Peter Thomson is one of the UK’s Most prolific Product Creators!
I’ve always been a lifelong learner, and business publications, books, videos and audio’s are part of my daily routine. There is always something to learn! It was inevitable I would encounter Peter Thomson on my journey, given his knowledge and experience in the informational product field. As one of the most influential players in this arena, Peter’s “Achievers Edge” monthly audio magazine accompanied me on most of my many car journeys around the UK. When I decided to set up my own business I knew I needed a mentor, and was looking for someone who would have the right experience and vision. It was not easy!
I believe in synchronicity and I don’t think it was a mistake when one day out of the blue, an invitation to one of Peter’s events in Manchester landed in my inbox. Knowing only too well the unmistakable experience and expertise of Peter, I was absolutely amazed at the low cost of the day and immediately signed up. As a result, Peter became my mentor for the first year of setting up my business and the subsequent journey has been amazing. I was absolutely delighted and honored when Peter agreed to be interviewed, as I was keen to share how he helps business owners to get their message out. Here is what Peter had to say:
Peter so far, you’ve shared your immense business experience, knowledge and network with many hundreds of entrepreneurs over the years. What inspired you to mentor others?
“You know – that’s such a great question as it’s making me think back to the basics of what is now a major part of my business model. As you know I’m just so involved in writing, creating and marketing my own informational products and showing other coaches, consultants and fellow small business owners how to do the same. A few years ago I was running a two-day event where I was showing the delegates my ideas on information products and on the evening of the middle day I was talking to a friend of mine, telling him just how much I was enjoying the seminar and how I was looking forward to the others I’d planned. He asked me what proved to be a high-profit question. “Peter, what’s your back-of-the-room sale?” And what’s crazy was that I hadn’t planned any selling in the seminar – I was having such a good time. He also suggested I should think about how people could spend more time with me. So in about 10 minutes on a single piece of paper I answered the self-question: “How can I possibly help the delegates on this course get even more of the results they were looking for when they booked their ticket in the first place?” One of the many answers was: Start a mentoring programme. So on the afternoon of the second day of the event – I explained to the people on the course – my thoughts on my intended mentoring programme. I was just amazed at the response. Now because I wanted to just test the idea to make certain it worked well for everyone before I rolled it out – I was only prepared to accept 3 people into my one-on-one programme and just 10 people on the group programme. If I’d accepted all the applications I’d have sold £220,000 of places. But I decide to stick with my plans and just do 3 plus 10. And it worked – the results people were getting were brilliant. And now – I run two mentoring groups per month, plus a quarterly group for those who’ve been a year’s programme with me – and a business growth group and I’m just considering an SME owners’ group. I just love these mentoring programmes.”
What does your current mentoring programme involve and what are the main benefits to mentees?
“The way I decided to run it from the beginning, and I haven’t changed the model as it’s worked so well, is the programme is split into two parts. The first part is a day per month throughout the year where we meet as a group and I share my knowledge, experience and expertise in writing, creating and especially marketing all types of information products. From audio programmes to seminars, from DVD sets to webinars, from mentoring groups to running effective survey. Creating a paid-for newsletter, as well as numerous ideas on business growth; from selling to running a systemized referral process, from time management to success principles. During the year two of the mentoring days take place at my home in Spain – where we have two focused days plus lots of fun, swimming, barbecues and just a couple drinks. People return from those on a real high with true focus on where they’re going. Then in addition to the one-day events as a group, each Member has a one hour coaching session with one of my colleagues who help them implement the ideas that have been shared on the monthly meetings and help them with any challenges they are facing. In addition to that any of the Members can send in questions and if they have a marketing piece they’ve written they submit it and get feedback on it and help to make it more persuasive. It’s a very hands-on process.”
Who will benefit most from being mentored by you and why?
“I find that the vast majority of our mentoring Members come from these sectors: Coaches, consultants, speakers, trainers, hypnotherapists, accountants and small business owners. Now I know that’s pretty far-ranging. It’s quite simple to describe them. People involved in what I’d call the ’helping’ industries. People who know that it makes such sense to have an information product of their own to be able to share their authentic messages with more people than they could ever hope to reach on a one-to-one basis. People who want to stop ONLY swapping time for money. People who want to relax when they’re on holiday knowing money is still being made by ongoing sales of their information products.”
