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Are you a true Internet Marketer or really just a fan?

by Colin Theriot
18 replies
It recently occurred to me that the bulk of the IM community relates to IM itself the same way that the sports fan community relates to sports. Lots of the people in the community may dabble as a hobbyist, but they're largely in it for the entertainment and enjoyment, regardless of why they think they're here.

Just like with sports, lots of the fans can discuss the minutia and details of IM better even than some of the most successful practitioners in the IM field, but for what? About 95% (or more) of the people reading these words right now are the "armchair quarterbacks" of IM.

Am I right?

Just ask yourself a question right now and be honest.
Are you an Internet Marketer, or just a fan?
To answer it, ask yourself another question:
Are you selling anything?
If the answer is "no" then you're just a fan. Period.

Go ahead and try to argue with it. If you're not selling something, you're not marketing. If you're "getting ready", you're still in the locker room. The game is out on the field. You aren't playing if you're not on the field.

Now that you know, decide if that's what you really want to be in the game or not. IM can sustain a fandom. It's okay to just be a fan. It's okay just to like this stuff without ever using it. Maybe now that you realize you're just a fan, you might actually be able to make better buying decisions, and actually enjoy IM as a hobby without the stress of not succeeding in a big way. If that's the case, you're welcome.

But for everyone else, I'm calling you out.

Because there's an important way that IM differs from sports. In IM, we make our own teams, our own leagues, our own games. You don't have to be called up to the big show.

If you find yourself just a "fan" and you want to get in the game, YOU CAN. Start today. Just get up off the armchair and actually go be a quarterback.

So what will it be? Are you going to be "Like Mike" and "Just Do It" (lol) or are you just going to watch and relax? Up to you.

I'll say it again in case you read that too fast: IT IS UP TO YOU.

P.S. This message brought to you by the time I accidentally watched a bunch of football because the Saints are winning and I'm from Louisiana so I have to watch.
#fan #internet #marketer
  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    I'm just a fan that also plays.

    I don't think about it 24/7 and if the Internet got turned off tomorrow my world would happily continue - but I do enjoy IM and I do sell stuff.

    Andy
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    • Profile picture of the author George Wright
      Andy,

      Ditto. You said what I was thinking


      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      I'm just a fan that also plays.

      I don't think about it 24/7 and if the Internet got turned off tomorrow my world would happily continue - but I do enjoy IM and I do sell stuff.

      Andy
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    • Profile picture of the author Kim Standerline
      Bout sums me up now I guess.

      I tried to retire but I missed it too much so now I like to dabble.

      I would hate it if the internet got turned off tho, I'd miss facebook

      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      I'm just a fan that also plays.

      I don't think about it 24/7 and if the Internet got turned off tomorrow my world would happily continue - but I do enjoy IM and I do sell stuff.

      Andy
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  • Profile picture of the author Brad Gosse
    I think student might be more appropriate definition of someone who hasn't created any product yet. Most of the people I've met who are in that mode are still gathering knowledge. :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author Killer Joe
      Colin,

      I think your post pretty much hits the nail on the head here. It's amazing how many folks have tons of posts here and long tenure, and then you see where they make a post expressing their frustration because they've yet to make their first dime online. That's not a knock, just an observation. Here are a few more...

      If you are looking for a free auto responder...you might just be a fan.

      If you are looking for free website hosting...you might just be a fan.

      If you are asking everyone for a free review copy...you might just be a fan.

      If you are looking for free graphics...you might just be a fan.

      If you are looking for free mentoring...you might just be a fan.

      If you are signing up for every free report you see...you might just be a fan.

      If $37 is too much to spend right now for the WR...you might just be a fan.

      The good side to this equation is that every sport needs it's fans for the revenue. Ask any guru...

      KJ
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      • Profile picture of the author Sagar Mehta
        Originally Posted by Killer Joe View Post

        The good side to this equation is that every sport needs it's fans for the revenue. Ask any guru...
        KJ
        That cracked me up, Joe! Thanks lol!
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      • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
        Originally Posted by Killer Joe View Post

        It's amazing how many folks have tons of posts here and long tenure, and then you see where they make a post expressing their frustration because they've yet to make their first dime online. That's not a knock, just an observation.
        Which is why you need to be careful about whose advice you take. Not that "fans" or "students" can't offer good advice, but there's no substitute for experience.

