The man with a mind to make you succeed

By emoore edd moore herald reporter

THE managing director of one of Plymouth's fastest-growing companies says: "I quickly realised that if I was able to convince people I could communicate with the dead, then I could convince them of anything."

You could be forgiven for presuming Myo International founder Neil Trigger has a screw loose – but this couldn't be further from the truth.

The sharply-dressed IT expert may have more than just a passing interest in magic, hypnosis and psychology, but it is this very concoction that has seen his business flourish.

Still just four months old, Myo is already dramatically improving the fortunes of dozens of web-based customers with its unique brand of 'psychological techniques'.

As Neil explains: "We look into the ways that websites, email and printed media are communicating.

"Often there are phrases that make use of unconscious sabotage to detract from the sales message."

In typical, bizarre fashion, Myo's clients already range from media companies and holiday lettings through to spiritual healers – and even a pig-themed dating website.

But none of this would have been possible without the 28-year-old's intriguing background. In 1999, Neil witnessed a magician giving a talk about hypnosis and mediumship – and he took an instant interest.

He joined the Plymouth Magic Circle and started working at the now-defunct Millennium Complex nightclub in Union Street as a 'wandering magician'.

"During that time I began to experiment with misdirection," Neil explains. "I noticed that attention and audience control could produce fundamental changes in perception. So I started to look at ways of making people change their minds, or believe what was impossible.

"I read as much as I could about suggestion and models of language, mind and communication – and quickly established that this could have huge ramifications for business."

So Neil enrolled on a course, first at UCP Marjon, followed by an ongoing PhD at Exeter University, specialising in ways that the mind can be manipulated to affect behaviour and belief. He was spurred on further after impressing industry insiders at a conference in London.

Neil says: "I noticed that lots of people in digital marketing were burning data by segmenting it down to try and find the people most likely to buy.

"I thought that this was odd. I explained that if all the data was targeted and influenced to want the product, far more money could be made."

He was offered six jobs in the next three days – but decided to go it alone.

"It was then that I realised that I could create a company to do this," he says. "Because nobody else was."

But while tapping into people's subconscious may sound like a sneaky way of shifting more products, Neil explains that ethics are at the forefront of Myo's operations.

Again, he feels his long-time interest in hypnotism and magic stand him in good stead.

"Hypnotism is essentially a natural state," he continues. "Whenever you drive a car and can't remember the whole journey, it's a form of hypnotism.

"You forget part of the journey because everything is as expected. If something is expected, it is moved from the conscious to the unconscious mind.

"This is exactly the same principle as we use for many of our techniques; and it can be used to influence people.

"There are obviously ethical issues that we need to be careful with, but essentially the whole reason that our marketing is so effective in comparison to contemporary techniques is because of this hypnosis ideology."

It has been suggested that Myo – named after the Japanese word for 'essence' – is the only company in the world to use such techniques.

"There are very few people combining the two," Neil agrees. "I can't prove that we are alone, but certainly it is unusual.

"Sometimes it's a bad thing though. There is a natural degree of cynicism and scepticism about what we do.

"But as we can prove it, people begin to accept it."

And prove it they have. With just two members of staff in tow, Myo has transformed the fortunes of numerous companies – increasing one firm's profits by a whopping 900 per cent, and another's website hits by 800 per cent.

Now recently moved into the plush Tamar Science Park, Neil is looking to expand his workforce, adding sales staff, student volunteers and work placements.

He said Myo's new home had done the business the world of good – and the sky was the limit.

All of this is encouraging news for Plymouth, as the city battles a harsh economic climate.

"I would need to fire myself if I gave away the secret of our success," Neil jokes. "But it involves many subtle changes that would look insignificant on their own.

"The recession has been over-hyped. The only difference is the way people can do business.

"We can't just sit at a desk and wonder why we're broke – we need to go out there and make friends.

"Traditionally, people hold on to their money and cut back on things like advertising and networking, but that's not a good idea.

"We need business friends in this climate and many of our best clients come through so-called competitors.

"In these conditions people are unsure about everything. Will they have a job next month? Where's the money coming from?

"But if you build a relationship then they will want to come to you for everything.

"Local business can flourish, but you need to be offering a good product or service and presenting it as a relationship."

In fact, Neil's confidence in the city and its economy has grown immeasurably since last month's move to the Tamar Science Park.

"The building is fantastic and the support staggeringly good," he says. "It's got a community feel, proximity to other industries and it's very cost-effective.

"And, at the risk of sounding shallow, the address was very important to us.

"A science park seems to give the right impression and as a company that champions psychological persuasion, we need to be seen in the way that we intend.

"Plymouth seems to have a culture of denigrating itself, but I see Plymouth as a very up and coming place.

"It feels very much like a village in that, once you start to network, you regularly see the same faces – we're small enough to work intimately with one another.

"There are a good number of people who come to Plymouth to work because of the great lifestyle that we have down here. Beaches, moors – the scenery is fantastic – and this pushes up the quality of work.

"We have two people based in Plymouth, and two others who work ad-hoc – one in Surrey and one in Switzerland."

So the plan for 2009? Having founded the company as recently as November last year, it could be seen as absurd to be talking multi-million-pound figures.

But, Neil insists, you have to "aim big". By this time next year, he sees Myo having a presence in ten countries and employing 25 members of staff internationally.

He is aiming for a £1million turnover this year, followed by £2.5million in year two.

"If we aim this high, we will do everything in our power to get there," Neil says. "We'll urge everyone to work together so that we all get there together and we'll aim to keep our money in Plymouth – we have some great people down here.

"I always say that we get what we want.

"If we don't want anything then we usually don't get anything.

"So let's aim big – really, really big."