments now go through ClickBank, a third party payment and promotion company.

Want to Easily Create an Extra Stream of Income?
The great thing about using ClickBank is that you can sign up as an Affiliate and earn 25% commission for advertising and selling the ebook. So if you run your own training company, have an email list, blog or website and think your readers or customers may be interested you can easily create an additional stream of income for about 5 minutes work. Go to the ClickBank site for more details or feel free to contact me.

Go here to buy now or set yourself up as an affiliate:

www.thepracticebuilderhandbook.com

NEW COURSE: The Lost Art of Oratory, November 13 - 15

2009-06-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

The Lost Art of Oratory: How to Master Group Dynamics and Influence.

I have been asked many, many times to run a “public speaking” course, but I didn’t want to do just another “Presentation Skills” course. I wanted to do something that would make people great public speakers and influencers no matter the situation, whether that is formal (Presentations, chairing meets etc) or informal (team briefings, holding court down the pub).

So, utilising NLP skills and principles as well as modelling great speakers, actors and presenters including Barack Obama, Socrates, Martin Luther King and using ancient rules of oratory and public speaking from the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece this is a unique opportunity to learn the skills and strategies to become an exceptional public speaker.

You Will Learn:

To understand how people understand and communicate
Essential communication and rapport building techniques
How to control your mental state so you are always in the right frame of mind.
A strategy to talk for as long as you need or want without the need of notes.
How to spontaneous to do a talk without the need of preparation.

You make approximately 6 short talks, which will be filmed and you will be given a copy of the talks on DVD so you can see for yourself the improvement that you have made!

Your Investment: £395 + VAT

Location: Birmingham, UK

For more details and to book, please click here

Matt

A Quick Update

2009-05-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, sorry not posted for awhile. I have been busy running NLP trainings and doing lots of bits and bobs behind the scenes.

I will return to the blog this week with a regular weekly post plus adhoc posts as and when things crop up.

After being on this blog for nearly 4 years I am looking at moving it to a Wordpress blog on my own hosting. The reason for this is mainly technical and give me more freedom to design the blog how I would like it and give me better opportunities to promote it and increase readership. When it moves I will keep you informed and let you know how it goes.

Speak to you soon
Matt

Can You Help Me?

2009-04-21T03:56:00.000-07:00

As I said in the last newsletter, I am currently going through a process of restructuring my NLP trainings and would love to hear your thoughts about NLP training; how you found the training your undertook went, what made you choose the NLP trainer that you did and what you would be looking for in future trainings.

The sort of information I am looking for is:

If you have trained in NLP

What made you choose the training that you did?
Did you get what you wanted from it?
Would you train with that company again? Why (or why not!)?
What 3 things would have improved it?

If you haven't trained yet

Why haven't you done any training yet?
What would convince you to train with a company?
What top 3 things are most important to you in a training?

Further training

Have you undertaken any further training?
If so, what was it and what made you choose it?
What sort of future trainings would you be interested in?
What would convince you to train with a company?

Any other information that you think would be useful?

I would be very grateful if you could contact me your thoughts so I can offer the best NLP training that I can.

As a bit of an incentive, all responses I receive before 1st May will be entered into a prize draw to win a copy of "The Marshall University Tapes" by Richard Bandler, worth £124.99.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Matt

Normal Service will resume soon...

2009-04-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not updating this blog properly for the last few weeks, I have been very busy running trainings and doing some changes behind the scenes.

I have a few more trainings coming up over the next few weeks, but will hopefully get some entries written as I go along and then get back to writing more regularly when I have finished them.

Matt

Upcoming Trainings

April 24-25 Business Builder Master Class

May 02-06 NLP Practitioner Training

May 08-11 NLP Master Practitioner Module 1
May 15-18 NLP Master Practitioner Module 2

Upcoming Trainings in May

2009-04-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I hope you had a good Easter Break. I know you are probably inundated with emails on your first day back, but I just wanted to keep you up to date with my up coming courses in May.

