Confused, frustrated and stuck?
If you're confused, frustrated, stuck, lost etc. please read this post. THIS will help you.
I haven't been on this forum for very long, but I have been in sales and marketing at a Fortune 500 company for over 14 years and have built a business that generates around six figures a month.
I'm not some big shot or anything like that. Even with the business I'm in, I've pretty much done everything wrong I could. Hey, we all have our own struggles and challenges. But, you don't care about that, anyway.
Back to my point. This forum is incredible. I love the passion and drive and energy everyone has. It's pretty amazing actually. As I've spent the past several months reading everything on the forum, one really big thing keeps sticking out to me.
As a person who has been in business for a long time I see a common theme repeating itself with people who are trying to make their mark in the IM world.
Now I know this may be a little controversial, but the problem I see is that Internet marketing, in and of itself, is not a business. It is a marketing medium. No different than TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.
The lure into IM is the passive income and lifestyle etc. But what people really want is their own business, that they control, that can offer the income to support the freedom of lifestyle they desire, while doing something that is fun, exciting and allows you to collaborate with some really cool people. Right?
IF you are having a difficult time making money...real money...or even enough to just pay your bills, you are missing a core piece of starting and running a business.
This is the piece of your business that is equivalent to the beating heart. It will not work with out it!
A business is about being of service to society with your own personal gifts. Its about being an expert in something and sharing that knowledge with your market.
What service do you provide to solve peoples problems? or what Product do you provide that can solve a specific problem people face? Thats what business's do. Provide services and/or products that solves problems in the markets they target.
People that are successful using online marketing are experts in their fields. They have a business product or service they offer and use the internet to get the message out in all the ways you already know of.
The money comes from the expertise that they dedicate their life to in the name of helping their market solve problems. You get paid the equivalent to the amount of value you provide to society and nothing more.
The vast majority if million dollar marketers out there are doing something they love. The million dollar IMers out there, that own and sell the products you buy, love the niche they are in and work diligently to be the masters of that craft.
If you need any proof, that's easy. Ok, lets go big, Frank Kern...Sure he has made money in a lot of markets and niches, but he always positioned himself as an expert in any area (including dog training) he has sold. But at the end of the day he is an expert in launching products, selling via email and copy-writing. But he is an expert in something.
Mike Filsame is an expert in affiliate marketing. Steve pavlina is an expert in personal development, Dan Kennedy is an expert in copywriting and direct response. You can go on and on.
Don't get me wrong, they all use the internet to market themselves and their products, but they are experts who offer their expertise to business owners who have problems in their areas of expertise.
I Love internet marketing, but I sell a service. I use internet marketing strategies to generate leads, but I also use print, direct mail, partnerships, cross promotions, affiliates, and referrals to drive leads.
Every successful "internet marketer" has a specific expertise and business model that they use to generate leads, convert sales and service clients.
The opportunities really are endless. Starting a business starts from the inside out. Finding that which you were put on this earth to do and provide that to people, will lead you to your million dollars in revenue. Anything else is just unfocused confusion, which is what most are feeling in their internet "business".
I love the passion and drive everyone here on this forum has. This forum represents the next generation of small business owners that will carry our great country to more heights. The purpose of this post is to guide the desire and energy of our passionate group to a more productive and profitable horizon, instead of the endless uncertainty, doubt and confusion.
Every million dollar business starts from the passion of its founder in an area of expertise.
What do you want to be know for? What knowledge do you have that can help others? What service would you enjoy doing that could help others? What do you enjoy learning about? What do you naturally dream about and talk about and feel real good about? What do you do in your spare time?
What ever you love doing has business and marketing opportunities around it. EVERYTHING has business opportunities around it.
Focus on what those things are. Then identify the marketing and sales opportunities that existing around the things you already have experience, knowledge and interest in.
No matter what your interests are, there's businesses that surround those "things". The marketing knowledge your getting in IM will serve you handsomely in THOSE areas.
Does this make sense? what are your feelings?
