We’ve all been told the virtues of having hope all our lives. God! We’ve bombarded with it this campaign season in the US. But hope is a scam. And it’s one you better understand if you’re going to succeed… in business and in life. Strap yourself in cause we’re going way beyond marketing today.

You’ve probably heard it said that hope is the only thing you can have when facing a crisis. I say BS! Yeah, yeah… blasphemy. I know, I know. Send your letters and emails to….

But follow me here for a minute. It WILL change your business…and your life!

What I just said flies in the face of all you hold as “true.” But where did that belief come from. You or someone else?

For example, over the last 6-months we’ve been bombarded through the media by a “message of hope” from one presidential candidate. The campaign has been a textbook application of Tribal Seduction principles magnified by mainstream media. Now many people think “hope” is the answer. And that is dangerous.

Dangerous! Hope!? Why?

Well, what is hope? Has it ever done one bit of good?

No! Hope is a “wish” for something. A wish that something will happen the way you want. But it could just as easily not. So hope is grounded in uncertainty, doubt, and fear.

Doubt me? Then “hope” the sun will come up tomorrow. “Hope” you’ll have enough money to pay your bills this month. “Hope” you’ll have good health tomorrow. “Hope” you don’t get hit by a car as you cross a street today.

How do you feel now? Like crap right?

Well, snap out of it…

Drop the hope and make it faith

Faith is grounded in absolute certainty. Faith is “knowing” that something is going to happen. You know it in your heart.

Look, as I sat here this morning watching the sun rise over the Pacific, I thought “what a difference from yesterday.” Yesterday started as a crappy day. As I started the day I was pounded by one problem after another. I was frustrated that we’re so close on a project, but yet there were seemingly insurmountable roadblocks in the way.

My focus was there, on my problems and frustration. All I could do is hope. And hope didn’t help me at all. Then Deb and I talked. As usual, spewing the crap that’s in my head out onto the floor acted like a mental diuretic. Only then was I able to drop the hope and muster up faith. And faith is what allowed me to take action.

It’s been said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. No prophet, no Scripture, and certainly God never said that about hope.

If I stayed in the land of hope, I’d still be the same today. Sitting in the same state waiting for something magical to happen. Waiting for God, government or someone else to come and make something happen for me.

If you’re sitting there “hoping” for more business or a better life — it aint gonna happen.

No, the answer is faith in yourself. Faith in your family. Faith in your fellow citizens. Faith in God. These are the things that will give you the courage to act. And ACTION is the only thing that will change your life.

What will you choose?

I know the sun will come up tomorrow. I have faith in it. I know there will be enough money to pay the bills at the end of the month, because I have faith in my ability to give value and thereby generate cash. I have faith in it and can take it to the bank.

But I also have faith that most people are smart enough to make the shift from hope to faith, get the certainty they need, and take action to change their lives. Are you one of those people?

The very simple CHARM Formula of Tribal Seduction is a 165-degree twist on “old school” sales formulas. You know, things like “always be closing,” or AIDA et al. This video shows the CHARM Formula in real-life action. Watch and see if you agree that business people who adhere to the “old school” formulas come off as nothing but Marketplace Molesters.

This is one of the most viewed videos in the world today. And when you watch it, you’ll see why. On the surface it’s one man giving away hugs. But what the video really reveals is even more powerful for entrepreneurs, business owners, and even affiliate marketers.

It’s a perfect example of Tribal Seduction in real-world action.

As you watch the video observe how:

• “free” to the general public is a tough sell
• social proof of the first hug recipients spreads like wildfire
• meeting the un-spoken needs, wants, and dreams of your Tribe is the key to success
• the Tribe rallies to defend the leader when people try to stop him
• and, the ultimate — - how AUTHENTIC emotional bonding is what creates power, profit, and raving fans

If you take the time to define who your Loyals really are. If you learn what their REAL wants, needs, and dreams are. And if you honestly take the time to develop a strategy for emotionally bonding with your Tribe while providing value — then you’ll see the CHARM Formula bring you success.

