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The SINGLE Deadliest Mistake New Marketers Make, And How To Avoid It

by Soapyshoe
11 replies
Trying to get started online can be incredibly frustrating.

Everywhere you go, it seems like there's somebody promoting THEIR particular "make money online" training course, widget, doodad, or other miracle tool that's going to help you experience the success you desire.

This leads many people down the frustrating path of trying every tip, trick ,and technique to making money online.

The mistake new marketers make is:

Starting out with a technique-based approach.

And the results are typically less-than-stellar.

To avoid this mistake: START with a "basic business" approach that's based on:
  • Real-world supply and demand. What goods and services do people want? How are they being under-served currently in the market? What are people actually willing to buy at the end of the day?
  • Realistic assessment of your costs. Your main cost as a marketer is going to be traffic. If your niche is too competitive, it's going to be really hard to get traffic to your site.
  • Analysis of your competition. Avoid going into niches that are dominated by major players who have a major competitive advantage over you.
In other words - you should start out online with a solid business plan.


Once you've laid the foundation of a successful business: Use the marketing techniques you've learned to drive traffic to your website and convert visitors into buyers.


Happy marketing,
-Jesse
#avoid #deadliest #make #marketers #mistake #single
  • Profile picture of the author Innovator3
    Originally Posted by Soapyshoe View Post

    • Real-world supply and demand. What goods and services do people want? How are they being under-served currently in the market? What are people actually willing to buy at the end of the day?
    In other words - you should start out online with a solid business plan.

    Happy marketing,
    -Jesse
    How do you know what goods and services people want? What research do you do to discover this and to know what trends are occurring? How do you know what people will buy?
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    • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
      Originally Posted by Innovator3 View Post

      How do you know what goods and services people want? What research do you do to discover this and to know what trends are occurring? How do you know what people will buy?
      You've figured that out for at least one market. Antioxidants. Why do people want them? There are really only three markets: Health, Love/Relationships and Money/Finances.

      Everything falls into one of those categories. There are a few crossovers but for the most part there ain't nuthin' else going.

      People buy stuff so they feel better about something. People don't buy diet books because they want to starve themselves for eight weeks. They buy a book like that or an exercise video so they feel better about themselves. So they're more attractive to others. So they can show someone they actually did it, lost the weight. So they can look good in new, stylish clothes. They even do it so they can get healthier but unfortunately, that's often an afterthought.

      You can get rich selling dog blankets, double edged razors or feather pillows if you know why someone is buying them. Show them the benefits of owning it. Appeal to their emotions (benefits always satisfy emotional needs) while offering quality and great service and you can't miss.
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      • Profile picture of the author Soapyshoe
        Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

        You've figured that out for at least one market. Antioxidants. Why do people want them? There are really only three markets: Health, Love/Relationships and Money/Finances.

        Everything falls into one of those categories. There are a few crossovers but for the most part there ain't nuthin' else going.

        People buy stuff so they feel better about something. People don't buy diet books because they want to starve themselves for eight weeks. They buy a book like that or an exercise video so they feel better about themselves. So they're more attractive to others. So they can show someone they actually did it, lost the weight. So they can look good in new, stylish clothes. They even do it so they can get healthier but unfortunately, that's often an afterthought.

        You can get rich selling dog blankets, double edged razors or feather pillows if you know why someone is buying them. Show them the benefits of owning it. Appeal to their emotions (benefits satisfy emotional needs) while offering quality and great service and you can't miss.
        Something I would add is: a lot of marketing has to do with the relationships you build with a particular group of people.

        Think of it this way:
        Vitamins for conspiracy theorists
        Vitamins for expecting mothers
        Vitamins for people who are conscientious about the environment
        Vitamins for people who hate vitamins

        It could be the EXACT SAME product in every case and the end-user would never be aware of it.

        It's the way it's presented and sold that has everything to do with why people are buying FROM YOU.

        In marketing, it's all about creating value for a particular group of people.
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    • Profile picture of the author Soapyshoe
      Originally Posted by Innovator3 View Post

      How do you know what goods and services people want? What research do you do to discover this and to know what trends are occurring? How do you know what people will buy?
      Hmmm....that's a topic for an entirely new post LOL.

      The short answer is: exercise your own judgment and common sense.

      A lot of people wait around for somebody to tell them "where the money is."

      If you have to wait around to figure out where the money is, it's already gone.

      Intuition, instinct, and estimation are excellent tools.

      But again, this is just some idea off the top of my head. I will go into more extensive detail in a future post.
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  • Profile picture of the author World Marketing
    What helped me when first starting out in IM was sticking to one method until a made a certain amount of money....I would stay persistent on one marketing strategy until I made consistent money...Then after I scaled up that one strategy I would move onto other ventures!
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I'd wholeheartedly agree with everything you said except this:

    "Avoid going into niches that are dominated by major players who have a major competitive advantage over you."

    There really aren't any niches that aren't already dominated. There are some that are a bit less competitive than others but there's competition everywhere. It's good. It's healthy. It's what shows us there's money to be made.

