Battle Lines Drawn in Offline War-Front

by benbro
12 replies


Background

Today officially marks my third month as a full-time offliner. So for the benefit of other new offliners, I wanted to reflect on my biggest observation to this point.

In the moments preceding your venture into offline marketing you will no doubt encounter so many stories about offliners, who've come before you and achieved meteoric success.

And while I haven't experienced that type of success first hand, I have certainly experienced enough to tell you that offline marketing can change your life.

Here's the Thing

But make no mistake about it...as glamorous a picture as you might have of offline marketing, before you get into the nitty gritty of it, offline marketing is like a battle field.

And just like a real war, you're tasked with accomplishing a specific objective and you're expected to do all that you can do to overcome whatever obstacle the enemy throws at you. Of course on a physical battlefield you really do encounter
  1. people who are hell-bent on taking you out
  2. fellow comrades in arms who fall by your side
  3. enemy land mines and boobie traps

But think about it, when you are starting out as an offline warrior you will also encounter some heavy stuff. We're talking the real deal, things like:
  1. spouses or family members who hurl words of discouragement your way
  2. fellow offliners who are forced to end their offline careers
  3. bright shiny objects and every other manner of distraction imaginable

And we haven't even gotten to the wishy-washy prospects, overly-demanding clients and outsourcers who drop the ball on you.

Key Takeaway

That being said, I suspect there is one major difference between the offline battlefield and the physical battlefield. In a real life war, you at least have the benefit of knowing who your enemy is or is not. However, in the identity of your enemy is not so obvious.

This makes him much more dangerous. Let me tell you a little bit more about him before revealing his identity. Your enemy is:
  • A stalker dispatched to stalk your dreams and pluck them right out of your hands before you've made it
  • A sniper put in position to use his markman's precision to zero in on your goals and systematically take them out one by one until you're left empty handed
  • A fear monger sent to knock you off of your game by planting the seeds of fear and confusion into your heart so that you're gripped in the mires of analysis paralysis, second guessing and so forth

Who Is this Enemy?

Does this enemy sound familiar to you? The enemy I speak of is not "out there" the enemy is within and he lives within each of us. The key to defeating your enemy is to "just do it" that's right - go out and take massive action. Folks I can't say enough about the value of just going out and doing something.

But hopefully my little analogy helps me to make a very important point - that no matter what is going on "out there", as long as you keep the enemy within in check by putting one foot in front of the other and getting stuff done - ultimately, you WILL make it to the other side.

Good luck and God-speed; my fellow offline warrior!

Oh and by the way, before you ask....I've never been in the military or fought in a war or anything like that...just your ordinary everyday student of military history.
#battle #drawn #lines #offline #offliner #warfront
  • Profile picture of the author opalfx
    it's definitely keep your marketing friends even closer. i like being in this war though. i wouldnt have it any other way. but that inner enemy really needs to russian roulette lol
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    • Profile picture of the author benbro
      Originally Posted by opalfx View Post

      it's definitely keep your marketing friends even closer. i like being in this war though. i wouldnt have it any other way. but that inner enemy really needs to russian roulette lol
      I heard that! LOL!
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      • Profile picture of the author KevinRB
        Great post BenBro thanks for taking the time out to share and provide confidence for anyway about to throw in the towel even before they have begun!.
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        • Profile picture of the author benbro
          Originally Posted by KevinRB View Post

          Great post BenBro thanks for taking the time out to share and provide confidence for anyone about to throw in the towel even before they have begun!.
          No problem Kevin. If anyone knows what its like to throw in the towel, that would be me. Certainly been there and done that a few times

          But one of the things that I've always enjoyed doing is study other people and try to see if I can predict their next moves.

          Through my yrs of doing this, I've discovered that while we all have our own weak points and motivations; there is one thing that seems to get everyone beyond their weaknesses - taking massive action.

          So in writing this post, I was speaking as much to myself as to other new offliners.
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  • Profile picture of the author Erica Leggette
    A fear monger sent to knock you off of your game by planting the seeds of fear and confusion into your heart so that you're gripped in the mires of analysis paralysis, second guessing and so forth.