        As for me, I've earned my full-time living online since the late '90s, but I'm still learning. Learning is a very exciting thing to me.
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    I sell, but not a lot. So I'd have to say a fan at this point. (besides I am in the middle of a divorce, so I intend on remaining a fan a while longer.)

    At some point (after the divorce) I have enough taco beans in my head and enough resources and enough knowledge that being the coach shouldn't be too difficult. I cannot be the quarterback due to an injury, so I will have to be content with being the outsource alpha dog. Lol. My biggest challenge will be finding good outsource players. Been using US outsourcers so far. In a few months I'd like my own harem of Philippine players to outsource to. Lol.

    My passion is small business findability and marketing. That is/has not been technically IM... at least not pure IM. I have found myself spending about half my time on off-line projects for them, though some of those projects do intersect on-line. The money in this is easier to become a livable amount and the fail rate should be closer to 3% instead of the other way around at 97%, but my goal would be a full IM income and this as a hobby even if it ends up bringing in more cash.

    Time will tell, in the meantime I play ball at the local park.
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    • Profile picture of the author Colin Theriot
      Originally Posted by Brad Gosse View Post

      I think student might be more appropriate definition of someone who hasn't created any product yet. Most of the people I've met who are in that mode are still gathering knowledge. :-)
      You make an interesting distinction here. The problem with thinking of IM as a school subject that you learn is that you can learn anything forever.

      The only way to get better at a sport is to practice playing the sport. Sure, you can study strategy, tactics, history of the game. But you get a lot more out of playing it yourself, and studying how other people play (by actually WATCHING what they DO).

      For this reason, I actually like the sports analogy better than the student/study one.
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  • Profile picture of the author johnben1444
    I think am still a fan trying to graduate to an IMer. Ain't and easy transition.
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Brock
      I never really understood the whole 'learn a lot of crap first then start making money'.

      This is one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made online.

      I remember when I started my web hosting company 7 years ago, I spent like over a year preparing for it. When I finally got started on it, I realized that I pretty much wasted that entire year because it was easy to learn as you go.

      Internet marketing works the same way.

      You don't have to know a whole lot of 'stuff' to get paid.

      Sure, it might make you sound more knowledgeable and have more things you can discuss, but wouldn't it make sense to earn as you learn?

      I also believe there is a middle ground between the for fun guys and the pros.

      I like to compare IM to martial arts for some reason.

      In martial arts you have 3 types of trainers.
      • Your once a week trainer(aka weekend warriors)
      • Your 10-20+ hour/week trainers(highly interested in the art, just not quite up to the pro level, but still skilled and interested nonetheless)
      • Your 40+ hour/week trainers(these are the real pros who have ring fights)
      If you compare it to IM, the once a week trainer is your student, the 10-20+ hour week is hobbyist who probably makes good money, and those 40+ hour work week guys who make an absolute killing.

      Just felt like adding my 2 cents
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      • Profile picture of the author Colin Theriot
        Originally Posted by Daniel Brock View Post

        You don't have to know a whole lot of 'stuff' to get paid.

        Sure, it might make you sound more knowledgeable and have more things you can discuss, but wouldn't it make sense to earn as you learn?
        Absolutely - great point!

        Originally Posted by Daniel Brock View Post

        I also believe there is a middle ground between the for fun guys and the pros.
        I think there is too. And another aspect I'm interested in maybe writing about more is how using IM with some simple life downsizing tactics can mean you really don't have to "work" much at all to get your bills all paid. Not needing to be a wage slave is way more important to me than having an extravagant lifestyle.

        But even if you're not trying to go full time, living frugally combined with any kind of passive income is, to me, the essence of the American Dream.

        Originally Posted by Daniel Brock View Post

        If you compare it to IM, the once a week trainer is your student, the 10-20+ hour week is hobbyist who probably makes good money, and those 40+ hour work week guys who make an absolute killing.
        I feel like a big problem in IM is the very advantage you pointed out. You DON'T have to learn a lot to succeed in IM. That means some people stop learning and growing and instead of trying to become better, they just throw the lowest level crap at the newbies coming in over and over and over.

