I have only wanted to be two things in life... drummer for the Beach Boys and a digital marketer

32 replies
Now, wanting to be the drummer for the Beach Boys was never going to happen because I'm a woman. So, I'll just set that aside.
However, being a digital marketer just seems so close and yet so far away. If you were to start today, on the cusp of 60....
where and how would you really start? I have written books, I know how to self-publish but I do not know how to market.

I do not have money for high ticket courses. If the books were selling that well, I'd probably know how to market. It's a very
vicious circle.

Help!
#beach #boys #digital #drummer #life #marketer #things #wanted
  • Profile picture of the author spartan14
    Well i am not an expert on digital marketing ,affiliate marketing etc
    But i think building an emails list its a very smart strategy also building real relationship with your audience
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    Sharing My Favourite Method to Make Extra Money In My Free Time
    Atention : Not a quick rich scheme ,takes patience, consistency and some work also
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  • Profile picture of the author Monetize
    Originally Posted by KAYEKINNEY View Post

    Now, wanting to be the drummer for the Beach Boys was never going to happen because I'm a woman. So, I'll just set that aside.
    However, being a digital marketer just seems so close and yet so far away. If you were to start today, on the cusp of 60....
    where and how would you really start? I have written books, I know how to self-publish but I do not know how to market.

    I do not have money for high ticket courses. If the books were selling that well, I'd probably know how to market. It's a very
    vicious circle.

    Help!


    Are you publishing on Amazon KDP or what?

    If so, keep publishing and when you have enough things
    to advertise, participate in their advertising program.

    I'm still at it but if I were starting today, and knowing what
    I know now, using A.I. systems that are available, I would
    develop a set of online products, even some things I know
    nothing about, and finalize at least one thing every day.

    Even starting today, if people just did that for a year or two,
    they would have 300-700 products that are making money
    for them.

    I am referring to things like:

    Affiliate Websites
    Books
    Digital Downloads
    Print on Demand Products
    Videos
    etc.

    Cusp of 60 is not too late, I am right there with you, get
    busy reading some books on passive income, and the
    topics I listed above, and develop a plan to build up your
    retirement income.

    If you are ever wondering where to start, go on ChatGPT
    it will give you step-by-step instructions about ANYTHING!
    It will help you strategize, develop business plans, it will
    brainstorm new methods, it will really help you.

    You still have plenty of time to get something going.

    If you have any questions, post them here.
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  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    Maybe there are exceptions, hard to find. No matter which kind or type of digital marketer one wants to be (my assumption is they ALL want to make money from digital marketing, otherwise they have a hobby)...they neglect the ONE THING that makes them a marketer...sales...and the adjacent how to market (sell) whatever they are doing.

    So, go back to square one; the MARKET. Your books, for example...WHO were they written for, where do the people live online who would be most interested in the subject matter, and how can you reach them, and when you do, what do you offer in the way of a sales message. OR what reason do they have to buy your books?

    Being on the cusp of 60 puts you way behind the 8 ball considering there are TEENS making millions of dollars in their digital pursuits. Start where you are at, with what you have and set a goal of where you want to be at the end of a time period, say the next two years when you have gone over (assumptively) the cusp.

    Now with that goal, backward chain your time to today, and see that the most IMPORTANT thing in digital marketing (customers, consumers or clients) is offering something they want to buy and can afford to pay for it.

    Maybe your books just need better copy to sell them, but start today, with what you have and determine where and when you want to get to...that is square one.

    GordonJ



    Originally Posted by KAYEKINNEY View Post

    Now, wanting to be the drummer for the Beach Boys was never going to happen because I'm a woman. So, I'll just set that aside.
    However, being a digital marketer just seems so close and yet so far away. If you were to start today, on the cusp of 60....
    where and how would you really start? I have written books, I know how to self-publish but I do not know how to market.

    I do not have money for high ticket courses. If the books were selling that well, I'd probably know how to market. It's a very
    vicious circle.

    Help!
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  • Originally Posted by KAYEKINNEY View Post

    Now, wanting to be the drummer for the Beach Boys was never going to happen because I'm a woman.

    Help!
    K ... so whicha them schmucks gaht to be MADONNAH?

    FFS the Brian guy is evin DEAD.

    Yeah so who does that leave takin' up the slack on procreative brilliance?

    Sumtimes the heroes & heroines're so full frontal they shrink us on out before we can evin speak.

    Othah times, they so lame, vacuous, fulla shit, & kinda EVIL, we wondah why we ain't screamin' the place down.

    I guess we all figurin' sweet spots in multiple maelstroms ...

    as time husself disputes accyersy of shahts into nonvoidzola.

    Originally Posted by KAYEKINNEY View Post

    It's a very
    vicious circle.
    So vicious, it demands an extra qualifiah.

    Thing is, VICIOUS CIRCLE kinda crept inta evrywan's descriptoscape fore'n nowan figured what the fkr means -- an' now here we all are gowin' vicious circle vicious circle vicious circle yeah yeah yeah like it is an IRL THING like mebbe THE MOON.

