15 things 10 years and 15,000 posts taught me...

94 replies
I joined the Warrior Form community on June 2, 2007, a little over ten years ago. Funny, but it sure doesn't seem that long, despite the changes over the years.

And as I post this, it's post number 15,000.

As it's traditional to mark milestones by creating a post like this one, here are 15 things I've learned, in no particular order.

If you're in a rush, you can skim the bold parts, but to get the most out of this, read the whole thing.

1. You don't get if you don't ask.

A lot of people make posts wondering why they can't seem to make sales, and when you look at what they're doing, it's because they never ask for a sale.

People are busy and distracted. If you want them to do something, ask them to do it.

2. There's a real person on the other side of the screen.

If you look back, you'll find a lot of posts from Warriors complaining about how someone (or group of someones) pisses them off. Yet they are amazed when someone reacts the same way to something they do.

The Golden Rule is golden because it works.

3. Content is king, but a king in exile is powerless.

Kevin Costner may have been able to lure a bunch of ghosts to Iowa by building a baseball field, but you aren't Kevin Costner and this isn't a movie.

Even if you can produce remarkable content, people have to know about it for it to be effective. Plan on spending more time promoting your best content than creating more.

4. Familiarity does not breed contempt, it breeds confidence - if you do it right.

Even if you go to the "churn and burn" school of marketing, you'll be much more effective if you take the time to match your messages to your list.

I get daily (or more) emails from some businesses, and I don't mind. Why? Because that's what I signed up for, and because they honor their end of the deal by only sending me what I signed up to get.

They don't hammer me with badly written pitches for everything under the sun. The people that do quickly get unsubscribed from, and if that doesn't work, filtered into oblivion.

(Here's a hint..."unsubscribe" does not mean move my email to a new list under a different email address.)

5. One message, one idea.

Don't try to make one message do too many jobs. One web page, one message. One email, one message. One video, one message.

There's power in focus.

Shine a light through a crystal, and you get a spray of pretty colors.

Focus the same light through a magnifying glass and you get fire.

6. There is no such thing as "driving traffic."

Unless you're using some kind of black hat gimmick to hijack someone's web browser, you can't make anyone do anything. Don't try.

You can, however, lure them to where you want them to go by promising something they want - information, entertainment, a chance to blow off steam, a chance to buy the solution to something they've wanted.

When we lived in the country, the landowner across the road rented out his field in the winter to cattle growers to clean up the waste grain from the combine. Sometimes those cattle would get out of the fence and end up in our yard.

We tried yelling at them and trying to drive them back inside the field, but all we got were sore throats and exercise.

But shake a little corn in a bucket, and those cattle eagerly came back. In fact, we had to be careful not to get trampled.

7. Keep things in their proper order - Prospect, Lead, Opportunity, Customer.

You've heard expressions like "don't put the cart before the horse" before, right?

Well, unless you're dealing with the most trivial of impulse purchases, you're buyers will go through a sequence.

Prospect - Someone who may be interested in what you sell. If you run targeted Facebook ads, the people viewing your ad are prospects. Same thing if you send cold outreach emails to influencers in your niche or companies you've identified fit some list of criteria.

Lead - Someone who has indicated that they may be interested in what you offer. Maybe they subscribe to your newsletter or video channel, maybe they request your lead magnet. Whatever it is, they've raised their hand and said they might be interested.

Opportunity - These are leads that move on to an actual sales opportunity - they click to your sales page, sign up for your webinar, or follow your affiliate link. They are open to the idea of buying right now if you do a good job of making your case, and give you the opportunity to make it.

Customer - The people who actually buy what you are selling. Not only are these the people who pay the bills, they can also be your best source of repeat buyers, testimonials and referrals.

You should structure your process to follow this sequence, but you should also allow the prospect or lead to jump ahead if they are ready to do so.

8. Concentrate on selling to people who already want what you are selling.

There's a story about a seminar leader who asked "If you're selling hamburgers, what's the most important thing to have?"

Answers from the crowd included things like great hamburgers, a great location, low prices, etc.

The leader's answer was "a starving crowd."

