6 Reasons Why Newbies Should Stay Away From This Forum

61 replies
Long before I stepped foot into the IM world I learned a lesson in the dynamics of online forums and it turned out to be one of the greatest lessons I could have ever learned in my Internet Marketing career.

So in order to ensure myself the greatest chance of success, I made it a big point to not get involved in any type of IM Forum until I laid a solid foundation for my business and I had found a way to make my IM business work.

Well, here I am.

And while, I'll admit the idea of social interaction in a business where you can spend months in solitude has its appeal, now that I'm here and using the forum it only reinforces my original thoughts that this forum would have been the downfall of my dream.

Newbie or not, if you have been at this for a while and still continue to struggle to get anywhere in this business then hopefully you'll learn a thing or two from this and decide to make some changes in your life that are more in line with success and less in line with self sabotage.

Einstein said it best... "Insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting different results."

How many of you are committed to insanity (in this respect) and how many of you are ready and willing to make the changes that you need to get the results that you want and expect?

So if you are a newbie then listen up because I'm going to give you 6 reasons why you are sabotaging your own internet marketing success by spending your time on this forum.

1. You Only Have 24 Hours in a Day

This is the obvious answer that pretty much everyone should already understand.

You only have 24 hrs in a day so no matter what, you're going have to make the most out of them. So, is sitting here for hours a day really doing anything to get you closer to your goals? Unless you're actively pushing a WSO then I'd venture to say no.

The truth is that you could be making so much better use of your time than reading all of these posts in which less than 1% actually apply to anything you are currently doing with your business.

But most newbies never make it past this forum because they become so enthralled with reading and trying to "learn" that they never take the action to put anything they've learned to practical use.

And if you don't apply the knowledge you learn then you will always lose it!

So be 100% completely honest with yourself...

Is there something else you could be doing with your time that would be more productive then browsing this forum all day?

2. You are Experiencing Information Overload

Another reason you're sabotaging your efforts is that you are experiencing information overload. And if you understand anything about information overload you know that too much information is always worse than not enough information.

I don't want anyone to misunderstand me or miss the point of this post. This forum is great but it just isn't great for everyone, specifically most newbies. Sure there is an enormous wealth of information inside the threads of this forum but if you don't know how to control and apply the information, it will do you no good whatsoever.

Let me give you a good analogy ...

It's like trying to water a small garden with a fire-hose. All you'll end up doing is flooding the garden and killing the plants. And that is exactly what this forum is, a fire-hose of information.

Instead, what you need is a much smaller garden-hose that is going to give you the information you need with the right amount of water that is going to help you grow and nurture your garden instead of killing it.

Only once you've figured out how to use a garden-hose can you even begin to try to handle the fire-hose. So unless you can already control the fire-hose yourself, you need to find a better source of information that is going to foster your growth and the growth of your business instead of killing it.

That's exactly what I did and it is a big reason for my success. I found a proven system that has worked for other people and I mastered it first. That laid the stable foundation for my business which I'm now expanding and growing upon.

So do yourself a favor and drop the fire-hose and get yourself a garden-hose that you can master first. Then you'll be able to make the best use of the vast resources here in this forum.

3. You are Looking for Secrets and Lacking the Basics

It seems like most of you newbies here are always looking for the fast track to making money. But if you want to grow a successful business (note I said business) that is going to support you financially in the long term then you've got to lay the proper foundation and framework first.

Everyone wants to know the guru "secrets" like the gurus out there know something that everyone else doesn't. The secret is that there really is no secret.

The gurus are where they are because they put in the time and effort and laid the very foundation that newbies don't seem to care about these days. The only thing that really separates them from others is that they've learned to perfect certain aspects of business better than most.

So quit looking for those secrets or tricks that you think are the only thing holding you back from "making it" in this business and instead, start getting your hands dirty by laying your own bricks.

Get back to the basics and learn this business from the ground up. If you can conquer that then you'll be well on your way to success.

4. You Don't Understand that Knowledge Does NOT Equal Success

This is an ever so important lesson that I had the luck of learning years ago and it has really helped my business. But for some reason, so many newbies fail to really "get it".

Information and knowledge are useless by themselves. You can go out and buy 100's of IM Courses or Books and every single WSO that is advertised and sure... you'll have a lot of knowledge under your belt but that knowledge does NOT equate to success.

Dale Carnegie said it best... "Knowledge isn't power until it is applied."

So until you learn how to take action and put all those courses and WSOs to good use, then not a single one of those products is going to help you make any money, let alone help you become successful.

But how many people on this forum are giving advice based on what they've read in a book as opposed to real life personal experience?

In reality, it's like the blind leading the blind and that is dangerous waters for any newbie.

And that ties in perfectly to my next point.

5. You are in a Tribe of Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians

This is an old saying but it holds a lot of truth on forums.

If you understand how the structure of a tribe works then you'll know that there can only ever be 1 chief for the entire tribe. This is because in order for the tribe to succeed and to avoid conflict there can be only be one decision maker who decides what is best for the tribe. If you had 2 chiefs then there would be a constant battle over any differences in opinion and in the end nothing would ever get accomplished.

And you see this happening in threads every single day. There are way too many chiefs on this forum giving drastically differing advice which only serves to confusion you. So as a newbie you don't know who to believe or what advice to follow.

