Will 2018 Be the Year You "Embrace the Hate?"

“The only thing more frustrating than slanderers is those foolish enough to listen to them.”                                      -Criss Jami
“People will always have their opinion on you despite who you are and what your capable of.”  -Ana Chable

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.                                 -Winston Churchill

I absolutely love haters. 

 Love them. 

You see, if I am receiving mail from "haters" it means my message is most definitely reaching  my audience and MORE! 

Whenever I send something out and I get nasty responses back by a few people, it gives me a little warm feeling in my heart to know that I must be absolutely motivating them to take action and that, based on the laws of statistics and large numbers that for everyone there is like that there are about 50 to 100  that  have received a tremendous value from what I have sent, posted, or sold. 

 Several of the top sales "gurus" that I follow are of the same way. 

"If they say you're sending too much, double what you're sending."

"If they say stop, you might want to stop to them (or not) and double your efforts sending to everyone else! " 

 No matter what you do, there will always be people that don't agree with you, but feel it there place to give you advice, or, just folks that are, generally, negative people that would complain no matter what you said or did. 

One of the best things you can do when you are engaging with these people is to let them know that you  appreciate their feedback, but that you are a "positive" person who believes in taking MASSIVE action rather than sitting by the sidelines waiting for something to happen. That is a very difficult line of thought to respond negatively to. 

I'll give you an example that happened to me recently...

I sent out a release to a bunch of Outdoor and gun writers about a new contest that I am helping to promote. 

I received a scathing response from one, what I would call, "Lower-mid-level" writer. 

He writes for some local and regional publications and is an occasional "guest" on some television shows. 

"UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST!" 

Not so bad, really. 

But...

Right now I have an "auto response" for anyone that sends me an email. 

I want them to know that I received it, but am so busy with show season that  I may not respond right away, but I still want to talk. 

This is where it gets a little UGLY. 

"I SUBMITTED AN UNSUBSCRIBE REQUEST!!!! THIS IS A VIOLATION OF CAN/SPAM!!! YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW AND CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR HARASSMENT!!! 

Dude...

Chill out.

Needless to say, I sent confirmation that he was "unsubscribed" from my list- With a nice note to make sure he takes his blood pressure pills. 

I learned several things from this. 

One- that my emails went out and were delivered. 

Two- that the message resonated with the audience. 

Three- that I learned of one worthless member of my list that shouldn't be on it.  

Now, I am subscribed to HUNDREDS of email lists. Many become useless/worthless over time, but I still learn a TON from them- Things like this must be a compelling headline- I opened it- and what are the typical things beoing pushed in the info-marketing world. Also, what is valuable and how long does it remain so. 

Here are the questions that he, and you, should have asked before "unsubscribing" from my emails. 

1. Do I want to not have the opportunity to learn something from this person/company/list? 

2. Is this one thing of lesser value worth eliminating the possibility of hundreds of their more valuable things? 

3. What can I take from this person/company/list that I can easily "re-purpose" to my own business? (Secret- I steal good headline ideas from my own subscribed lists all the time) 

 2017 is the past now. 2018 is the future. Are you going to take control of your destiny, take control of your business, control the conversation about you and what you do, or will you react to what happens – being constantly behind the curve? 

 That's a question that everyone will need to answer in this "new outdoor economy."

Do you READ News or MAKE news???

Many of my previous posts discuss the fact that the firearms industry and many of the players in it are reluctant and afraid because the industry and buying is “contracting.”

 The truth is, "dominant" players LIKE contraction. They like it because they know that they are under constant assault from competition be that big competition, medium competition or even start up and small competition. 

 They know that it's easy for them to survive a contraction by making a few cuts and staff, a few cuts in marketing, and perhaps some pullback of budgets – they can weather the storm. 

Can YOU? 

 The reason they can do that is because they have spent years – sometimes decades and, some, 10 decades or more,  building up their business, their marketing, their market share, and, perhaps most importantly, their CONTENT and DOMINANCE. 

 They CONTROL the CONVERSATION. 

 In other words, they don't "Read the news…" They WRITE the news. 

What do you do that mimics that in your business? 

 Typically, this is where most small and medium businesses throw out a slew of excuses (don't take that the wrong way, because there are only two things in business – "excuses" and "results." Pick one or the other. Yes, sometimes there are very, very good excuses. ) 

"We can't compete…"

"We don't have the budget…"

"I don't have 1000 people to handle every little thing that we need done – most of it falls on me."

 And on… And on… And on… 

So, how do you, as a business owner (or "Manager," or "marketing director," etc.) overcome these obstacles? 

There are two phrases that I use often with my children that apply directly to business. One is that the journey of 1 or 10,000 miles begins with the same "first step." 

 The second is that the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. 

 You can control the news-- at least YOUR news. 

Are you writing a blog post every day? 

Do you have a legion of raving fans that are willing to share your contact? 

Do you have hundreds of people that you can send something to and they will give you feedback on?  How about 20? 

10? 

