I've been having an interesting exchange with Steve in California over the past several days. Steve has allowed me to condense the gist of an idea he presented to me over the course of that e-mail exchange. Here it is:
Your Mastermind Source project landed in my inbox with perfect timing: the very day I was given a pink slip at my company. I had two hours to pack up my personal belongings and was walked to the door by security (which is standard in my industry). I had been considering going into business on my own anyway, but hadn't taken the leap of faith yet -- I just have too many questions on HOW before I'm comfortable doing it. It's obvious to me that your Mastermind concept is exactly what I need, and what I've read from your articles so far has me more excited with each one. It's simply brilliant. With my severance package and savings, I've got enough to live on for over a year, but I really want to get started on replacing my income so I never use that cushion up.
There are three others from my division at work that would be obvious candidates for my group, plus maybe 10 more that I know in my niche. I'm sure each of them knows at least one or two others that might be interested in joining, so I think I have a great group ready to go. I just need to know how to do it!
I totally agree that you are smart to dole out the articles over time, by e-mail, since there's a lot to absorb, and people are busy and might forget to come back to the site. But here's my problem: I "need" to go faster! I don't want to wait for the articles to come out. Surely there are others like me who have the time to move faster too. I'm wondering if there's any way you would sell me a file of all of the articles NOW, rather than make me wait? From the quality I've seen so far, I'm happy to pay $250 for it. Seriously: tell me where to buy it and I'd be happy to pay, even though I'd eventually get them all for free! Please let me know, and thank you!
I told Steve I'd take care of him, but I'd need a couple of days to convert all the articles I have so far from the e-mails into a good-looking, well-indexed, PDF file for him. I finished that last night, and sent it to him.
But I didn't want to charge him $250.
When I sent it to him I said I'd also make it available to others -- that making such a file was a good idea. I said he should read it first, and then decide whether it was truly worth something to him, and if so he could pay whatever price he wanted.
This afternoon I got a note from him:
It's everything I had hoped for, and more. I know I'll have more questions once I digest this a bit; I read it kind of fast, and will read it at least once more over the next couple of days. I'm really looking forward to your report on how to charge dues, too. And if you ever do this course as an in-depth seminar, count me in whether it's by video or I have to fly to Colorado!
And he sent me $500 by Paypal. I was speechless. I considered refunding part of that, but I had told him to set whatever price he wanted, and I meant it -- if I refunded part, it would be back to me setting the price. He was happy with the value, so I just sent him my thanks.
I know beyond any doubt that the way I've figured out the Mastermind concept is extremely valuable, but I wasn't sure others would understand that value. Steve does, and I wish him the best of luck with his new group.
As I promised Steve, I'm making the "core articles" available to you, too. As an experiment, I let you also put a value on it. Prices paid ranged up to $50. That pricing feedback helped: I'm now setting it at just $25 -- 1/10 of what Steve originally thought it would be worth to him to speed up by a few weeks.
You can get it here: Mastermind Source Core Articles
As far as a seminar, I'm thinking about it. If you're interested in something like that, let me know, either by e-mail or in the comments below. I don't think I'd be able to do it for some months, perhaps next year, since I'd have a lot of material to write for it. The more of you who say you want it, the more likely it is I'll do it.
I do see that these are copyrighted and will not duplicate and share. Just share via a group once I get going.
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Sharing "with a group" is sharing that is contrary to the copyright. If you think others need to see the articles, they need to sign up for them. -rc
I probably didn't make my opinion clear yesterday (here). I was commenting on my interpretation of things you have wrote that implied to me that as we get farther into this, you would start charging for the course. You are absolutely permitted to charge at any time for anything you choose. It was not my intent to criticize charging, only to suggest you should be up front about charging and not continually using the word, "FREE." Then down the road, saying oh the regular report is free, but the complete report is $9999.99 or whatever the amount. Just tell us that down the line, there will be a free report and a much better report that will not be free.
Maybe I can explain it better this way. I'm sure you have seen many ads offering you some software and it is a "FREE" download. You download it, run it and then find out that the download was free, but to use it you must pay for it. And this after downloading, installing, setting up and running it. Now you have to remove it and all told you have wasted a lot of time and are very unhappy with the "FREE" download.
Hope that explains it so it makes sense.
Thank you, keep up the good work.
