Sunday, February 25, 2007
What Do You Want To Read?
I am just curious, but let me know something. If you have a chance to read something about Southern Gospel Music, do you want to read negative things or positive things?
And one step further: What constitutes negative?
And one step further: What constitutes negative?
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Climbing the Mountain of Success
"The higher you climb your mountain of success, the easier a target you become for the people down below." Just remember that as you work to acceive your success. And don't take it personally!!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Fear of Self Promotion
What is it that makes you hesitate to broadcast your accomplishments and capabilities? Reluctance to promote yourself holds you back from achieving personal fulfillment and financial success.
I read this on a blog recently and it made me think about how much this applies to those in SG music. It's as if self-promotion is some sort of dirty word. People are afraid that if they spend too much time of self-promotion they will look less spiritual. BUNK! Get over it. There is nothing dirty or wrong with self promotion.
Don't believe me, talk to Kathy Crabb.
I read this on a blog recently and it made me think about how much this applies to those in SG music. It's as if self-promotion is some sort of dirty word. People are afraid that if they spend too much time of self-promotion they will look less spiritual. BUNK! Get over it. There is nothing dirty or wrong with self promotion.
Don't believe me, talk to Kathy Crabb.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Trumped!
I'll be the first to admit that I do not keep up with Donald Trump, nor do I watch the Apprentice. But lately I have been reading a few "Trumpisms" that I have found to be interesting and true. Maybe you will agree with some.
"Your critics aren't buying from you
Your critics don't want to see you do well
Your critics probably aren't qualified enough to criticize you!"
I particularly like the above quotes. I find them to be so true. If someone constantly cricizes you or your work then it is a good bet they aren't buying from you so don't worry about them. I'm not talking about those people who may have a legitimate complaint. They aren't the ones that will be standing behind your back telling the world how bad you are. They will be honestly asking for you to improve so that they may continue to buy from you. People who criticize you for the sake of criticizing really don't want to see you succeed. That would defeat their purpose. And most people who spend their waking hours trying to discredit or criticize you most likely have no qualifications to do so. They probably aren't skilled in the same areas that you are and their motives are usually based upon not wanting to see you do well or succeed as already stated.
In the real scheme of things, if you are succeeding, your products are selling, then those who desire to see you fail are no concern. The only critic that you need to be worried about is the Holy Spirit. If He's pleased, who cares about the others?
“Don’t believe the critics unless they love your work.”
Actually this "Trumpism" made me laugh when I first read it. We can all learn a lesson from this. Don't take the critics to heart. SGN does hundreds of CD reviews a year that don't always make people happy. We know that. But, we also know that a bad review isn't an indication of a lack of success either. Reviews are subjective no matter how hard the reviewer tries to be impartial. It's just one man's opinion. So don't sweat the critics! Just believe in the ones who love your work, inflate your ego a little and keep pressing on.
"You can have the most wonderful product in the world, but if people don’t know about it, it’s not going to be worth much.”
Marketing 101! If people don't know your brand (your name, your product) they aren't going to buy it. That's pretty straight forward!
"You've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day…because nobody else will!"
Another "Trumpism" truism!! You are your best marketer. If you are in business than you need to be learning to sell your self, your product, etc, and it better be 24 hours a day. Back in our younger days, Deon and I were involved in Amway. We learned so much while in that business that we still practice those things today. Believe in yourself and your product so much that it isn't a chore to be marketing yourself. And people will only believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.
"Accentuate the Negative"
This isn't always easy because we would like to just cover up the negative and act like it doesn't exist. But the negative aspects of your self/business/product/ministry are just as much a part of you as the positive things. This particular "Trumpism" is my New Year's Resolution. Somehow, someway, I am going to learn to make my negatives so accentuated that they will become positive.
What about you?
"Your critics aren't buying from you
Your critics don't want to see you do well
Your critics probably aren't qualified enough to criticize you!"
I particularly like the above quotes. I find them to be so true. If someone constantly cricizes you or your work then it is a good bet they aren't buying from you so don't worry about them. I'm not talking about those people who may have a legitimate complaint. They aren't the ones that will be standing behind your back telling the world how bad you are. They will be honestly asking for you to improve so that they may continue to buy from you. People who criticize you for the sake of criticizing really don't want to see you succeed. That would defeat their purpose. And most people who spend their waking hours trying to discredit or criticize you most likely have no qualifications to do so. They probably aren't skilled in the same areas that you are and their motives are usually based upon not wanting to see you do well or succeed as already stated.
In the real scheme of things, if you are succeeding, your products are selling, then those who desire to see you fail are no concern. The only critic that you need to be worried about is the Holy Spirit. If He's pleased, who cares about the others?
“Don’t believe the critics unless they love your work.”
Actually this "Trumpism" made me laugh when I first read it. We can all learn a lesson from this. Don't take the critics to heart. SGN does hundreds of CD reviews a year that don't always make people happy. We know that. But, we also know that a bad review isn't an indication of a lack of success either. Reviews are subjective no matter how hard the reviewer tries to be impartial. It's just one man's opinion. So don't sweat the critics! Just believe in the ones who love your work, inflate your ego a little and keep pressing on.
"You can have the most wonderful product in the world, but if people don’t know about it, it’s not going to be worth much.”
Marketing 101! If people don't know your brand (your name, your product) they aren't going to buy it. That's pretty straight forward!
"You've got to be your own full-time marketing campaign 24 hours a day…because nobody else will!"
Another "Trumpism" truism!! You are your best marketer. If you are in business than you need to be learning to sell your self, your product, etc, and it better be 24 hours a day. Back in our younger days, Deon and I were involved in Amway. We learned so much while in that business that we still practice those things today. Believe in yourself and your product so much that it isn't a chore to be marketing yourself. And people will only believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.
"Accentuate the Negative"
This isn't always easy because we would like to just cover up the negative and act like it doesn't exist. But the negative aspects of your self/business/product/ministry are just as much a part of you as the positive things. This particular "Trumpism" is my New Year's Resolution. Somehow, someway, I am going to learn to make my negatives so accentuated that they will become positive.
What about you?
