This has been a tough few days with the death of so many iconic media figures, and now the master salesman Billy Mays has also died at the age of 50. He started out as a salesman on the Atlantic City boardwalk in 1977, and marketed his style all the way up to millionaire status.

Mays is the CEO and founder of Mays Promotions, Inc., based at his home in Odessa, Florida. His services as a pitchman became highly sought-after, and he has appeared in commercials for many diverse “as seen on TV” products. Mays claims to be an avid user of the products he promotes.

In a sea of boring, transparent infomercial actors, Billy stood out as a true promoter and showman. My condolences to his family.

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This article was posted by my man Billy Johnson Jr who writes for Yahoo Music and is reposted with his permission. Hit him up on twitter and check out his yahoo music blog here

It still has not hit me. It feels so strange. Michael Jackson is dead. He was only 50 years old, a milestone age. He just celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time, and re-released it in February.

He was scheduled to start his show run in London in a few weeks. Maybe Michael’s career had reached its peak, but I was not convinced that he was done with music. When he turned 50 last August, I did a series of interviews with radio stations. All of the DJs asked me if I thought Michael Jackson could make a comeback. They wanted to know if he could get past the controversies that dominated his news coverage over the last 10-plus years. My answer was a matter-of-fact “yes.”

People often underestimate the power of music, and the effect that it has on us. We sometimes forget how a great song with a feel-good message lifts us up, and makes us smile and remember the place we had the most fun dancing to it and with whom.

Michael Jackson is one of the few artists in the history of the art form to be able to take one song, like “Billie Jean,” and reach people of all age groups, races, and nationalities.

Michael has done this time and time again for decades, as both a solo artist and member of The Jackson 5.

This type of legacy cannot be erased by even the most horrible of charges and allegations. His music and performances are historic and forever engrained in our hearts.

Rick Sanchez, a floor manager at the popular Amoeba Music in Hollywood, says that his staff was “equally shocked” when they heard the news of Jackson’s passing. “A lot of people are buying his music which usually happens in these situations,” Sanchez says, referring to the breaking news of a musician’s death. Sanchez adds that all of Jackson’s music always sells well at his location. Rosemary Jean-Louis, a Michael Jackson fan and blogger from Atlanta, is nervous, hoping the news reports that Jackson has died are not true. “I don’t want to believe it because it’s Michael Jackson,” Jean-Louis says. “He has been the guy considered invincible who always seems to come back. He is only 50. He was on the verge of such a big comeback with his concerts. No matter what he’s gone through or what the crazy circumstances and dark period of his life with that poor trial-that taken aside-he is one of the musical geniuses of our times, truly the King of Pop.”

I never learned to do his moonwalk dance move, but like everyone else, I was blown away when I saw him unveil it on Motown’s famous 25th anniversary TV special in 1984.

I was too shy of a kid to get one of the red-and-black stripped jackets like the one he wore in the “Thriller” video, but I thought it was cool.

I did, however, have an afro Jheri curl in 1979, when Jackson released his album “Off the Wall,” which included jams like “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” and “Workin’ Day and Night.” I was 10, and whenever the high school girls on my block told me that I was cute and looked like Michael Jackson, I blushed and took it as a huge compliment.

My 6 1/2-year-old twins know and love his music as do the rest of us. This will never change.

I know he had been dealing with a lot these last few years. I hope that at the time of his passing he was in a happy place. Reportedly, he had been rehearsing in Los Angeles for the last two months, preparing for his London dates. His 50-year-old life may have been short, but it was impactful. His accomplishments are tremendous.

I offer my sincere condolences to his children, parents, siblings, and other family members, and to his friends and fans.

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In my article, The 5 (and a half) Traits of a Hustler, I wrote that “A hustler must be able to sell; and not just items. A hustler must be able to sell herself, her ideas, and her business propositions”. I also promised to follow that up with a more detailed posting on how to sell yourself, so here it is. If you enjoy it, tweet it up, bookmark it, and hit me with a comment!

You are a brand, whether you like it or not. When people look at you they automatically and subconsciously “brand” you as being professional, hoochie, educated, ghetto, or any number of other things. Most people think they have no control over how people see them, or they say things like “I don’t care how people see me”.  But how people see you may be more important than you think…

People saw John McCain as a grumpy old man. People saw Barack Obama as a fresh and modern alternative. Barack Obama controlled his image in the media, John McCain didn’t. Guess who won?