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I appreciate the clarification that you're not criticizing. I'm nowhere near done with the "dues" report, but I'm not holding anything back from it, even though it's going to be free. I spent most of today on it, and it's already 7 pages. I expect it to be at least 10 pages by the time I'm through. It's still going to be free, even though it's more detailed than I envisioned -- I see no point in "holding back" on the "good stuff" just so I can do a paid version of it later. That would indeed be "wrong".
Dues are only one aspect of the nitty-gritty details of a group, and not (by far) the most important aspect of making a group run well. It's simply the biggest question people had that's not already covered in the article series. I won't be surprised if there will be other questions later that will be worthy of reports or other tutorials.
And as I said, if people want more than the huge amount of info I'm offering for free, I certainly reserve the right to charge for it. Why don't I set a price now and say what that will cover? Because I have no idea whatever if there will be demand for more, I don't have any clue what people will want to know about, etc. And the site's members that are working through the material have to get through all the free stuff before they know, too! Steve suggested a seminar, which I'm considering pending more demand, but I have no idea what that would cost at this point; no doubt it will involve a hotel conference room, food, and other logistics. As people go through the stuff, I'm counting on them telling me what they need, if anything, to make successful groups a reality. -rc
First, Wayne- As another with many years on the internet (since well before WIN95), I can understand a certain level of cynicism. I'm sure, though, that you'll look back later, and laugh at your thoughts of "extra" charges for the "complete" report. I've known Randy, on-line, for nearly as long as he's been publishing, and I can assure you, you'll be pleasantly disappointed, if you expect that sort of treatment from him.
Randy - I only paused here to make a comment, after which I shall make a bee-line for the "express" package myself! I have been wishing you'd send two or three per day, rather than one every other day, myself, but I figured I knew you better than to crowd you. So I'm glad Steve did it! As for the seminar, ABSOLUTELY! Besides the fact that I'd jump at the opportunity to finally shake your hand, I'd count myself very fortunate to attend one of your seminars, particularly on this topic!
I'm every bit as excited about this group concept as Steve, and I have as much time as he does, since I'm retired (or unemployed at retirement age... it depends upon who I'm talking to). Time to get this show on the road!
Today, after a brief discussion of my wife's purple hair, one stranger said, "You go, girl."
In that spirit and because this is the most personally helpful thing you've yet presented to me, I have to say, "You go, guy." I've enjoyed the laughs and GOOHF and many other extras you have provided to me and to everyone for free. Thanks for being so friendly, so astute, so helpful, and even so successful. And thanks for sharing so much, and even then with extreme flexibility. You go, guy.
My pre-chosen mission now is to cure cancer. I'm recruiting folks virtually every day to help me with this mission. I'm sure it can be accomplished amazingly quickly, if we can think sufficiently far out of the box. This Mastermind approach seems broad enough to really raise my odds of success.
I'm planning to make occasional reports on my web site of my progress with this course and with my own mission. As a child I chose to aspire to become the first man on the moon, and everybody laughed since the idea was unthinkable. Almost literally unthinkable. Yet I was prevented from that success because it happened before I was old enough to participate. My goal was too conservative. I'm sure that without further explanation, everyone will laugh in the same way about my current goal. You just wait and watch.
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For those who aren't already aware, "GOOHF" is pronounced "goof", and refers to my Get Out of Hell Free cards. Richard, if my Mastermind concept helps cure cancer, my life will be complete! You go, guy! -rc
To Wayne, and others who share the concern that "FREE" might just be a hook to pull us in and then make us pay to get to the "good stuff":
Picture this...
It is October 1994. Non-computer users are starting to hear the word "email", and wondering if it is worth looking into. The web is barely a year old, and still driven largely by porn. ISPs are advertising "the net" rather than their own services. Netscape is just out of the blocks, the IRA have laid down their weapons and Nelson Mandela has just become president of South Africa.
Have I set the scene?
This is when I first discovered "This Is True", Randy's email-based online publication. I've read it ever since then. I can't remember exactly when it split to a free version and paid version, but I do remember thinking exactly the same thoughts, almost word-for-word: "Does this mean that the free version is just there as a hook, to pull me in, and force me to get the paid version?"
I remember waiting for the free version to start losing content... it never did, I'm still waiting. I've followed Randy through several other sites and ventures. I've always got great value and not once have I felt in any way limited by not paying. In today's commercial world, usually "free" = "crippled functionality" and "paid" = "fully featured". But in all my dealings with Randy's work, it is more like "free" = "fully featured" and "paid" = "extra features".