TWO? 

 The good news is that there is always somebody out there that has those things.

 The BEST news is that you already know at least one of them… 

BGA Enterprises and Taylor Made Media  are two companies that specialize in helping companies in the firearms and outdoor space control the conversation, news,  and views of their products, people, and services. 

You're most likely right – you DON'T have the time to do every little thing. You DON'T have enough hours in the day to accomplish all of the things you need to not just COMPETE but DOMINATE even some of the big players in the marketplace. 

 Now you have someone that can, and they are at your service. 

Visit www.aceluciano.com  to learn how YOU can dominate your market and marketplace. 

Riton puts out a surprisingly high quality product for the money

Finally, there is a fairly NEW company out there that is making some REAL WAVES in the optics world that you should know about. 

In the market for a new scope?

They are called RITON Optics, and their motto is "The BEST QUALITY at EVERY Price point. 

Over the next few months, we're going to put that motto to the test. 

Formerly geared to mainly the "tactical" world, Riton is making a BIG PUSH into hunting scopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes. 

From NOW and for the next several days, you can try one of their optics for 50% off. 

That's right- 

The FIRST and LAST TIME EVER to buy an optic of this quality at a PHENOMENAL price. 

Check them out. 

Use the code LASTCHANCE2017 when you check out, and put a message in the order area that "Ace sent you.!"

How Not To Be "Average."

 If you want to be better than average, you have to give better than AVERAGE. 

 Quick – name the most AVERAGE baseball player in the major leagues today. 

 Who wins the title for the MOST AVERAGE basketball player in the NBA playoffs? 

Who is the MOST AVERAGE  hockey player to ever play the game?

 Do you find it hard to come up with those names? You should. 

Which one do you want to be? 

You know, Children are a great reflection upon society. They are, for the most part, pure innocence and pure, uncorrupted emotion. 

Watch your child playing in the sand experiencing pure joy. You could sit in that same stand and be bored. Or aggravated. 

You could become unmotivated and lie down.

...But if you watch the child digging in the sand – he or she is usually fascinated. They're fascinated by the texture. The feeling. The fact that they can mold and shape to their will. That brings them joy. 

 I bring this up for a very good reason. 

 Think back-- for some of you way, way, way back… To what you wanted and dreamed as a child. 

 When you were a child did you want to be "average"? 

 When you were five or six years old, did you look at the world and say, "when I grow up, I want to sit in a cubicle punching keys all day, work for a mediocre boss, At a mediocre company, doing the same thing, every single day of my entire life?"

                                                   If you did, you were the odd one. 

 Most likely you wanted to be a superhero. 

Perhaps as you got older he wanted to "be like mike (Michael Jordan),  you wanted to be the quarterback of your favorite football team, or some other superstar. 

 If you want better than "average", you have to give better than "average."

 One of MJ's most famous commercials was highlights of him sinking winning shots, winning big games, etc., but the background was Michael Jordan speaking 

 "I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I've been trusted To take the game-winning shot… And missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Michael Jordan used to practice his shooting technique – not just his shot – but his actual "technique" for 2 to 3 hours per day. 

 Tiger Woods hit hundreds of golf balls every single day. 

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. He has won 19 gold medals-  and as impressive as that is, his training routine is even more so. 

 He swims 50 miles per week – an average of 8 miles per training day. 

Plus dry land workouts.

He works so hard and so long that he needs to consume 12,000 calories per day just to maintain his body mass. 

 If a training day falls on Christmas, he swims in my house. If it falls on New Year's – 8 miles. Nothing gets in the way of his training. 

Even me, an- I hate to even say it- “average” guy- competed nationally in Olympic Taekwondo.

I trained 3 hours a day, PLUS my regular team and sparring practices.

I never lost because the other guy outlasted me and set a record for most knockouts.

I still work out every day.

I read a book a week and write at least one content piece, published or not, twice a week.

 The important question is, what are you willing to give THIS YEAR  in order to get? 

 One of my most recent articles talked about the state of the outdoor industry – how the gun economy has definitely changed.

How many companies out there are going to look for "average" results this year? 

 How many companies in the gun world are going to, rather than put in their "8 miles" of training – "cut their expenses" (which I've always found ridiculous, as marketing should never, ever be put under your ledger as an "expense)  

Instead of working harder, smarter, and doing MORE, many honestly believe that they will get by with doing LESS.

If you were on any type of sports team, when you really wanted to get BETTER and WIN MORE, did your coach ever say to you, or did you ever say to yourself, “You know what? We need to do LESS! We’re going to NOT WORK AS HARD in order to get BETTER and WIN MORE!”

I didn’t think so.

 The next year will separate a lot of "average" from many new and up-and-comer's that will become "exceptional."

 Which camp will you be in? 

Do Some Good for The Gun World, and HELP KIDS.

Folks, there has never been a better opportunity for you to do some real good for the gun world.

Right now, Gun Digest is having a BLOWOUT SALE on their "Instructional" library- including the Amazon Bestselling book, "Guns the Right Way" by Yours Truly.