Something has been bothering me for quite a while now. I’ve quietly watched entrepreneurs fall prey to the BS advice from off-line marketing “pros” and Internet Marketing “gurus.” But now, the same type of garbage is being pushed by New Media proselytizers too. I may not have all the answers. But I know that here and now, you and I can put a stop to it all.

Look, let’s face it. If you’re looking to use New Media to market it can feel like you’re Dorothy sucked up in a twister and dropped in Oz. And once you land in this majestic world of New Media Oz, how do you make heads or tails out of this fantasy land of reported fame and fortune? And what’s your yellow brick road?

Witches, flying monkeys, a yellow brick road… we’ve got it all

On the outskirts of Oz, the self-appointed elite of the mainstream media and Madison Avenue thumb their noses at New Media. Tucked away in their cold castles of incestuous iniquity they gaze into their crystal balls of packaged propaganda and pronounce New Media a fantasy land populated by “horny teenagers and political pundits.”

We know the New Media marketplace is much more than that. But it does have its share of pitfalls and traps.

For instance, when we were completing research for our book ‘Secrets of Online Persuasion’ we found many well-meaning fans of New Media misleading entrepreneurs who wanted to market with New Media.

Much of that misinformation comes from two camps within New Media itself. I like to think of them as the Wicked Witches of the East and West.

The Wicked Witches of the East

The Wicked Witches from the East should be easy for you to crush as an entrepreneur. These are the people who think “fame” equals profit. And just like in the movie Wizard of Oz Dorothy’s house crushes the Wicked Witch of the East; your house should crush these witches as you land in New Media Oz.

As a matter of fact, this group is so laughable that South Park did a full episode poking fun at the new breed of “Internet Stars” who think by getting hundreds of thousands of views they’ll get rich. Sadly this is a rabbit trail that many entrepreneurs get lured down.

This quick 3-minute mashup shows their skit that’s spot-on with the dollar value of what many people consider “New Media stars.” They spoof on many of the “stars” that have gone viral or gotten media accolades. (Warning: as usual for South Park, this is NOT kid friendly.)

Fact #1: fame does NOT equal profit (especially when marketing with New Media.

OK… we all know the movie storyline. “Ding dong, the witch is dead.” But just when you think things are fine, along comes another witch. And we’ve got the same thing here in New Media Oz.

Enter - the Wicked Witches of the West

This group is much more dangerous for business owners, especially start-ups. This group of witches is made up of Social Media evangelists who think they run a business just because they use a communication channel.

Like the winged monkeys from the Land of Oz these

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The 90-second video intro:

Earth Hour. A 60-minute event that moves from time zone to time zone with people all around the world “volunteering” to participate and “make a difference” by powering down.

But is this event really what it appears to be on the surface?

Is it an innocent “celebration”… or a seductive ritual?

The first time I heard about the Earth Hour initiative I thought to myself; what’s the point? What’s the tangible and lasting benefit to mankind? There’s got to be a goal here. Besides, the name kinda sounds like the Darma initiative from the TV show Lost. And anyone who watches that show knows, they had a goal.

So I did some research. And you know what I found? Well, the Earth Hour organizers themselves have admitted that the event “would have little impact on carbon emissions.”

OK, so no tangible benefit. Onward we go.

There must be a hidden agenda or goal then. You an I are smart enough to know that an event of this scale comes about without some type of end result in mind. So I dug deeper.

At first I thought it was just basic indoctrination through a Tribal ritual to strengthen the faith of the followers. But then i saw the quote from James Leape of WWF International where he said, “We need to harness some of the cooperative spirit we’ve seen with Earth Hour to find a global solution.”

Ahhhh…. OK, the lights turned on for me. It was then I was able to see clearly that it’s an execution of a basic Tribal Seduction strategy. Stir up emotions, link them to an issue, event or person (in this case a natural phenomena positioned as a problem,) then capitalize on that emotional connection.

And this might just be one of the greatest feats of Tribal Seduction ever executed. Mass participation in a global event that has no outcome other than for people feel good about themselves. But that’s up to you to decide.

Remember — Tribal Seduction, like persuasion, the military or any other power, is morally neutral. It can be used to advance any agenda.

