Joe Vitale, Founder, Hypnotic Marketing, Inc.

Mark is a genius. He has a warp-speed brain.

He has lights on in his head where most of us don’t even realize we have light switches. He has the uncanny ability to process information at lightning speed, shift perceptions as if his vision were a helicopter, and see solutions where most people simply see walls -- and brick walls, at that.

He’s a Superman of the Mind. He’s a walking, talking, money-making brain on steroids. Computers want to grow up and be like him. And I’m probably under describing his abilities.

Steve Cohen, “The Millionaires’ Magician”

When Mark first developed my brand identity, “The Millionaires’ Magician,” I fought him tooth and nail. I was scared it was exclusionary and would frighten people away. I was wrong. Since adopting that position, here’s what’s happened:

I got my own off-Broadway show, Chamber Magic, which has been running for seven years.

I’ve raised my private show fee by 2,000%, and often turn away bookings because my schedule is so full.

I signed a deal to write a book for HarperCollins.

I’ve been profiled on TV many times, including appearances on CBS Evening News, The Today Show, and Martha Stewart Living.

I’ve been written about extensively in print media, including The New York Times, The Financial Times, and The London Times.

I’ve performed throughout the world, including Lisbon, London, Japan, and Paris.

I’ve so much business, that I had to hire a staff to manage my publicity and bookings.

Now, Mark and I are working on my own television special.

To say that Mark Levy has made a profound difference in my career would be an understatement. Instead, let me say that Mark is one of the most important people in the world to me, and is one of the people most responsible for my success.

When I have a project, I don’t think ‘Should I hire Mark?’ I think, ‘Which part of the project is most critical?’ I then engage Mark to work on that.

Bill Treasurer, Founder, Giant Leap Consulting

When I first started my consulting firm, I was thrilled if we brought in $1,800 in a week. Of course, I realized we could do far better. So, even though I was hesitant to spend the money, I called positioning expert Mark Levy.

Since hiring Mark, we’ve had numerous $10,000 and $12,000 weeks, not to mention some monthly retainers that net us upwards of $100,000. My firm’s revenues have more than doubled, as has my daily fee.

Before Mark, my biggest concern was finding clients. Now, my biggest concern is handling all the clients coming our way.

What did he do? Mark helped me develop a central business concept that my firm is proud of, can deliver upon, and which has great value to my clients. He also showed us how to broadcast that concept through my speeches and the firm’s promotional materials.

The concept isn’t just a marketing tool. It helps our strategic decision-making. By defining who we are and who we aren’t, we now know which business to accept and reject. Our central concept guides us.

I can’t recommend Mark’s work too strongly. Besides being able to deliver big results, he’s also funny, thought-provoking, and seems to have as much passion for his client’s business as the client himself has. I know in my case, Mark helped me reconnect with the magic of why I started my company in the first place.

Jeff Cohen, Founder, Bold Road Business Services

I left my job at a Fortune 500 corporation to open my own consulting company. The problem? I wasn’t sure which kind of consultancy to start. One based on my work in HR? One based on my project management skills? One based on my skills as a writer?

I brought in Mark Levy to help me find a focus that people would find valuable. Doing that was one of the smartest moves I’ve ever made.

Working together, we developed a dual focus for me: one for the corporate world, and one for the general public. In under a year, here’s some of what’s happened:

I started my company, Bold Road Business Services, which helps take the intimidation out of goal setting and achievement. So far, my corporate clients include American Express, the Gap, and Brown Brothers Harriman.

I became the Dating & Relationship expert on About.com, which is the eleventh most visited website on the Internet. My columns get one and a half million clicks a month.

I spoke to 3,000 people at a live CBS News event, ‘HealthWatch,’ and was included on a program that featured such prominent speakers as Deepak Chopra and Dr. Dean Ornish.

I was interviewed in USA Today, appeared on Good Morning America, as well as the international TV show, Voice of America, which is seen by 100 million people in 35 countries.

Producers for both Oprah and Rachael Ray called me about making an appearance on their shows.

I’m pleased and grateful for how far I’ve come in a short time, and Mark Levy is one of the people I most have to thank for what I’ve been able to achieve. His work has been extraordinary and career-shaping.

Joel Bauer, Founder, Bauer & Associates

Mark Levy is a branding and writing god.

