Evan Carmichael is an entrepreneur who helps fellow entrepreneurs to succeed and prosper. His book explains the secret of how one word can transform you and your business.

Evan book is split in to three parts:

• Core, which covers the philosophy behind how having your one word can help you as well as the core selling technique
• Campaign, that shows how to apply your one word to create a campaign for your business that people will care about
• Company, which discusses how to apply your one word to various business building components, with evidence from other entrepreneurs that have achieved this.

If you’re living for the evenings and weekends and just hope that when you work it’s not too bad, Evan wants to help. He believes that when something is truly, deeply important to you, that you find ways to make it happen. Following this passion is hard whilst being mediocre is comfortable and easy. What’s needed is the right mindset.

A limiting mindset keeps you where you are. A mindset for greatness lets you take that first step. The first step is always the hardest. If an overweight person wants to get in shape, the first run will be the most difficult physically and mentally, but each future run will be easier in both respects.

Evan Carmichael has one word that defines him – believe. Great people can be described in one word, for Steve Jobs it was “Impact”, for Martin Luther King it was “Equality”. Everything you do or like or read or listen to are all connected and can be boiled down to one powerful word. This one word can be used to start a movement like Martin Luther King did and it can also be used for selling. People want to know you and what you stand for before they’ll buy anything from you. If you stand for something important and your customers’ cause is the same as your own, they’ll be more likely to buy from you due to that connection.

The type of selling that achieves this is called “Core selling”. Feature selling promotes a product or services’ feature, i.e. “This computer is so powerful it will last you at least five years”. Benefit selling shows how the consumer would benefit from the product or service, i.e. “You’ll have lots more free time as this computer’s processor speed is so fast”. Core selling however leads with your one word. It doesn’t just sell the product or service, it’s about how people feel when they see your brand. Steve Jobs wanted to make an impact and put a dent in the universe. By embracing this and sharing his vision, his products appealed to other people that wanted to make an impact in the world.

To model the results from successful people like Steve Jobs, you need clarity on who you are and what you stand for. Your one word shouldn’t just be a slogan but rather a value and a personal mission statement. It allows you to make decisions more easily, as they should support your path. It makes it easy for people to talk about you and spread your message. This philosophy has helped entrepreneurs generate millions in sales.

To find your one word, Evan suggests writing down what makes you happy. From that list, try and figure out what binds them together. The word that connects them is your one word. The more powerful the word, the more often it will have been used before, but what is important is your take on it.

Once you have your word you can start a movement around it. It is important to test. One simple test can change a business. Evan Carmichael tested by writing about #believe in his email newsletter and his engagement increased by 50%. As this worked he expanded and changed his website, YouTube videos and social media to reflect #believe – and the movement took off. There are many elements to a successful campaign or movement. Not all of them are required to be successful but the more you have, the more chance you have of creating that powerful movement.

1. The right mindset (To ensure you really care about what you’re doing)
2. A powerful creed (To energise yourself and the people you reach)
3. Your founding story (So customers can relate to you)
4. Your tribe of followers (Recognise them and bring them together to give them belonging and meaning)
5. Rituals and gestures (These strengthen the bond)
6. A purposeful name (Use a name without meaning so it’s flexible as business plans often change. You can add your own meaning to it as required)
7. Knowing your enemy (They’re a catalyst for action. Use them to bring attention to your campaign)
8. Memorable logos, fonts, and symbols (As your campaign builds, people will recognise them)
9. An impactful sound (Audio branding is equally important)

With these elements in place you can build a company that matters and there are several already that impact the world following this one word philosophy. Whether revenue is $50,000 or $150 million, this way of thinking is applicable. It can influence aspects of the business from company culture to operations. Your one word is your core. It helps you to build a powerful campaign and helps you to run your business. These are all the ingredients needed for success. Now the only element required is to act on them. Make it happen.