That's why niche marketing works so well. You get to hand pick a starving crowd and offer them what they want to eat.

Too many would-be marketers get things backwards. They pick a product, often based on how much it pays, and then try to figure out how and where to sell it.

9. No matter how many people are on your list, email is still a 1:1 medium.

Even if your subscriber is sitting on a commuter train surrounded by fifty other people when they read your email, they're in the privacy and intimacy of their inbox.

Talk to them like you're on stage and they're part of a crowd in the audience, and you'll lose them.

10. If you play "monkey see, monkey do" without understanding why, you're still a monkey.

How many people have you seen post things like "I send emails like this because [Guru of Choice] does it, so it must work." Yet they have no clue why it works for GoC, or even if it does.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for modeling success. What I see as ineffective and wasteful is simply aping what you see.

Another factor is successful marketers are habitual testers. Without understanding the why behind what you copy, you may end up aping a losing test.

11. Don't base your marketing on what Google, Facebook, Apple or Amazon do - you ain't Google, Facebook, Apple or Amazon.

I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that 99%+ of Warrior Forum members are either solo acts or work with smallish teams. If you choose to take that bet, make it a chocolate frosted...

Trying to market the same way mega corporations do is a fool's errand. For starters, you have different agendas.

Mega corporations need to:
> Keep shareholders happy.
> Keep the board of directors happy.
> Avoid being sacked.
> Win advertising awards that look good in the annual report.
> Make a profit.
Solo entrepreneurs, freelancers and small businesses need to:
> Show a profit.
12. Out of sight, out of mind. Or, "where were you when I needed you?"

A common question from beginners is "how many people should be on my list before I start emailing them?"

The correct answer is 1.

If you wait until you have 100 people, 500 people or 1,000 people on your list to start mailing, the early subscribers are going to forget who you are.

They're going to unsubscribe. Or cry spam. or, worst of all, simply delete your email unread.

Another question that comes up a lot is "how often should I email?"

Often enough so that when a need or want arises, they think of you first. But not so often that you turn into an annoying pest.

The exact frequency is different for different markets and different objectives.

If your target is a busy executive at a small or medium size company, a monthly newsletter along with occasional quickies (like a link to a great article accompinied by a note that says 'thought you might like this') is enough.

If your target is a wannabe entrepreneur with a bad case of Shiny Object Syndrome, you might need to email multiple times a day.

13. What do Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Easy Button Success have in common? A lot of people believe in them , but there's never been a verified sighting.

Ask yourself, if you can pay someone to set up a site, lure traffic, makes sales, and all you have to do is take the money, what the heck do they need you for?

Now that's not the same thing as using tools and technology to make some of your tasks easier. I remember when sequential autoresponders first came out and revolutionized email marketing. Or when the one-click Wordpress install changed blogging forever.

But push-button, totally passive income with no up front effort? If you believe in that, I have some land to sell you. But we'll have to wait for low tide to see it...

14. Recognize the difference between vanity metrics and Key Performance Indicators.

Back in the day, people used to put hit counters on the home pages. It showed how many people had visited the web page.

Nowadays, people like to brag about how many subscribers, followers, 'friends' or whatever they have.

Both of those are, with rare exceptions, vanity metrics. They make you feel good, but they don't contribute to the bottom line.

On the other hand, if you're an affiliate, the KPI you want to watch is Earnings Per Click (EPC). For every click you send to the vendor's page, how much do you make?

If you have a YouTube channel, how many viewers turn into subscribers? Or, more generally, how many take the action you want them to take?

What's your Return On Investment? For evey dollar or hour that you spend on your business, how much do you get back?

15. The road to success starts with a single step in the right direction. But you gotta take that step...

That's 15.

Now, in the true spirit of over-delivering, here are the bonuses...

Bonus 1. "Just take massive action" is a dangerous myth.

Part of the course when I taught hunter safety classes was what to do if you got lost. We used to rhyme "when in panic or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." The gist was, don't make things harder for the people trying to rescue you.

"Massive action" can be a marvelous thing when properly applied. But it can ruin you if it makes things worse instead of better.