    Circles ain't vish.

    They are curvaceous, delish, an' wholesumly complete.

    The concentric rings of their intrinsic flourish define galaxies beyond all magnification of mortal iris.

    I frickin' DUSSPISE that wasteaspace KLEESH they call 'vicious circle'.

    Smite it from yr soul!

    Walk out coupla days without its stereotyp noose 'bout yr neck ...

    meandah with breakout kinda granduer ...

    an' mebbe you in a Shackles Off kinda scenario.

    Gotta hope so.

    "Make or Break" is anothah such whipcrack dispensation from the miracle cloud of all stoopido.

    FFS how can nowan make or break nuthin' from outta a vicious circle?

    They don't say.

    Which kinda suggests to Moi like we don't evin gotta cayurre.

    My view?

    Watch always for pre-packaged nonsense dispensed as if from on high.

    tbh only vicious circles I gaht are burned strawbs c/o ovahzealous tannin'.

    But that is my prahblem ...






    .
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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  • Originally Posted by KAYEKINNEY View Post

    Now, wanting to be the drummer for the Beach Boys was never going to happen because I'm a woman. So, I'll just set that aside.
    However, being a digital marketer just seems so close and yet so far away. If you were to start today, on the cusp of 60....
    where and how would you really start? I have written books, I know how to self-publish but I do not know how to market.

    I do not have money for high ticket courses. If the books were selling that well, I'd probably know how to market. It's a very
    vicious circle.

    Help!
    Everything you need to know is on Youtube. Just type in "Kindle marketing" and you'll get everything you could possibly want to know about marketing books.

    No need to buy expensive courses. And Amazon also has a library of books on Kindle marketing (Of course to sell your paperback books as well)..

    Tom Corson-Knowles wrote a series of serious great books on book marketing. Free on Amazon for Kindle Unlimited buyers. And cheap to everyone else.

    Everything you need to know for the price of a sandwich.

    Added later; Podcast interviews with podcaster who have the same audience as you do....are maybe the fastest way to ramp up book sales. These hosts are always looking for authors in their category to interview, and they will willingly promote your book.
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    One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

    “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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    • Profile picture of the author talfighel
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      Everything you need to know is on Youtube. Just type in "Kindle marketing" and you'll get everything you could possibly want to know about marketing books.
      .
      There is information overload there too.

      Yes, there are amazing techniques to learn from but when you have 100's and 1000's of videos, it becomes overwhelming for anyone.
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      • Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

        There is information overload there too.

        Yes, there are amazing techniques to learn from but when you have 100's and 1000's of videos, it becomes overwhelming for anyone.
        That's why you don't watch them all. You find a "Guru" that you like, and watch what they have to say.

        Also, it's a good rule of thumb to watch the most viewed, These are the real marketers. And these videos pop up first.
        Signature
        One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

        “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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      • Profile picture of the author Monetize
        Originally Posted by talfighel View Post

        There is information overload there too.

        Yes, there are amazing techniques to learn from but when you have 100's and 1000's of videos, it becomes overwhelming for anyone.

        Information overload is not something that happens to you,
        it is something that you allow when you're all over the place
        trying to read, watch, learn, etc., random info with no focus.

        With videos, it's a good practice to decide the topic you are
        interested in, and watch one or two videos a day, preferably
        to learn something that will help you with your business.
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        • Originally Posted by Monetize View Post

          Information overload is not something that happens to you,
          it is something that you allow when you're all over the place
          trying to read, watch, learn, etc., random info with no focus.

          With videos, it's a good practice to decide the topic you are
          interested in, and watch one or two videos a day, preferably
          to learn something that will help you with your business.
          The more you git yr sensorium is an all-consoomin' powahouse, the more mindful you are 'bout distractionstuffs.

          Been a while now since all evry homo sapes gotta do is cross unevin ground without dyin'.

          Hence where your eyeballs sit in yr fayiss when you ain't lookin' at no sh*t pertickuler.

          Now we all Putin Meme Contortionists wrt to EVRYTHIN'.

          Like frickin' whatevah.

          Gotta remembah always how authentic DOM begins with an intrinsic ability to walk in a straight line from known locay A to fyootyoore locay B -- dusspite all applause or dissocraftyoore.

          So you gotta choose on out real sweet.

          The stimulus of the Caaahmaahs desires yr immediate attenschwaan beyond all it is within yr mortal cuppacity to give.

          Synopsis: get bein' a pernickety bitch before u airbrooshed on out.
          Signature

          Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    I get tired of hearing 'just ask AI'.

    If AI were all that good, everyone would be a millionaire. Millions and millions of people use it every day and are still struggling.

    That's all I have to add.
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    • Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

      I get tired of hearing 'just ask AI'.

      If AI were all that good, everyone would be a millionaire. Millions and millions of people use it every day and are still struggling.

