John Stringer Business Profit Growth Specialist

09/07/2025

Last night, I was sharing with some new clients about the changes their business is facing and the fact that several things in their company needed to be dismantled to determine why they were not working as they should.

The work I do involves this as a core part of the magic I bring to companies such as theirs, so that when things are put back together again, they work exceptionally well and help the business grow and develop.

For many of my clients, this is confronting, especially when a degree of fragility is present. At times, it's overwhelming for them, which I recognise and understand.

Then out of nowhere, my client pauses for a minute and shares the quote below............

It was a light bulb moment for her and her husband. Now, the pain they were experiencing was understandable, but more importantly, this was revealing itself as an excellent time for better things to happen.

Took my breath away....... JS

13/09/2024

I've just been reminded about the power of Questions that start with 'So What'?

I learned about this many years ago when trying to nail down my Niche and clarify my ideal client. What did I learn?

Keep challenging what you develop by asking the 'so what' of any statement you produce.

Why is that important?

Consider this: -

A question starting with "So what?" can be powerful in various contexts. Here's an analysis of its impact:

Challenges assumptions: "So what?" forces the speaker or writer to justify the importance or relevance of their statement or idea.

Encourages critical thinking: It prompts deeper analysis and reflection on the implications or consequences of a given fact or situation.

Cuts through rhetoric: This question can help pierce through superficial or flowery language to understand an issue's core significance.

Drives to actionable insights: By asking "So what?", you often push for practical applications or real-world implications.

Reveals priorities: The answer to "So what?" often highlights what the respondent truly values or considers important.

Stimulates discussion: It can be a great conversation starter, encouraging others to defend or elaborate on their views.

Enhances learning: In educational settings, it helps students connect facts to broader concepts and real-world applications.

Improves communication: It challenges speakers or writers to make their points more clearly and compellingly.

Uncovers hidden assumptions: The question can reveal underlying beliefs or biases that weren't initially apparent.

Promotes problem-solving: By focusing on consequences and implications it can lead to identifying issues that need addressing.

However, it's worth noting that the tone and context in which "So what?" is asked matters greatly.

While it can be a tool for critical thinking and deeper understanding, it can also come across as dismissive or confrontational if not used carefully.

11/09/2024

The time for a refresh was well overdue as it is time to start sharing what's been happening from working with my clients... watch this space. JS

Send a message to learn more

16/05/2022

Why The Hook For Your Story Is More Important Than The Story Itself.

What is a story hook?

The story hook is the big idea behind the story. Specifically, it's the big idea that pulls people into the story.

If I said to you, “Hey, let me tell you a quick story about how I changed my website from 40 pages to one page, and sales went up 250% overnight. That increase was enough to cover a house payment, two car payments, and the electric bill.”

That’s a hook… it’s a little long, but it’s a hook.

In the newspaper business, they would call that a “lead.” The lead is normally the first paragraph, which is also the most important part of a story.

So the story hook is the idea that pulls people in and gets them to keep reading or listening to the story.

Where does a really good story hook come from?

It comes from extremes. It comes from emotional highs and lows along with contrast.

When I said “Let me tell you about the time I was living in a trailer park (caravan park), changed my website from 40 pages to one page, sales went up 250% overnight, and I was able to move out into a house.”

That gives us high levels of contrast. We also want emotional lows and emotional highs.

Typically you find that point at the bottom of the hero's journey story arc.

Every good hero's journey, and especially every good sales story, goes through a story arc. And right there at the bottom is usually the best place to find the hook for your story.

Example: “Let me tell you about the time a bankruptcy judge was laughing in my face in court and I had to stand there and just suck on it!”

The bottom of the arc is the number one spot to find that hook.

The second place to find the hook is at the end of the story when the person has basically become Superman and achieved anything and everything that they wanted. That's another place to find the hook.

So bottom line, you can have the greatest story in the world, but if you don't have an amazing hook, nobody's going listen to it.

Nobody's going watch it.
Nobody's going to read it.

Spend as much time developing the hook as you do the actual story itself.

Do that and you’ll crush someone who spends all their time on the story, throws it out there because “it’s a good story,” and then wonders why nobody watches it, listens to it, or reads it.

How are your story's going?

How closely do you follow this structure?

Please share your thoughts and experiences below in the comments section. Thanks JS

p.s always appreciate these 'tidbits' from Jim Edwards.

