Dr. Will Horton, the guy sitting between Fahrin Ahmad and I, is also a certified hypnotherapist. So on the fourth day, my classmates asked about hypnosis. When we began our class, Dr. Horton mentioned that Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) borders closely adjacent to hypnosis. From my personal observation and administration of the NLP techniques, I’d send my Client into a trance! :-p

Let’s backtrack to the opening story. So in that air conditioned room, a few of my classmates gather around Dr. Horton during this break and asked the hypnosis question. As always, it’s better to show than to explain. So Dr. Horton called out, “Thank you for volunteering!” Urm… he was saying it to me~ >_>

So we began, me just sitting there on a chair staring at a hand – couldn’t recall whether it was mine or his’ – and I went to ‘sleep’. I was not unconscious. If you were talking next to me, I could hear everything you say. Although I’d rather enjoy the calm and relaxed moment wrapping me from head to toe.

The Journey from Basic Practitioner to Master Practitioner and Clinical Hypnotist

Yeah, it’s still a long way to go, you know.

The next opening is in August 2009. For this, I need to raise approximately RM5,000. It’s a Certified Hypnotist course organised by John Lee Hypnotist Center. This course is certified by the International Association of Counsellors and Therapists (IACT, USA), the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association (IMDHA, USA) and the International Hypnosis Association (IHA, USA). It’s accredited by the unheard and un-Google-able Alpha University, Alabama, USA.

Besides John Lee Hypnosis, I’m also looking at the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (Malaysia), or the LCCH Malaysia. The structure of this, however, is more organised and more presentable. I’m saying this with reference to the accreditation. The British Accreditation Council for Further and Higher Education accredits the LCCH as a provider of courses in clinical hypnosis. In addition to that, the University of Greenwich, the Open University and the Royal College of Nursing approves and recognises the Certificate, Diploma and Practitioner courses suitable to their syllabuses. The LCCH is also an Organisational Member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Let’s now turn our attention to the Singapore-based Dr. Billy Kueek. There are three courses which I’ve set my eyes on: the Professional Hypnotherapist certification course in November 2009 for Singapore and March 2010 for Malaysia, the Master Clinical Hypnotherapist certification course which comes 10 days later in November 2009 and again in December 2009 and finally the NLP Master Practitioner’s course in November to December 2009. Their Professional Hypnotherapist and Master Clinical Hypnotherapist Courses are certified by the American Board of Hypnosis (ABH) while the NLP course is accredited by the American Board of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (ABNLP).

To be consistent, the NLP Academy Malaysia is also tentatively organising a Master Practitioner’s & a Trainer’s Course in November 2009. This courses are accredited and certified by the National Federation of Neuro-Linguistic Psychology (Programming), i.e. NFNLP, USA. This is the same body which awards me my Certified NLP Practitioner status.

NLP and Copywriting

While I do Personal Breakthrough Sessions (PBS), I am still a copywriter with the love for writing at heart. Constantly I’m refining and defining my skills to ensure that my clients get the effective copy that they paid for with the application of NLP. My clients, local or international, large conglomerates or individuals, ought to be satisfied with the results at the end of the day.

Doing the Works Remain Paramount

Because I’m rendering NLP-based personal breakthrough sessions with my Clients, it’s imperative that I remain at the top of my game. True, this 22-going-23 body may be young by many standards; backed with the knowledge and experiences of effective techniques used on millions of patients across the world would prove to be beneficial. After all, I’m but the vessel. You, my Client, are the ones who want the change and are the key player. I help you go to your destination, you do the walking.

So in my daily reading routine, I’ve started to open e-books on NLP, hypnotherapy and other relevant resources.

Apart from that, I’m also drawing up Standard Operating Procedures for the various packages that I will be offering. Because NLP focuses on the How To, it’s important that these Procedures be prepared for a consistent and effective result. There needs to be accountability and quality control, you see. After all, you’d be confident in my services when you know it’ll work for you, making you feel more confident in realising your goals.

Which market do I cater for?

In general, I’m the guy you call to model human excellence in any form. Specifically, I have my attention focused on undergraduates and students, sales and marketing executives and those who want to access their best state in anytime of day.

