Tag: health and fitness

#1 most common web copy mistake 90% of businesses make

conorkelLeave a comment

Here’s one you can really sink your teeth into.

When I first started my personal training business back in ’08 my tagline was The Most Complete Personal Training Program In Toronto.  I dropped this bad boy in the header on my website, on my business cards, and in my brochures.

It was also the theme of my “elevator pitch” if I cornered you face to face.

See I wanted prospects to know I’m not like other trainers.  I wasn’t just going to put you through a workout, I was going to coach you on everything you need to reach your fitness goals; weight training, cardio, nutrition, supplementation, flexibility work.

It was a valid sentiment.

That IS what most people need to get results, after all.

Trouble was, nobody cared how “complete” or “comprehensive” my program was.  They just wanted their clothes to fit better, to not break into a profuse sweat from climbing two flights of stairs, to not feel so lethargic all the time, etc.

All the other stuff I could do was nice.

But it didn’t speak to them (much).

Any time I lobbed across my humdinger of a tagline the most reaction I’d get would be a blank stare, a nod, or an “ok”.

Later, after I’d educated myself a bit more, I went this instead:

“Transform Your Body In 16 Weeks”

At the time I was doing a lot of google ads so I split-tested this one against “most complete”.  “Transform” more than doubled my conversions.  In conversation, it was night and day too.  When I’d hand someone a business card they’d read it and go, “Transform in 16 weeks…ooh, that’s what I need, tell me more about that.”

To my lovely point:

My tale today is a fine illustration of using BENEFITS vs. FEATURES in your marketing.

The ‘completeness’ of my program is a feature.

The transformation of your body (in 16 weeks no less)…that’s a benefit.

And it’s ultimately the benefit that your prospects are after.

Remember…

People buy outcomes.

They don’t care what fancy new laser technique you’re using…they want to know you can get rid of their plantar fasciitis.  It’s not all the different traffic sources you can teach them about…it’s getting more new customers.  They’re not thinking about how many ‘functional training’ courses you’ve taken, they want to lose body fat and feel more confident.

Now they may appreciate those other things later.

But they’re not generally walking around with them in their heads or staring holes in the ceiling at night thinking about them.

In all the website critiques I do this is probably the #1 most common mistake I see.  You can’t glance at the homepage without getting an eyeful of “what’s IN the product” but you’ve got to scroll through endless drop down menus before you find out “what it DOES for you”.

Let that percolate a little.

And if you’d like The Muscle to perform one of my Mini Power Critiques on your website (or your sales letter, or your email campaign) here’s what’s involved:

I spend a couple of hours on your website, and research your market.

Then I send you detailed notes – along with a screen capture video – that outline every last one of my muscular recommendations to help you (note these benefits) improve your web conversions, get more new leads and customers, and boost the ROI you get from any advertising you currently do.  This includes a few suggestions for taglines, headlines, bullets, or other hooks that inevitably occur to me in the process.

And the cost for all this making your life easier and more fun?

Just $275USD.

To make her even more of a peach, here’s what I’ll do:

If you book (and pay for) your website critique before Friday March 6th at 6PM, and you end up hiring me to do a re-write, I’ll credit this amount toward my fee for the rewrite.

In that sense, you will have gotten to drink of the fruit of my knowledge for FREE.

If you’re interested, saddle up and trot along to the enticing link below to explore my calendar and book some time to tell me a little about your business, your current situation, and the item you’d like reviewed:

http://calendly.com/conorkel/emailincome

We’ll take it from there.

Happy Benefit-Highlighting,

Conor Kelly

P.S. Here’s what one client had to say about my Mini Power Critiques:

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“I recently attended a 3-day ‘copywriting workshop’ with one of the industry leading copywriters… not long after, I had Conor do one of his signature 30-minute copywriting evaluations for one of our clients and I can tell you with absolute certainty that I received more than 10X the amount of value from Conor’s 30-minute video than I did from 3 full days at the copywriting workshop.” -Matt Morse

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My new year’s resolution (sort of)

conorkelLeave a comment

Ok, so The Conz don’t make resolutions.

But one thing I’d like to start doing more of again is going for long walks.

I walk a lot in general.

I mean the ones of the forty-minutes-or-longer variety.