People saw Donald Trump as one of the most successful businessmen on Earth, even as his companies went bankrupt! Because of this, he was able to get millions in loans, despite the fact that he owed billions!

People saw American Idol’s Adam Lambert as being “weird”. People saw Kris Allen as the boy-next-door. Despite being far more talented, Lambert failed to iron out his image and lost.

You cant begin to sell yourself until you understand this very important point : How you are seen does matter, and caring about what other people think about you is all important. Every powerful man and woman knows this. Control your image, or others will control it for you. Heres how:

Identify your USP

A USP is a unique selling proposition. A good USP answers the following questions:

• Why should I buy your incense over the ones in the store?
• Why should I employ you over everyone else?
• Why are you a better barber than the one I usually go to?
• Why should you get a recording contract over her?

A USP doesnt just tell the buyer about you, it tells the buyer whats in it for them, and a USP is short – one sentence.

“Im detail oriented, what that means for you is less money lost because of careless errors”

“Im more than an entertainer, Im a people person. What that means for you is an artist thats better able to connect with a diverse group of listeners”

“My incense are made with pure acacia that produce a better smelling longer lasting scent than the cheap hand dipped ones, saving you money and giving your home a better scent”

Commit your USP to memory, and say it over and over again until it sounds natural.

Oh, and dont try to bullshit your way through this, because if you dont believe in what you are selling, others wont either. For 2 years I pedaled a product that I didn’t believe in: I was a recruiter for the United States Marine Corps. I failed more often than I succeeded. Evaluators would descend upon me from their perch at headquarters to figure out why I wasn’t performing as well as their other salespeople. “You are very intelligent, you work 12 hours a day, and you are the best public speaker in the state, so why aren’t you recruiting?” Because on a subconscious level, people can detect a bullshitter. If you’re trying to bullshit your way to closing sales, you will fail.

How To

Master the media – When you google your name, what comes up? Usually your myspace or facebook page, a few people that have the same name as you, and a few comments that you’ve left around the net.  Now google legendary author and marketer Seth Godin. Notice that most of his professional profiles are public ones, such as LinkedIn, TypePad, and Wikipedia. You can do the exact same thing and then once you’ve done that, you can tell people “If you wanna know about me, just google my name”.

• Go to godaddy.com, buy your name, and build your site. Its less than $10 for an whole year, and its alot more professional than myspace!

• Create public profiles on sites that get high google ratings, like
  • Delicious
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • My Wikibiz
  • Youtube
  • Technocrati
  • Twitter

• Actually learn how to use these sites for more than flirting with the people with the best bodies. If you are a nurse, network with other nurses on LinkedIn to learn how to advance in your field. If you are an aspiring musician, tweet other local musicians and put together an event in your area. Get a cheap webcam and create a youtube video on a topic that’s important to you. Start a debate, leave comments, and get in touch with other people.Your network is your networth, and theres no better place to build that network than online!

Get “brand cards” –  Have you ever gone through your cell phone and found names and numbers you don’t recognize? Lets say you are a rapper and you bump into Dr. Dre walking down the street. You give him your sales pitch and he asks for your number, saves it in his cell phone, and you never hear from him again. Now lets imagine this same scenario and you give him a business card like one of these.

Dr Dre gets back to the studio, pulls your card out of his pocket, and “Oh yea, I remember this dude. We need to get him in here”

Just giving someone your number isnt good enough. Having a brand card acts as a reminder of a conversation or previous dealing that someone has had with you. If you supply a service or product, you should assume that everyone you meet is a potential customer, and give them your card. The fact that they have your card will stick in their memory, and you may be the first person they contact when they need your services.

Your brand card should have obvious info on it like your name, contact number, email address, and your website URL. You will want to also have a mini-USP underneath your name. For instance:

ARTHUR PLEDGER

“Award winning author and business consultant”

If you are on any social networks, you may want to include small graphics () on your card to let them know that you know your way around the web, just dont overdo it. Brand cards can be as cheap as $6.95 at zazzle.com, or as expensive as you can afford.

Change – Your image doesnt just include you, it includes everyone and everything that you let into your social circle. If your clothes, jewelry, and associations dont fit into your new image, you need to change. Do you think Kobe Bryant still kicks it with the same hoodrats that he grew up with? These people will work against your new interests. I know what youre thinking. All that mess about keeping it real and staying hood doesnt apply here. The only people in the hood are the unhappy and the unlucky, and if you have read The 48 Laws of Power, you would be wise to remember the 10th Law: Avoid the Unhappy and the Unlucky. Changing is the hardest thing to do, but its the most necessary.