You know the saying... "Opinions are like... everyone has got one."

And that's just it. Everything on a forum is nothing more than opinion.

One of the easiest ways to fail in this business is to take advice from 10 to 20 different internet marketers at the same time because odds are there is going to be a lot of conflicting information that only steers you in the wrong direction and will get you nowhere.

If you want to succeed, then find one mentor who is already where you want to be in life and follow every single thing they say. By learning to think exactly as they think and act exactly as they act then you will be on your way to becoming exactly as they have become... successful.

6. Spending Money before Making Money

Almost all newbies are guilty of making this major mistake because starting out, all newbies are essentially lost. So you continue to buy product after product in an attempt to find your place in the IM world.

You become a serial buyer who grabs any product that is presented to you that claims to be the answer to all your IM problems. Newbie internet marketers are some of the worst serial buyers there are, bar none.

Let's take WSO's for example... You could go on the first page alone of the WSO forum and total all of the monetary claims guaranteeing $XYZ and it would probably add up to some ridiculous number like $1,420,183,091.55. And these numbers don't lie, right?

The truth is that you're not going to make any money if you continue to spend as a serial shopper. Sure, you might find a way to make a few $1000 but in the end you'll be $10,000 in debt.

Instead you have to learn to understand, respect, and be smart with money. Otherwise it will never matter how much money you make, you'll never be able to keep your business above the water.

That's all I've got for today.

Let me know what you think and feel free to add anything you can think.

There's no business more fun than IM when your succeeding so I hope you newbies out there have learned something that can get you back on the track to success and put an end to the self sabotage.

Cheers!

-Tom
#forum #marketing success #newbies #reasons #self sabotage #stay
  • Profile picture of the author Ken Leatherman
    Tom,

    Man did you ever hit the proverbial nail on the head. I walked in the very shoes of a serial buyer. Information overload was the end result and more than 2 years of hop, skip and jump to the next best thing and hour after hour on the WF.

    I then met up with a senior Warrior and began to listen to what he had to say. Finally I was taking the action necessary to begin moving forward. Now 3 years later I plan each move I make, on top of my very solid business foundation.
    Tom said: Instead you have to learn to understand, respect, and be smart with money. Otherwise it will never matter how much money you make, you'll never be able to keep your business above the water.
    I cannot agree more, with you Tom. The importance of understanding the "smart use" of your money will enable you to stay well ahead of the curve.

    For the first year when I started making money almost everything I made was put back into the business. Yes, I did draw a small amount to help with household expenses, but everything else went into growing my business. Now I reinvest a minimum of 50% (and sometimes much more) into my business.

    To help you break the "serial spender" habit, prior to buying a WSO or another "silver bullet" product, ask yourself; "Does this WSO/product fit what I'm working on and will it improve my business?"

    Tom pointed out how you can shoot yourself in the foot, by spending hour after hour, in this forum or other IM forums. To avoid this you need to be disciplined enough to set a time limit and a specific time of the day you log in here.

    One way to get in the habit of this is to use the WF as a reward, when you complete a task of growing your business. However, again limit the time of the reward of posting and reading threads.

    Tom thanks again for a very good post.

    Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by Ken Leatherman View Post

      Tom,
      One way to get in the habit of this is to use the WF as a reward, when you complete a task of growing your business. However, again limit the time of the reward of posting and reading threads.

      Tom thanks again for a very good post.

      Ken
      Really good point and I do think it's extremely important to reward yourself but you still have to be careful. It really takes discipline not to fall into the trap and discipline is one thing that many newbies lack.

      But yes, reward yourself for reaching goals! It only adds to the motivation.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Allen Says just gave ANOTHER good point.... Too many here give bad advice, so be careful. He used legal as an example, but marketing and legal issues intermingle a LOT.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
    Good post. I think 3 and 5 are the biggies but unfortunately it's likely to fall on deaf ears.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tyson Faulkner
      You make some really good points. It's easy to get caught up in the conversation for too long and not ever get any real work done.

      It's looking like I have a day off today so I'm going to take your advice to heart and really focus on my business today.

      Thanks for the post.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    All very good points but I'm not sure where they would get the basics if not from a forum like this. Much of the problem is that they're trying to absorb it all, try it all ... or at least read it all and implementing very little if anything.

    Every day there are new threads about information overload. Newbies need to focus on one method at a time .... choose one thing to get good at and move on to something new when they've mastered the first.

    This place, especially the WSO forum with all it's flashing headlines beckoning them with huge claims is like Las Vegas is to a gambling addict.

    I would advise newbies to stay out of the WSO forum and to spend time reading and actually participating in the main forum. That's actually how I still determine whether or not I will buy a WSO ... by reading posts and if I like what I hear in discussions, I'm much more likely to notice the signature file and check it out.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      All very good points but I'm not sure where they would get the basics if not from a forum like this.
      I think there are some really good programs/courses out there for newbies. Are they going to make you rich? Typically not, but you can't walk into this business with expectations of getting rich quick. But sometimes it's good to pick 1 (and only 1) to learn the ropes.

      I started out using one of the better courses out there that was pretty much a step by step process. This worked great for me because there are just too many distractions otherwise.