I’ve got so much to do it’s easy to talk myself out of it.  And with it being winter…well, that just whips up the rationalization hamster wheel even more.  I admit I was shamed into lacing up my walking boots at least once last winter when I heard my 83-year-old clients were still getting their daily 90-minute ‘constitutional’ despite the very-sub-zero temperatures.

All that aside, I’ve found few things better for my wellbeing.

I don’t count steps.  There’s no target mileage.  I just walk.  And I watch.  I stare at things off in the distance.  I let my body tell me if I should keep going or make for home.  Another point: no treadmills allowed on this particular journey.  You see, we Homo sapiens have a primal need to be outside…and most of us city-dwelling folk don’t do it nearly enough.

By the way, I’ve found this to be a great way to come up with content – little creativity tip for ya.

Some of my best emails have been ‘direct downloads’ I channeled during a walk, and that I couldn’t type out fast enough once I sat back down at my keyboard.  I also get ideas for what to do.  Solutions to problems or puzzles I’ve been struggling with often occur to me in the same fashion.

Many great thinkers knew this little secret.  Einstein’s daily walk was sacred to him.  Darwin did three 45-minute walks per day.

What’s the point of such ramblings?

I invite you to join me in boosting the step count, if you’re not already.

It doesn’t have to be every day.

We can aim for two or three days a week.

Just do this consistently and you’ll be amazed at what happens.

Then, write me back and share your story.

I’ll be genuinely curious.

See you out there,

Conor Kelly

P.S. In my next email marketing tip (Tuesday) I reveal the #1 thing you must do in every email if you want to make sales.  Get this one thing right, and you can do pretty much do everything else wrong and still get business.

Not too late to subscribe:

Go here to subscribe to my email marketing tips.

 

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Is it your turn for a BREAKTHROUGH?

conorkelLeave a comment

I remember a time when the weight loss record for my 16 week program stood at 43 pounds.

Along came Andrew S.

At 6’1″, Andrew tipped the scales at a hefty 290.

Two things I appreciated about this young man:

(1) He was referred by another client who’d had exceptional results, so his belief level was high.

(2) He was motivated as hell.

I’d picked up on the fact he was competitive and started planting some seeds about the record.

Soon I was pretty much egging him on.

Four months later, in the blink of an eye, he was down 45 pounds and had set the new marker.

Put the record aside for a moment.  Can you imagine what that must have felt like?  The lightness…the energy…the no-more-naps-after-lunch mental clarity…still nothing more than gravy on top of the simple exhilaration of reaching a dearly held personal goal.

Especially if it’s eluded you until now.

It brings me back to my own transformation in the spring of ’06 when I lost 35 pounds in the same time frame.

Very few things can compare to that feeling.

Expressions like ‘on top of the world’ are apt but don’t do it justice.

It feels like the air you breathe is different.

My personal belief is you’re experiencing the self-appreciation that occurs when what your inner being knows to be true about you (that you’re resourceful beyond words, powerful, a CREATOR) lines up with your a life condition you’ve created.

It’s the way we were MEANT TO BE.

If what I’ve just said sounds good to you in any way, you are being called to your own transformation.

The wiser (and not limited) part of you is rushing forth.

Don’t push it back down inside.

Don’t give into fear.

TAKE ACTION.

NOW.

Call or text me at (416) 826-4844 or simply reply to this email for your complimentary personal training consultation.

In truth, it doesn’t matter whether you contact me or not.

The point is take the chains off.

Be BOLD.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.  Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” – Goethe

Your breakthrough is calling…

Will you answer?

Happy Transforming,

Conor Kelly

4 tips for a better memory

conorkelLeave a comment

I like the character of Mike Ross on Suits.

If you don’t know the show, Mike’s talent is his insane photographic memory.  He remembers every line of every conversation he’s ever had.  He remembers every book he’s ever read, word for word.  He can look at a legal document once, then type it out verbatim hours or days later.

I’d kill to be able to do all of that.

Maybe sell my soul?

Track down a reclusive master in a remote Mongolian monastery?

Scratch that…

I’ll settle for these 4 memory tips instead:

1. Meditate.  In a recent study, researchers found that participants in a 9-week meditation retreat markedly improved their ability to focus, and displayed the same boost when measured 7 years later.  What’s interesting is the benefits lasted whether they maintained their level of meditation or not.

More’s not necessarily better.

I do 15-20 minutes a day.

To me this is all about training yourself to be present.