      That's all I have to add.
      Maybe a tad off topic.


      Something I have noticed from literally every fiction writer I know....and 99% of the business writers I know...

      They know nothing about actually selling their books, and hate the very idea of participating in promoting their own books.

      Most of the books on marketing your own books concentrate on social media. But the real sales come from being interviewed by hosts of shows, podcasts, even blogs....who have the same audience that you do.

      And...Amazon has a robust advertising program, where your book shows up on other author's book sales pages. maybe a third of my book sales come from that.

      And maybe the first ten years I had my books on Amazon .....magazine, blog, and podcast interviews generated a decent 5 figure monthly income....just on book sales...just on Amazon.

      No library sales, no bookstore sales, no mailing list to speak of.

      When I essentially retired from speaking to groups, (where I never sold books from the stage) and doing interviews...the sales slowly decreased until now it's a few hundred dollars a month, from Amazon.

      I once participated in a small gathering of authors in one of their homes. the topic always ended up on how low sales were.

      When I started talking about how I got interviewed, and actually marketed my books....they looked at me like I was from Mars. They universally believed in the proverb "Build a better mousetrap...."

      They thought they were owed sales. Weird how certain occupations gather a specific type of person.

      And now, back to being cranky.
      Signature
      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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      • Profile picture of the author max5ty
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        Maybe a tad off topic.


        Something I have noticed from literally every fiction writer I know....and 99% of the business writers I know...

        They know nothing about actually selling their books, and hate the very idea of participating in promoting their own books.

        Most of the books on marketing your own books concentrate on social media. But the real sales come from being interviewed by hosts of shows, podcasts, even blogs....who have the same audience that you do.

        And...Amazon has a robust advertising program, where your book shows up on other author's book sales pages. maybe a third of my book sales come from that.

        And maybe the first ten years I had my books on Amazon .....magazine, blog, and podcast interviews generated a decent 5 figure monthly income....just on book sales...just on Amazon.

        No library sales, no bookstore sales, no mailing list to speak of.

        When I essentially retired from speaking to groups, (where I never sold books from the stage) and doing interviews...the sales slowly decreased until now it's a few hundred dollars a month, from Amazon.

        I once participated in a small gathering of authors in one of their homes. the topic always ended up on how low sales were.

        Wen I started talking bout how I got interviewed, and actually marketed my books....they looked at me like I was from Mars. They universally believed in the proverb "Build a better mousetrap...."

        They thought they were owed sales. Weird how certain occupations gather a specific type of person.

        And now, back to being cranky.
        Well, Mr. Cranky...

        I think you should write a book on everything you've ever learned in sales. It could be a best seller.

        Right now, Kindle is overrun with AI-written books. They're not selling.

        After all, why would anyone buy an AI-written book if they could ask their AI for all the details a book would provide?

        The older I get, the more cynical I get about people wanting to make money.

        I hear people say they're making a couple thousand a month online. Wow, don't they know it's just as easy to make $500k a month as it is to make $1000?

        If someone is making more than I am a month, I'll listen to their advice and pick their brain...

        others, I'll just listen to their hype and chuckle.

        I don't think there's anyone out there who hasn't heard of AI by now. Especially if they're working on an online endeavor...

        so, if they come to the forum for advice, why would an answer be to ask AI????

        Spare me the nonsense.

        I use AI myself, but it's not what got me to making what I do a month right now. I was making that before AI.

        I was googling something the other day. Most of the articles, I immediately knew were AI and knew they didn't have the slightest clue what they were talking about...

        Numerous articles were just exact copies of other articles.

        Took me quite a few clicks to finally find an article that someone had been there and done what I was researching.

        Too many broke idiots these days are thinking AI is their saviour.

        Ok, now back to the vodka.
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        • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
          I think I messed up with the multiquote, oh well, if I haven't gotten the hang of it in the last 20 years, probably not going to get it now...

          Anyhow...Getting started is important with my CAVEAT of; if you know where you want to go. So many Warriors get started, then restart, then start over and then they get started again. Passion has little to do with making money, it can be an ingredient in the mix, althgough absolutely UNnecessary. You don't need passion to make money.

          And many, if not most Warriors are clueless to the "gifts" they have, if they have any at all. So, I don't regard getting started as a big secret to it all.

          As to being cynical about people wanting to make money...I often have to remind myself while here (Warrior Forum) it is akin to being in NeverLand where Peter doesn't want to grow up and Tink keeps chasing rainbows.

          But, even the dark ages of the 20th Century, the heyday of Direct Response businesses, of the millions who bought books on How to Start a Mail Order Business, or Kitchen Table Secrets of getting rich in your underwear, a very, very small % of those that wanted to make money, actually even tried it.

          It is what makes the Make Money niches so lucrative, evergreen and exploitative, and why so many are attracted to it.