      To me, the beginning wasn't about "making money" but rather building the very foundation of my business the right way. In any case, a business that is an overnight success can just as easily become an overnight disasters.

      But outside of courses, finding a mentor can work even better.

      The idea is to find one direction put all your focus on it (and only it) instead of spreading yourself, your resources, and your mind too thin trying to take on the entire IM world at once.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kym Lawn
        Excellent Post. Excellent Thread.

        One of the main reasons I don't ask a lot of questions or interact a lot on the forum is because I don't want to have my time taken up with "looking after" a thread.

        I have been able to learn heaps though.

        Off to put a book together now. LOL

        cheers
        Kym
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Blaze
    Decided to read this all the way through and the part about only having 24 hours in a day and spending most of it on the forum is bang on the ball!

    So with that being said im off to finish another site

    Mark Blaze
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    • Profile picture of the author designerjack
      Greta info, I agree that most won't heed the advice, but down the road they will wish they would have...The ones that do will come out ahead in the long run....and short run for that matter....
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Depends on your level of "new"

        If you've just turned on your PC for the first time, this place will be your
        ultimate downfall. You can't possibly even begin to know where to start as
        far as your IM education. You're better off getting a coach to start with
        or at the very least a respected basic program to get you started.

        If you have a few smarts, maybe have even put up your first site and are
        starting to see a few bucks, and know how to differentiate between solid
        info and plain BS, this place can be a gold mine...especially if you've gotten
        a feel for who you can trust based on reputations and your own experience.

        When I came here, I was by no means new. I was already earning about
        40K per year. But what I learned from some of the people here, once I
        learned to weed through the crap, brought me to a 6 figure income in just
        a couple of years.

        This place can make a huge difference once you have a foundation.

        At least that's my personal opinion and not at all to be construed as fact.
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        • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
          Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

          Depends on your level of "new"

          If you've just turned on your PC for the first time, this place will be your
          ultimate downfall. You can't possibly even begin to know where to start as
          far as your IM education. You're better off getting a coach to start with
          or at the very least a respected basic program to get you started.

          If you have a few smarts, maybe have even put up your first site and are
          starting to see a few bucks, and know how to differentiate between solid
          info and plain BS, this place can be a gold mine...especially if you've gotten
          a feel for who you can trust based on reputations and your own experience.

          When I came here, I was by no means new. I was already earning about
          40K per year. But what I learned from some of the people here, once I
          learned to weed through the crap, brought me to a 6 figure income in just
          a couple of years.

          This place can make a huge difference once you have a foundation.

          At least that's my personal opinion and not at all to be construed as fact.
          I think you're right in that the term "newbie" is quite subjective.

          In my experience the vast majority of newcomers have all kinds of motivation and get a rush by publishing their first website but that motivation quickly dwindles when they don't know how to "market" their website to the public and drive traffic.

          There is typically a huge disconnect between a nice looking website with good on-page SEO and the off-page SEO that is involved in the entire process.

          But you're right, once you've got the foundation and are doing something that works, then you can afford to try to test different methods and see for yourself what works and what doesn't without having it ruin you or your business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lisa Gergets
    Tom, get outta my head!

    When I first started in IM, I took one look at the Warrior Forum and didn't come back...for months! One look and I knew I'd be in trouble with all the info available here.

    So I put my blinders on, and worked on created a base of solid knowledge and skills...and it worked.

    If it hadn't been for that self-control...I bet I'd still be hopelessly spinning my wheels.

    Thanks so much for this post!
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  • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
    Everyone wants to know the guru "secrets" like the gurus out there know something that everyone else doesn't. The secret is that there really is no secret.

    The gurus are where they are because they put in the time and effort and laid the very foundation that newbies don't seem to care about these days.


    This hit the nail on the head.

    It seems everyone, regardless of skill level, is looking for some big unknown secret that will suddenly bring millions into their Paypal account overnight.

    Then they buy a product that claims to do so, and get... very boring, yet fundamental, basics. Not sexy at all, but they do the trick.

    Instead of implementing it, they decide it sucks because it DIDN'T give that "big unknown secret" and buy another product... and another...

    Now, I can understand intermediate/advanced frustration, because there's plenty of demand for intermediate/advanced level of marketing that doesn't have to waste time with introductions to everything (just not enough supply), but when newbies immediately want to jump in the deep end... well, they just never get started to begin with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Benjamin
    Taking action is my new best friend, and it has been
    for the last few months now.

    No matter how much I read, studied, or stored info,
    it NEVER amounted to anything. But when I took just
    a slither of information and applied it...putting my neck
    on the line so to speak.

    I succeed.

    I don't visit anymore IM forums other than this one to
    post an occasional comment or two a week. I don't
    even start threads other than it leading to a specific
    results from taking a specific action (WSO's).

    Everything else, unless your feeling generous with your
    time, is a waste of time.

    Forums certainly has it's place to add to ideas and
    actions already taken, but nothing more...other than
    water cooler talk.

    With that said, I'm going back to doing what I love.

    Taking Action in this incredible business I'm in
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  • Profile picture of the author dberen
    Tom,

    Great post! I think there is a lot of truth to what you are saying.