20/04/2022

“My Three (3) $9,000 SCHOLARSHIPS” – FREE - GIVEAWAY

Dear Friends & Friends of Friends and Associates

As many of you know, and some may not be fully aware that over the last 10 plus years, I have been working with clients across the globe, to help them improve their frameworks and overall business performance - primarily more profit.

During this time I have invested a good chunk of change ($50K plus) in growing my knowledge and I've spent a lot of hours (in excess of 2000) completing additional training and attending live masterminds and similar events.

This has been crucial in helping me take my clients to new levels of results that they just were not aware were possible.

What have my clients experienced as a result of this work?

1. Clients say they feel more energized and more enthusiastic about their business.
2. They are thriving from applying Profit First based Cash Management techniques
3. They are growing their businesses because they are not being drowned by working in it.
4. They are finding their stress levels evaporating as they no longer worry about their Cash Flow.

Over the past 3-months, I have spent time refining my business model and developing my offer to be clear and concise.

Shortly I will be releasing that model and offer to the marketplace I operate in.

My focus? – is on helping you improve the Profit from your business.

Having Profit is one thing - it has to be sustainable in the long term and it has to bring you the rewards you deserve. The kind of rewards that put a big wide smile on your face.

Question:- Who is my Ideal Audience when I launch?

Service-based businesses with annual revenues between $150K - $5M, or more.

In preparation for my re-launch, I am offering three (3) FREE Scholarships, worth $9,000 each, to three fortunate business owners.

I am now looking for three (3) services business owners with the levels of revenue I have mentioned above.
Each business owner must meet my criteria (including the revenue band) and have the time and excitement to invest in this 12-week BootCamp.

No distractions. No planned breaks. Just the want and hunger for something better out of their business.

Each Owner will work alongside me and devote time to making a difference. I will be investing my own time [twelve (12) weeks] and my own money [$9,000] to make this happen.

Let's be clear here. I want to help you to start increasing your business profits by at least $27K or more.

Why am I doing this?

I genuinely like helping business owners make a difference to how their business performs. I derive a lot of satisfaction in working alongside my clients and watching the joy on their faces when there are some great outcomes.

I want to Road Test the tweaks I have made to my Program that has been very successful to date before I re-launch it to my marketplace.

I can't think of a better way to road test these small revisions.

Who wants in?

If it’s not you, then who do you know that you could pass this offer on to?

Here's the link to book a short Zoom call (20 minutes) to determine whether you qualify to be awarded one of these Scholarships.

https://bit.ly/3wLqKZX

18/04/2022

What is the world coming to? - nothing like a bunch of excuses to put off what might be better for you. JS

11/04/2022

I can’t write Headlines for you know what (4-letter word)!!

The competition for the eyeballs of our Ideal Client is insanely intense.

If you haven’t got your Niche definition sorted, you’ve just made it so much harder for yourself. Consumers are becoming increasingly more demanding.

They crave quickly engaging media experiences, or they will move on, almost immediately, to the next new thing.

More than half of mobile users leave a website that takes more than 3-seconds to load – 3-seconds!

Microsoft in a recent study concluded that the human attention span has dropped to eight (8) seconds.

Whereas the average attention span for the notoriously ill-focused goldfish is nine (9) seconds.

Guess who wins the attention span comp - the humble GOLDFISH!!

Why should this concern you?

Huge numbers of Digital Agencies, Consultants, and Coaches are competing for the attention of their Ideal Clients in an increasingly saturated market.

It’s the fight for the eyeballs.

Chances are you are pumping out content, cheat sheets, short videos, maybe a white paper either through a paid marketing campaign, or organically, to build your reputation in the marketplace.

Your goal (or intention) - is to gain the attention of your Ideal Client.

At least enough attention that they are going to absorb your core message, your irresistible offer, or whatever message that you’re trying to get out there... ...inside that 8-second attention-span window.

How well do you rate on that score – getting your message out in 8-seconds?

Not getting the engagement you thought you would?

Wonder why?

I started out on an exercise today of researching how to write really good headlines.

Woah! – what a minefield that is. Scan. Dismiss. Scan. Dismiss. Scan...click!

I learned very early in my research this is what audiences are doing ... Scan. Dismiss. Scan... ...think about it.

Do you do the same when looking through your inbox... ...or on social media - and/or the odd blog... ...do you scan, dismiss, scan, dismiss, scan, click!?

We scan through headlines, subject lines, or crappy messaging, dismissing most and clicking a few.

Jingoes, we’re busy, we haven’t got time to stuff around.

Writing for that CLICK depends on the headline more than anything else. We are all judged instantly and ruthlessly by a very short set of words.