    Hey...wait... You know that crumb snatcher?

    I had a little run in with them myself, but I'm finally seeing my way out of it though

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    Be easy.


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    • Profile picture of the author benbro
      Originally Posted by Erica Leggette View Post

      A fear monger sent to knock you off of your game by planting the seeds of fear and confusion into your heart so that you're gripped in the mires of analysis paralysis, second guessing and so forth.

      Hey...wait... You know that crumb snatcher?

      I had a little run in with them myself, but I'm finally seeing my way out of it though

      Ha ha, for sure. Glad ur making your way out of it. The sad part is that so many ppl experience the same thing and cut their journey short as a result- often pointing the finger somewhere else when they should be looking within.

      That's one of the things I like about the wf. The fact we can fast track our success by sharing this type of info.
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      • Profile picture of the author joecarson1
        great post sir! I found the Warrior forum 10 22 2011. Fast forward to today and I have a lot distance between then and now. Distractions, shiny objects, faulty partnerships, research and development, technology upgrades, time, focus, overcoming fear of failure=all of these have delayed "massive action" for me.

        But not anymore, I will be contacting small businesses for the purposes of helping them get more referral business and to make my humble company some money this Tuesday.

        Of course, I won't be as good at offering my services on Tuesday and I will be a month from now or six months from now, but I have get started right now.

        The amazing thing is that my success has nothing to do without outside influences or market conditions. My success all comes to down me going out and offering my services UNTIL I get clients. Nothing more, nothing less.

        With that in mind, its a little sad it has taken this long to get started, but I look forward to the beginning of the rest of my life this Tuesday May 7th 2013.

        Best wishes to all who come upon this thread!
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        • Profile picture of the author joecarson1
          P.S. You have no "business" until you start contacting potential clients for your "business."

          We should have a tiny rule in this forum= newbie, pro, somewhere in the middle, we all should HAVE to reach out to one new potential client every single day.

          If I had done that, I would have contacted hundreds of businesses by now and would have fallen ass backwards into some recurring income already just by that simple effort.

          I don't mean to suggest that contacting just one a day is the ultimate business model, we ALL should at least have to start with one everyday and go from there to have access to this forum.
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          • Profile picture of the author soontobefishing
            Originally Posted by joecarson1 View Post

            P.S. You have no "business" until you start contacting potential clients for your "business."

            We should have a tiny rule in this forum= newbie, pro, somewhere in the middle, we all should HAVE to reach out to one new potential client every single day.

            If I had done that, I would have contacted hundreds of businesses by now and would have fallen ass backwards into some recurring income already just by that simple effort.

            I don't mean to suggest that contacting just one a day is the ultimate business model, we ALL should at least have to start with one everyday and go from there to have access to this forum.
            Man oh man do I like that. Talk about simple math right?

            52 weeks a yr, 5 working days a week=260 businesses contacted.

            At least a few would buy. Now contact 2 a day. Or add saturdays as a lot of owners answer their own phone sat. No gatekeepers.

            One or two a day for a year, heck anybody could do that. Like it a lot. Whats that about a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step right? And to the OP excellent job.
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        • Profile picture of the author benbro
          Originally Posted by joecarson1 View Post

          The amazing thing is that my success has nothing to do without outside influences or market conditions. My success all comes to down me going out and offering my services UNTIL I get clients. Nothing more, nothing less.
          Right you are, my friend. In fact, that sort of honesty is the first step on the road to greatness in your endeavors. I'm rootin' for you, now let's go out there and kick some offline butt!
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  • Profile picture of the author Cobaki
    Offline marketing can be really tough no doubt to that but the great thing is, if you start making sales, it's all because you have th initiative and motivation and don't let outside forces affect you. When the economy was really shaking, a lot of people lost their jobs since the company can no longer afford them and others have their salaries cut and are working part times already. They didn't have the control and that's something we have. I want to be my own boss. I don't like being controlled.
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