This topic is so important to your success, expect this post to become part of an ongoing series. If you have read this far, know that I appreciate it! Its alot harder to write these things than it is to read them, and I value every single reader that I get. Till next time, hustle hard!

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If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you know that this site is about conquering your world through business acumen, strategy, and the art of hustling. Since they dont teach these topics in school, the next best way to learn them is by looking at people who are already where you want to be.

On my quest to take over my world (by the way, there is a difference between taking over “your” world and taking over “the” world!) I came across an unlikely group of men that embody what this site is all about: The Millionaire Barbers

Against the Grain

Part of my long term financial strategy includes opening a number of businesses, including a barber shop. Since I really didnt know anything about the business behind barbering, I started my learning process with Against the Grain, a barbering industry trade publication. Now, if you have ever tried to read a trade magazine, you know that theyre about as interesting to read as a phone book, but not Against the Grain. Heres why:

• First off, the photography was nothing short of amazing, probably the best I have seen in any magazine.
• Second, the interviews and barber profiles are the best in the industry. In fact, I dont know of any other trade magazine that profiles its top professionals as well as ATG
• Lastly, and most important of all, the lessons taught in “Shop 101″ makes this magazine damn near priceless.

“Making It”

In order to achieve excellence in your profession, one must have the attributes that attest above the normal contingency of simply working. You must possess a passion reflecting your love to do it. This must happen in order to excel to the highest plateau possible.”-Mr. Fademup

The path from where you are to “made” is difficult, but without a road map, its almost impossible. Mr. Fademup, CEO and founder of Fademup Productions and one of the magazine’s contributing writers gives us some of his keys to success:

Begin by maintaining your own appearance. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Remaining well groomed will build your confidence, which will illuminate how good you feel about yourself.

Be and show professionalism at all times

You have to be willing to try new endeavors. Go outside of your comfort zone. Dont be afraid to get your feet wet

Set your goals high!

Talk to as many [professionals] on the circuit as possible. Go to [professional] events to gain ideas about your own strategy

Self promote! Tell people who you are. Network! Set up a website.

These are the philosophies that guide the millionaire barbers, and you can tell; they are the barbers who never have an empty chair, whose clients are willing to wait 2 hours for them, and who would rather “take whose next” over eating lunch. In case you arent lucky enough to live in a city with barbers of this caliber, here are the two best examples I know of…

Living Legends

Ron Hayes, owner of GoodPhellaz Barber shop in Atlanta, Ga

I first met Ron in 2004 (his then 5th year of business) near Atlanta, GA. Today, his 83 barbers produce an estimated $1 MILLION in annual sales (according to manta.com)! Hes gotten honorable mention from a number of area media outlets, and his shop walls are covered with the pics of his celebrity clients. All this grew from one small shop! The only thing greater than this mans business sense is his humility! If you are ever in the area, stop in for a shape-up!

Lesson: Great enterprises dont grow without constant care, attention, and PERSISTENCE. When I met Ron, he was in the process of reopening one of his previously unsuccessful locations. Had he just given up on it, he wouldnt be grossing a Milli today!

Sipp the Surgeon

If ever there was an entrepreneur to learn from, its Sipp the Surgeon.  Sipp’s Myspace page speaks to his ambitions as a Millionaire barber, and Against the Grain covered him in their Summer 2009 edition. “When asked about his celebrity barber aspirations, he states ‘Celebrity clients are the people that come and see you every week. Some people talk about how they want to be a celebrity barber, but they have to treat people they cut every day like celebrities’”  Sipp is the originator of The Art of Hair War barber event, and is a pioneer of the custom barber chair industry

Lesson: Diversify! Create new industries and new ways to make money from the industry that youre in. This man went from giving $10 haircuts to selling $10,000 barber chairs and hosting events that net him thousands more than that! No matter what industry you are in, you can create a brand new niche (a restaurant server could set up a website and become the local expert on dining out, or become a “dining consultant”. A sales representative in a retail store could sell his/her services as a personal stylist on the side (assuming he or she even has style, LMAO!)

Lessons and legends are all around you, if you just look for them. Network, and surround yourself with others that embody the millionaire mindset, and you too can realize the same results! Whether you are serving others, or being serviced, keep an eye out. You could be in the presence of greatness!

Hustle hard! 

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