What sells Newspapers? – Screaming Headlines! – and a good mix of bad news.

Over at Orbit Media I found these tips on writing good headlines.

1. Make a Promise. Be specific
2. Use Power Trigrams (groups of three words)
3. Use Numbers
4. Ask a Question
5. Put impact words at the front of your headline
6. Write very long headlines (ideally 15-17 words)
7. Put the keyword first

One standout comment was that the pros don’t write just one headline and that’s it – like, they’ve nailed it in one take...

Noooooo!.

Try and write at least a dozen headlines and then pick one – the one that stands out. That’s what the pros are doing.

What have we achieved at this point? – maybe gaining their attention.

What do we follow that with?

Content – again you still need to hold the attention of your audience.

So how long should your content be?

It’s got to be engaging, it’s got to hold their attention.
Are you using Video to reach your Ideal Client? Short videos are a reel deal.

Going back to the attention span of your audience, what’s more appealing?

A written piece of copy, or a smart, on target message video?

A good video often needs a good script as its base.
*Research has found that about 84% of consumers used to be convinced to purchase after watching a video.

• Cisco reports that video content will account for about 82% of overall internet traffic in 2022.

• Vlogging is here to stay

• Livestreams will skyrocket in importance Knowing about current video marketing trends will be key to running successful digital marketing campaigns.

Learning how to do this well is going to be a critical part of your marketing plans.

The best tips for video marketing you may already know, but are worth repeating here.
1. Keep your Video Short – aim for under 2-minutes or less.

2. Something Catchy – what’s going to grab the attention of your target audience?

3. Create an Emotional Response – a laugh, nostalgia, charm – get them to feel something.

4. End your Video on the right note – contact information, easy brand access

5. Promote your Video – don’t create and forget.

Share it across multiple platforms. Maybe pay to have it boosted as a sponsored ad that will show up in the news feed of many people from your chosen demographic.

After setting out to learn how to write really good headlines, I’ve learned a whole lot more.

Headlines, Hooks, and great copy - are all part of the mix that makes up a small part of your marketing strategy.

It’s not unlike fishing.

First, you gotta hook them.

Then you’ve got to land them

Then maybe you get to eat them.

For all of that to happen you’ve got to start with attractive bait.

Is marketing any different – not in my book.
What’s the most important part of copy?
Is it the headline?
Is it the copy?
How about the body?
Nope!
It’s actually the hook or introduction.

This is because the hook to a piece of copy is your foot in the door.

It’s a way to separate yourself, stir up interest and set the tone for the rest of the content.

It’s no different with Video.

You’ve still got to have a good, engaging script and deliver your message in about 90-seconds.

Headlines, Hooks, and great content are what will help you the most with your messaging.

All of this is not some short, quick-flick type of exercise.

You’re in this for the long haul – or you’re not in it at all.

Remember this is about your audience - don’t be... me-centric.

That’s not quite the end of this share - just yet.

You also have other things to consider in your marketing strategy and content.

Maybe Linkedin is where your ideal client hangs out. If you are posting on Linkedin there is a character limit of 3000 characters (increased in June 2021 – from 1300).

Perhaps you’re on Facebook.

Here you can share long-form content up to 63,206 characters in regular posts.

What’s the ideal length you ask?

BuzzSumo’s research suggests that the ideal Facebook length is 50 characters (or fewer) this is what gets the most engagement.

Instagram ads character limit is similar to Facebook – Headline – 40 Characters / Body Text – 125 Characters.

There’s a useful guide available at https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-character-counter/Social

How quickly does your website, or landing page load if your Ideal Client is using the internet?

When did you last test its loading speed?

If your website is slow your audience isn’t going to hang around waiting for the thing to load.

Google has a FREE site where you can do an initial speed loading check https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

Or you could try https://www.dareboost.com

My intention was not to bury you in a pile of more useless information.

We all struggle to effectively reach our Ideal Client and/or our Market.

Getting the right content out there, the right way requires constant reviewing and updating of the tools and methods we use.

I want to see you have every opportunity to be successful.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on everything I’ve raised in this post.

To your continuing success. JS

02/04/2022

Thought for today [Saturday 2nd April] - who are you to judge? JS🤗

25/03/2022

Here's a short video (5 mins) I believe is worth taking in - let me know your thoughts. JS

Want to discover the SECRETS to evolve beyond your recurring fears and doubts so you can rise above any obstacle that comes? Watch this 👉 https://www.succes...

06/12/2021

Fact or Fiction - take the time out to watch this and then share what you think is really happening. JS