          And in defense of writers while also attacking the larger "creatives" group, I think there is a history of build it, they will come expectation which parallels inventors' attitude that their creative babies DESERVE a place on the shelves and SHOULD be bought. Alas, sigh.

          With some writers, though, they have spent a lot of money on the AWAI types, or the old schoolers who sold them the idea they can sell millions of dollars of books with simple mind flaying, copywriting tricks. "If you can write a letter like this one..." SHAZAM, you don't need no stinkin marketing.

          Anyhoo...it is my belief, that even IF or when some Warriors start making money with whatever, they lack the management skills to keep it or grow it or put it to work for them. We've seen guys struggle and get to six figures a year only to fall off that peak and get back to being broke in half the time it took them to succeed.

          Basic business skills, which most lack, would be, could be, maybe SHOULD be the starting point of any make money effort.

          I forgot what I wanted to say, being a Crank, a Curmudgeon and a Cynic.

          Happy Sunday to all.

          GordonJ




          Originally Posted by Jamell View Post

          The secret of getting ahead is getting started .Use your passion to educate people so that you can eventually monetize your gifts .

          Please do not over think as it can lead to confusion.
          Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

          Well, Mr. Cranky...

          I think you should write a book on everything you've ever learned in sales. It could be a best seller.

          Right now, Kindle is overrun with AI-written books. They're not selling.

          After all, why would anyone buy an AI-written book if they could ask their AI for all the details a book would provide?

          The older I get, the more cynical I get about people wanting to make money.

          I hear people say they're making a couple thousand a month online. Wow, don't they know it's just as easy to make $500k a month as it is to make $1000?

          If someone is making more than I am a month, I'll listen to their advice and pick their brain...

          others, I'll just listen to their hype and chuckle.

          I don't think there's anyone out there who hasn't heard of AI by now. Especially if they're working on an online endeavor...

          so, if they come to the forum for advice, why would an answer be to ask AI????

          Spare me the nonsense.

          I use AI myself, but it's not what got me to making what I do a month right now. I was making that before AI.

          I was googling something the other day. Most of the articles, I immediately knew were AI and knew they didn't have the slightest clue what they were talking about...

          Numerous articles were just exact copies of other articles.

          Took me quite a few clicks to finally find an article that someone had been there and done what I was researching.

          Too many broke idiots these days are thinking AI is their saviour.

          Ok, now back to the vodka.
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          Maybe a tad off topic.


          Something I have noticed from literally every fiction writer I know....and 99% of the business writers I know...

          They know nothing about actually selling their books, and hate the very idea of participating in promoting their own books.

          Most of the books on marketing your own books concentrate on social media. But the real sales come from being interviewed by hosts of shows, podcasts, even blogs....who have the same audience that you do.

          And...Amazon has a robust advertising program, where your book shows up on other author's book sales pages. maybe a third of my book sales come from that.

          And maybe the first ten years I had my books on Amazon .....magazine, blog, and podcast interviews generated a decent 5 figure monthly income....just on book sales...just on Amazon.

          No library sales, no bookstore sales, no mailing list to speak of.

          When I essentially retired from speaking to groups, (where I never sold books from the stage) and doing interviews...the sales slowly decreased until now it's a few hundred dollars a month, from Amazon.

          I once participated in a small gathering of authors in one of their homes. the topic always ended up on how low sales were.

          Wen I started talking bout how I got interviewed, and actually marketed my books....they looked at me like I was from Mars. They universally believed in the proverb "Build a better mousetrap...."

          They thought they were owed sales. Weird how certain occupations gather a specific type of person.

          And now, back to being cranky.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11831712].message }}
        • Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

          Well, Mr. Cranky...

          I think you should write a book on everything you've ever learned in sales. It could be a best seller..
          A best seller? No. the top books on sales subjects probably earn less than $5,000 a month for the author. It's a super narrow niche with a market of people who don't read books.

          I remember asking an audience of a couple thousand salespeople...." Raise your hand if you have read at least one book on selling this week". I couldn't see a single hand go up. I had to make it "This year" before any hands went up. It's almost unheard of for salespeople to read books on selling.

          I gave a talk to a group of a few hundred advertising reps. None have ever read a book on advertising or marketing. A few read a book on graphic design.

          Now, if I wrote a book about my near death experience...where I talked to my dead grandfather.....and did lots of interviews....yup, that's a best seller. (I made up that example)

          The only reason I sold so many books was that I spent the interview whetting the listener's appetites for more information, stories, a "Secrets". Most of these buyers probably only bought my book that year.

          Did you know that 80% of all book sales are to 3% of the population?

          When I die, I'm going to be buried under a crabapple tree. Because I'm a sourpuss.




          Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

          Right now, Kindle is overrun with AI-written books. They're not selling.

          .
          AI written books never sell. They aren't personal, they are sterile. Even the books on how to make money with AI don't sell very well. But the courses on making money with AI sell well sometimes, because it implies no work at all...for high rewards. And that's the main audience for "make money" gurus.