Dear Aspiring Entrepreneur,

It’s been over a year since I bought John Lee’s Great by 24. The book by one entrepreneur who postponed his studies to do the things he loves the most: translation, meeting new people across the globe and making money while making spare time along the way. After I finished his book, I dared myself to email this young entrepreneur, seeking further advice. But that’s not what I’m going to share with you. Rather, it’s the Six Golden Strokes for Business Overture which you will find in Chapter 3 of John’s book.

First thing’s first: the registration of your enterprise. If you’re conducting your business in Malaysia, you’ll need to register your company or business. On January 4th, 2008, Aldric Tinker was registered as a Sole Proprietorship providing business support with the Malaysian Companies Commission (SSM). They gave me the following certificate:

Fast forward a (slow) year later, I renewed the registration on January 13, 2009. After paying a small fine and the registration fee, Aldric Tinker the Sole Proprietorship’s life was extended for another year.

Next, the Bank. No business can survive without a trustworthy banker. It’s your channel to receive and make payments! For me, I choose Maybank’s Personal Savings Account at the time. With just RM250, you can open a simple account there. For the time being, it’s sufficient. Once I get the minimum, I’ll gladly open up a Current Account with either Maybank or CIMB.

You’re given much flexibility when you’re providing a service such as copywriting. In the long run, you’ll still need an office space. No, inviting your clients to your 2-room flat is the last thing you want to do. I’ve been through this conflict over and over again. John Lee’s third Stroke is basically that: the Office. When I started out, I shuttled between my home in Section 8, Shah Alam, UiTM’s Faculty of Law and landmark Menara SAAS as well as in SACC Mall’s Coffee Bean. When you’re a service provider, as long as you have a PC and Internet access, that’s where your office is.

Though mind you, there is one tricky part: meeting clients. Where? I used to do it at Coffee Bean, KL Sentral and other ‘public places’. This doesn’t impress much. There’s no corporate identity.

As of last Friday, I maintain an office at Amcorp Tower, at PJ’s landmark: Amcorp Mall. From hereon after, I’ll be meeting my clients in the meeting room or the boardroom of Suite 1208, Level 12, Amcorp Tower, Amcorp Trade Centre, No. 18, Persiaran Barat, 46050-Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. My receptionist is ready to accept your call at +6 03 7948 5248. You can still fax me at +6 03 9282 7697, though.

No business can survive on its own. You need to team up with strategic partners and allies. This is the Fourth Stroke. When I started out, I regard a client of mine a strategic partner. Why? Because with this advertising firm based in JB, Malaysia, it’s not just about writing copy. They’ve guided me a lot since I started working with them. Support groups and network are as important. You can only cover so much with so little. You’ll need to delegate if not direct the project to someone else. At the same time, you’re going to need the knowledge you can get when you’re embarking on a new format or range of service.

Your partners alone cannot do anything much if you don’t spread the word! Advertise your business. No business experts can stress this enough, what more to say someone who’s going through it like me! If you fail to execute this 5th Stroke, your venture is as good as dead. Your advertising campaign doesn’t have to cost you half a million or so! There are many ways you can approach this. One way is through your business cards and website/blogs. Blogs and social networking sites like Facebook are relatively cheap and free! Use it!

Finally, a hotel alliance is also important. “Join one of the many hotel’s preferred guest programs or alliances”, says John in his book. You’d save the time and money when you’re familiar with one range of hotel.

There you have it, John Lee’s Six Golden Strokes for Business Overture. For more information, buy John Lee’s Great by 24! It’ll give you a treasure chest full of advices! Did I mention, I turn 23 in October 2009?

Since I released my fee structure in March 2009, much have happened which requires me to revise the rates and structure after using the same rates since January 2008.

Among others, the following are the reason behind the restructure:

• Basic NLP Certification from the National Federation of Neurolinguistic Psychology (Programming), USA;
• More exposure in print ads, radio and TV commercials;
• The cost of maintaining an office in Amcorp Tower where clients can now meet and reach us more easily;
• Offerings of new services and removal of dormant services.