Bonus 2. No search spider or algorithm has ever bought anything from anybody, ever.

If you have to choose between spiders and people, choose people.

Bonus 3. There are only three ways to make money online:
> Sell products (physical or digital)
> Sell services (actual or something like SaaS)
> Sell attention (Adsense, banners, affiliate clicks, etc.)
All involve the word "sell."


That's it. If you think this post is long, consider it took me a decade to write it.

So tell me, did you have a favorite? Which one, and why, please?
#posts #taught #things #years
  • Profile picture of the author webmarke
    Excellent post. You really said a lot in this post that people tend to overlook but they need to come to grips with.

    Great job!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author gianbizz
      Thank you for another awesome post, John.
      You are one of the WF members who make this forum is the best place to find the great knowledge on the internet marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    New marketers - and any marketer not getting desired results - should read this...a few times...till it sinks in.

    Common sense applied to internet marketing - who would have thunk it!

    Good one, John.
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    I've been reading and enjoying John's contributions on this forum just about as long as he's been posting them, and there's no member who's delivered more consistently solid, good sense over that period. Anyone looking for pointers on how to explain a concept in easy-to-grasp terms (hint: everyone likes a good story) would only benefit from a stroll through that extensive post history.

    Another great post, John, and congrats on reaching 15,000.
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    • Profile picture of the author tyronne78
      I agree with you Frank. John is definitely one of my favorite contributors on the Warrior Forum!

      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      I've been reading and enjoying John's contributions on this forum just about as long as he's been posting them, and there's no member who's delivered more consistently solid, good sense over that period. Anyone looking for pointers on how to explain a concept in easy-to-grasp terms (hint: everyone likes a good story) would only benefit from a stroll through that extensive post history.

      Another great post, John, and congrats on reaching 15,000.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamestt89
    Awesome post! I believe the leader you refer to in number 8 was the great Gary Halbert. Your analogy in 13 made me lol. Altogether, a great list that I think all of us can get a bit of gold from.
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  • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
    Great post John. You have been one of the most consistent deliver's of great content on this forum. Bonus 1 about take massive action is true. To many people come to this form and say just take action. But it does not help someone heading in the wrong direction. All it does is leave someone farther down the road in the wrong direction.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Brilliant John. Brilliant!

    #5 was an eye opener for me. I learned it's better to send a second email with 1 specific message versus sending out 2 messages thru 1 email. My clicks died when I shared more than 1 idea per message. When I sent the 2nd email say, the following day, with a different, singular message, things began to pop for me.

    Required reading for all internet marketers here.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    If people would just make the effort to understand... really understand... #8
    almost everything else can be overcome with very little effort.

    There's an old saying... "you can't say the wrong thing to the right
    person and you can't say the right thing to the wrong person."

    It's not entirely true but it's darn close.

    Excellent post!
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  • Profile picture of the author Emma09
    Great post this will help lot of people thanks for this post man
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  • Profile picture of the author TheTrafficOutlet
    Lol I can relate to some of this as I am also upcoming to 10 years. Good share. My advice would be to love what you do and focus.
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  • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
    I agree with you on everything especially the vanity metrics.

    I don't know why, but that was my hardest one to get over with my first few sites I built.

    But, vanity metrics don't equal money metrics.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Bradley
    Here's to another ten years John!

    You've made a massive contribution to this forum over the years with intelligent and informative posts like this one.

    For me, the point about One Message, One Idea stood out. Keeping it simple, that's Marketing 101 yet people overthink it and undersell it.
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    • Profile picture of the author celente
      Originally Posted by Mark Bradley View Post

      Here's to another ten years John!

      You've made a massive contribution to this forum over the years with intelligent and informative posts like this one.

      For me, the point about One Message, One Idea stood out. Keeping it simple, that's Marketing 101 yet people overthink it and undersell it.
      Great comment.

      I think the best part to all this, and over my careet I am in agree with OP.

      - Email marketing Rocks.

      - Test like a nut

      - the KISS [or KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID] is the best way to make money online.


      Those are my bigger tips.