    The way to rise above the competition, as you mentioned, is with the proper analysis of what they're doing. What you're going to discover is that most of your competition is pretty lame. And that's great news because all you've gotta do is treat your customers right and you can win them away from even the biggest players.

    Right now I'm heavily into in depth analysis of a particular market and I'm looking at some very large and influential players. Most of them provide very average service according to reviews and other feedback. That is a GOLDEN opportunity.

    In fact, whether you're marketing online or off you should be sure to call attention to the mediocre ways of your competitors (without ever naming them) and sing the virtues of your own. And then, of course, deliver what you promise along with a little more.
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    • Profile picture of the author Soapyshoe
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      I'd wholeheartedly agree with everything you said except this:

      "Avoid going into niches that are dominated by major players who have a major competitive advantage over you."

      There really aren't any niches that aren't already dominated. There are some that are a bit less competitive than others but there's competition everywhere. It's good. It's healthy. It's what shows us there's money to be made.

      The way to rise above the competition, as you mentioned, is with the proper analysis of what they're doing. What you're going to discover is that most of your competition is pretty lame. And that's great news because all you've gotta do is treat your customers right and you can win them away from even the biggest players.

      Right now I'm heavily into in depth analysis of a particular market and I'm looking at some very large and influential players. Most of them provide very average service according to reviews and other feedback. That is a GOLDEN opportunity.

      In fact, whether you're marketing online or off you should be sure to call attention to the mediocre ways of your competitors (without ever naming them) and sing the virtues of your own. And then, of course, deliver what you promise along with a little more.
      You bring up an excellent point of discussion - I'm really glad you mentioned this.

      Step 1: If you feel intimidated by competitors, you should probably avoid going into that niche.

      Step 2: If you look at potential competitors and say, "Holy crap these guys are idiots. I can run circles around them." - that's a niche worth going into.

      At the end of the day, they're not really your competitors if you're beating the tar out of them.

      A lot of "big businesses" become bloated and inefficient when they get really large. They completely lose touch with their customers and what they want.
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    • Profile picture of the author LaneB
      This reminds me of an old Gary Halbert quote when he rhetorically asked:

      "If you were opening a hamburger stand, what's the one thing you'd want (to be successful)?

      A starving crowd.


      I'd like to expand on your notion of known costs to say that our job as successful marketers is to drive our cost per sale as low as it will go.

      The only way to do that is know your conversions, collect your data on your customers and traffic and find ways to put your ads in front of who is actually buying. Of note, change one thing at a time so you know what's working or not--be it your ads or your site.
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      • Profile picture of the author Soapyshoe
        Originally Posted by LaneB View Post

        This reminds me of an old Gary Halbert quote when he rhetorically asked:

        "If you were opening a hamburger stand, what's the one thing you'd want (to be successful)?

        A starving crowd.


        I'd like to expand on your notion of known costs to say that our job as successful marketers is to drive our cost per sale as low as it will go.

        The only way to do that is know your conversions, collect your data on your customers and traffic and find ways to put your ads in front of who is actually buying. Of note, change one thing at a time so you know what's working or not--be it your ads or your site.
        To extend your metaphor, I'm absolutely amazed by the fact that people want to start by learning:
        • How to build the perfect hamburger stand
        • How to magically brainwash people who don't want hamburgers into wanting hamburgers
        • How to advertise their hamburger to lots of people who never eat hamburgers
        Common sense goes a long way in this business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Christines Dream
    Originally Posted by Soapyshoe View Post

    Trying to get started online can be incredibly frustrating.

    Everywhere you go, it seems like there's somebody promoting THEIR particular "make money online" training course, widget, doodad, or other miracle tool that's going to help you experience the success you desire.

    This leads many people down the frustrating path of trying every tip, trick ,and technique to making money online.

    The mistake new marketers make is:

    Starting out with a technique-based approach.

    And the results are typically less-than-stellar.

    To avoid this mistake: START with a "basic business" approach that's based on:
    • Real-world supply and demand. What goods and services do people want? How are they being under-served currently in the market? What are people actually willing to buy at the end of the day?
    • Realistic assessment of your costs. Your main cost as a marketer is going to be traffic. If your niche is too competitive, it's going to be really hard to get traffic to your site.
    • Analysis of your competition. Avoid going into niches that are dominated by major players who have a major competitive advantage over you.
    In other words - you should start out online with a solid business plan.


    Once you've laid the foundation of a successful business: Use the marketing techniques you've learned to drive traffic to your website and convert visitors into buyers.


    Happy marketing,
    -Jesse
    Good advise, Soapyshoe!

    And after you've picked your path and need more info or tools...consider that if you're buying something it's probably only a piece of the whole pie - even when it's supposed to be "complete".

    Don't be afraid. Ask questions. It's all part of the learning curve.
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  • Profile picture of the author LastingLifeSuccess
    Hi Jesse,

    What you had to say in your outline to a "solid business plan" is well thought out. I liked what you had to say and think such a post will help newcomers by redirecting their focus.

    I get the feeling you are speaking from thorough experience concerning your own beginnings. This thread should get some well deserved attention. Thanks for the useful post, Jesse.

    LLS
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