If you’re a business person who’s been exposed to the Tribal Seduction doctrine, you know we focus on harnessing the power of Tribal Seduction for good. To fight Marketplace Molesters. To remove barriers to action for your Tribe. And to help them improve their lives with the goods and services that you offer.

But Tribal Seduction can be used for evil too. Hitler and Jim Jones were masters at Tribal Seduction as well.

And it’s up to you to guard your mind. You need to be just as diligent in protecting yourself against Tribal Seduction, as you are dedicated to ethically using it as a marketing formula. And the way to guard your mind is to control your focus.

That begs the question…

Who’s controlling your focus?

Look, one of the guidelines for ethical behavior from the Society of Professional Journalists states that

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“Don’t go into blogging to make a living,” says HDNet chairman Mark Cuban. Philip Kaplan from the online advertising firm AdBrite cautions that “only 3 percent of active sites make more than $1,000 a month from advertising.”

These are two quotes from the NY Times article “So You Want to Be Blogging Star” by Paul Boutin. Quotes obviously meant to entice bloggers into sharing some buzz love. (No love for the NY Times here. Just buzzing for your benefit. )

Don’t expect to get rich blogging

That’s the message right up front in the article.

I say; “No Duh” to that.

If you’re counting on getting rich from ads on your blog, you’ve got an uphill battle on icy ground. AlGore’s got a better chance of getting hit by a rogue iceberg than a blogger making six-figures from ads.

The real profit pulling power of blogging is stardom

Boutin does get it partially right when he says “…amassing a large audience is the goal.” (Though I think that was part of a statement meant more as a backhanded critique than a word of advice.)

“Large” is not necessary to create a nice cash flow. But becoming a star in your niche to attract and gather a tribe of raving fans is a requirement.

A strong personal brand and passion for your niche teamed is what makes a blog a powerful New Media marketing tool. That’s what will build trust, rapport, and reputation equity. Once you have those things, it’s a relatively straight forward process to turn those assets into profit.

Some good points

The article does share some good points, especially for New Media marketers just starting out with a blog.

Some of the better points are:

• Write about what you want to write about, in your own voice
• Fit blogging into the holes in your schedule
• Just post it already!
• Keep a regular rhythm
• Give credit where credit is due
• Place, plug and promote yourself

Book-ended by back stabbing

Ahh… but alas, Boutin bookends the good with a snide implication that blogging is am “unhealthy obsession.”

Maybe for those without a plan that’s true. But if your goal is stardom in your niche — obsession is not only healthy, it’s profitable too.

A new application on Facebook, called Market Lodge will pay users a 10% commission on sales made on their recommendations. And vendors can submit products for approval, so long as they’re willing to cough up a 35% commission on each product sale.

Market Lodge is the brainchild of a startup called bSocial Networks. They’re betting that Facebook users will like the idea of helping merchants sell to their friends. I’m betting it’ll open the doors to a flood of fledgling Marketplace Molesters.

Here’s how you can make sure you don’t become one of them.

If you’re going to test Market Lodge, keep two things in mind

Facebook hasn’t been a friendly place for profit since opening it’s door to developers. I’ve never seen more useless widgets for fun and games in one place than what you’ll find after 12-months of “open door development” on Facebook.

And while Market Lodge is a step in the right direction, the way I see it, it’s got two challenges:

1. Facebook tried to capitalize on membership connections last year by introducing a marketing system that allowed friends to broadcast product endorsements to each other.

That’s been a dud. Mostly because Facebook’s users revolted when they realized there was a feature called “Beacon.” That little devil tracked and shared information about their purchases and other actions made on other Web sites. Users’ are now allowed to turn off Beacon, but it’s still a dud.

2. Online social networks as a whole have had trouble generating big profits from advertising. Even powerhouse Google Inc. has admitted that they haven’t found the right marketing mix partnering with News Corp.’s MySpace.com.

In both cases the problem is rooted in an old-school marketing mindset and interruption-style of communication. Understand this, apply the C.H.A.R.M. Formula of Tribal Seduction, and you’ll be ahead of the pack out of the gate.

Market Lodge is a good idea, but…

It actually makes it easier for regular Joe’s and Jane’s to make money making recommendations. But that’s where the danger lies.