It's an important distinction. I believe in the right to profit from work done, and I don't begrudge the fact that Randy has a paid version, nor his use of the opportunity to encourage his free subscribers to become paid subscribers.
But as long as Mastermind Source comes from Randy Cassingham, and follows his trend so far, you can be sure that you won't lose out by not buying anything. You can stick to his free publications and still get plenty of value, and even, like me, have your life enriched by them.
To summarise, you get the "good stuff" for free, and then if you CHOOSE to, you get "more stuff" by paying. This is a great model, because it is truly win-win for everyone involved.
Thank you for posting the "accelerated" course!
Thanks to Steve for prompting Randy to provide an accelerated course!
Thanks to Geoff for his concise and spot-on review of Randy's work and the manner in which he values his subscribers, paying or otherwise.
And thanks to Randy, for providing yet another product of superior value! I will be downloading the accelerated version also. As for a seminar, I would love to attend one, but being a working stiff, all would depend on timing, and of course, cost.
I think the seminar idea is a good one. I'd love to attend it with a group of people that I have as a Mastermind group. Thanks for everything!
I think it's great that the full version is available; but I don't think I'm in so much "need" for this right now; I'm following the Source primarily in order to learn *about*, not *how*.
And for me, that means drip-feeding one section at a time gives it a greater chance of sticking in my mind.
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And no problem! I think the e-mail "drip" is most appropriate for most, which is why I set it up that way in the first place. -rc
I can see Steve's point of view about going faster, and yet I much prefer Randy's approach.
I think it's usually necessary to learn things and let them sink in before moving on. Below is the first part of a small Zen story that illustrates this point.
Matajuro Yagyu was the son of a famous swordsman. His father, believing that his son's work was too mediocre to anticipate mastership, disowned him.
So Matajuro went to Mount Futara and there found the famous swordsman Banzo. But Banzo confirmed the father's judgment. "You wish to learn swordsmanship under my guidance?" asked Banzo. "You cannot fulfill the requirements."
"But if I work hard, how many years will it take me to become a master?" persisted the youth.
"The rest of your life," replied Banzo.
"I cannot wait that long," explained Matajuro. "I am willing to pass through any hardship if only you will teach me. If I become your devoted servant, how long might it be?"
"Oh, maybe ten years," Banzo relented.
"My father is getting old, and soon I must take care of him," continued Matajuro. "If I work far more intensively, how long would it take me?"
"Oh, maybe thirty years," said Banzo.
"Why is that?" asked Matajuro. "First you say ten and now thirty years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest time!"
"Well," said Banzo, "in that case you will have to remain with me for seventy years. A man in such a hurry as you are to get results seldom learns quickly."
I would welcome an in-person, out-of-town seminar. There's a lot to be said for getting away from the temptations of doing something like that from home or the office.
Depending on the time of year and where, I would probably be able to attend a seminar on this subject.
I guess that means, I would like to attend.
Haven't received first segment yet, and if it is as good as I expect, and after finishing all segments, a seminar seems like a good idea, I would be interested in attending.
Alas, family issues over the last few weeks kept me from following up on your initial post about this Mastermind course in "This is True". As such, I'm a few weeks behind...my question is: is this the whole course you're planning on doing, or just what's been released thus far?
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By "this" I'm assuming you mean the PDF file of the whole course. That contains everything written to date. If I add more to the free autoresponder series in the future, I will send purchasers a revised PDF (which I've done once already for those who got it before I did some revisions). -rc
I'm looking forward to my first article. I have participated in Mastermind groups -- sporadically -- for over 15 years. Originally used the format provided by PSI seminars and they were beneficial-but-not shattering. I started one a short time ago and again, it's beneficial and hoping with your help to make it breakthrough.
Thanks for helping me aim higher.
mahalo,
I'm starving for the information in this course and would love it all in one bundle as quickly as possible but at this stage coming up with a spare $25, although the value of this is more than worth it, is impossible. I do like that you are offering it like this though.
I'm have recently started an international company on promotional campaigns and I know the mastermind groups will be a valuable asset to my clients, my team and myself. This is the knowledge I have been looking and waiting for and now the anticipation is driving me crazy! :)
Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge with us.
P.S. I would be interested in a telesummit or virtual conference (I live in Germany) on Masterminding down the road, once my financial stability is more stable. I'd also love to talk to you about a potential business partnership in a developing concept that is expected to take shape in February.
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You're most welcome, and check with me when you're ready to see what sort of time I have available. Best of luck with your new company! -rc