    It absolutely boils down to self-control, discipline, and focus. You need to be honest with yourself, know your weaknesses, and determine if you can handle using the fire hose, or whether you should be using a watering can.

    I do think however that there are some benefits for Newbies in a forum like this:

    1. Finding the right product/training to start with. I doubt there is an IM product out there that has not been written about in this forum. So before you spend your hard-earned money and waste precious time, check out what people are saying about the products you are looking at.

    2. Finding a mentor. It is very easy to identify who knows what they are doing and who doesn't based on their contributions in the forum. You can also "easily" contact most forum members and talk to them about a possible mentoring relationship.

    3. Accountability. I don't see a lot of that in this specific forum, but other forums offer a section where you can publish your goals, report your progress, and let people provide feedback. There is nothing like putting your goals in writing and having someone/something that helps to keep you accountable and on track.
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    • Profile picture of the author meenub
      Tom,
      Wow that has got to be the best post I've read here in a long time.
      I am very new to IM world (I'm comfortable with a comp and use it all the time but other than that I have no IM experience).
      I agree with everything you stated. Speaking from a personal point of view it is very easy to get caught up in the forum.
      I did not have any knowledge of IM so at first this forum was like a gold mine. I gained so much knowledge but before I knew I was experiencing info overload. I became confused to the point that I did not know which direction to go in. I still need training as this is all new to me but am not sure where to get it.
      I have a few questions for you. For a newbie like myself, I still need a "program" to follow. Something step by step. I'm not affraid of putting in the effort. I realize that this is a business and am willing to work at it.
      How do I find the right program to get started with and distinguish the real deal from the hype?
      You mentioned that you found a step by step program would you be willing to share what that was?
      Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

      Thanks
      Meenu
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by dberen View Post

      Tom,

      Great post! I think there is a lot of truth to what you are saying.

      It absolutely boils down to self-control, discipline, and focus. You need to be honest with yourself, know your weaknesses, and determine if you can handle using the fire hose, or whether you should be using a watering can.

      I do think however that there are some benefits for Newbies in a forum like this:

      1. Finding the right product/training to start with. I doubt there is an IM product out there that has not been written about in this forum. So before you spend your hard-earned money and waste precious time, check out what people are saying about the products you are looking at.

      2. Finding a mentor. It is very easy to identify who knows what they are doing and who doesn't based on their contributions in the forum. You can also "easily" contact most forum members and talk to them about a possible mentoring relationship.

      3. Accountability. I don't see a lot of that in this specific forum, but other forums offer a section where you can publish your goals, report your progress, and let people provide feedback. There is nothing like putting your goals in writing and having someone/something that helps to keep you accountable and on track.
      I think you've got some great points here and I do think there are plenty of other benefits as well, but only if you know how to use it properly.

      And to be honest, I stumbled upon this forum early on when looking for honest reviews for products and this forum has been one of the only places where you really can expect honest reviews.

      So there are definitely ways to make good use of this forum even as a newbie as long as you understand and know how.

      Cheers!

      -Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author Duncan Turner
    Hi, I think your point about "knowledge isn't power until it's applied" is spot on. This forum is however a great source of information and connections so as long as they do lead to action then I think there is still benefit here.
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  • Profile picture of the author poker princess
    Very interesting and exciting points you have it here about newbies.
    I think I might have to come back with a proper and well versed reply for each of your point. And you are right, I sometimes feel that 24 hours are not enough for me to finish off my whole work.

    When I am really bored from my affiliates / customers, I sit and read some interesting topics on WF for an hour or so
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  • Profile picture of the author PVReymond
    You can find great information in this forum, but you spend a lot of time.

    Forums in general suck you in and it becomes an addiction, you could spend the whole day reading threads and posting your comments.

    It is better that when you need info about something you go ahead and buy a good course in that specific topic.

    You'll have all the information condensed, it will save a lot of your time and you'll absorb everything easier.

    Thanks,
    ^PV Reymond
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  • Profile picture of the author Vanquish
    Tom,

    I think many of your points are correct but most newbies do not have a clue about internet marketing and the warrior forum is one of the fewplaces they find.

    Provided they can consistently ask questions, get feedback, network and find mentors this is a great resource for speeding up your internet marketing success.

    The only problem is that like you said most newbies encounter information overload then get bombarded with all of these hyped up promises and end up thinking they will be millionaires over night which cause most of them to fail.

    The forum just like anything in life has positive and negatives if you can find the positives and focus only on them this forum will benefit you greatly. But if you fall victim to the negatives then you will have a hard time succeeding in internet marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author chooch
    Hi Tom...

    Great post. You are spot on. Information overload is the biggest problem for most newbies.

    chooch
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  • Profile picture of the author Nintendo
    Originally Posted by Tom Brimeyer View Post

    So, is sitting here for hours a day really doing anything to get you closer to your goals? Unless you're actively pushing a WSO then I'd venture to say no.
    We got a n00bie here. If you don't read, how do you expect to learn anything?? :rolleyes: Last I checked, the forums are filled with a TON of useful information and ideas. This quote is exactly like saying WF is a crappy forum, which it's not! :rolleyes:

    For the n00bies that say no to spending time here reading, here's a hint, go to any a section, like the money making sections. Then sort by Replies or Views. Those are the best threads!