        I like your martial arts analogy a lot, because those same guys would be like the McDojo owners who get halfway to the hobbyist level of skill, and then double back and do nothing but try to sell Master-Level results to the students at the bottom.

        But they don't have the actual chops to do anything but repeat what they've read, so it's as useful to a martial arts practitioner as a reading a book about kicking ass. It's really not the same educational content as actually getting in a fight.

        And because of that, some people who really COULD excel at IM end up getting stuck as fans letting information bias get the better of them, or get frustrated and quit.

        The only thing to be afraid about when just getting started is that you're going to be mad you wasted so much time when you finally see how easy it can be if you just work at it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Matthews
    It doesn't matter what name you apply, as there are doers and watchers in every endeavor. Killer Joe already stole my thunder with his last point, that without the 'fans' to buy the goods, the doers don't get rich.

    I have gone to many real estate investing seminars over the years and I see some people there after many years who are still looking for the missing piece of info that facilitate their first deal. I've only done a half dozen deals myself, but I've met people who've attended a dozen seminars and several bootcamps, and still weren't sure where to start. At times I have actually thought they really were fans of the speakers whom they envied, but were just afraid to emulate.

    Just like incredible turnkey products you see offered here and by caring marketers, even though they may sell thousands, only dozens at best will actually be implemented. Fear of loss or failure can keep the majority from ever trying.

    The funny thing is, I have also run into people who took the first idea they heard and implemented it with some varying degree of success. They will take each new idea and give it a try as well. They see each new tidbit as a new toy to play with rather than a new book to study!

    I myself have bought many ebooks, courses, and digital assets. With both sales and engineering backgrounds, I could spend forever tweaking and bettering the design of a product or site, so I've had to just set a time limit for initial prep to launch. I find the best way to finish anything is to expose it to the light and see if you're on the right track. Suddenly, some of the really important stuff just isn't.

    I wish the 'watchers', 'fans', and 'students', would all understand that they could start with almost anything, and spend very little time and money, to just cross the line and actually be in the game. All those I talk to who haven't made any $$, are trying to go from zero to guru without passing 'GO'. A simple little ugly site can get you into the game. Once there, you learn in a hurry!
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  • Profile picture of the author Slin
    This has to be one of my favorite posts, cool analogy, and a good way to get pumped up.

    Awesome.
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  • Profile picture of the author duncanb
    Im An internet marketer. And have been for the last decade or so. I originally worked in offline traditional marketing, but recogniseed that online was the way to go.

    Just to make a pojntin regards of something you said: There are plenty of Newbies to IM on this forum - A newbie may not be making any money as they are not selling anything, but that does not mean that they are not an internet marketer. Their day will come
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    • Profile picture of the author Colin Theriot
      Originally Posted by duncanb View Post

      Just to make a pojntin regards of something you said: There are plenty of Newbies to IM on this forum - A newbie may not be making any money as they are not selling anything, but that does not mean that they are not an internet marketer. Their day will come
      That might be a nice sentiment, but you don't get to be something just because you might be one someday if you decide to take action. Take action now, and be a marketer now. Don't wait for your day to come. Make today the day. That's the whole point of this post, not what you said. Which is like, the exact opposite.

      Thanks for the pojntin though.
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  • Profile picture of the author optomathematgineer
    Fan is not a bad thing. You watch. You see. You learn (from others experiences). When you get in the mood, then you jump in and play. The stress level is not as high. If you are a IM player, it is all money driven. Just like one guy in his post mentioned that in his last job, he worked 40 hrs/week and when he becomes a full time IMer, he works 90 hrs/week. Which sound more stressful?

    My theory is "God is fair" . Get more of some and get less of others. IMer...more money. Fan...more fun.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheRichJerksNet
    I do not call myself a Marketer .. I do not want the "label" I really dislike labeling things.. But anyways - I am with Andy that posted above, if the internet was shut off tomorrow my life would still continue.

    Yes I work long hours and yes I have run my business full time for over 15 years online but that is because I love what I do and not do because I have to ...

    James
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