      Thanks guys.
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  • Profile picture of the author Janice Sperry
    Thanks for one of the best posts I have seen in a long time.

    I just can't remember any post you have made that I have disagreed with in any way. Before we read one of your posts - even just a few sentences long - we know at a minimum it will be a strong dose of "common sense."

    Thanks for the reminder on #5. It is absolutely true - "One Message" is more powerful and effective than the most brilliant and clever content that tries to cover too much. I still have to keep myself in check on that one.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    John, thank you for another wonderful contribution.

    Even though these anniversary type posts are supposed to be special, I don't see your post as special at all. In your post, I see the normal common sense, full of wisdom, business savvy posts we've come to expect every time we see your name.

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge so freely and so often. You are one of a few posters that are on my "must read" list - I see your name and I must read your post.

    You are one of the reasons the Warrior Forum is a great place to learn how to build a business online for free.

    Thanks, again. I'm already looking forward to reading your 30,000th anniversary post!

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author Kritesh Abhishek
    Amazing post. Excellently summed up your 10 years of experience in such a way that it can benefit newbies. Thanks for sharing the post.
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  • Profile picture of the author John47
    Thanks for the contributions over the years - a good antidote to shiny object syndrome.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Brent Stangel View Post

    You would make a fortune up in these woods. I stopped hunting in 1989 because it got so risky. Do you know how .06 bullets sound whizzing by your ear? I do.
    Not the .06 rounds, but I've had cornstalks and cattails shaved off over my head.

    Went grouse hunting once and passed a couple of deer hunters on their way out of the woods. When I asked how they did, they said they didn't see any deer but they had a couple of really good "sound shots". We left right behind them.

    Incidents like that, along with the difficulty of catch and release, are what made me hang up my guns.
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  • Profile picture of the author volcanodigital
    Tanks John, One again you with a great post. Its help a lot to new marketers and they just need to read it very carefully and research for right campaigns that suits their businesses.
    Good One...!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author steventris
    I think this is the best post I have read on the forum to date... Thank You!
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  • Profile picture of the author Shelley1960
    Very good information! I'm new to forums so this was very helpful. I do have one question if you don't mind . . .

    How do I add a signature line and my FB, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts? I'm learning about all this and started with the Warrior Forum so I'm hoping I can learn a little bit here before I join another forum. Can you help me out? Please?

    My favorite was Step 15 - that's what I'm doing now - taking that first step!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
    Banned
    Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

    So tell me, did you have a favorite? Which one, and why, please?
    Excellent post: Thanks John. (I liked all of them ...)

    Especially the Gary Halbert Hamburg Stand lesson. I know it sounds simple however many People are stuck trying to sell something that People don't want ... (Let alone need.)
    : )
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    "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."―Joseph Sugarman
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Shelley1960 View Post

    Very good information! I'm new to forums so this was very helpful. I do have one question if you don't mind . . .

    How do I add a signature line and my FB, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts? I'm learning about all this and started with the Warrior Forum so I'm hoping I can learn a little bit here before I join another forum. Can you help me out? Please?

    My favorite was Step 15 - that's what I'm doing now - taking that first step!
    Along the top of your screen you should see a menu, just below the black top section. Click the "User CP" option. You should see links to edit your signature, edit your details and edit options. Work through those.

    Make sure you read the rules for signatures first to avoid any misunderstandings.
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    • Profile picture of the author Shelley1960
      All I see is Forums, Marketplace, and Tools. Those are all on the black menu. I don't see a menu under that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shelley1960
    I don't know if my last message was sent or not because this did some weird things that I don't understand. Anyway, I found the "User CP" panel and found LOTS of choices but there were none for signature. Any other suggestions? Thanks for your quick reply!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Shelley1960 View Post

      I don't know if my last message was sent or not because this did some weird things that I don't understand. Anyway, I found the "User CP" panel and found LOTS of choices but there were none for signature. Any other suggestions? Thanks for your quick reply!
      You might not have enough posts yet to turn that feature on. I think you need 10 posts.