If you have been dealing with my copywriting practice before this restructure, you will not see an increase until December 2009. Starting January 2010, existing and future clients will be charged at the new rate.

Signature Guarantee

As part of our on-going commercialisation and internationalisation efforts, our customers will enjoy the following guarantees:

• Guarantee of two (2) complimentary revisions after the submission of each copywriting job;
• Guarantee of the application of NLP techniques and proven copywriting techniques used by world-renowned writers like Bob Bly, Joe Vitale and more;
• Guarantee of dedicated and diligent service and attention from a professional copywriter & his highly vetted team.

Aldric Tinker’s Red Velvet Rope Policy

As much as I’d love to accept any and every business out there, I do not. What are the clients that I’m looking for? Here are the characteristics:-

• Integrity;
• Serious (who understands the value of my time as much as theirs);
• Bright (full of light & easily excitable);
• Resilient (keep coming back);
• Courageous (facing their fears);
• Think big (you project, product, service or brand will benefit large groups of people);
• Value-oriented (you gain value from relationships with me and others);
• Naturally collaborative (you contribute to and focus on your solutions);
• Rapid responders (talk today, done tomorrow);
• Positive (naturally optimistic).

Do you have these in you? If you do, then drop me an email or give me a ring!

When you have these characteristics, you will get the following benefits:-

• You’ll have clean energy to do your best work;
• You’ll feel invigorated and inspired;
• You’ll connect with me and your clients on a deeper level;
• You’ll feel successful and confident;
• You’ll know that your work matters and it’ll change lives;
• The magic of you will spring to life!

Though you may feel that this is still general, you will find the answer at the end of the day: whether I accept or reject your project.

Why is this policy necessary? One rotten apple is going to spoil the whole bunch. A negative and uncooperative client will result in delays for the rest of my clientele. I’m sure you’ve worked with difficult people: do you notice how bitter you can be when you deal with the person immediately after him or her? Your life energy gets sucked out into his or her void. When it happens, you know that your day just went down the drain.

Furthermore, NLP is one powerful technique if you want strong reaction. The last group  of people I’d want to serve are those who are not interested in helping others with the products or services which they offer. This way, you know that I’m not helping scams, illegal, immoral or unethical activities.

At the end of the day, it trickles down to this: I’m only interested in serious clients just as much as you’re interested in copy that sells. This is an investment to you, your product, your service and you’ll gain more than you have to pay.

Rate Structure

Without much ado, you find my services and its rates as follows:-

For both local and international clients, my fees are in Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)/Ringgit Malaysia (RM).

The amount quoted below are general figures. Because your needs are unique and different, please email me at aldric@aldrictinker.com for specific quotations that would fit into your budget. The bolded red colours are my specialty.

Finding a Good Idea for Your Book
By Robert W. Bly

The journey of a thousand manuscript pages (or even 150) begins with a single idea. Here’s how to find one.

Many people who attend my book-publishing semi nars already have a book idea in mind. Others, however, have a strong desire to write a book, but are stuck on coming up with a suitable topic. If you fall into this category, here are 10 sources of ideas for books you may want to write:

Continue Reading »

Aldric Tinker, Freelance Writer and Certified NLP Practitioner (NFNLP, USA), now maintains an office at the following address:

Suite 1208, Level 12, Amcorp Tower,

Amcorp Trade Centre

No. 18, Persiaran Barat,

46050-Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

How to get there:-

In addition to that, you calls can be made to +6 03 7948 5248. On top of the present fax number, (+6 03 9282 7697), you can also fax +6 03 7955 6363.

I’d like to share with you my 2nd TV commercial for a cluster of programmes. Coming to my aid was the Producer Wing and guided by Hikaru Koo.

Copyright 2009 Primeworks Studios Sdn. Bhd.

Here’s an interesting article I found while surfing the American Writer’s and Artists, Inc. (AWAI) website:

Will Newman here, Managing Editor of Copywriting Insider. As we move into 2009, I have a special, two-part New Year’s gift for you.

The first part is my very sincere, heartfelt wish for your success this year. I want 2009 to be the year you get your career bustling and bringing you as much professional work as you can handle.

