Six Suggestions for Identifying IM Wisdom from Garbage

Most of us come to the Warrior Forum to learn about Internet marketing. No doubt, you have already personally witnessed the great paradox of this forum (and really the Internet in general). There's so much wonderful information. And there's so much bad information. And you get to be the judge of which is which . . . what to rely on and what to discard!

It's hard to be a good judge when you're new to the field and you immediately get bombarded with all sorts of tantalizing offers, advice, and opinions. How do you tell the truth from the garbage? Who is serving up the good stuff and who is peddling the stuff you have to scrape off your shoes?

Here are six possible ideas that might help you discern what is helpful and "good" compared with what is garbage and "bad":

1. Pay attention to the source of the information. In my experience and most of the time ... good information emanates from the same sources over and over again. Garbage, also, comes from the same sources. Rarely do they mix. Those with experience and longevity in _________ (add the niche) typically tend to have staying power because they have learned what works and what doesn't. Long-standers are concerned about their reputation and will usually warn if the subject is beyond their own experience or outside their expertise. Often fly-by-nights are after a quick buck and they're gone. Newbie advice can be either good or bad, but without specific experience a newbie is often reciting what he has heard from another (which should be considered suspect until proven otherwise).

2. Stay away from the edge of the cliff. The more you study Internet marketing, the easier it is to tell which strategies and tools push the envelope of ethics and accepted practices. Shady, gaming the system, black hat methods and software sit at the edge of the spectrum. Truth, honesty, ethical methods and white hat are found at the center of IM. The closer you venture toward the edge, the more likely it is that you'll do yourself harm.

3. "Paid for" has no edge over "freely given" advice. Sometimes we tend to value things we've purchased over those that were given to us at no cost. To assume that value in IM advice can only come from purchases would be wrong. Remember suggestion #1 and find the source of wisdom, then listen to what that person says, freely given or paid.

4. Let the words "easy," "instant," "auto-pilot," "push button," "dominate," "no work," "30 minutes a day," "the only ______ you'll ever need," and "six figure income" be red flags that need to be analyzed further. Success in IM takes work, is rarely easy, and profits generally build over time. People, ads, and offerings that tout instant success, fast wealth, and little actual work should always be suspect and are most often sales pitch fodder. Marketers that sell the "no work" dream are like dirty diapers, they're full of #*+@. I know it's a warn out cliche, but "if it's too good to be true" ... (you know the rest).

5. Marketing is marketing. Business is business. The Internet is a delivery tool. Long-standing, time-honored, proven business tactics work for both physical and digital based businesses. The net has helped to create huge business fortunes ... but it's use has also become one of the biggest time-wasters in history for the entrepreneurs who won't take action or who implement garbage tactics and practices.

6. Good information is also timely information. Be aware that change comes at an ever rapidly increasing pace. Products don't last forever - they become outdated, stale, and sometimes obsolete over time. Effectiveness, utility, and therefore top quality products and advice need to be update, tested, and modified in order to remain useful and cutting edge.

And just for fun...

7. Expert, n. : an ordinary fellow a safe distance from home.

Do you have any suggestions to add? I am certainly open to differing opinions.

Steve