You can also peruse the rest of the library, pick up a couple of other books, and enter the code "FREESHIP1040G" to get free shipping on any order over $40.

If you know people that have kids, know kids that are interested in guns, or know parents of kids that have ever asked about guns, SEND THEM THIS LINK.

This week you can get a copy of "The" definitive guide to kids and guns for NOT the cover price of $16.99...

Not the SALE price of $13.99

No- not even the e-book price of $8.99...

THIS WEEK ONLY you can pick up MULTIPLE copies of, "Guns the Right Way" for just...

5 BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right.

Just $5.00.

That's less than a Venti Mocha Latte from the local anti-gun coffee shop.

WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU DO (and not just because I wrote the book- there's no money in giving away books for cost!)

Buy 8 or 10 copies. Give one to each of your kid's schools. Bring one to the local library. Take a few to the local sportsman's club and put them out.

Use this link

http://www.gundigeststore.com/firearms-instruction-for-beginners

Why You Should Never Turn Down A Potential Business Contact

For the second time in over a decade, I've been sent to "jail."

No- not "actual" jail, but, rather LinkedIn "Jail." You see, LinkedIn has rules regarding contacts, linking, and SPAM related things. When I first started building LinkedIn contacts, this wasn't an issue.

Ace Luciano was sent to "LinkedIn Jail" for a brief period...

Then, there was an issue that could be solved by purchasing a "premium profile," which I did. That solved it for about 10 years. Next, when I tried to make a connection with a pleasant introduction, I received the following message: "Recently, several of your contacts have indicated that they do not know you." This was not the case when I was previously "jailed"- That time it was I had been marking "friend" too often (This was in my VERY EARLY LinkedIn Days.) Here is what Linkedin can suspend your ability to send contacts requests for: 1. The recipient's email preferences are set to only receive invitations from members who know their email address. 2. You've reached the limit of invitations you can send without email addresses to people you've identified as a "Friend" during the invitation process. 3. A number of recipients have clicked "I don't know this person" after getting your invitations.

Can Ace help you out of Jail? 

Now, I have a rule that I RARELY block or mark people as "I don't know this person"... The following people are simply "not connected."

1. People that are CLEARLY and ABSOLUTELY not going to help me or be of benefit to my network. These people are usually in a completely unrelated field, have few contacts, no contacts in common or have the title "student at.." or something like, "head cashier at local foodmart" or "Awesome plumber that loves Friday night."(- nothing against those people, but I don't see a benefit in connecting.) 2. I used to block all Realtors, until I realized that a LOT of them KNEW people that I wanted to know. Now, I just block the "lead generation" people. For some reason, these people have popped up all over LinkedIn and want people to pay them $5,000 + per month with a minimum 6 month contract, and no guarantees. 3. Anyone that has no or few contacts.
This is a "safety" thing- a lot of spammers out there use more and more "new" and "fake" profiles to gain access to your connections. Unless you are a direct introduction, I block you.

That's it. Almost every single other person I connect with. I certainly don't penalize them for trying. Why? Consider some of the following major "successes" that I have received through what initially was not anything to be considered a serious "business" connection. - access to one of the most difficult to access CEOs of a major corporation in the COUNTRY- through his SECRETARY. You see, this secretary happens to be a hunting and gun enthusiast that had asked to connect with me on LinkedIn. She sent me a very respectful request, explained why she wanted to be connected, and said that she had a network she would be happy to open to me. Fast forward 18 months. I was working a contract that was approaching, of all things, very large lending institutions with over $1 billion in assets. When I begin typing the connection into my LinkedIn program, lo and behold, who do you think pops up? The commission on that project was in excess of five figures. The connection came from somebody that, at the time, I had no "legitimate" business reason to connect with. - A referral to a six-figure job opportunity. Back in the days when I actively looked for executive sales positions outside of the gun world, I received a referral to the executive vice President of a multibillion dollar pharmaceutical company. When I saw a position open at that company, I did not apply through the normal channels. I sent a handwritten letter to him explaining our connection, and followed up with a phone call and email to him seven days later. I was able to skip the first three parts of the "normal" hiring process and go right to the final interviews. How valuable was that connection? - someone that made my job a great deal easier. Within the past year, I connected with someone that was not what I would consider an "active outdoor industry" connection. They were someone who was a high-level sales and marketing executive, and they referred me to one of their friends when I sent out a network request looking for a software program with some very specific qualifications. Not only did my referral save me a great deal of money on that software when I did purchase it, that software has made my life in general a great deal easier. The moral of the story is multi fold. In today's electronic world you need not worry about running out of "space" in your rolodex. You never know who people know and how they will be able to benefit you in the future, and by clicking the "I don't know this person" button on LinkedIn, you will never know the possible millions of dollars you will miss out on in opportunity and ACTUAL income from MOST LinkedIn connections, let alone one that has tens of thousands of direct connections to people in your specific industry. Remember, good networking is good business!