When you’re truly aware in the moment you notice more, and every experience can take deeper root within you.

2. Supplement with R+ALA and Acetyl-l-carnitine.  You lose a quarter of your cholinergic neurons between the ages of 25 to 75.  These are cells that produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is essential to memory.

In combination these nutrients have been shown to reverse cell damage in aged rats.  In some cases, these good ‘ol boys got back the memory and motor skills of their youth.

I recommend an age-dependent dose of 200mg-800mg of R+ALA and 500mg-2,000mg of Acetyl-l-carnitine (in the morning) daily.  The older you are, the more you need.

These are the bread and butter of my personal brain health program.

(It goes without saying, any supplementation you undertake is at your own discretion and risk.)

3.  Learn a new language.  This is probably the least practical suggestion of the four, but the hippocampus (the brain’s center for processing memories) lights up on brain scans of language learners.

Mas cerveza, por favor?

4. Pump iron.  Here’s what we know: estrogen in women, and testosterone in men = intelligence (I know, hard to believe, isn’t it?).  We also know that unless you regularly challenge your muscles with heavy weight (10-12 reps seems to be the sweet spot) you can’t hope to maintain your body’s hormone cascade.

Once those hormones start circling the drain (as they do with regular aging), cognition and memory disappear with them.

I can help with all these in varying degrees, but ‘specially that last one.

Get your IQ boost here:

http://www.conorkellypersonaltrainer.com

I’m excited.

I’m gonna pound out another value-packed email for my small biz marketing list, then it’s time for my Bulgarian lesson.

Maybe the devil can’t have my soul just yet…

Happy Remembering,

Conor Kelly

86 yr old gets his groove back

conorkelLeave a comment

In my career, I’ve had several clients start training with me AFTER the age of 85.

In one case, the client’s main goal was to be able to walk more confidently because he hated younger, stronger pedestrians zipping around him on the sidewalk.

He made great strides too.

(Pun intended.)

And the biggest benefit of his workouts?

His family reported a noticeably better MIND. He could express himself more clearly, seemed more “with it”, full of humor and wit, and his short term memory was on the rise.

All of this used to surprise me.

Not these days.

I’ve seen so many dramatic turnarounds in older adults now that I expect it.

The science bears this out as well.

The physical benefits lifting weights (greater strength, mobility, posture, and balance) are just the tip of the iceberg.

Aside from oxygenating the brain and releasing neuronal growth factors essential to learning, we now know that unless you challenge your muscles with resistance on the regular, you can’t maintain your body’s hormone cascade. And as your hormones nose dive with usual aging, so does your intelligence, memory, and ability to enjoy positive emotions like friendship, joy and confidence.

I bring this up because I’ve had a great track record with folks in their late 70’s and 80’s.

And I want more success stories.

I can think of few things more rewarding than helping someone get back quality years in their life.

So who do you know with that many candles on their most recent birthday cake?

Maybe it’s a parent or grandparent even.

If they’re anywhere near downtown Toronto (and still relatively mobile), I’d love an opportunity to meet with them and see if I can give them the same gift.

Pass along my number, 416 826 4844.

It’s literally the best thing you could do for them.

Anyway, I’m about to board a plane to Vegas, baby.

Seminar, not party time.

But I do love a good knowledge hangover.

Ha.

Until next time…

Happy Lifting,

Conor Kelly

 

Longevity secrets of the richest man in history

conorkelLeave a comment

It’s estimated that, at one point, John D. Rockefeller’s fortune exceeded $300 Billion.

Move over, baby Gates.

In fact, that’s enough to buy Bill Gates AND Warren Buffet several times over.

At 53, Rockefeller controlled most of the world’s oil.

But his health was failing.

He developed alopecia and shed all his hair.

Eyebrows.

Everything.

He could barely eat.

In a matter of months he’d lost 50 pounds from an already thin frame, and cut a gaunt, ghostly figure.  His doctors made it clear that if he didn’t retire now, he wouldn’t be around much longer.

See, John D. was a ball of anxiety.  He was slowly crumbling under the burden of his enormous wealth.  He once said, “I never put my head on the pillow at night without reminding myself I could lose it all tomorrow.”

Imagine the stress that caused.

So here are the instructions his doctor gave him:

1. Never worry about anything. Ever.
2. Always stop eating when you’re still a bit hungry.
3. Spend more time outside engaging in light activity.