          One lesson though, is that the courses themselves are not AI written.

          Humans.

          I love going on Amazon to see books on how to sell a million copies of your book...and the book itself is ranked about 2 millionth...which means less than one sale a month.
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          “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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          • Profile picture of the author max5ty
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            A best seller? No. the top books on sales subjects probably earn less than $5,000 a month for the author. It's a super narrow niche with a market of people who don't read books.
            Wow, that's interesting.

            I had thought salespeople would be reading everything they could get their hands on.

            I believe you. I know you know sales better than anyone on the forum...or anywhere else, for that matter. I was just shocked to learn that fact about salespeople.

            Ok, let's forget about my suggestion to write a book on sales
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            • Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

              Wow, that's interesting.

              I had thought salespeople would be reading everything they could get their hands on.

              I believe you. I know you know sales better than anyone on the forum...or anywhere else, for that matter. I was just shocked to learn that fact about salespeople.

              Ok, let's forget about my suggestion to write a book on sales
              HA!

              I've written a few. An all inclusive book would be an encyclopedia. I have two more in the hopper.

              By the way, I have six books on Amazon, all related to selling. The one on closing accounts for 70% of all the sales. Salespeople (especially new ones) think that closing is the important piece of the puzzle. And yet I know that 80% of what determines whether you are going to make the sale is a combination of Who you are talking to, and How you got in front of them.

              It's not that salespeople don't read books on selling.....it's that nearly everyone that works...doesn't ever read a single book about what they do for a living.

              Most books read are fiction.

              And the only reason one of the marketing (or sales) guru books sells well is that the author is doing constant promotion to sell the book....which in turn sells the reader on a course/membership/mastermind group.

              And...I appreciate the compliment, but there are a few people here...and a few that are now gone...that were at least as good as I am, maybe better.

              I'm just the bossiest.
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              “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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              • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
                Just for the record, cause the Internet never disappears (unless you are a richie rich who can use an army of hackers to erase you), here is my sales book history for posterity...

                Starting with Claude's books, which I found USEFUL, and less motivational as some guys write, like Ziglar. Anyhoo, at 10 I read two books; TESTED SENTENCES THAT SELL by Elmer Wheeler and THE SALE BEGINS WHEN THE CUSTOMER SAYS NO by Elmer Leterman, and followed up with HOW I RAISED MYSELF FROM A FAILURE TO A SUCCESS IN SELLING by Frank Bettger.

                Today, I'd llike to call attention to the hidden gem here...
                And yet I know that 80% of what determines whether you are going to make the sale is a combination of Who you are talking to, and How you got in front of them.

                If new Warriors would write that one sentence out, read it over and over, study it and THINK about what Claude is telling you...it may shave off years of trial and error and lead you to the gold mine you seek. ALL of IM, digital marketing is about making a sale.

                So, WHO you are talking to, and HOW you got in front of them, is just as important for online success as it is for offline. Thanks Claude, another pearl of wisdom from the old oyster hisself.

                GordonJ

                Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

                HA!

                I've written a few. An all inclusive book would be an encyclopedia. I have two more in the hopper.

                By the way, I have six books on Amazon, all related to selling. The one on closing accounts for 70% of all the sales. Salespeople (especially new ones) think that closing is the important piece of the puzzle. And yet I know that 80% of what determines whether you are going to make the sale is a combination of Who you are talking to, and How you got in front of them.

                It's not that salespeople don't read books on selling.....it's that nearly everyone that works...doesn't ever read a single book about what they do for a living.

                Most books read are fiction.

                And the only reason one of the marketing (or sales) guru books sells well is that the author is doing constant promotion to sell the book....which in turn sells the reader on a course/membership/mastermind group.

                And...I appreciate the compliment, but there are a few people here...and a few that are now gone...that were at least as good as I am, maybe better.

                I'm just the bossiest.
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                • Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post

                  Today, I'd llike to call attention to the hidden gem here...
                  And yet I know that 80% of what determines whether you are going to make the sale is a combination of Who you are talking to, and How you got in front of them.

                  If new Warriors would write that one sentence out, read it over and over, study it and THINK about what Claude is telling you...it may shave off years of trial and error and lead you to the gold mine you seek. ALL of IM, digital marketing is about making a sale.

                  So, WHO you are talking to, and HOW you got in front of them, is just as important for online success as it is for offline. Thanks Claude, another pearl of wisdom from the old oyster hisself.

                  GordonJ
                  Thank you.

                  Maybe 25 years ago, I spent about 4 years working with high end salespeople, in the field, for a day. They would work with me for a day, and then I would work with them for a day.

                  These were all Top 10% salespeople, and several were in the top 1%. Some were so great that I would work with them for a week or a month....without pay, just to absorb what they could teach me. And several worked with me for a week or more for the same reason.

                  And out of that experience I found out several things.

                  The top 10% (at the time it was anyone earning six figures or more) had a few things in common. Mostly they worked by referrals from their clients/customers...usually with a secondary source of leads as well.