      Nothing personal, it was done to keep some of the drive-by spammers out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brent Stangel
    **** YOU JOHN!
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    Get Off The Warrior Forum Now & Don't Come Back If You Want To Succeed!
    All The Real Marketers Are Gone. There's Nothing Left But Weak, Sniveling Wanna-Bees!
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    • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Brent Stangel View Post

      **** YOU JOHN! : )
      Ouch. (Lol). Not very nice for a quality Guy sharing quality content.

      Jonathan
      : )
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      "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."―Joseph Sugarman
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  • Profile picture of the author Hina Mensey
    It's simply amazing reading a post of such an experienced individual! I have just started, it's hard to know if I will even reach 10% of your part here, but I hope I can reach your level in terms of success, at least. Really feels good reading all this... Thank you for putting so much energy on with sharing this with us!
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    great post for the right newbie this is worth thousands.

    Kudos to you.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    John is one of the first people I ran into here at WF. I consider him a Legend among the old time Legends back in the day. Right up there with Kevin Riley, Willie Crawford, ExRat, Allen Says, Paul Myers,John Taylor and some others.

    One of the few who I read their complete Posts. And we should all applaud him for making this place that much better.

    Congrats friend on the milestone and thank you for sticking around
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    Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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    • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
      Banned
      You're part of those old timers of WF too discrat. (I've learned a lot from reading your posts ..)

      Kind Regards,
      Jonathan
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      "Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."―Joseph Sugarman
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  • Profile picture of the author aizaku
    great post.

    number 7 and it's structure is right on the money.

    keep it simple and in order.

    -Ike Paz
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  • Profile picture of the author tjbooks
    Great post with much wisdom. John
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  • Profile picture of the author maxsi
    good post.
    if you wanna do a SUPER business, put people at the Top before your products
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post


    1. You don't get if you don't ask.

    A lot of people make posts wondering why they can't seem to make sales, and when you look at what they're doing, it's because they never ask for a sale.

    People are busy and distracted. If you want them to do something, ask them to do it.
    I meant to comment on this particular Step. This is so true in IM and Sales in general.

    My background for the last 25 years has been in Sales. In IM and traditional.

    Of all the particular downfalls I saw of salesman who failed it had to be this.
    They could not ask for the Sale and thus could not close on it.

    I used a simple close out when I was in outside sales..." Mr. Smith I really want your business and I will go the extra yard in making sure you will be completely satisfied with what I am providing. Sir, what do I need to do right now to make this all happen "

    Simple, straightforward and worked really well,
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    Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by discrat View Post

    John is one of the first people I ran into here at WF. I consider him a Legend among the old time Legends back in the day. Right up there with Kevin Riley, Willie Crawford, ExRat, Allen Says, Paul Myers,John Taylor and some others.

    One of the few who I read their complete Posts. And we should all applaud him for making this place that much better.

    Congrats friend on the milestone and thank you for sticking around
    I'm humbled and honored to be included in the company of some of the giants on whose shoulders I stand...

    Originally Posted by yuvrajsinhspaceo View Post

    Wish I could hit the "thanks" button more than once...

    I can't, so...thanks again!
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
    I dunno....most of that list is just common sense. Imers are doomed if it takes that long to learn them (not that I think it actually took you so learn to learn them).
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

      I dunno....most of that list is just common sense. Imers are doomed if it takes that long to learn them (not that I think it actually took you so learn to learn them).
      Mike, you made me chuckle...

      Have you ever played with one of those "find the hidden object" games? Once you spot the object, it's impossible to not see it, right?

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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post


        Have you ever played with one of those "find the hidden object" games? Once you spot the object, it's impossible to not see it, right?

        Not sure what you mean. Nothing in your list was a hidden object and some of them are so obvious you would have to be dull not to know them - not take ten years to see them.