Well, John D. took this advice to heart.

The senior Mr. Rockefeller was a different chap.

He never worried again.  Even when his life’s work, Standard Oil, was being picked apart by politicians for anti-trust reasons, Rockefeller stayed out of the office.

In his latter years he became the colorful, soundbite-worthy old codger he’s remembered as…the guy who, when asked by his driver why his son tips so much better than he does, replied, “he’s got a rich father.”

Alright, and secret #4 in this longevity protocol?

He started giving all his money away.

Medicine, science, education…so much of the progress we enjoy today can be traced back to Rockefeller’s generosity.

The result?

From one foot in the grave at 53, he lived to be 98.

That’s 45 years on borrowed time.

Not too shabby, wouldn’t you say?

Here’s what I’d like you take away from this.

(1) #’s 1-3 is pretty damn good advice.  If more doctors doled that out these days instead of anti-depressants, we’d be a much healthier society.

AND

(2) GIVE.  John D. Rockefeller spent the first half of his life trying to get, but wasn’t truly happy until he dedicated himself to giving.

This has everything to do with your fitness program, btw.

And anything else you want out of life.

Tony Robbins famously said, “the reason you’re suffering is you’re focused on yourself.”

Giving shifts your focus away from YOU.

It allows you to be immersed in what you’re doing, in contribution, without the fears, doubts and anxieties that can tend to inject themselves when you’re overly SELF-conscious.

And most people are so busy trying to GET the result they want, they never fully GIVE themselves to the process involved.

Ask not what your fitness program can do for you, ask what you can do for your fitness program.

Damn.

A lot of value right there.

Hope you caught it.

I just told you WHAT to do.

For more on HOW to do it, go here:

http://www.conorkellypersonaltrainer.com

Live Long and Prosper,

Conor Kelly

A little known Harvey Specter success secret

conorkelLeave a comment

I’ve recently taken to watching old episodes of Suits.

Why?

Two words: Harvey Specter.

If you haven’t seen the show, it’s set in the high stakes world of corporate law with its big dollar deals, cut-throat maneuvers, and boardroom-sized egos.

Harvey Specter is the hot-shot “closer” with a reputation for winning.

He may be fictional, but a fine study of success traits doth Mr. Specter make.

Unapologetic in his ambition, Harvey is an incurable action-taker.  He expects to win, but doesn’t get wound up when things (temporarily) don’t go his way.  He’s got a rock solid belief in his own abilities, and regularly bets LARGE on himself.

In one episode, he makes senior partner in the firm.

There’s a board meeting to announce his promotion.

In front of the board, Jessica, the firm’s boss, pranks Harvey by making him think the equity buy-in for senior partners (a cool half a mil) is payable right away.

Harvey goes white and says: “I have to pay the whole amount now??”

Turns out he’s just playing along.

Always the smooth operator, he later hands Jessica a cheque.

She goes: “You’ve had the money since you knew about the promotion?”

“I’ve had it since I first set my eye on becoming partner,” he replies with a smirk.

You go, Harv.

That’s called being all in, my friend.

As soon as you know you want something, act NOW as though it will happen and plan accordingly.

When’s the last time you bet on yourself like that?

The fitness equivalent might be committing to four to six months of a personal training program by paying in full on the first day.

Many clients have justified their investment to me in these terms.  Most find it hard to back out once all their chips are the table.

Now here’s the not-so-dirty little secret…

You don’t need Harvey’s confidence in order to do this.

In fact, I guarantee if you’ll ignore your doubts, and simply let yourself be willing to make that bet, your confidence will climb about ten notches, right then and there.

Author Jerry Sternin once said: “it’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than it is to think your way into a new way of acting.”

(That’s worth re-reading.)

So borrow a page from the great Harvey Specter’s script.

Take massive action.

Bet on yourself.

Keep moving forward.

Just don’t be surprised when this works.

If you liked this, you’re gonna love my 30 Day Transformation email series.

It’s one tip a day (featuring some of my most popular emails from the last six years) to help you be the best possible version of yourself.  It also includes a rare digital copy of my book chapter on The #1 Key To Transformation.

And it’s yours with my compliments.

You can subscribe here:

http://www.conorkellypersonaltrainer.com

I’m excited.

It’s gym time, then taking Olivia to the hairdresser.