I hired Mark to co-author a book with me, How to Persuade People Who Don’t Want to be Persuaded. The result? We’ve signed a contract with one of the world’s largest business publishers, and Mark is polishing that book into a thing of power, beauty, and utility.

I trust him like I trust few other people in business. His work is remarkable. His personality and ethics a joy.

Robert W. Jacobs, Founder, Robert W. Jacobs Consulting.

[From a snail-mail note:]

Dear Mark:

I talk to you often and e-mail you frequently. This note deserves hard copy. It’s important that you know how much I appreciate having you in my life.

I have learned many things from you: how to write in short sentences!; how to market congruently with who I am; how to put plans in place to grow my business to the next level.

You have been my accomplice as I’ve “re-found” my voice and self. I realize this may have been frustrating for you, yet you handled it with grace and compassion (and still do).

More than anything, I want you to sit back and soak up the good energy coming your way from here in Ann Arbor.

When we make a positive contribution to another’s life, that’s my definition of Right Action.

You’ve done that for me.

Thanks,
Jake

Mark Lefko, Founder and CEO, The Lefko Group

I had two major marketing troubles: 1. My organizational consulting business had a weak, all-over-the-place focus. 2. My website did a poor job convincing prospects to call.

I hired Mark Levy to help me solve both problems and, I must say, his work has gone beyond anything I ever expected. Way beyond.

Because of his counsel, I’ve dropped all the services I hated

doing and am now focusing on one thing: corporate retreats. CEOs and executive teams hire me to facilitate at their retreats. That’s the work I’m best at, and that’s the work I love doing.

Mark also took my site (www.lefkogroup.net), gutted it, and rewrote every word around retreats. I recently sent the link out to my referral network, and have gotten back comments like this one: ‘I think your website is fabulous -- clear, to the point, and most importantly, reflective of you. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.’

I can’t stress enough how this invigorating focus and persuasive site have helped me. Now, when I’m speaking with prospects, I’m clear and confident about what I do and how I can help them. My clarity and confidence is making it much easier to win business.

I’m also starting to do a lot of marketing that sends prospects to my website. In the past, I’d never send them there, because the writing was confusing. Now, though, I’m excited to have them see it, because once they read Mark’s convincing prose, there’s an excellent chance they'll be calling me.

Julie Beedon, CEO, Vista Consulting Group Ltd.

For two years, three other consultants and I tried to write a book together. We struggled, and eventually hired a writing coach. He had some great ideas, but my writing grew worse. Eventually, and I am not sure if it was in spite of or because of his coaching, my writing completely dried up.

Then, the other consultants met Mark Levy. Mark, they told me, wasn’t only a writing coach. He was also, for goodness sakes, a professional magician. My colleagues led me to believe he would revolutionize our writing. And that’s what he did.

He freed us up to write without thinking about it first. We all wrote pages and pages. Writing became a joy.

When it came time to convert our writing into a book, that’s when Mark’s magic really kicked in. With his help, we created the book that impressed even us, and got a publisher’s contract for it.

Mark uses some quite astonishing sleight of hand when he coaches, including wit, tenacity and a wonderful belief in his own genius. He is inspiring.

My writing had always been sententious and disjointed. I give Mark all the credit for transforming it.

Working with him, especially in the early days, was not always easy. I was irritated by his constant questions about my writing’s meaning. I often did not want to try, as he suggested, yet another angle.

But it was not long before Mark’s questions, new angles and patient reading paid off. Presto! He gave us all simple lessons, which I will remember forever.

If anyone tells me they are writing, I send them to Mark.

Bruce Eicher, Founder, Eicher Entertainment

Thanks for doing such a great job writing my brochure. It’s the most compelling promotional piece I’ve ever had. It even landed me a job before it left the printer’s. The president of the printing company read it while it was still in production, said “We need this guy!,” and hired me on the spot for one of their customer events.

Mark, the time you spent understanding what I offer was impressive. Your finished writing, more so.

Dick Axelrod, Co-founder, The Axelrod Group:

[From one of Dick’s emails to Mark:] Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your ideas as always really helped. You never fail to provide insight, support, friendship, and brilliant ideas. I think you know this, but just to be explicit, whenever you need a reference or endorsement, I will be your biggest fan.

[From Dick, after Mark asked for that endorsement:]

Mark, when people ask about working with you, I tell them three anecdotes:

Anecdote 1. You and I spent a couple of weeks writing my site’s homepage. It was torture. But the result was phenomenal.