        This is nothing against you or your list John because I think you learned much deeper lessons than the ones on the list (and learned those on your list probably in your first year) - just saying if it really did take all that time and experience to learn some (or even all those) things then IMs biggest problem would be it attracts too many who don't think about their business - at all.
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      • Profile picture of the author peterparker1997
        Yes, I am also playing these type of games
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

      I dunno....most of that list is just common sense. Imers are doomed if it takes that long to learn them (not that I think it actually took you so learn to learn them).
      True.
      But its kind of ironic in Life that sometimes the most common sense things are the ones that take the longest ,not to learn , but to master and implement on a consistent basis.
      Signature

      Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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      • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        True.
        But its kind of ironic in Life that the most common sense things are the ones that take the longest ,not to learn , but to master and implement on a consistent basis.
        I can agree with that to an extent but isn't it kind of dumbing down Im even more to imply it takes years to learn things like

        "You don't get if you don't ask. "

        um....obvious a little?

        "There's a real person on the other side of the screen."

        Ai hasn't gotten that much better so umm yeah...kinda thought so from day one online.

        "Even if you can produce remarkable content, people have to know about it for it to be effective."

        Don't you learn that the first time you write a good blog post on a new blog?

        this isn't trashing John because i REALLY DO NOT believe he didn't get most of those from his first month in IM. I'm just saying when you see posts and threads where people are expressing the great secrets they learned over a decade and its mostly things that are so obvious to business and marketing 101 some preteens know it it makes you wonder about the quality of IM these days and makes Im look as bad as people outside of it says it is.
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        • Profile picture of the author myob
          Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

          I'm just saying when you see posts and threads where people are expressing the great secrets they learned over a decade and its mostly things that are so obvious to business and marketing 101 some preteens know it it makes you wonder about the quality of IM these days and makes Im look as bad as people outside of it says it is.
          Guess what? The BIG secret is that there isn't any secrets. What I get from John's excellent post here is that he has obviously observed over the years that people continually make these same very common mistakes over and over again, yet they think failure is from some outside missing secret. Failure is almost always a result of ignoring some of the most obvious marketing basics, including this series of "duh" moments.
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          • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
            Originally Posted by myob View Post

            continually make these same very common mistakes over and over again, yet they think failure is from some outside missing secret. .
            thing is - who sold that to them? a whole pile of gurus and WSOs who sold them on the idea that the basics are mysterious gems of brilliance that only they with the long experience can impart. Its the culture of IM to make common sense sound like its something brilliant and those that spout general things Gurus, giants and experts

            Its sold a thousand WSOs but its not happening in the wider business world.

            Guess what? The BIG secret is that there isn't any secrets.
            Guess what? You are wrong. There are "secrets" in any successful business but they are practical and not general. the lists you get over and over again on this forum are general and non specific - secrets aren't. If you want the secrets get with a businessman and have him/her agree to let you look over their whole business. You'll eventually see details emerge where the "secrets' are - not in general common sense business article type posts.
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            • Profile picture of the author nemesis23
              Well, the only secret to succeeding is sticking and focusing on one particular money making method.. And only when you CAN afford, move to the next method. This reminds me the four cash flow quadrants in Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki...
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            • Profile picture of the author discrat
              Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post


              Guess what? You are wrong. There are "secrets" in any successful business but they are practical and not general. the lists you get over and over again on this forum are general and non specific - secrets aren't. If you want the secrets get with a businessman and have him/her agree to let you look over their whole business. You'll eventually see details emerge where the "secrets' are - not in general common sense business article type posts.
              Meh...not true at all. In most businesses there are NOT any secrets.

              Only amateurs believe this nonsense.

              Real estate is a prime example. No secrets at all. There is a learning curve and a lot of time is required in studying the Market and picking up different strategies to pursue but NO secret formula that only a few fortunate souls know about.

              That's simply a ridiculous notion perpetuated by snake oil salesman who want the general masses to believe there are secrets. But the majority of the time there is none to be found.

              Like I said only feeble minded people and amateurs believe that BS

              Same with investing and trading stocks. It's all out there for anyone to pick up.
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              Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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        • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
          Hi Mike,

          Me - and many new IMers - started off online doing things from a place of fear and desperation. I was literally blind to this advice. So seeing it again and again, over the years, woke me up. As it will wake up many new or struggling IMers. Sometimes we assume folks see the world through our eyes, or sane eyes, or clear thinking eyes. One quick look at the general public suggests something quite different LOL.