    Oh, and get access to the War Room. There's a TON of free stuff there!

    So yah, the REAL point of this thread is...n00bies, go away. We don't want your competition!! We don't want you to learn how to make money online, just like we don't want a Wall-Mart across the street from my mom-and-pop store!!
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Nintendo View Post

      So yah, the REAL point of this thread is...n00bies, go away. We don't want your competition!! We don't want you to learn how to make money online, just like we don't want a Wall-Mart across the street from my mom-and-pop store!!
      Now I can see why you are King of the Wackos. No one here has to spend hours answering noobie questions. There really isn't much in it for us. Did you even read the OP? I mean thoroughly?

      So few newbies ever really become competition to those who have figured it all out. That wasn't the point at all of the OP.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
      Originally Posted by Nintendo View Post

      So yah, the REAL point of this thread is...n00bies, go away. We don't want your competition!! We don't want you to learn how to make money online, just like we don't want a Wall-Mart across the street from my mom-and-pop store!!
      If that were true this would be a private forum. No one would answer newbie questions...over and over and over. Same questions, week after week. Month after month.

      If newbies weren't welcome, you would not be here. Period.

      Here's a tip that will help you in marketing and life if you follow it: Think your ideas through to the end. Try to find the holes in your own argument. If you can find them first, then others won't need to point them out for you.
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      Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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    • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
      Originally Posted by Nintendo View Post

      We got a n00bie here. If you don't read, how do you expect to learn anything?? :rolleyes: Last I checked, the forums are filled with a TON of useful information and ideas. This quote is exactly like saying WF is a crappy forum, which it's not! :rolleyes:

      For the n00bies that say no to spending time here reading, here's a hint, go to any a section, like the money making sections. Then sort by Replies or Views. Those are the best threads!

      Oh, and get access to the War Room. There's a TON of free stuff there!

      So yah, the REAL point of this thread is...n00bies, go away. We don't want your competition!! We don't want you to learn how to make money online, just like we don't want a Wall-Mart across the street from my mom-and-pop store!!
      Wow okay. It took you six years to write all 100 posts of yours, and sadly one of them is taking another person's words ENTIRELY out of context?

      Here's a revolutionary idea...

      When you do decide to post, read the original post thoroughly first. Kthx
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  • Profile picture of the author Ken Leatherman
    Ninetendo Post #24 said: So yah, the REAL point of this thread is...n00bies, go away. We don't want your competition!! We don't want you to learn how to make money online, just like we don't want a Wall-Mart across the street from my mom-and-pop store!!
    Your crown tilted over your eyes on the OP. IMO you have it all wrong. Tom was in no way trying to drive newbies away. Nor was anything said about competition not being wanted.

    Ninetendo Post #24 said: Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tom Brimeyer
    So, is sitting here for hours a day really doing anything to get you closer to your goals? Unless you're actively pushing a WSO then I'd venture to say no.

    We got a n00bie here. If you don't read, how do you expect to learn anything?? :rolleyes: Last I checked, the forums are filled with a TON of useful information and ideas. This quote is exactly like saying WF is a crappy forum, which it's not! :rolleyes:
    Why in the world would you say Tom thanks the WF is crappy? Perhaps you should go back and reread the entire thread, especially Tom's post, at no time did he even infer such a thing. You are putting your own spin on what he said.

    Please take the time to reread his post and the other post in this thread. You may well see where your interpretation may be a bit over the top.

    Ken

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    • Profile picture of the author nickrees
      I agree with Tom, there is so much information here in the WF, that one can get confused. I now pick & choose the thread that will help me with my current task in hand, instead of doing as I did earlier, reading everything, and not retaining the information. Good thread, thanks for helping us focus.
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    • Profile picture of the author bocephus
      Interesting post, to say the least. The sarcastic side of me wonders why I should read a long, rambling post with the first major point being that there are only 24 hours in a day and that I need to get cracking, and take it seriously.

      I read this forum and have read others because I get good information from them. I zone in on the questions that I feel are important and search for what appear to be honest, reasonable answers.

      I think I understand what you are getting at. You obviously aren't literally suggesting that newbies stay away from this forum. Perhaps what some "newbies" need is a reality check. Again, as I have posted before, I have been at this for a couple of months... a newbie by pretty much any definition, but I'm an intelligent adult in my mid 40's with a good full time job and a lifetime full of experiences. I come here to find information to further my goals in IM... start building a base so I have something going for retirement.

      So you may be generalizing a bit. I guess I've always preferred brutal honesty.

      If you're reading forums all day hoping to find the magic secret... stop it. Do some work, screw stuff up, come back with specific questions.

      Take a look at half the signatures on this forum alone. How do you think some of these folks make their money? They make it by telling those who are gullible or lazy how to make money. They package up the system that earned them a few bucks and try to sell it to the desperate souls who want instant results without any work. It ain't going to happen. Get real.

      Work. Then when you're done working, do some more work. Michael Jordan didn't read a book on the secrets of winning basketball then go knock on the Bull's locker room door. He shot baskets all day, worked hard in practice, got cut from his high school team, kept working and became the best basketball player in the world.