Tell me your thoughts and beliefs on this....
Tony
I haven't been on this forum for very long, but I have been in sales and marketing at a Fortune 500 company for over 14 years and have built a business that generates around six figures a month.
I'm not some big shot or anything like that. Even with the business I'm in, I've pretty much done everything wrong I could. Hey, we all have our own struggles and challenges. But, you don't care about that, anyway.
Back to my point. This forum is incredible. I love the passion and drive and energy everyone has. It's pretty amazing actually. As I've spent the past several months reading everything on the forum, one really big thing keeps sticking out to me.
As a person who has been in business for a long time I see a common theme repeating itself with people who are trying to make their mark in the IM world.
Now I know this may be a little controversial, but the problem I see is that Internet marketing, in and of itself, is not a business. It is a marketing medium. No different than TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.
The lure into IM is the passive income and lifestyle etc. But what people really want is their own business, that they control, that can offer the income to support the freedom of lifestyle they desire, while doing something that is fun, exciting and allows you to collaborate with some really cool people. Right?
IF you are having a difficult time making money...real money...or even enough to just pay your bills, you are missing a core piece of starting and running a business.
This is the piece of your business that is equivalent to the beating heart. It will not work with out it!
A business is about being of service to society with your own personal gifts. Its about being an expert in something and sharing that knowledge with your market.
What service do you provide to solve peoples problems? or what Product do you provide that can solve a specific problem people face? Thats what business's do. Provide services and/or products that solves problems in the markets they target.
People that are successful using online marketing are experts in their fields. They have a business product or service they offer and use the internet to get the message out in all the ways you already know of.
The money comes from the expertise that they dedicate their life to in the name of helping their market solve problems. You get paid the equivalent to the amount of value you provide to society and nothing more.
The vast majority if million dollar marketers out there are doing something they love. The million dollar IMers out there, that own and sell the products you buy, love the niche they are in and work diligently to be the masters of that craft.
If you need any proof, that's easy. Ok, lets go big, Frank Kern...Sure he has made money in a lot of markets and niches, but he always positioned himself as an expert in any area (including dog training) he has sold. But at the end of the day he is an expert in launching products, selling via email and copy-writing. But he is an expert in something.
Mike Filsame is an expert in affiliate marketing. Steve pavlina is an expert in personal development, Dan Kennedy is an expert in copywriting and direct response. You can go on and on.
Don't get me wrong, they all use the internet to market themselves and their products, but they are experts who offer their expertise to business owners who have problems in their areas of expertise.
I Love internet marketing, but I sell a service. I use internet marketing strategies to generate leads, but I also use print, direct mail, partnerships, cross promotions, affiliates, and referrals to drive leads.
Every successful "internet marketer" has a specific expertise and business model that they use to generate leads, convert sales and service clients.
The opportunities really are endless. Starting a business starts from the inside out. Finding that which you were put on this earth to do and provide that to people, will lead you to your million dollars in revenue. Anything else is just unfocused confusion, which is what most are feeling in their internet "business".
I love the passion and drive everyone here on this forum has. This forum represents the next generation of small business owners that will carry our great country to more heights. The purpose of this post is to guide the desire and energy of our passionate group to a more productive and profitable horizon, instead of the endless uncertainty, doubt and confusion.
Every million dollar business starts from the passion of its founder in an area of expertise.
What do you want to be know for? What knowledge do you have that can help others? What service would you enjoy doing that could help others? What do you enjoy learning about? What do you naturally dream about and talk about and feel real good about? What do you do in your spare time?
What ever you love doing has business and marketing opportunities around it. EVERYTHING has business opportunities around it.
Focus on what those things are. Then identify the marketing and sales opportunities that existing around the things you already have experience, knowledge and interest in.
No matter what your interests are, there's businesses that surround those "things". The marketing knowledge your getting in IM will serve you handsomely in THOSE areas.
Does this make sense? what are your feelings?
Tell me your thoughts and beliefs on this....
Tony
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