          I have lived a cool life thru blogging and am always happy to revisit the basics to keep me on course.

          Ryan
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          Ryan Biddulph helps you to be a successful blogger with his courses, manuals and blog at Blogging From Paradise
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  • Profile picture of the author Rose Anderson
    Happy Decade Anniversary, John!

    My favorite is #3. Doesn't matter if the once upon a time story you write is incredible if no one see it.

    Looking forward to another ten.

    Rose
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  • Profile picture of the author wojaar
    I'm curious how many people started to make money thanks to your posts..
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  • Profile picture of the author ChristUni
    Many congratulations for your success. Hard works always pay, good luck, many more have to come.
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  • Profile picture of the author Craig Cherlet
    Great post. My biggest takeaway was #5. One message, one idea. Love the simplicity in your statements.
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  • Profile picture of the author missmystery
    Great post from someone with great experience. Thanks.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
      Bumped because this information will help a lot of beginners that may have missed it and maybe remind a lot of seasoned members of high value marketing experiences.


      Thanks John.
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      In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      A good bump - but I'm worried about John McC - we haven't heard from him since last summer....which is not usual. Hope he's OK.
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      One secret to happiness is to let every situation be
      what it is instead of what you think it should be.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
      I hope he is okay and I am also concerned. I took a long break from the forum myself and since he has not posted for a long time I am just hoping he is taking a break.
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      In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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  • Profile picture of the author sesw
    Great advice!
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  • Profile picture of the author gailfar
    I'm glad that I've stumbled upon this. Great advice from an experienced person.
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  • Profile picture of the author bryceroy
    Great information thanks for sharing
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    Good Post bro.

    Expecially point 5 and 11.

    I truly believe in FOCUS cause it works. I'm an Email Marketer, people who subscribe to my list know that it's all about email marketing, step by step coaching and in depth course.

    No other things like ecommerce, or amazon fba.

    Also point 11 cause most of the people think like bigger companies like facebook and do some advertising for brand awareness, instead of direct email marketing, which is more measurable and for budget not like amazon etc...
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    • Profile picture of the author celente
      Originally Posted by Connann View Post

      Good Post bro.

      Expecially point 5 and 11.

      I truly believe in FOCUS cause it works. I'm an Email Marketer, people who subscribe to my list know that it's all about email marketing, step by step coaching and in depth course.
      ...
      Connann, you are one of the ones that get it.

      I am still yet to find a better way to make sales and crush it online with my business, without using email marketing, or solo ads.

      Of course, what people will do is look for other ways, after they read something like this, when the most simple and less complicated things always work.

      Once I worked out how to use email marketing, got a house paid for in cash. And was able to live a much more free life, meaning, the business would work itself and automate itself, overnight and make sales while I was asleep.

      A few senior warriors helped me realize this, and my life has been different every since.

      Great post and thx.
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    • Profile picture of the author celente
      Originally Posted by Connann View Post

      Good Post bro.

      Expecially point 5 and 11.

      I truly believe in FOCUS cause it works. I'm an Email Marketer, people who subscribe to my list know that it's all about email marketing, step by step coaching and in depth course.

      No other things like ecommerce, or amazon fba.

      Also point 11 cause most of the people think like bigger companies like facebook and do some advertising for brand awareness, instead of direct email marketing, which is more measurable and for budget not like amazon etc...
      plus if people do not bellieve your statment,

      Look what happens when one of the biggest social media sites, fb, if you have an accoutn and one of your close friends post something and you are not online.

      Guess what they do straight away, to get your attention and spend time on facebook.

      THEY SEND YOU AN EMAIL.....

      that is right, so facebook are utilizing email marketing as well, and its driving HUGE amounts of extra traffic to their site daily.

      Not many peopel realise this, but in 2017 its much more powerful than it was a few years ago. The reason is everyone is on their mobile checking their email

      BOOM!, there you have it.