      Join the real world, newbie person looking for all the secrets. You are going to find the secrets at 9:05 pm some night when you realize that using this keyword here and putting that ad there and submitting this sort of article over there finally got you enough clicks to make a buck or two each day. So do more of that. Then, if you're so inclined, create a spiffy signature announcing to the newbies of the world that you have the perfect system that will make them thousands... if they would only just "Click Here".
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      • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
        Originally Posted by bocephus View Post

        Interesting post, to say the least. The sarcastic side of me wonders why I should read a long, rambling post with the first major point being that there are only 24 hours in a day and that I need to get cracking, and take it seriously.
        But you still read it didn't you?

        The idea was to give some newbies a nice wakeup call and to stimulate some thinking of whether or not they are headed down the track that they want to be on.

        So many people get into IM because of the freedom they can achieve. But just like everything in life, freedom has 2 sides. But everyone only ever wants to focus on the positive.

        The harsh reality is that you have just as much freedom to fail as you have freedom to succeed.

        And a push in the right direction never hurt anyone.

        Cheers,

        -Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author JF911
    That nailed it!

    I think pretty much everyone goes through the 6 stages described by the OP.

    Some make it out the other side, some fall by the wayside, that's how it is, not just in IM, but in life.

    Personally I think information overload or paralysis analysis is one of the biggest killers in this industry, along with message boards. It amazes me how some people can rack up 1,000s of posts.

    Let me go back to looking at Digital Point...
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  • Profile picture of the author Darren Beecham
    Pick one thing and focus.I cant say this enough.

    If you dont in 2 years you will not have made 1 dollar.
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  • Profile picture of the author rhelaine
    he he he ... i actually took almost a month off the forum after my FIL had some problem with his health... that allowed us some time to put a few projects on the road. 2 site done, 7 almost done and 17 to go....

    so yes i agree...read the forum, grab everything you can and make something with it before returning.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Mader
    Hey tom.

    You´re absolutly right. That also was my main problem. I clicked buy button after buy button and had many informations. But i dit´nt focus on the main points. Tested one thing of this and one of that but never had success. I could´nt because i never followed even one guide. I learnd like a baby to do everything step-by-step and now it works. But i think the biggest problem is that newbies thinking today i´m starting and tomorrow i´m rich. But that never will happen, because you have to learn before. So i must say "Don´t believe everything you read".

    Dear newbies please learn to read, get organized (build your plan) and focus just on that and forget anything around it. After you have fineshed your project, start a new. Then you´ll become successful.

    Cheers,

    Patrick
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    • Profile picture of the author Sylviane
      This is an excellent post that EVERY newbie should read.

      I belong to another private teaching program for IM and I am always asked things such as "what is a great game plan I could use?" Those newbies have just forgotten that is what they have just signed for. A STEP BY STEP plan, yet they still want more. Something FASTER.

      Sometimes I really don't know what to tell those guys anymore. They want a miracle and they think that us, more knowledgeable internet marketers we have that miracle in a box for them.

      Yes, every newbie should read this post
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  • Profile picture of the author HoboFloyd
    Man, I have to personally thank you for speaking the truth so valiantly! Today is my first time here & I am so glad that I ran into your post. I have been guilty of lingering in social sites in the past & have been correcting that behavior as of a month ago.

    I have a few programs that I purchased & I got a little bit of info from them all that is helping me build my business today.(setting the foundation)

    I am working a step by step system right now & find it very rewarding so far.

    I am here today because David asked me to share on WP 1&2. If not for him, I would not have known about this site. Thanks man!

    Thank you again for sharing this info & I am sure that your message will help some people prioritize. Some will, Some won't So what is the way it works.

    Floyd,
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by HoboFloyd View Post

      Man, I have to personally thank you for speaking the truth so valiantly! Today is my first time here & I am so glad that I ran into your post. I have been guilty of lingering in social sites in the past & have been correcting that behavior as of a month ago.

      I have a few programs that I purchased & I got a little bit of info from them all that is helping me build my business today.(setting the foundation)

      I am working a step by step system right now & find it very rewarding so far.

      I am here today because David asked me to share on WP 1&2. If not for him, I would not have known about this site. Thanks man!

      Thank you again for sharing this info & I am sure that your message will help some people prioritize. Some will, Some won't So what is the way it works.

      Floyd,
      Hey Floyd,

      I'm glad the post spoke to you and I'm happy to hear hear you're off in the right direction.

      Cheers,

      -Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author pgiles
    Good points. Those are the downfalls. Depends on how you use it. Tons of valuable information here. Ideas for products and seeing what works.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pauline60
    I do agree with much of what Tom says - it is all too easy to get completely sucked into the forum and not actually move forward.
    However I spent months wandering around in the IM wilderness trying to learn without getting ripped off. I was getting absolutely nowhere at all until I found the Warrior Forum. I have read for hours here and have learned a tremendous amount for free. You get to know which Warriors really know what they are talking about and who genuinely seek to help others. As a result I am now starting to make a little bit of money and have a fair idea of what I need to do to turn it into a lot more.

    But yes I do spend more time than I should here and I have bought far too many WSOs. But overall its worth it for the benefits I have gained.

    Pauline
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  • Profile picture of the author Anthony_Hall
    Thanks for the advice Tom.