How else can our readers benefit from your extensive experience?
“Well – how to answer that in just a few words! As you might expect over the years I’ve written and recorded so many information products. 3 books, over 100 audio programmes, over 100 DVD programmes and so many reports and tips booklets. My suggestion is this. Be totally clear about everything in life, and of course your business life. So that means: Your website is crystal clear with it’s message and call to action.
- There’s no confusion about what you want a visitor to do.
- The copy is clear and compelling and anyone could understand the benefits they’d get by buying.
- Your personal goals are clear – you know where you going, how to get there and most importantly why you want to go there.
- Your communication is clear – there’s no ambiguity (unless it’s on purpose) about anything you say, or write or communicate in any way whatsoever.
- You have a life of clarity – and creates a business and a life of choice.”
We have many overseas readers, how can they access your extensive knowledge, experience and expertise?
Well – I’d like to give your readers a free gift. Here’s how we can move forward with this Simply pop over to www.peterthomson.com and there you can get your copy of my special report called: Time Management – the 7 BIG Mistakes – How to avoid them and squeeze more out of every single day.
You have met and interviewed many global business icons. Who inspired you most?
“You’re right. In fact I’ve interviewed 156 successful leaders from all walks of life; sport, business, the world of entertainment, authors – even a famous magician. But of all of them the one that stands out for me is Roy H Williams who’s known as The Wizard of Ads. In a forty minutes interview with him I learnt more than in any other 40 minutes of my life and probably more than in many months of my life – and I’m a voracious reader and life-long learner He was just awesome! His understanding of the mind and how it deals with information, his clarity about customer communication and differences and so much more – just so insightful. Difficult to pick one out of all the great people I’ve spoke to – but if it’s only one – then it has to be Roy.”
What is the best business advice our readers would benefit from?
Now this is an easy question for me because there’s one idea I’ve used so extensively since I learned it. I picked this idea up from the brilliant audio programme ‘Lead The Field’ by Earl Nightingale probably the godfather of the personal development movement, the co-founder of the Nightingale Conant Corporation of Chicago. On ‘Lead The Field’ (which I later had the honour of re-voicing for the UK market) Earl tells the story of Ivy Lee a management consultant – and his conversations with Charles Schwab of Bethlehem Steel. In these conversation Lee explained the double-prioritised Do List and it’s power. Earl Nightingale explained that a successful life was made of successful years. Successful years were made of successful weeks and months, which in turn were made of successful days. Days were successful when the vast majority of the time was spent on important rather than urgent tasks and that could be so easily accomplished by the use of the humble yet brilliant double prioritised Do List.
My version is this:
- Start the day with a Do List. Either the night before, or first thing in the morning write down a list of the tasks you wish to undertake. Then having carefully considered the items on the list – prioritise just the top 3 items. Marking them 1, 2 and 3.
- Then do item number one until you can do it no more, it’s finished or has to be passed to someone else.
- Then – BEFORE moving on to item number 2. Reprioritise the list. Then select the new number one, which may be what was item 2. Do it! Then reprioritise the list again before starting number 3. And so on throughout the time you’ve allocated for working on your list.
1,2,3. 1,2,3.
On some days it might only be 1, 2. Or just 1.
But it doesn’t matter. You’ll always be working on the highest priority items and if you don’t get everything finished in the day – it doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t have been able to do any better with any other system. Remember of course that delegation of tasks is part of the prioritising actions.
That’s it! Simple isn’t it. And I’ve used that idea for over 25 years in various forms and it’s the best idea I know for getting stuff done!
If you’d like to know more of my idea and get a free report on so called Time Management just mouse over to www.peterthomson.com If you’d like to know more about writing, creating and marketing your own information products pop over to www.peterthomson.tv
Thank You Peter, we’ve put many of ideas into practice and we know they work! Here at the Extra MILE we are putting into practice many of your expert tools, techniques and valuable advice and we couldn’t have done it without you!
