Need some advice on a word choice

by Misstress

Posted: 14 years ago 14 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here but already have some (I think) great ideas and I'm not even done watching all the videos. I'm sooo happy I joined BTF.
Anyways, I have an idea for producing a series of videos about my area of expertise and selling them. I'm looking to brand myself as the "success" guru in my field. So my domain would be "***successguru.com".
My question is: should I use word "guru" in my domain? Some other options would be authority, guiding light, leader, master, sage, teacher, and tutor. Should I buy them all?
I would be discussing a medical field and the services generally cost thousands of dollars. Therefore I want to be sure that I will appear credible and that people will take it/me seriously if I brand myself with "guru."
Your thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.
Have a great day!

#advice #choice #credibility #word

JohnMcCabe

14 years ago

BTF?

Are you sure you posted this on the forum you meant to post it on?

EDIT: I'm a little slow when I'm still on my first cup of coffee. I'm guessing that 'BTF' is Kelly Felix' Bring the Fresh. Correct?

Anyways, I have an idea for producing a series of videos about my area of expertise and selling them. I'm looking to brand myself as the "success" guru in my field. So my domain would be "***successguru.com".
My question is: should I use word "guru" in my domain? Some other options would be authority, guiding light, leader, master, sage, teacher, and tutor. Should I buy them all?

I'm not sure, but once you get over that little confidence problem, you should go like gangbusters.

I'm with later posters - don't use any of these if you expect to be taken seriously in a serious field. Labeling yourself as guru, master, or "guiding light"? Screams 'fake it 'til you make it'. Now, if someone credible hangs one of those labels on you, it will carry much more weight.

[Side note: adding an extra line feed between paragraphs will make your posts easier to read. FYI.]

Thanks

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Tsnyder 14 years ago

I don't know what BTF is but I don't take anyone
seriously who brands themselves as "guru."

I think you'd do better just branding your name and
letting your content establish you as the expert.

Tsnyder
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King Shiloh Banned 14 years ago

Wonders will never cease. Am I lost?

BTF? Do you means Biology Teachers Forum?
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- mcmahanusa 14 years ago
  
  Definitely do not use the word "guru". It has been used and abused so much that now it carries a negative connotation.
  
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George Curtis 14 years ago

I would suggest going to the Google Keyword External tool and seeing the amount of "targeted" searches that are being made for your niche each day and settling for a domain name that can incorporate that keyword.

Though it is not a silver bullet, it can be advantageous to have your main keyword in your domain name.

I like to use BustAName dot com to help me find domain names quickly. Keep in mind their database is not completely accurate, as it is updated every 30-60 days or so only.

Just used that service this morning to help a client find 2 domain names...AFTER we decided on which keyword we wanted to use first.
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yours2u 14 years ago

I've always liked 'mentor' - knowledge with support
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- Robert Boduch 14 years ago
  
  I agree with yours2u. Mentor is MUCH better.
  
  If others want to call you a guru, so be it. But you probably shouldn't refer to yourself this way. Besides, lots of people dislike this term.
  
  Robert
  
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Misstress 14 years ago

Thanks to all for your help.
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- cindybidar 14 years ago
  
  A very wise person once told me that the best title is the one other people give you. Let your readers decide what to call you. It will carry more weight.
  
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Mike Murphy 14 years ago

I would use expert or mentor and resist buying ALL of the options. Buy one and focus on it or you'll either spread yourself too thin or end up with domains that just sit there and collect digital dust.

Mike
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mojojuju 14 years ago

I'm turned off by people who call themselves "gurus". How about expert, like "***successexpert.com".. And that's good because it has the word sex in the domain, which always gets people's attention.

Or master - ***successmaster.com.
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:)
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patadeperro 14 years ago

Ok here is my suggestion, It does not matter what we say and if many fellow warriors get upset by the word guru, if people trust more a "guru" than a "mentor" do be it, what you should do is buy any domain name, after that you are going to make a split test with adwords, buy just 50 clicks and in one ad you are going to put something like:

"Get the best advice from the medical guru"
www.yourdomain.com

The other ad will be:

"Get the best advice from the medical mentor"
www.yourdomain.com

The only change you need to do on both ads is the word "guru", "mentor" or whatever you want to test, the one that has the biggest CTR will win, I think it is worth it if your entire business model it is going to be focus on that brand name.

Hope it helps
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- Misstress 14 years ago
  
  Thanks very much to everyone for their help.
  I think I am going to go with:
  ***successexpert.com
  ***successmentor.com
  ***successguide.com
  
  Some responses to the various remarks :
  
  1. No, I don't know if I posted in the right place. I'm VERY new to forums in general. Please forgive the newbie.
  
  2. Yes, labeling myself an expert right off the bat is a little confident of me, but I am very confident in the potential for my advice to impact people significantly. I've done this in real life for 12 years and finally have a venue to provide it to the masses.
  
  3. I will not, under any circumstances, use "guru"!
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  JohnMcCabe 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Misstress
  
  1. No, I don't know if I posted in the right place. I'm VERY new to forums in general. Please forgive the newbie.
  
  Nothing to forgive. I was still on my first cup of coffee (worked late last night), and I didn't recognize the 'BTF' - and since it was your first or second post, I thought it might have been someone posting in the completely wrong forum. It was my mistake, not yours.
  
  I think you're making a wise choice, by the way. Often there is an inverse relationship between grandiose titles and actual expertise. One of my Texan friends calls it "big hat, no cattle."
  
  As long as you have the goods to back it up, any of the three you settled on should be good. Now I'd use the Adwords technique given above and settle on just one. It'll be easier to brand in the long haul.
  
  Thanks
  
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