    Although I want your opinion on if somebody didn't even know where to begin would you consider this a good place to get some ideas and then decide which one best suits that person and their talents?
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by Anthony_Hall View Post

      Thanks for the advice Tom.

      Although I want your opinion on if somebody didn't even know where to begin would you consider this a good place to get some ideas and then decide which one best suits that person and their talents?
      Of course this is a great place to get ideas.

      And yes there is a tremendous wealth of information here but the problem is that it is spread out across 1000's of threads and mixed in together with all of the useless info that can easily get you lost.

      So for most newbies a much better approach would be to invest a little bit of money and find a worthwhile course that is going do a good job of teaching you the basics without you having to dig through the trash.

      With that being said, one of the greatest benefits of this forum was pointed out by dberen.

      1. Finding the right product/training to start with. I doubt there is an IM product out there that has not been written about in this forum. So before you spend your hard-earned money and waste precious time, check out what people are saying about the products you are looking at.
      Find a form of marketing that your interested in and that is suited more for a newbie.

      Then find a good course, follow it to the letter and once you've got that down and it's working for you then use this forum to expand your knowledge and start testing different techniques that you learn and add what works to your IM arsenal.
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  • Profile picture of the author actionplanbiz
    Great one, "Looking For Secrets and lacking basics."

    its universal, its all in the basics. you want to learn some advance stuff? Then develop your basics to be stronger, better and more efficient. and there is always room for improvements.
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    • Profile picture of the author meenub
      Tom,

      thanks for the message. I tried to PM you back with some questions but I'm not able to send PMs yet. I guess I don't have enough posts?
      Can you PM me your e-mail so I can ask you a few questions.

      Thanks
      Meenu
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  • Profile picture of the author duia
    Although we are experiencing information overload, it is useful to spend some time on WarriorForum for newbies.

    For example, when starting marketing strategy, if you are not familiar with the process of it, you may waste a lot of time on it.
    But if you can research the experience shared by others before your strategy, you can yield twice the result with half the effort at last.
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  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    Frankly I never would have gotten anywhere in IM without coming to this forum. A lot of what you say is true, but at the same time, where was I to find it on my own? The forum is the best thing that's happened to me in my IM endeavours.
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    • Profile picture of the author taffie
      Very powerful and true, forums can make or break a newbie's confidence. I agree with everything you have said.

      One is better off applying the knowledge from whatever it is that got them started in online business, it usaully is enough, but this is just a cycle a learning curve if you like.

      Like someone said, it's like it falls on deaf ears.
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    • Profile picture of the author research
      Oh my gosh . . . this is incredible.

      What a wonderful world.
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  • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
    I disagree with the OP, and yes I have read it all the way through - Thoroughly!

    When you listen to the rambling of successful people you are learning more then you may think.

    Do you think the people in University are wasting their time, when they could be out there shoveling sh.... I cannot resist the quote "knowledge is power" at this point.

    I just questioned people on here originally, and later I reached the point where I was occasionally able to contribute. Now I help people all the time, but where do you think the knowledge came from? It sure wasn't CNN LOL

    I think you are far underestimating not just the value of the WF, but also education.

    My 2c
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    • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
      Originally Posted by Colin Palfrey View Post

      I disagree with the OP, and yes I have read it all the way through - Thoroughly!

      When you listen to the rambling of successful people you are learning more then you may think.

      Do you think the people in University are wasting their time, when they could be out there shoveling sh.... I cannot resist the quote "knowledge is power" at this point.

      I just questioned people on here originally, and later I reached the point where I was occasionally able to contribute. Now I help people all the time, but where do you think the knowledge came from? It sure wasn't CNN LOL

      I think you are far underestimating not just the value of the WF, but also education.

      My 2c
      Colin Palfrey
      You're right, Knowledge IS Power - I don't think anyone here will argue with that sentiment.

      His main point is that it's extremely easy to get overloaded with information when you first start Internet Marketing. Not only do you get a handful of different opinions, but everyone's trying to market to you at the same time. It especially doesn't help when most of the sales copy talks about "millions overnight without work" and all that other good stuff. They quickly learn that,

      It's hard.
      There's no million dollars sitting in your Paypal just for buying the book.
      Not everyone can actually teach (not the newbie's fault).
      Internet Marketing boils down to product, sales copy and traffic. The formula's not sexy at all, but there it is. There's just so many variations of it that many people don't know where to start.

      If you're quick, decisive, and actually take action on what you learn, I'm sure you can laser-point EXACTLY what you need from the Warrior Forum even when you're a "newbie". Most people, however, tend to go through a period of floundering before they "get it."
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      • Profile picture of the author ozduc
        Originally Posted by moneysoapbox View Post

        You're right, Knowledge IS Power - I don't think anyone here will argue with that sentiment.
        I will.

        sure this line has been thrown around over the years as some sage wisdom. If it were really the case why is it that I have met so many people that have spent upwards of $100k on college educations yet they work somewhere like the Golden arches for minimum wage?
        Or the people that are professional students that just keep taking course after course after course. Why aren't they powerful?

        Then on the other side you have a guy that has very little education or may even be a high school drop out but is a multi millionaire because he created some stupid little pet rock that grows hair or a silly looking pair of blue sunglasses.