                  The top 1%? Without fail they did their business by referral (only from buyers), and by selling more to their customer base.

                  It wasn't until much later that I analyzed what this really meant.

                  The "Who are you in front of" meant that these prospects were already conditioned to listen...and probably buy. It did NOT mean they were interested in what was being sold. It meant that they were able to hear the message (and be asked questions) without the major psychological barriers most prospects have to buying from a "salesperson".

                  The "How did you get in front of them" nearly always meant by referral, from an existing buyer. It could also be from orphaned buyers from other reps,(with the same company), or a list of buyers from a different but competitive company. But it mostly was by referral.

                  Decades ago, I would work with salespeople and managers that would say "A lead is a lead, is a lead". Like they all had equal value. In fact, I told my reps that very thing.

                  But I was wrong. Before you ever get in front of a prospect, most of them are almost certain to not buy, and some are almost certain to buy.

                  These "High probability buyers" can easily be found, and there are more than enough of them in any area to guarantee you never run out of prospects.

                  But these "High probability buyers" can also be created...and the way to do that is by seeing them as a referral from one of your current customers.

                  There is a lot more to it than that, but I figured out that "80% of your success in making the sale" after analyzing hundreds of sales calls with these other top sales people...and of course my own sales.

                  I studied what the prospects that bought had in common, and what the non-buyers had in common. Frankly it took me forever to put this all together. The process really sped up when I started studying marketing in addition to selling.

                  The marketing basics that most of us on this thread think of as self evident...are seen as genius insights to salespeople. They never study marketing. Just as almost no marketers are interested in selling, or even learning how.

                  I've made tons of mistakes in my life, but I think I've been very lucky with my decisions in advancing my selling knowledge.

                  Added later; I've also worked with terrible salespeople (although not by desire). When someone would buy, they would celebrate and tell me about how they closed that sale. But they almost never closed the sale. The people bought despite the salesperson, not because of them.

                  The number of salespeople out there with 20 years of experience...who couldn't close a door...are legion. I've bought from them, and it was always a major effort on my part to buy...despite what they said.
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                  “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamell
    The secret of getting ahead is getting started .Use your passion to educate people so that you can eventually monetize your gifts .

    Please do not over think as it can lead to confusion.
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  • Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post


    They thought they were owed sales. Weird how certain occupations gather a specific type of person.
    Originally Posted by max5ty View Post


    Too many broke idiots these days are thinking AI is their saviour.

    .
    So, where we at mostly, we moretools?

    You gaht savants underpricin' their own brilliance versus schwangocraft overhypin' dumbkopfcraft.

    An' the dialog flowin' outta the puurseption of this historically significant emergin' narrative gaht evrywan on tippytoes.

    Without wishin' to huppear pure filtho, I would wanna suggest we git all Smoochie back to the pointa hand.

    You study the histry of litritchoore & poetry, you see incantations, marvels, resurrections -- mebbe evin the occasional rhyme.

    But all that stuff don't figure so good while the 2025 subplot = prep for warfare.

    Which is prolly why AI gaht so much allure rn.

    Instant ansas to the grarliest evah prahblems.

    Nowan ain't gaht no cloo gonna shimmy on ovah to THAT endeavor to do shit in the fullness of principle my Princessly virtyoos kinda diss on sight.

    My view?

    We in a TOUCHPOINT CRISIS ...

    wherein mistrust may reign, bullshit may proliferate without bovines or sphinctahs, an' commyoonally evident emo meet points may be reset (for far longah than we would wish) from CUTISH to BRUTISH.

    Is evidence mere manifestation or pre-happenstance?

    I freakin' out srsly now.

    Gonna try see if'n I can make Moi sum strawburry jelly ...
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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  • Profile picture of the author sameer249
    I've only ever wanted two things in life: to be the drummer for the Beach Boys and a digital marketer--one fuels rhythm, the other drives results. Passion meets profession.
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  • Profile picture of the author 7amoudymh
    You don't need more info. You need to start. No one's coming to save your book. That sounds harsh, but it's real

    You didn't get to be 60 by sitting still, so don't start doubting yourself now. You already made something, and that's more than 99% of people. The marketing part? That's just learning how to tell people about it.

    I'd say pick one free/cheap course (Google has solid ones), start writing an email newsletter (people still read those), and use the voice you used in your books to connect with real humans online
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  • Thing rn for anywan with *ahem* assets is to what extent their expertise gonna be *ahem* sucked off c/o Desires 4 Wanna beyond their control.

    AI Hoovercraft, if'n you will.

    Meantimes, returnin' to the spirit of the OP ... I cain't drum for sheeyilt, less so frickin' sing -- but I still gtg on a BEACH where there are BOYS ...

    ***

    Seems muh bikini tahp rolled loose while I sunnin' out readin' sum HORRAH.

    Anyways, this surfah guy rolls up lookin' desprit -- only he ain't gaht no surfboard, he jus' gaht a geetahr.