NLP Practitioner
May 02 – 06
Investment £999 + VAT

I have teamed up with Mark Peters of Balanced Approach (www.balancedapproach.co.uk) on his upcoming NLP Practitioner training running the 2 to 6 May. There are not many places left, so book soon!

For more details and to book please go to:

http://www.mattcaulfield.com/training.aspx?i=58

NLP Master Practitioner

Module 1: May 08 - 11
Module 2: May 15 - 18
Investment: £1499 + VAT

For more details and to book please go here:

http://www.mattcaulfield.com/training.aspx?i=57

Remember: If you are a past trainee you are eligible for my loyalty scheme and only pay £1299 (+ VAT)

SPECIAL OFFER: Book on either of these trainings and receive a complimentary Richard Bandler audio CD (this is an official Society of NLP product).

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me on 0845 3 626277.

Kindest Regards
Matt

NLP and Practice Builder Newsletter - April 2009

2009-04-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

I have just sent out Aprils issue of my NLP and Practice Builder Newsletter.

Here's what's in this month:

New Audio Added!
Article - NOW is the Best Time!
Diary of Events
Other Peoples Stuff - "Getting Things Done" by David Allen
Society of NLP Product Clearance

If you subscribe to my mailing list you have received the newsletter already, if you don't and would like to receive it, please sign up to my mailing list (fill out the box on the right hand column)

I hope you enjoy and find it useful!
Matt

Internet Marking - The 2 Things to Consider Before you Begin

2009-03-30T02:24:00.000-07:00

Right

After a bit of waffle on the last 2 blogs about how to most effectively use the web to promote yourself, this time I am going to get to the point and actually tell you something useful...

As I started to say in the last The number one rule of developing an effective online presence is to NOT RUSH AT IT! Before you even consider your web presence you need to decide what you are doing in your business, the strategy you use online has to reflect 2 things:

1. What you are selling?
Are you selling a service only or are you/do you intend to sell products (hint: you should really be aiming to sell products at some point)? Are you aiming a specific geographical location? Businesses or individuals?

All these will effect the online strategy you have got, so you need to know your target market so you know the most effective (and cost effective) form of online marketing.

If you are aiming to get clients in your local town only, but most of your hits on your site are coming from the USA, it is not being effective, even if you are getting lots of traffic!

As I say in the practice builder handbook, there is no point getting thousands of hits on your website if none convert to sales, it is much better to get only 10 hits but all 10 convert.

You need to have a very well defined idea of your target market and this, as with everything, comes down to research, research, research...

2. The rest of your marketing strategy
Online marketing should only be part of your marketing strategy, you cannot rely on that alone. The rest of your marketing strategy will effect what sort of web presence you need. If you are doing predominantly, word of mouth marketing, or tendering for business contracts you will need a very different website than if you are producing and selling your own products.

A lot of people rush in and get a website set up without really thinking through the above points. Take some time to consider and define your target market and larger marketing strategy so that you will save yourself time and money in the long term.

Matt

Want to learn more?

The next Business Builder Master Class in running on the 25-26 April in the Birmingham, UK. For more details please visit:

http://mattcaulfield.com/training.aspx?i=59

Web 2.0 For Therapists And Coaches

2009-03-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

The internet can be a scary place if you are new to it. It seems to move at a rapid rate and just as you get the hang of it, the goalposts change and you are back to square one. It is a very easy place to lose thousands and thousands of pounds/dollars/euros. It is over crowded and there are hundreds of “snake oil” merchants offering you the best way to make millions on the internet.

It is true there are a lot of people who have used the internet successfully to make a vast fortune (or just a comfortable income), but there are also thousands of people who sunk money into the internet and lost the lot.

So, what is the secret to making successful use of the internet to promote your practice?

Firstly, remember, although the internet is a great place to promote your wears and you are no one nowadays without a website, the internet is not the be all and end all of your promotional strategy. If you just rely on the internet and nothing else you will not be as successful as you could be.