The second part of my New Year’s gift is my four crucial steps for success. They’ve had a tremendous impact on my life. And I promise you, if you take these four steps, 2009 will be your most successful year yet!

STEP #1: Model successful people.

If you could follow a few people around the entire day, doing what they do, learning from their actions, modeling on their success, whom would you choose?

In your personal life, you’d model yourself after friends, relatives, or public figures you admire – maybe a grandparent or great grandparent who overcame extraordinary odds. For example, I try to model my personal life after my father-in-law, a gentle World War II vet who fought in Africa and Italy … and the first Mexican American in the printers union in San Francisco.

Professionally, you’d definitely want to model your work habits and every professional thing you do after the super-successful copywriters you know and admire.

Many times, however, the people we end up modeling are not the ones we should. We listen to friends and family who want the best for us. But they also want to talk to us on the phone when we should be writing. Or they want us to go shopping with them to help them pick out a fly rod.

You love your family and friends, but they’re not necessarily the ones you should be modeling. So once again, your first step this year is to resolve to model only successful people.

STEP #2: Finally get control of your time.

How can he do it? How can Michael Masterson find the time to be a master copywriter? And the author of 10 best-selling books on entrepreneurial success? And a published fiction writer? And a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu?

The answer is this: Michael has mastered the secrets to controlling his time … and not letting time control him.

For example, if you’ve been to Bootcamp or read Michael’s articles about time management and productivity, you know he’s very careful how often he checks his email. He knows how much of a time-sucker email is. So, he takes control of it … and doesn’t let it control him.

Taking control of your time is possibly the hardest of all the four steps. But only because so few people really understand what Michael knows about time management.

So – in keeping with step #1 – resolve to control your time so success comes to you more quickly … the way Michael Masterson does.

STEP #3: Decide on what niche is best for you.

Unfortunately, when I’ve asked copywriters who’re just starting out what niche they’ve chosen, all too often I hear this: “I want to write for financial, because it’s the most lucrative. And health. And I think I’ll try B2B, too. And fundraising seems good. I don’t want to narrow my choices.”

But there’s a huge difference between narrowing your choices and targeting your focus.

Look at all the most successful copywriters you know of. They’re all specialists. They’ve chosen one or two niches that vibrate for them. Ones they’re passionate about. Ones they understand. Ones they become experts in.

This is a basic secret of copywriting success. If you were at this year’s Bootcamp, you heard Mike Palmer say this. You’ve heard Jen Stevens and Chris Marlow say this.

And you’ve heard Michael Masterson say this.

So, for step #3, resolve that you will learn how to target your focus on the very best niches for you … niches that ensure you will be successful, faster.

STEP #4: Master the easiest, most effective self-promotion strategies.

All the high-quality AWAI programs, all the Bootcamp presentations, all the good intentions will get you nowhere if you don’t go out and promote yourself.

This one step is probably the easiest of them all. But it’s also the one few beginning copywriters take. They think it’s too hard. And so, they stay beginning copywriters for a very long time.

Self-promotion is almost effortless … when you know a few core secrets like how to build a one-time project into a long-term consultancy. Or how best to position yourself as “the expert in your field.”

And when you learn the secrets of effective self-promotion, you won’t get stuck earning the lowest fees. You’ll be able to command what you’re worth … and turn down clients who can’t afford to give it to you.

Resolve to take this fourth step to success. Learn the core secrets of easy, effective self-promotion.

So, there it is … my New Year’s gift to you. These are the four crucial steps for success you must take this year. They’ve taken me far further than I ever imagined possible. And I know they’ll super-accelerate your career.

This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

The Power of Social Networking to Fast-Track Your Success

By Will Newman

I know you’ve heard about MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. And if you’re like I was until very recently, you might think these websites – known as social networks – are just for kids.

If so, you’re in for a surprise. Very successful entrepreneurs like master copywriter Ted Nicholas, Bob Bly and Michael Masterson are all using social networking sites to nurture, promote, and expand their success.

Here’s how Michael Masterson and MaryEllen Tribby put it in their new book Changing the Channel …

“Anybody who has the time to devote to this marketing channel can become a recognized … expert on any subject.”

