For
whatever reason, many new to internet marketing don't seem to
grasp that - regardless of their background - marketing on the
internet is different from anything they may ever have
done.
The mindset of your potential customer is different, the means of getting in front of
them is different, the medium for delivering your sales message is
different, and the customer expects a "used car lot
deal", without the haggling. That's just to name a few.
So
what makes anyone think that this is all going to be easy?
That they can work a couple of evenings a week - and quickly
replace their current job with a jet set lifestyle, raking in the
cash while vacationing in the Caribbean?
Well,
some of it may be because we're taken in by very convincing,
exciting sales copy - but that's what it is supposed to do,
right? Headlines are intended to capture your attention and
the sales copy will clench the sale. Surely we didn't all
just fall off the turnip truck. I mean - we understand all
of that, so we should be able to separate the real benefits from the
hype.
Then why do we buy into the 30-second marketing miracle?
I
think it's basically just the Lotto mentality. The lure of
"something for nothing". Everyone wants to know
the "Secret". Like there is one magic technique or
formula that gives you a winning number every time - or a system
for winning at the casino.
At any rate,
until you shake that nonsense out of your head, you can't even
begin to prepare yourself to do business on the internet.
This
is one of the biggest problems I encounter as I talk to internet
marketers every day. Some have operated as much as a year
chasing "opportunity" after "opportunity" in
search of some Holy Grail of Internet Marketing. Of course,
they are all frustrated, but many also feel cheated or
betrayed. They feel as though they have done everything the
"gurus" have recommended - only to have none of it work
for them.
They've joined the
opportunities, joined affiliate programs and put out ads for the
product, and bought the ebooks to learn new strategies (secrets) -
but nothing seems to work.
If you find
yourself in that frame of mind, I think you're missing the most
important tool. You've bought a torque wrench, compression
gauge, and timing light - but don't understand how an internal
combustion engine works.
There is much
good information and many good tools available on the internet,
but most of it is developed to address a specific need and covers
a particular technique. I'm talking here about the $20 - $50
e-book, the auto-responder or ad-tracking scripts and services,
and the like. These are sold in large numbers.
There
are also some very complete marketing courses and toolsets
available - but they require a larger up front investment in
dollars as well as a lot of time to study and learn.
Whether
you decide to get your Internet Marketing Education in small
bites, or in a large chunk, there will come a time when the
light bulb goes on. Until then, almost any action on your
part will be met with only limited success, and add to the frustration.
The
benefit to the complete marketing courses is that all the
"small bites" of information are all presented in the
same course material, making it much easier to understand how all
these little pieces fit together into a cohesive marketing
plan. With this option, you also receive consistent
advice. The techniques that are recommended will be tied
together and you will get guidance in how to use the various
techniques in conjunction with one another.
If
you decide to pick and choose strategies, and buy information that
covers a specific technique, or strategy - it is important to
realize that is just what it is. Don't expect to see any one
strategy be the one "magic" answer you have been
searching for (it won't). Instead, recognize that it is just
one possible cog in your marketing plan and that it should be
"woven" into your overall plans.
Internet
Marketing is a business. It has to be set-up and run like
any other. And, although many aspects of an on-line business
can be done inexpensively - there are still
costs. It still requires an investment of money, time,
and education.
You will have a
learning curve. Don't let this put a stranglehold on
you. Don't submit to inaction for fear of making a mistake -
of not knowing enough. But also make sure your expectations
are realistic, and understand that until you have gotten well
along that learning curve your successes will be small (and
probably infrequent).
Learn
from each mistake, as well as each success. Every time you
execute a strategy, understand who (and how many) you targeted,
measure their response, and measure your sales against the
costs. If a strategy doesn't work for you on the first try,
don't blame the strategy - analyze your execution, tweak it and
try again.
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