Mind State Management Inc. (MSM) has currently revised its vision and mandate compared to its beginnings in 1993. MSM has refined its focus to producing and promoting CDs and MP3 audio files for self-help and personal development. These products are digitally-mastered high quality offerings designed as stand-alone products that also are suitable for neurotechnology applications. Neurotechnology is the science of brainwave entrainment using light and sound devices to alter mind states to reduce stress and expand awareness. As the field of neurotechnology has become better researched and more credible, the President and Head Coach of MSM, a Calgary psychologist called Dr. Frank Young, is increasingly regarded as a pioneer in this emerging area of interest.

 FRANK D. YOUNG PH.D. R. PSYCH. is a chartered psychologist in private practice in Calgary, Alberta. Dr. Young treats a variety of disorders such as anxiety, phobias, depression, eating disorders, psychophysiological conditions, marital and family relationship problems, etc. He is internationally regarded for publications and presentations in solution-focused therapy, training and supervision in individual and family therapy, hypnosis, and performance enhancement. He is a sport psychology consultant for a number of teams and individual athletes. He also consults and conducts training and communications workshops for several other organizations. He is a co-instructor and guest lecturer in several courses at the University of Calgary and the Calgary Regional Health Authority.

1. Assist the general public with self-help products, reaching and positively affecting the lives of a greater audience than Dr. Young can benefit in his clinical practice.

2. Structure, package, market, and deliver high quality workshops and sessions to enhance human performance and teamwork in interpersonal and corporate environments.

3. Become better known and highly regarded in the clinical and corporate sector as a promoter of wellness and a leader in frontier areas of personal consciousness development.

Cooperative Environment

 The market development strategy includes producing CDs and other audio products such as digital MP3 file downloads, the creation and maintenance of internet web pages with order processing capabilities, and distribution agency in promoting wholesale contracts for volume distribution. Multimedia presentations available as DVD downloads are in the development and production stages. Several of these feature Dr. Young presenting in conferences and workshops.

 Representing MSM, Dr. Young is a supplier and resource consultant for research and development Mind Alive Ltd., an Edmonton‑based manufacturer of light and sound devices designed to entrain mind states. MSM also has collaborative ventures with Theta Technologies Inc. of Fall City WA, and supplies value-added MSM products to these manufacturers for their subsequent distribution.

 MSM CDs and downloadable sound files are stand-alone products that can also be used in sessions on two light and sound devices. That is, Dr. Young has programmed the software of several sessions on the microchips of the Mind Alive Ltd. D.A.V.I.D Paradise^TM and the Theta Technologies Inc. Mind’s Eye^TM mind machines. This programming allows time-sequenced synchronization of special effects with the audio files to effect an audiovisual experience of altered consciousness and self-development using neurotechnology.

Dr. Young also has an association with The Lucidity Institute of Stanford CA, an organization dedicated to training people to have lucid dreams. Dr. Young is one of Canada’s foremost lucidity trainers, and has served as a consultant to the Lucidity Institute regarding its training seminars.

Potential Markets

MSM products could be quite helpful to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) providers. Self-help products for stress management, high performance, overcoming sleep disorders, self-esteem building, etc. can help leverage the time and effectiveness of health service providers by distributing and recommending these products to their clients. Self-help CDs can also assist independent therapists and counselors in their practices. Placement, demonstration, and word-of-mouth endorsements are crucial to MSM success in this sector.

 The self-help market is large and expanding in bookstores and Internet direct sales. Unfortunately, the array of products is so large and the field so saturated with existing products that it is difficult to market a new product with distinctive competency. Packaging and marketing are therefore crucial to sales success.

 Regarding neurotechnology, mind machines are essentially still a personal technology niche market, similar to but smaller in scope to biofeedback devices. The niche is still too small to be very profitable, but MSM has a distinct advantage of having custom-made products for this market as it develops.

Target Market Selection

The target marketing segments for self-help are middle class, educated, high achieving, time‑deprived, socially involved business and professional people. Their preference for privacy and self-help needs to be met with products that offer assurance of stress release and personal satisfaction, products that are readily available and portable.

The self-help consumer likely already has several relaxation CDs combining gentle music with environmental backgrounds. This wide-based group is adult, intelligent, and discriminating in product selection. Eye-catching attractive packaging and presentation is very important. Point-of-sale displays and product testimonials will be important to establish the efficacy of the products for their designed purposes.

Marketing Mix

1. Product Strategy

MSM is focused primarily on the production and promotion of self-help CDs and audio files. This is a series of self-hypnosis and guided imagery applications suitable for use either alone, in professional seminars, or in conjunction with mind machines.

2. Promotion Strategy

Like many professionals, Dr. Young does little direct promotion, as selling and advertising of professional services is contradicted by the code of his profession. Also, client testimonials cannot be published or otherwise used in written materials promoting a psychology practice. Nevertheless, the pathways for promotion of services and reputation endorsed by professionals such as Dr. Young include publications and presentations at international conferences, media appearances, networking and status in organizations, and talking and corresponding with referral sources.

The market promotion strategy includes the creation and maintenance of Internet web pages with order processing capabilities, and distribution agency in promoting wholesale contracts for volume distribution of MSM CDs.

3. Pricing Strategy

Audio CDs wholesale at C$12 with MSRP of $19.95. Training seminars are generally C$1500 per day, with individual sessions @C$160 per hour.

4. Distribution Strategy

Currently customers for audio files are linked to the website of The Self-Connection Bookstore for direct downloading of MP3 files. If preferred, CDs of the products can be delivered to the customer or purchased directly in the retail outlets. As volume increases, other internet retail outlets and other marketing strategies for distributions to niche markets may increase. CD distribution is currently by direct placement in bookstores and some other retail outlets in several Canadian cities and some mail-order catalogs. Strong revision is required in this area to promote large volume sales and exposure.

The corporate logo represents a mountain landscape made from the letters of MSM inc., with the dot of the “i” representing the earth as seen from a distant planet. Under this other-worldly landscape is printed the theme: ”Exploring the Horizons of Consciousness.” The landscape is also similar to a fast-fourier engineering tracing of a 2-minute time sample of a person’s brainwave frequencies when in deep meditation, featuring peaks in theta and alpha waves, with enough beta to allow for observation and reflection. The corporate colors are spring green, representing synergy with environmental concerns, and indigo, representing consciousness and spiritual development. Thus the log integrates an ecologically sound blend of technology and knowledge in the service of the evolution of consciousness.