Happy Sunday!
I spent all of last week in Los Angeles (Burbank/North Hollywood area) to attend a dance training by Galen Hooks — one of the world’s top choreographers. She’s also a dancer and creative director.
Her training (part of The Galen Hooks Method) was specifically geared for people aspiring to become professional dancers, i.e., those you see on TV performing behind famous artists!
Out of fifteen women, I was the only one for whom dancing is a hobby, not a career aspiration. I came to the training with a different mindset…I want to master my hobby.
I tend to have this same outlook with anything that’s important to me.
My boyfriend observed, “Any time you want to learn something, you always go to the best to learn it.”
That’s true…I do!
I gravitate towards learning from people who are miles ahead of me, who have achieved far more than me, who have mastered certain things that I’m still trying to grasp.
Within minutes, Galen pinpointed specific areas where I could improve my dancing. She could see our weaknesses and “crutches” and gently called them out.
We explored our artistic voices as dancers…practiced our freestyling…did exercises to build our confidence.
I’m second from left in pink shirt!
We did a mock audition, a mock commercial shoot, and even a mock rehearsal.
For the mock rehearsal, we learned a choreography for a Taylor Swift song in ten minutes. We practiced it as if we were rehearsing to dance on stage with Taylor herself.
Galen acted like an “industry” choreographer would act — expecting us to pick up the choreography immediately, and be 100% flexible with any and all changes at the drop of a hat. (Thereby teaching us the importance of bringing our A-game and operating at “high stakes” levels at all times…otherwise you could be cut.)
We were expected to “perform” with our faces — and give all of our energy to either the camera, or to Taylor.
It was intense!
That part of the training was both intriguing, and challenging me. (Hell, that’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to performing live with Taylor Swift or anybody famous.)
The competitive nature of the dance industry is not for me…but I sure do enjoy dancing for fun.
Maybe I put myself through these intense experiences, because it helps me be a better writer, and a better human being.
Treating every day, every hour, every task as “high stakes” — while being relaxed about it — is the ultimate goal.
There’s an art, and a science to doing this. You want to pour your best into everything you do, without stressing yourself out.
Anyways! What a great week.
Side note: Part of what sold me on Galen’s $1500 training was her well-written sales page. As my top clients know, sales pages are a MUST if you want to skyrocket your home business.
The sweet spot for a killer sales page is 2000-3500 words, with great headlines, punchy subheadlines, intriguing stories, data, facts, clean bullet points, and an irresistible offer.
Without sales pages, the growth of your home business can be painstakingly slow…and not in a good way.
In Galen’s case, do the math…15 students at $1500 apiece, for a 4-day training (5 hours a day).
She banked probably $22,500 just from this one training (minus any scholarships or discounts), and she’s constantly doing these throughout the year…in addition to regular dance classes which are always sold out with hundreds of students per class.
…That doesn’t even count income from choreographing, directing, or performing.
I found her SALES PAGE page through one of her Instagram posts, while I was browsing choreographies.
I read the sales page, thought about it for twenty minutes, and signed up that same night. (She didn’t have any “sales conversations” with me over the phone.)
Galen’s an example of someone who converts her social media followers (153k+ Instagram followers) into paying clients. She’s driving people back to her website — back to her sales page — where they can read more info and sign up. This is what distinguishes her from many others who have high social media followings, but aren’t making sales.
Her content is great. Her teachings are great. The “experience” she delivers to her students is transformative and memorable.
(You ideally want to deliver the same type of experience when someone’s reading your sales page.)
On that note, I am backlogged with articles and need to get back to work!
Michelle Lopez
Founder of Anti-Marketing Manifesto
P.S. Below are some videos of me freestyling (in heels!) at Galen Hooks’ training in North Hollywood!
Me freestyling in heels. Song: “Beg for It” by Iggy Azalea
Me freestyling in heels. Song: “Sure Thing” by Miguel
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 