Bob Bly was a long-time skeptic about the power of social networks – until recently. Now he says …

“The next big thing in Internet marketing is social networking. Unless you are living in a cave, you can’t help but notice the money being made from social networking sites.”

Five Social Network Sites You Must Explore …

The success of social networking has spawned dozens of sites. Some marketers feel they must be on all of them. However, if you want to write copy and not spend most of your day on social networks, here are five important ones to explore …

1. www.Digg.com

   Digg is a website where you can share written and video content. It presents you with a very active channel for posting white papers, blogs, and other self-promotional materials. If you use any of these self-promotional methods, Digg is a great starting place for getting your website and your copywriting services noticed.

   You don’t actually post content on the Digg site. Rather, you’re providing a link to that content that takes Digg visitors back to your website.

   Once you post content on Digg, if users like it, they can make a positive vote by clicking on a “digg it” button. (There are no negative votes.) A number of other social network sites also allow users to “digg it” content posted or linked on their sites.

   If your submission receives enough “digg its,” it’s promoted to Digg’s front page.

2. www.LinkedIn.com

   LinkedIn is a business-oriented website used mainly for professional networking. As of October 2008, it had more than 30 million registered users, spanning 150 industries.

   The site lets you maintain a list of business contacts you know and trust. The people in the list are called Connections. You can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a Connection.

   You can use LinkedIn Connections in a number of ways …

   • Use your web of Connections to get introductions to someone you want to know through a trusted mutual contact.
   • Use LinkedIn to find jobs, people, and business opportunities recommended by someone in your contact network.
   • If you’re looking for a job, you can review profiles of managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them to you.
   • Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates on LinkedIn.

3. www.MySpace.com

   MySpace is an interactive network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music, and videos. Originally promoted heavily to teens, MySpace is the second-largest social network site among all age groups.

   According to the Reuters news agency, MySpace counted approximately 150 million accounts in 2008 and attracts 230,000 new users per day.

   A search on “copywriting” in MySpace brings up links to jobs in MySpace Jobs, individual copywriter contacts, and videos of copywriting strategies that take the user back to the copywriter’s website … essentially video “white papers” for self-promotion.

4. www.Facebook.com

   Facebook has over 153 million users worldwide, making it the largest social network. Facebook lets you join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people with similar interests.

   Facebook provides you opportunities similar to MySpace for posting information about yourself, your business, videocasts, and other self-promotion tools.

5. www.YouTube.com

   YouTube is a popular video-sharing website that lets anyone store short videos for private or public viewing.

   YouTube originally was a venue for sharing videos among friends and family. But it’s become an effective marketing tool.

   For example, you can watch videos of John Forde and Jen Stevens, Michael Masterson, and AWAI on YouTube … as well as copywriting videos from other copywriters using this channel to market their own copywriting services.

Joining social networks is easy. Go to the website, click a link that says something like “Join.” Provide the requested info. And you’re ready to start. There’s no cost, and you can explore them at your leisure once you’ve joined.

A Social Networking Power Few Copywriters Know About …

Even if you feel social networks aren’t the way you want to promote your career, they hold tremendous power for you as a copywriter. Here’s why …

Social network “groups” (also known as forums, discussions, or chats) give you the ability to really know what motivates your prospect. What truly is going on in his mind. What real dreams, hopes, and aspirations he holds.

Once you sign on to a social network, you can join groups and follow discussions, learning from other people’s posts.

For example, Facebook has 22 large groups, including topics like Beauty, Food & Drink, Self-Help, and Health & Wellness.

Here’s how you could use Facebook if you were doing a fundraising appeal for juvenile diabetes. Searching on “diabetes” in Facebook groups brought up this quote:

“Hey, I’m 15 years old and I was diagnosed when I was 5 years old. No one should have to deal with this disease, most of all kids. All we want is to live a normal life and we get hit with this. We need to find a cure so we and others don’t have to go through this pain.”

This one quote – discovered in less than two minutes of searching – gives you insight and empathy you could only get if you knew a kid with diabetes … a kid who was willingto talk to you about this intensely personal subject.