    "Can I play for you?" he asks.

    So I am like is this romance, rip-offville, or intrinsic Princessly irritayshwaahn?

    "Kinda geetahr you dowin'?" I say. "Plus also, can I continue readin' muh book while you expertly twangin' hullong?"

    "For, sure, Madame -- anything you wish."

    Madame.

    Huh. You bettah know what you dowin' or there gonna be srs mortal combaht, thinks Moi.

    Turns out the guy was a law stoodint from Gaperie ... plus also kinda hopeliss on the geetahr.

    Which suggests to Moi how big dreams can mebbe shrink out small realities sumtimes.

    He twangolaeh, I horrahed ... an' our transits passed into the sphere of casualisto.

    What wants may evah latch?

    What leaps beyond may pruzzent 'emselves as immediately attractive?

    Anyways, back to Soul Suckers On The Rampage chapter 17 ... *

    * This ain't no spoilah, but don't you jus' want Klaus to have FULLY INVESTIGATED HIS GRANDMOTHAH'S DISAPPEARANCE before he SHOWED AT THE CRYPT WITH LIKE JUST HIS CELLPHONE?
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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    I'm a member of a Facebook group called Door-to-Door Sellers.

    By member, I mean I check it out once in a while.

    There are members on there claiming they get 6-figure checks a month selling roofing, etc.

    I have no reason to doubt them...but from what I've been able to gather, a lot of these guys are ex-felons. There's nothing wrong with that, but I often wonder if they have what it takes to keep this up as a career, and how truthful they're being.

    A lot of interesting stuff on there. Some of it just blows my mind.
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    • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
      Thanks max5ty, you reminded me of two guys, Gary Halbert and Ben Suarez, both convicted felons who spent time in club fed. Halbert told Suarez he needed to learn door to door selling if he wanted to have a successful business.

      So he did it. For a while.

      These door to door types are a lot like marketers, both groups are full of guys who would rather climb a tall tree and tell a story, than stay on the ground and tell the truth. Just my opinion.

      I take these chest thumpers' stories with a very small grain of salt.

      Now I was a door to door guy myself in my youth, then I found mail order, saved my shoe leather from then on.

      GordonJ

      Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

      I'm a member of a Facebook group called Door-to-Door Sellers.

      By member, I mean I check it out once in a while.

      There are members on there claiming they get 6-figure checks a month selling roofing, etc.

      I have no reason to doubt them...but from what I've been able to gather, a lot of these guys are ex-felons. There's nothing wrong with that, but I often wonder if they have what it takes to keep this up as a career, and how truthful they're being.

      A lot of interesting stuff on there. Some of it just blows my mind.
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    • Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

      I'm a member of a Facebook group called Door-to-Door Sellers.

      By member, I mean I check it out once in a while.

      There are members on there claiming they get 6-figure checks a month selling roofing, etc.

      I have no reason to doubt them...but from what I've been able to gather, a lot of these guys are ex-felons. There's nothing wrong with that, but I often wonder if they have what it takes to keep this up as a career, and how truthful they're being.

      A lot of interesting stuff on there. Some of it just blows my mind.
      I hate to say this....nearly every high earnings claim by a salesperson who sells in people's home....is a gross exaggeration.

      And I know why felons tend to sell in people's homes....ease of entry into the business. If you have a pulse, and can lift a briefcase...you'll get hired in most commission sales positions.

      I used to work in an organization that had one large sales office that had almost all felons on the sales team....and they looked like felons...and spoke like felons.

      The reason they didn't last long, is that they tended to eat each other, and cause customer service problems. And yes, they had huge income claims. Nearly all were exaggerations...or how much they earned in their best week, and the they pretended that's what they earned every week.

      One thing I was constantly hearing was unbelievable closing percentages. "Put me in front of a real prospect, and I close 80%". What they meant was "Put me in front of someone who already agreed to buy, and I'll still talk 20% out of buying".

      When in home selling, I've seen several really bright honest, kind people who made real money. But those people are in the minority. In fact, I've actually worked with more than 200 really high earners in the field, for at least a full day each.....and almost universally, they are trustworthy people who have never been stopped for more than a traffic ticket.

      Strangely enough, felons do tend to make huge volumes of sales over the phone, with a great script, and a targeted list. First, they aren't afraid to ask for money....they aren't afraid to break the law with untrue claims...and they really need money. A huge motivator.

      There is a documentary called Telemarketers on HBO (or HBO MAX), You'll see more the reality of fund raising, over the phone, by felons.

      Strange, but literally every movie, documentary, series, or news item that includes salespeople...shows them as bad, greedy, broken people.

      It's not like that at all. But in home commission sales? It's more the rule than the exception.

      Six figure checks a month selling roofing? You'd have to make several sales every day to customers with million dollar homes. Not strictly impossible, but I've never seen it.
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      “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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      • Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        Strangely enough, felons do tend to make huge volumes of sales over the phone, with a great script, and a targeted list.
        Shadow people can pull all kindsa stunts with smoke & mirrahs.