That page has helped me secure more than one project. I even had one of the executive vice-presidents of a Fortune 50 firm tell me that that homepage was the clearest, most compelling description of why workplace change fails and succeeds that she’d ever seen.

Anecdote 2. When I hired you to coach me through the writing of a book, I remember your promise. You said, ‘Dick, I know your first book, Terms of Engagement, was heavily praised and got you a big following. But after working with me, you’re going to be ashamed of that book. The writing in it isn’t you. It’s artificial. It doesn’t have your breath, your pulse. When we get through working together, your writing will have improved so dramatically, that all your old writing will embarrass you.’

Three months later, an editor from a business journal phoned me, and asked if she could publish an excerpt from Terms. I read the excerpt she wanted. It made me sick. I thought, ‘Levy, you bastard, you were right!’ I told the editor she could publish the excerpt, only if she let me rewrite it.

Anecdote 3. You were coaching me and my colleagues through the writing of a book proposal. I said to you, ‘You know, my colleagues and I really only want this one particular publisher to publish it.’ You said, ‘No problem. Let’s just study what that publisher expects to see in a proposal, and we’ll make sure your proposal has those elements in it.’ Long story short: we sent the finished proposal to that one publisher, and he accepted it immediately.

Richard Kallman, Executive Vice President, Bookazine Company, Inc.

[Mark Levy is] a salesman who could sell ice to Eskimos, and who has, in fact, helped make my company well over a billion dollars worth of sales.

Nathan Gold, “The Demo Coach.”

I consider Mark Levy to be my Number One Business Weapon. He has given me more practical counsel than any person I’ve hired or book I’ve read.

Mark sees business through a different lens. He’s someone who helps me flush out and flesh out ideas by looking at them from some not-so-obvious angles. His ability to ask the right questions, even when he initially knows little about the topic, is particularly astonishing; it’s been a linchpin in helping me discover the core value propositions that are furthering my business.

Mark’s enthusiasm overflows in everything he does. He doesn’t stop until he is sure that I have a complete understanding of his strategies, and how I can use them to make money. (Mark even demands that I repeat back what he said earlier in a three-hour conversation, so if you hire him, you’d better take good notes!).

In just four months, I have already hired Mark to work with me on three projects, and each one has been a money-making revelation for me. His value is 20 or 30 times what he charges, so I plan to involve him in more of my business before he gets too famous.

Remember, I saw him first!

Rosemarie Barbeau, Founder, Barbeau Associates

I hired Mark Levy as a writing coach and working with him has been an incredible experience. He has been tireless in his dedication to my work.

Mark has been creative in customizing an approach that reflects my interests and goals.

He has been unbelievable supportive and encouraging and, at the same time, his feedback has been so clear and direct that it allowed me to make progress immediately.

He understands the English language and how to engineer it for maximum effect like no one else I know.

Mark cares. He’s the best. Use him!

Mac King, featured performer on seven NBC-TV magic shows and headliner at Harrah’s Casino in Las Vegas:

A few years back, I had written a dozen pages of a manuscript called Tricks With Your Head. I thought my work pretty cool, but for whatever reason, I stuck the pages in the back of my desk drawer and forgot about them.

Years later, Mark Levy came over to my office. I remembered my dozen pages, fished them out, and showed them to him. He got so excited, it was amazing to watch. He started inventing tricks for the book right there, and rattled off a dozen ways we could sell and market the thing. So, together, we wrote it.

The upshot: it was published by the giant in the industry, Random House; it’s been all over the media; it’s been reprinted a bunch of times; and, oh yeah, a couple of guys named Bill Gates and George Lucas have read it.

Mark and I also created a major publicity stunt for my show. What happened? FOX and MSNBC picked up on it, as did dozens of other TV stations. Everyone on the Strip was talking about it. The stunt even set a Guinness world’s record.

This boy Mark is alright!

Let me conclude by quoting what I wrote about him in the preface to our book: ‘That he’s a fine human being and a great magician you’ll have to take my word on. That he’s a creative genius, a startlingly wonderful writer, and a remarkably influential pitchman, you can prove to yourself by reading this book.’

Cliff Hakim, Founder, Rethinking Work.

Mark Levy is one of the most practical, compassionate, and innovative people I have ever met.

Mark doesn’t just make promises. He delivers, and delivers powerfully, upon what he says he’ll do. In today’s business world, that’s a rare talent.