Dad lied to me

Do you remember when you first learnt to ride a bike?

I do. In fact, it's one of the very clear memories from my early childhood.

I must have been about five. The bike was blue with white tyres and a white saddle.

And (optional extra) it had a bell with a picture of Donald Duck on it.

No stabilisers, though – I was going straight in at the deep end.

My dad was the parent-in-charge of transportation issues and so the job of teaching me to ride the bike fell to him.

And he approached the task as I guess most parents would – by getting me to pedal away while he walked or jogged behind, holding onto the back of the saddle.

I'm not sure how many hours my dad spent trotting up and down the garden in a strange half-stoop hanging onto the back of my bike, but I suspect we may have got to double figures.

We had quite a long back garden, and so it was possible to cycle in a straight line for quite a distance before we had to stop, turn around, and try again.

"Don't let go, Daddy," I kept saying.

And each time my dad replied, "It's ok, I won't".

But eventually, of course, when he judged the moment was right, he did let go.

And it wasn't until I had successfully reached the other end of the garden that I realised what had happened – and felt the mixed emotions of horror that my dad had lied to me, coupled with elation at the fact that...

I could now ride a bike!

(Well, provided I only wanted to go in a straight line).

Obviously, I did later on learn how to steer and go round corners too. But, the initial goal was simply to ride in a straight line without falling off.

And I suspect that's how you started off too, isn't it?

But 30 years later, when it was time for me to teach my own first-born how to ride a bike, things had changed.

Now we had Google.

And it was on Google where I stumbled across an article that said that the traditional way of teaching a kid to ride a bike was all wrong.

Apparently, the hardest thing to do when it comes to cycling is to keep your balance while riding in a straight line.

And it's actually much easier to avoid falling off if you start off by trying to ride round and round in a circle.

The theory goes that, once you are cornering, your body naturally leans the other way and you stay in balance much more easily than if you are going in a straight line.

So, I gave it a try.

And guess what.....

No hours and hours of bent-over running for me. My daughter was cycling unaided in no time.

So it just goes to show that, very often, the traditional and accepted ways of doing things aren't always the best.

And it's the same with so many things in business too.

For example, most solo business owners get told that to be successful online you need to spend hours and hours posting on social media each week, constantly creating content and chasing likes and follows.

But it's not true.

You'll almost certainly get more clients in a shorter space of time if you put your time and energy into building an email list and creating a simple lead magnet that attracts your ideal clients.

Here's why this approach works so much better:

Social media is like riding in a straight line – it's actually harder than it looks. You're constantly fighting the algorithm, competing for attention in a crowded feed, and hoping your content reaches the right people at the right time.

Email marketing is like riding in circles – it feels counterintuitive, but it's actually much more stable. Because once someone's on your email list, you can communicate with them directly without worrying about algorithms or competition.

So how do you get started with this 'circular' approach?

First, create a simple lead magnet – a free guide, checklist, or mini-course that solves a specific problem for your ideal client. This doesn't need to be a 50-page masterpiece. Even a one-page checklist can work brilliantly if it's genuinely helpful.

Next, set up a simple landing page where people can download this lead magnet in exchange for their email address. You can use email marketing systems like Kit or ActiveCampaign to collect emails and maintain your list.

Finally, create a short email sequence (5 to 10 emails) that delivers additional value and gently introduces your services. This sequence is delivered automatically by your chosen email marketing platform, so you're building relationships while you sleep.

The beauty of this approach is that it's working for you 24/7. While your competitors are spending their evenings creating Instagram posts and LinkedIn content, you're building a list of people who've already shown interest in what you do.

If you want to learn more about how to build this kind of automated lead generation system that works around the clock then you should check out my book, Building an Automated Lead Machine.

For just £7, you'll get immediate access to this 112-page guide that shows you step-by-step how to:

• Create lead magnets that your ideal clients actually want

• Build landing pages that convert visitors into subscribers

• Write email sequences that nurture leads and turn them into clients

• Set up automated systems that generate leads while you focus on serving your clients

Click here to get your copy for just £7

Going round in circles might be a good way to learn to ride a bike, but it's not a good way to run your business or to do your marketing.

So if you want to learn how to keep your balance in the online world and build a sustainable lead generation system that doesn't rely on the latest social media trends...

Click here to get Building an Automated Lead Machine for just £7

It's the perfect way to stop spinning your wheels and start building a business that works for you.

All the best,
David

PS - In case you think my daughter learning to ride in this unusual way was a one-off fluke, let me tell you something else...

A few weeks after I'd helped my daughter say goodbye to her stabilisers, I was at the local park and spotted a woman struggling to teach her son to ride his bike.

I suggested she try the going-round-in-circles method and by the time I left the park about half an hour later, her little lad was going solo too.

Sometimes the best approach really is the one that seems counterintuitive at first.

The same applies to marketing your business.

Click here to discover the counterintuitive approach that will transform your lead generation