        You get fayiss to fayiss, you gaht Spidey Sense onya side.

        "What made me suspicious of the insurance guy came to sell us a policy, officer? Maybe it was the poisoned guard dog, the doubletalk, the knife poking out of his suit pocket, the invitation to check the security of our valuables lockbox for a modest fee if we would supply the combination for a test, plus also he looked like the kind of guy who would sell his own children to make a few bucks."
        Signature

        Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    By selling roofing...

    what I meant and should have said is these guys chase storms and then go in and find roofs with hail damage, etc., and the insurance companies pay to get them fixed.

    There also seems to be a lot of solar salespeople. I guess somehow the government will help pay to install solar? Not sure how it works.

    I don't visit the site often. I don't even hardly visit Facebook anymore. But, the times I have visited the group, it seems like fights are going on amongst each other sometimes. So and so was hired and stole a lot of money and blah, blah, blah. Or, I got hired by so and so and they cheated me out of my commission.

    It's sometimes quite hilarious.
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    • Originally Posted by max5ty View Post

      But, the times I have visited the group, it seems like fights are going on amongst each other sometimes. So and so was hired and stole a lot of money and blah, blah, blah. Or, I got hired by so and so and they cheated me out of my commission.

      There also seems to be a lot of solar salespeople. I guess somehow the government will help pay to install solar? Not sure how it works.
      It's sometimes quite hilarious.
      Yeah, I've been to annual company events of several in home sales organizations.

      It's an orgy of trying to steal each other's top salespeople. And you continually hear about how their company feeds them terrible leads, and how the company cheats them out of their commissions.

      But it's never true.

      In every case where I asked several questions of the rep, I would find out that the sale cancelled, or their credit was turned down. In many cases, the rep was stealing from the company in a variety of ways.


      They complain about their leads...you know, the free leads the company gives them without charge. But it never occurs to them that they can cold call themselves, or get referrals, or generate leads on their own.

      One common thread is that maybe 80% of these reps are barely surviving. Waiting till the end of the week for their next paycheck, because they need that money now.

      And....their problems cannot....ever...be their fault. They need someone to blame, so you either hear that the company is ripping them off, or that the company is giving them terrible leads.

      If I'm at an event, and there are 20 tables that salespeople are seated at,,,,I know that one...just one...of those tables has the real producers at it, and the other tables are where the pity parties are happening. That table is easy to spot. They are the ones listening to each other. Learning. And they aren't chewing their food with their mouths open. (only half kidding)

      I've made over 7,200 in home vacuum cleaner sales, hundreds of sales to business owners, and many more thousands at retail.

      Never, not once, have I had a supplier, company, finance company, or bank ever try to cheat me in any way.

      In over 12,0000 in home presentations. I've been asked to leave twice.

      You have to understand that reps are just like anyone else. In every story, they have to be either the victim or the hero. In every case that I've ever witnessed, the rep either complains or brags about their experience.

      Customers are the same. Either complaining or bragging about every major transaction they ever made. Knowing that, and finding out whether they are going to brag or complain, can mold your strategy of how to appeal to them....what buttons to push.
      Signature
      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
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  • Princess wakes in a sweat.

    Bene ain't here; it all on Moi.

    So I git up.

    Walk 'round sum.

    Try to figure it.

    Bcs this is way biggah than 4am disquiet.

    Way more signiffo than nuthin' poundin' in muh head.

    An' I see now ... I am thinkin' Beach Boys drummah ...

    cool life out on the coast beyond all suffrin' ...

    perfection, distilled as legend for all to hear ...

    aspirationyool exaxtitood rendered as a visibly achievable WISH.

    An' yet, I wondah ...

    the frick did bein' that actschwl guy mean for him while he dowin' alla that Beachsy Boysy stuffs?

    Did he sleep as a child, perpetyoolo?

    An' rise as a gahd each an' evry day?

    I susspect naht.

    Most likely he had cold sweats an' laser rebufs, same as evrywan.

    Dusspite the fayimme, the drummin', an' the opportoonity to hang out freely with all kindsa farm & naytyoore animyools.

    So ima fluffin' my pillow on this one.

    Git back to sleep, O Princess.

    We are as we are, an' there is no more miracle, no more fantussy ...
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  • Profile picture of the author Moodesburn1977
    i think find someone that teaches marketing the real skills if they are offering a free commnity that is very important to me

    its great you have set goals i believe you can and will achieve them in 2025

    thats what we did too it always works when u take action
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    Lets build a online business by giving value and learning how to build a email list
    https://givevaluefirst.systeme.io/gi...onwarriorforum

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  • You don't need a big budget to start. Focus on one platform, share what you know, and grow an email list around your work. Marketing is really about trust, not scale. Small steps done consistently will take you further than waiting for the perfect strategy.
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