MySpace has two similar sections to explore for this type of insight: Groups and Forums. You can search both of them. Most other social networks have similar sections as well.

Feel free to ask questions. But do so respecting the people you’re talking to – the same way you’d do if you were talking face-to-face.

One warning about using any social network to broaden your understanding of your prospect: Do not post anything about products. Users of these groups and forums are totally against using them for advertising.

Social networking holds tremendous promise for you as a copywriter. All it costs is the time it’ll take you to explore the different sites … and a few clicks of your mouse.

Will everything you find be worthwhile? Of course not. But with so much potential available in social networks, you cannot afford to ignore them. Other copywriters aren’t!

This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers availab
le. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

Copywriters are sales executives behind the laptop. Whether they are agency-based or freelance, their job is effectively to write persuasive copy to promote an idea, brand or product. As long as they type on their keyboard, they must keep one goal in mind: will my reader read this?

Let me take this a bit further for you. Say you’re planning to write a brochure or flyer. What will you need? In a nutshell, a decent command of your chosen language. How do you string the words so your readers will read this to the end and then hire you or buy your product?

Here’ are three things you can do to convert that creative expression of yours to a money making copy:-

• Insert subtle commands. Tell your readers what you want them to do – in a subtle manner. You may insert these commands in any section of your copy. When you decide to use negatives, like ‘don’t’, make sure the phrase following it is something you want your reader to do. Confused? When someone told you ‘Don’t look down?’ Or ‘Don’t turn around?’, what are you inclined to do?
• Tie in to emotions. At the end of the day, you and I spend our time, money and energy to acquire something that will make us feel good. What made you buy you last purchase? How do you feel about it?
• Highlight benefits. Unless you are trained in IT lingo, you couldn’t care less what RAMs, CPUs, USBs, bus, GH, Pentium IV etc are. When a lawyer speaking legalese to you, might as well you hear someone speaking in alien language! A car with titanium cover means nothing to you unless you are told that you enjoy solid protection in the event of a crash.

To demonstrate, as you are reading this, don’t think of the taste and crunchiness of a green apple. Don’t think of how good the coffee brewing in the kitchen that will freshen you up!

Now tell me, what did you just think about?

NLP may be the most powerful vehicle for change in existence.

- Modern Psychology Magazine

Aye, NLP, or Neurolinguistic programming/psychology, is one powerful tool! During the Certification training, over and over again Dr. Horton repeats of how incredible this tool is. Wouldn’t you want to know about NLP?

The term NLP itself was coined by an Alfred Habdank Skarbek Korzybski.

To different people, NLP brings different meaning. Practitioners can joke that it’s messing with people’s mind. Others would say is a methodology to change the behaviour of a person from the inside to achieve success. Don’t be surprised if some NLP Practitioners say that NLP is ‘wake hypnosis’.

However your practitioner may refer to NLP, it is effectively an integration of several disciplines including neurology, psychology, linguistics, cybernetics, and systems theory. The components of Korybski’s term can be broken down to:

• Neuro – As our experience, conscious and subconscious, comes through our senses and central nervous system;
• Linguistic – Our mental process are all coded, organized, given meaning and transformed through our respective languages.
• Programming – People, you and I, live our lives through a system composed of sequences of patterns, or ‘programs’.

The deeper you go into NLP, the more you realise that the key any success you want lies within you, through the way you perceive life. Your perception, beliefs, attitude, emotions and behaviours will direct yourself with the tools around you to achieve your goal.

As powerful as NLP may be, it is not substitute to professional and licensed medical attention. Similar to other alternative and complimentary therapies, there are no absolute guarantees. Reassurance comes within reason.

Application of NLP really extends beyond therapy. You’ll be amazed by what you can achieve with it! Even when applied as therapy, we’re really teaching you how to use your brain.

How will you find me applying NLP?

I constantly study excellence and then share the skills that promotes positive change that generates new possibilities and opportunities. If you find yourself ‘clicking’ with me and you feel better about yourself, you can suspect I just used my NLP knowhow on you. And what is wrong with leaving you in a better state?