Happy Betting,

Conor Kelly

 

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Give me your very best

conorkelLeave a comment

First things first, one of my fave motivational vids…

Take a minute and watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKoKQlEC4

Now, consider this…

It’s what you DO that your mind registers.

That’s what determines how you feel about that wonderful, mysterious and powerful thing called YOU.

Your self-image is the #1 thing that impacts how successful you are in any goal.

And your self-image mirrors your ACTIONS.

When you first wake up in the morning, how do you move?  Do you take small steps with your head down?  What does the expression on your face say?

Pay attention to this, then do me a solid and try this little exercise:

1.  Make your first strides out of bed long and purposeful.  Throw your shoulders back and lift your head.  Relax your face (there’s a lot of brain tissue dedicated to sensing the face, so any scrunching or tightening contributes greatly to your overall felt sense of tension).  Try to embody this dominant, relaxed posture as you go about your morning routine.

2.  When you walk out the door, strut like you mean it.  Imagine the Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive is your soundtrack.  Hell, you think Barry Gibb is singing about you.

“You can tell by the way I use my walk…”

Damn right you can.

This is what being a badass looks like.

3.  The first time you cross a busy intersection, say to yourself as you cross, “God I’m spectacular.”  This’ll probably make you laugh, and that’s good.  You’ll look and feel like you don’t have a care in the world.

Do these three steps with total commitment, and I defy you to not have good things happen to you today.

Remember, no one else in the world is like you.

That makes you special.

You’re here for a reason.

One out of 100 million sperm.

Own it.

Later, hot stuff….

Conor Kelly

 

 

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The tiny gluten-free hinge that swings open BIG health doors

conorkelLeave a comment

Just a thought, but this might be the most valuable note I post all year.

(I like to peak early – then coast.)

What if you could make a single commitment that would instantly remove MOST obstacles to weight loss?

If you did, that would be to embrace gluten-free living.

Gluten is a protein found in many grains.

It’s also used as a consolidating agent.  It fluffs up our burger buns, danishes, and pizza crusts, and helps them hold together.  It’s everywhere.  Even in ketchup.  We’re so heavily glutenized that more people are developing a condition known as Celiac’s Disease, an outright allergy to gluten.  Sufferers can’t tolerate even a bite of the stuff.  But among those of us who don’t have Celiac’s, at least 40% are intolerant to some degree.

Gluten is also the common denominator in many autoimmune disorders.

(If you have anything autoimmune going on you should immediately pull gluten out of your diet to see if it helps.)

Even if you’re not doubled over in pain at the first bite of a croissant…AND you don’t have any direct intolerance to it, regular consumption of gluten-y grains leads to a condition known as leaky gut, in which the junctions of your intestinal walls loosen and let microscopic food particles escape.

Your immune system reacts to these tiny rovers as foreign intruders and revs up the machinery of inflammation.

When inflammation is persistent, insulin resistance and cortisol resistance are likely.  This at best makes it nearly impossible for you to burn fat, and at worst, can render you foggy-headed, depressed, and unable to sleep.

But we do love our grains, don’t we?

You can love ‘em, but you don’t have to love what they do to you.

Like any other abusive relationship, there comes a time to strap on your walking boots.

And here’s the magic…

ONE decision, i.e. to nix gluten, eliminates so many fat loss hazards.  Pizza, baked goods, pasta, breads…adios, muchachos!  An adjustment to be sure, but all that’s left is to organize yourself around a single unifying principle.  No complicated learning curve.  No time-wasting.  Go for the jugular.

Rip out fat’s beating heart.

You’ll be tempted to think, “sounds good in theory, but hard in practice”.  Don’t.  If anything, it’s easier.  The beauty of doing things this way is it wipes out 80% of the thinking you’d need to do otherwise.  That creates a giant surplus of willpower reserves.

If you don’t believe me, try it.

Take 30 days.

Plan ahead, do whatever you have to, but for 30 days, not an ounce of gluten.  See how you feel.  Then decide if I’m right.

(By the way, that’s not carte blanche to load up on sugary gluten-free treats.  All the other rules of good eating still apply here.)

One choice – so many problems solved.

No need to thank me…

It’s all in a day’s work.

Happy Single-Choice-Making,

Conor Kelly
conorkelly.com

P.S. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.  My latest oratory masterpiece is about a famous TV show’s trademark success secret:

==>Click here to watch The Biggest Loser Rule.

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