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    • Profile picture of the author chuckholmes
      I love email marketing. It's how I generate most of my income online, even though I am very diversified. I've never found any other method of marketing or advertising as effective as email marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author PerseusDaGreat
    well so you know i am bench reading your 15k post All that gumbo of knowledge. An this post gave a newbie much to reflect and overstand..

    congrades on this being your 15,000 post. john you are one of the reason i stayed on this forum cause you and a few others that provide excellent content with value and is written in a simple aspect to research and get what is in the recipe of the stew brewing.

    Like the whole pos wonder contect for a newbie like my self.
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  • Profile picture of the author tma
    Actually i have been following John for a while he has been awesome. Keep it up.
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  • Profile picture of the author dee4d
    Thanks so much JohnMcCabe , this post is very insightful and helpful.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    I am happy this went Warrior Viral
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  • Profile picture of the author Fred_Acker
    John,

    Never met you, but this gem of information somehow found its way to my to my subconscious and I'm writing to tell you how you inspired me.

    I've been wracking my brain for months to do something in the info biz. I've been offline for a couple of years traveling, but I'd sorta gotten the "make money online" bug before this. With the help of many I was fortunate enough to experience that making money online was a very real thing.

    Long story short, I had a business already that paid me good and kept me happy until the day I got out.

    Anyway, your post shows up and...

    I'm not sure exactly when in the post it happened...

    I was 'reborn' as some might profess.

    Lol... I'm even writing longer comments now
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    Right Now. What a wonderful time to start!

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  • Profile picture of the author depotgang
    Great post. I too have been around since 2005 so your advice is very very good.....

    The only thing I would add is don't hate those that hit it big time. Many major players no longer frequent this forum and not because they are "too good" but bacause they got flamed big time here.

    There is a lot of experienced marketing wisdom that is not present, and that's sad. I know many of them and they love helping people, but success comes with a cost, and the ability to make choices. So if someone does a huge launch, get to know them if you can, and don't be so quick to shower the hate.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamel Hassell
    great post !!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author TonyRoberts
    Great work man! This was a really pleasant and enjoyable read.

    Thanks for post!
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  • Profile picture of the author chuckholmes
    Tip # 8 on your list is my favorite.

    Sell people what they want to buy. I made the mistake in the past to fall in love with my product. What I should have done is picked an audience first, figured out what they wanted, and then found a way to give it to them.

    That's much better than picking a product and then trying to figure out who you will sell it too. That is my strategy now, after nearly 8 years of building online.

    You have some real Golden Nuggets in this post. This is your 15,000th post in Warrior Forum, and my first post. Thanks for dropping that wisdom! Here's to the next ten years and beyond.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew Goodson
    This post is indeed educational! Thank you John!
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  • Profile picture of the author lamisha
    thanks john.you doing great.your post ins-peer us to write & post a new thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author wduarte24
    Congrats, that's a very long time;
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  • Profile picture of the author roberto830
    Beautiful post, big thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author fictionaldamo
    Great stuff I am not a newbie but have never had success. Probably because I am constantly chasing new shiny things. I related to all of your post. Trying to get better.
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  • Profile picture of the author vigotov1
    that was amazing real eye opener
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  • Profile picture of the author DeciBoy13
    I liked the post. You sound like Gary Vee!
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  • Profile picture of the author sherrykoontz
    Banned
    I just can't remember any post you have made that I have disagreed with in any way. Before we read one of your posts - even just a few sentences long - we know at a minimum it will be a strong dose of "common sense."
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Solid gold thread

    I can't agree more with the advice below

    8. Concentrate on selling to people who already want what you are selling.

    There's a story about a seminar leader who asked "If you're selling hamburgers, what's the most important thing to have?"

    Answers from the crowd included things like great hamburgers, a great location, low prices, etc.

    The leader's answer was "a starving crowd."

    That's why niche marketing works so well. You get to hand pick a starving crowd and offer them what they want to eat.

    Too many would-be marketers get things backwards. They pick a product, often based on how much it pays, and then try to figure out how and where to sell it.
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  • Profile picture of the author mustangman425
    Great Post, thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Shirlyn
    Thanks for sharing, really a lesson for new comers.
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  • Great post. Thanks for taking the time!
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  • My favorite is the 3rd point. Quality matters and not quantity.
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