Business Lessons from Harry Potter and the Magic Bullet

It seems the world has a fascination with MAGIC… We are all at times (at least I can say this for myself) looking for the Magic Bullet to eliminate the non-magical process of creating our dream from our current reality. Therefore, in the search for the Magic Bullet, whether it is finding the newest supplement, testing a newly found system to success, or reading a blockbuster book with all the answers, I just love to stumble upon a good story.

Yes, I have the new Harry Potter book! Ever since I started reading the Harry Potter series aloud to my son about 5 years ago, I was intrigued by the underlying lessons presented within the story line. The characters captured my imagination. The reluctant hero Harry, the pouting Ron, and the indomitable Hermione participated in adventures that I will remember forever.

How does any of this provide lessons for business? In your business, have you been searching for a Magic Bullet? As a solopreneur, I have come across many things that I thought were the answer or chuckled because someone else did – the magic business in a box, the magic content creator, the magic product that would sell itself.

* Lesson One - “There is No Magic Bullet.”

The genius of J.K.Rowling and her marketing plan drew me in early in the game. The creativity expressed in the books got my attention. The strategic plan of the continuing saga became something to look forward to every year. The intermittent intervals kept me interested.

As my son got older, we took turns reading aloud the newest book to each other, then we each read on our own to share about the plot later on. I am now more enthusiastic about the book series than my son is!

* Lesson Two – “Keep your target audience interested.”

Then the movies came out and the visual representation was congruent with the text in the books. With each new episode, the visual effects drew one in. I found I just could not miss how the movie brought to life the characters and events.

* Lesson Three - How many different ways can we distribute the Product to all who want it?

Not only that, the buzz about when J.K. was finishing up and publishing the newest book would be running concurrently with the movie trailers for a previous book. Nothing could stop me from making sure that new book was in my hands the minute it was available…

* Lesson Four – If there is Buzz, there are more sales!

The marketing genius of using the cliffhanger, or leaving things unfinished at the end, evolved as J.K.Rowling ended each of her novels with an explanation of how we got to this point and ended with a mystery to solve, a question to answer, a curiosity to cure, a thirst to quench.

* Lesson Five – Create an offer, present it to a thirsty crowd and offer a second glass, directly from Mark Joyner’s The Great Formula.

In summary, Harry Potter has gotten out of some hefty jams and one wonders how! Then I remember, this is only a book, this is only a movie, and this is imagination.

The author used the power of her words and a plan to market them in a strategic manner that has not only entertained millions, but has brought to fruition a business plan that can be cultivated and modeled in the world.

The Final Lesson: Although there is no Magic Bullet, knowing that what I create my business to be is coming from me and not happening to me is a vision that helps me see the value of the stories in my life, whether I am reading a book or living a life...

No, I do not know if Harry dies, I am only half way through. It is in the unfolding of each page that the mind can take in more...

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