Getting Out There

I recently had the opportunity to take part in an advertising podcast with a company who creates Meet the Elite Podcasts based in New York state. This company connects small businesses around the world with large streaming services such as Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts to give them a platform to get people engaged with your business.

Having been given five questions to prepare for to promote Heilin Hypnotherapy, I was called by the presenter to join the podcast live. In the 3 minutes slot I managed to put across a description of my business, letting them know how long I was in business for and what I wanted listeners to know about me.

A few minutes later, I was phoned back by someone who said he was definitely not a salesperson, but because I was an absolute natural and articulate person, he could offer me amazing packages of 5 x 30 minute slots, with commercials going out 11 times a day, reaching millions of people and hyperlinks to my webpage for the price of $5000. Upon me reminding him that I am a start-up business I was then offered $2500 for the deal but I had to sign up to it instantly, this offer will not be around for long, make your decision now … hurry ... sigh…

… for a brief moment, I had been dazzled by thoughts of opportunity knocks, seize the day, fortune favours the bold, and then I remembered that I live in the world where we are cogs in a capitalist machine.

It’s made me smile to see my metaphor in action: the skimming stone, cause and effect. I put my message out there and the ripples crossed The Pond and attracted attention. I may not be in the position to buy such global marketing, but it has been a valuable learning experience for which I am thankful.

I had to focus my mind to consider questions such as, what inspired me to pursue my profession and I liked having to articulate it in words rather than have the feeling. Here is my answer to that question which I did not get to say on the pretendy podcast:

Like most hypnotherapists, I came into the profession from experiencing hypnotherapy myself. It is part of why we make good therapists, we have followed the same journey as the client into making the decision to try out this form of experience. Some come to it with a feeling of distrust – thinking you are handing control of yourself to another or providing them with the key to all your darkest secrets. I know I did when I was dealing with my anxiety. Afterwards, I considered how unfair these misconceptions are and how they prevent so many people from using these inborn skills that can release them from the issues that entrap them – addictions, phobias, traumas. We have all the answers we need inside of us, we just need to distract the conscious mind a little so that we can communicate with the unconscious. Being in trance is the most natural thing in the world – we do it all the time when we get absorbed in a task, like reading or driving – being ‘in the zone’. The media portrays hypnotism as such a shady, secretive activity when it is in front of you all the time and you do it to yourself. You are always in control.

And it is true to me, not marketing hype. There is no smoke or mirrors surrounding hypnosis, no arcane power, it is the most simple thing in the world and a healthy, creative state of mind to be in. I like the gentle, slow pace of the thought processes, so very unlike the buy, buy, bamboozle-you-with-numbers speed of the hard sell. I like how you can examine your thoughts at your own pace, how you are not scurried and hurried towards an out-of-control purchase.

So, it comes to the point when the salesman throws his hand into the ring: Are you going to buy? It is normally a cringeworthy moment for me when I apologetically refuse the offer, feeling guilty and duped and a little annoyed with myself but, this time, it was different. No, I will not. No need to apologise, excuse or feel anything at all, it is just a statement of fact. And that is that. In control.

I will be sent a recording of my podcast moment of fame in a couple of days, and I will attach it to my blog, so if you are interested in hearing my amazing articulateness, have a listen. Let the effects ripple onwards …