“Average” people don’t know how to market or sell without Molesting friends and family. (Doubt me? Just think of a friend who’s all fired up about the new MLM they joined.)

Hell, most people who call themselves marketers or sales professionals don’t know how to do that. Even fewer know how to seduce.

Affiliates — keep it low key

So if you plan on becoming an affiliate with Market Lodge, keep it low key. Treat your recommendations relevant to topical conversations you engage in.

Unless you have a really strong personal brand that attracts a “clean” list of friends — stay away from network-wide promotional messages. And even if you’ve got that highly focused network of friends, take the time to create some good (connection-based) content as a mass message, and strategically inject a relevant recommendation.

Vendors — give it a shot

If you’re a vendor, you can request that bSocial add your product to their line up. The vendor registration process is ridiculously simple (which to me implies that you may not hear back from them if they don’t like your product.) You can learn more about becoming a Market Lodge vendor here.

If you’ve used Market Lodge, share what your experiences have been. And if you give it a try (either as an affiliate or vendor) come back and share your experience.

Seduction… It’s a word that is exciting for some. Perceived as uncontrollable or unattainable to others. And still, to other people — frightening. Yet, regardless of your current idea of seduction, you’re intelligent enough to recognize that when executed properly, it holds a magnetic power over nearly every person on earth.

Today we are saturated in the seductive. Just think about it. From film to politics, marketing to media. Seduction is always there at the root. It captures attention, it woos, and it’s enjoyable. Let’s face it; seducers wield incredible power.

Tribal Seduction™ is not about sex

Yet when it comes to the Tribes in the marketplace, it’s important to recognize that Tribal Seduction™ is NOT all about sex.

This is one of the big mistakes marketers and business people make, IF they even think of employing Seduction.

We’ll expose this fatal error in the early chapters of the book. But for now, just know that sex is way to obvious to work with the Tribes that exist in today’s New Media Marketplace.

And yes, you did hear that correctly. Some of what will be shared here each week will be incorporated into our next book. And you are invited to be part of that book!

A book that will answer:

• What is the Tribal Economy?
• How do you ID and track Tribes?
• How do you become a courtier who gathers and seduces your own tribe of raving fans with ease?
• … and many more questions that will be reserved only for members of the Court of Tribal Seduction™.

Marketing in this new Tribal Economy can be fun and profitable… because seduction always is!

As you read, listen to, and watch every installment of Tribal Seduction™, you will become stunned at how easy it is to ethically employ Tribal Seduction to grow your business and build your brand.

With each new article, podcast, and video you’ll agree that this Web site is one of the most innovative and ground breaking expositions of influence, persuasion, and seduction of the masses you will ever see.

• It’s about how people act
• How they make decisions
• And how they buy

…Offline and online… and particularly in the New Media Marketplace.

What would your business be like if…

Can you imagine what you would learn about Online Persuasion and New Media Marketing working with thousands of business people from around the world?

Do you think your knowledge, strategies, and skills would be finely-honed if you spoke in front of audiences everywhere from Singapore to New York, Sydney to Los Angeles, and any place in between?

What if you could be personally mentored by some of the world’s leading authorities on persuasion and accomplished market movers?

It’s something we’ve done. And here we’ll pass on to you what works and what doesn’t, along with some strategies that be sure to push the envelope.

From start up entrepreneurs to Fortune-100 companies and politicians, we’ve worked with all types of people seeking to persuade others. And we’ve covered every aspect of Online Persuasion. We even wrote the book that became an underground hit, Secrets of Online Persuasion.

That book was just the beginning. It lays the groundwork for what will be revealed here, particularly about New Media Marketing. Those who have that foundation will have the mindset to immediately apply and profit from what is shared here at Tribal Seduction™. Others may need time to recover from the shocking reversal of traditional marketing practices.

Tribal Seduction™ takes the New Media exploration begun at AdvancedBusinessBlogging.com and steps it up to a whole new level. There, over the course of 3-years, we covered many aspects of New Media Marketing. But now we are going deeper.

Never unethical… but definitely more covert.