And, before you dive headlong into the internet looking for the best online marketing solution, you need to know what you are “selling” and who are you are selling it to. This will dramatically effect the way you utilise the internet.

One of the big changes that is happening to the internet at the moment is the move to Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is a name given to the new uses of the internet, particularly in user generated content (eg videos on Youtube) and social networking sites. It has created a massive change in the use of the internet from people passively searching for information, to people actively interacting with the web and developing, commenting on and sharing content.

Which gives great opportunities for therapists and coaches, as they are very interactive fields and about building relationships. Web 2.0 is the ideal medium. It is also very inexpensive to set up and easy to promote (although it does take a lot of hard work).

The downside of Web 2.0 is that people expect free content. So you have to be very careful how you go about charging for your products or services.

We will cover all this and how to get yourself set up in the next few posts.

Matt

Advertising on the Internet and Web 2.0

2009-03-25T03:00:00.001-07:00

I came across this very interesting article the other day about how effective advertising is on the internet.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/22/why-advertising-is-failing-on-the-internet/

It is an ideal lead into a subject that (due to a few requests) I want to discuss over the next few posts: utilising the internet to promote your private practice.

Give this article a read and I will be back tomorrow to start the discussion about how best to use the internet to promote yourself.

Matt

Avoid Planning Procrastination

2009-03-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last few posts talking about how to set up your work environment so you can be the most productive and least stressed out, therefore spending more time and energy getting and seeing clients.

Just one last thing before I leave this topic and start on something new for a while.

I remember, a long time ago, when I was studying for my GCSE’s, I had a friend who developed these incredibly detailed and designed revision timetables. They were brilliant, colour coded, well laid out, well planed. The problem was he would take so long doing the time table that he didn’t have much time left to actually do the revision!

If you get too carried away developing a process to be organised and efficient you will never get anything done, as you will spend all your time organising it!

It is better to get going and be a bit messy than it is take forever getting everything “just so”.

When you are planning and prepping like this it is often a stalling strategy, you are putting things off by planning to do them.

In this case you need to do a spot of soul searching and ask yourself why you are putting it off!

As Nike say “Just Do It!”

Matt

Practice Builder Video Web Class Episode 1: Your Reason Why

2009-03-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

In this episode I discuss the essential first step of setting up
your practice; the reason why you are doing it.

The Some Day Tray

2009-03-19T03:32:00.000-07:00

Organising your “some day” try can be tricky. It can easily become just a dumping ground for things you don’t know what to do with but can’t bring yourself to throw away.

It requires a good process and discipline to get right.

Firstly, be ruthless.
Do you really need it? Can it be filed elsewhere? Your “some day” pile is only for ideas you don’t know what to do with YET, but will action some day, not just a collection of bits and bobs, it is better to be ruthless at the time of putting items in there than trying to sort it out later. Once it is in there you will find it harder to get rid of it.

Is there a specific time it can be actioned?
In which case you need to set up some kind of reminder when it is time. So that you can save picking up the paper and every time you review the tray. You can do this a low tech way, or a high tech way! High tech is to set a reminder in an electronic diary, like outlook and the place the item in a specific file (could be labelled “future events” for example) and then filed away out of the some day pile. Or you can place a note in a hand written diary, which isn’t quite as low tech. Or, and this is the one I actually prefer, get monthly files and separate into daily or weekly segments (using paper folders, clear envelopes or one of those concertina folders) and place the item in the relevant month, week and day. Then you can easly review what needs to be done that day, week or month when you get it.

All this means you can “forget it” in the interim sure in the fact your will be reminded at the appropriate time. It saves stress and panic and that horrible lurching feeling when you realise you have forgotten to do something when you find the item a few weeks late stuffed at the bottom of your “some day” tray.

Bundle together.
Place similar or associated items in their own folder in the tray, it is easier to organise and review

Review regularly.
Look through the tray once a week, is there anything you can action, work on, or abandon?

Matt