        The big difference is action. That's right taking ACTION is power.
        you don't need to be that knowledgeable to take action.
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        • Profile picture of the author Emily Meeks
          Originally Posted by ozduc View Post

          I will.

          sure this line has been thrown around over the years as some sage wisdom. If it were really the case why is it that I have met so many people that have spent upwards of $100k on college educations yet they work somewhere like the Golden arches for minimum wage?
          Or the people that are professional students that just keep taking course after course after course. Why aren't they powerful?

          Then on the other side you have a guy that has very little education or may even be a high school drop out but is a multi millionaire because he created some stupid little pet rock that grows hair or a silly looking pair of blue sunglasses.

          The big difference is action. That's right taking ACTION is power.
          you don't need to be that knowledgeable to take action.
          Even though someone managed to come up with a "product" that required little to no thought, most people don't get so lucky.

          If you act without thinking, or in other words, take action without knowing what you're doing, chances are you won't get very far.

          Do people get lucky? Do happy accidents happen? Sure, but you can't rely on them.

          As far as "Knowledge is Power" is concerned, growth never stops. Ideally, you strive to learn as much as you can till the day you die. Continually expanding your knowledge keeps your mind active - success begins with the mind.

          I'll give you that if "knowing" how to make money online was enough, we'd all have money the second we "learned" how > Previous statement reiterated though - unless you combine action and knowledge, you won't really get far.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Brimeyer
      Originally Posted by Colin Palfrey View Post

      I disagree with the OP, and yes I have read it all the way through - Thoroughly!

      When you listen to the rambling of successful people you are learning more then you may think.

      Do you think the people in University are wasting their time, when they could be out there shoveling sh.... I cannot resist the quote "knowledge is power" at this point.

      I just questioned people on here originally, and later I reached the point where I was occasionally able to contribute. Now I help people all the time, but where do you think the knowledge came from? It sure wasn't CNN LOL

      I think you are far underestimating not just the value of the WF, but also education.

      My 2c
      Colin Palfrey
      Hey Colin,

      I have respectfully disagree with you on this. In fact my original post already says it...

      Dale Carnegie said it best... "Knowledge isn't power until it is applied."
      The keyword there is "applied".

      You can get the greatest education in the world and while that education itself may land you a job, you still have to apply the knowledge that you have in your job to keep your job and move up the ladder.

      You don't become CEO just by getting a good education. You become CEO by taking action and applying what you've learned in order to get the results that a company wants and needs.

      As to your question... Do I think people in University are wasting their time?

      Of course not. Do they need that knowledge? Generally speaking, yes.

      But it has so much more to do with what they do with that knowledge than it does with merely having it in the first place.

      And yes, there are plenty of PhD's out there without jobs or a dime to their name to prove the point.

      Cheers,

      -Tom
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  • Profile picture of the author mikemcmillan
    Tom Brimeyer said...

    You are Looking for Secrets and Lacking the Basics
    So quit looking for those secrets or tricks that you think are the only thing holding you back from "making it" in this business and instead, start getting your hands dirty by laying your own bricks.

    Actually there is a secret. Tom just gave it to you in the sentences above.

    Tom your post is brilliant and so much of it is right on. Very nicely done! --Mike
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  • Profile picture of the author graemewallis
    Banned
    I think that this is a great place for a newbie to come for information if their IM isn't doing so well. But I agree they should build a foundation first and then come and get advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Negotiator74
    What a great thought provoking post!! Great stuff and thank you for writing it!
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  • Profile picture of the author EvanScott
    This forum was a blessing for me when I first started out. I left and then came back and now I'm here for good!

    I think you have to discipline yourself to spend a certain amount of time per day surfing the forums. I usually spend about 30 min to an hour and no more a day here.
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  • Profile picture of the author danbcaut
    You know the saying... "Opinions are like... everyone has got one." And that's just it. Everything on a forum is nothing more than opinion.
    Great tactic kid - using your opinions to create a hot and controversial post.

    Keep it up. You will go far in this forum.

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  • Profile picture of the author Kella Bella
    I'm a newbie! I work overnight from home so right now when it's slow-like right this minute I take time to read. I see what everyone is saying though cause there are so many great ideas when a person realizes they can take no less than 3495843095 different directions to get from point A to point B information overload can mimic add.

    The main thing I have learned so far is to pick one thing for starters and stick with it. I love all the information here it really is super helpful but I know it's also up to me to take that information and put it into a working plan for success. What I think is great is that hopefully at some point, once I am successful with one type of thing I can branch out into other things and then have a diverse portfolio of online businesses.

    Right now I am really focusing on keyword research and I think I have some great keywords and working on some articles to start a wordpress blog as my first foray is going to be in the adsense realm. I can't thank everyone here enough for the great information on this forum that helps me focus more on what I need to do to actually achieve my long term goals of not working for anyone but me.

    I agree though as I said with a lot that is posted here and sometimes I do have to leave because I see so many great options for making money and I realize I need to keep my focus on my chosen option and see it through :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Nicholas Kemp
    Most of what you say (write) is true, but I don't agree entirely. You are making the assumption that all newbies (people) are the same. Some newbies can make great use of the warrior forum and achieve success relatively quickly.

    The warrior forum is a valuable resource. Without it I think many newbies some would struggle longer or give up all together. .
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