Now, here at Tribal Seduction, we’ve assembled a team who will pull back the curtain and reveal to you the secrets of influencing, persuading, and yes… ultimately — seducing entire Tribes of raving fans for your business.

It is NOT for the faint of heart, or the weak of will. But for those brave souls wanting to step above the masses of commoners who think and act like a school of lemmings, untold rewards and riches await.

Schoolyard beatings, mob bosses, and money for nothing

I know a little about influence myself. I was raised on the streets of West New York where the ability to influence kept you from getting the crap beat out of you. Thrust into a management position in Northern New Jersey at the age of 15, I had to quickly learn how to position and persuade customers who were world-renowned doctors, business owners, and even mob bosses.

After dropping out of college to start my second business — with no tangible track record, no business plan and no degree — I had nothing but persuasion to rely on to get the $100,000 loan I needed for expansion.

Now, I’m proud to say that I’ve gone from landscaping the homes of multi-millionaires, to living the millionaire lifestyle on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii.

All thanks to simple influence and persuasion strategies. Strategies that as a courtier in the court of Tribal Seduction you are going to learn…

Now it’s your turn!

Join the Tribe here at Tribal Seduction™. Here we’ll hold court with exclusive access where you’ll learn persuasion and mass seduction secrets that many of the largest advertising houses, most successful PR firms, and the biggest online marketers are missing.

The Tribal Economy is expanding at an unprecedented rate. You can almost watch it grow, like an ice crystal on a window on a cold Winter’s day.

That growth is thanks to New Media channels like:

• blogs
• podcasts
• social networks
• and online video

But contrary to what most New Media evangelists are proselytizing, you’re going to learn how, even in this seemingly “consumer-driven” social media marketplace — you are manipulated, pre-framed, and positioned to take a narrow range of actions.

Not by the normal mass persuasion masters (yet), but by group think.

Here at Tribal Seduction™ you’ll learn how you, (as well as your customers, prospects, and ideal audience), are making decisions that are untraceable by traditional forms of marketing research. Why marketing concepts such as consumer segments, market niches, and lifestyles have become unreliable. And how you can influence the actions people take when “the consumer is in control.”

And as you’re thinking about the solution to these challenges, we’re with you!

You’re also going to learn the new invisible methods that work for winning friends and influencing the masses.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could guard yourself against unconscious group think?

And how much better would your business be doing if you could harness that very same power, and ethically use it for your benefit?

What you’ll find even more amazing is that, even now as millions of people feel like they have total control and power — they are just as out of control and just as eager to be led as any other time in history.

“Consumer control” is just an illusion. The reality is surprising. And it’s much simpler to identify, dissect, and apply than you might think.

From simple, practical, hands-on coaching; to strategic analysis and guidance — you will find it here

Tribal Seduction™ is not just about you learning to market with New Media. It’s about:

• Seducing Tribes
• Winning their loyalty
• And creating crowds of raving fans

Deborah, myself, and the other knights of the Tribal Seduction court invite you to join the Tribe, be part of the book, and to master the New Media Marketplace.

Register for your free subscription to the Tribal Seduction™ Journal (in the left hand corner right under the header) and you will be welcomed in as a courtier in the TS Tribe! A Tribe of business people who are “in the know.”

But be forewarned. Once you start applying what you learn, commoners outside the Tribe will try accusing you of having an “unfair advantage.” (You can just chalk that up to jealousy.)

With your free subscription, in addition to your Tribal Seduction™ Journal you’ll get:

• Private Tribal invites to free teleseminars
• Exclusive access to covert intelligence reports
• Possible inclusion in our next book
• And more!

You have nothing to lose, and your own Tribe to gain!

Scroll up to the top of the page and register now for your free subscription
to the Tribal Seduction™ Journal in the left hand corner right under the header.

John Paul Micek is a co-founder of the international business coaching company RPM Success Group ® Inc. He and his partner Deborah are authors of the hit book Secrets Of Online Persuasion. They are creators of the ONLY Web site system to put New Media to work marketing FOR you — BLOG i360™. For media contacts or speaking requests & partnering inquires, contact J.P. at [krazycapitalist@gmail.com]. Or, share your thoughts & comments below.