Would you infuriate Steve Jobs too?

Steve Jobs said that President Obama *INFURIATED HIM* with his focus on reasons why things couldn’t be done instead of focusing on getting things done. (Referring to a private meeting they had, according to his biography)

To be clear, I am not encouraging debate on the effectiveness of the president or his politics.

But instead, let’s focus on Steve Jobs and his mindset; a man we can all respect for his successes as an entrepreneur.

I consider myself primarily an affiliate who uses Adwords to drive traffic. I’ve been successful with that since 2004. I am successful with that today. I have encountered plenty of Google resistance. I have dealt with my own issues – and I have dealt with other's Adwords issues too.

In addition to doing it, I teach it. And in teaching it I find *myself* often INFURIATED by people’s focus on why things can’t be done.

Although my teaching focuses on what should be done, even my sharper customers get themselves into trouble by refusing to "get it".

Why?

Because of a failure to adapt, to change mindset, to continually look for new and better ways to build THEIR businesses. They are trapped in a paradigm.

In short, they’re still attempting to do things the way they did them years ago. And when that no longer worked then the focus shifted to Google being the problem and NOT THEM.

The result of that is the creation of myth. Here are the four most common EXCUSES / complaints I hear (REPEATEDLY)

1. You can’t direct link.

FALSE you can’t link to *anything* Google doesn’t like, yet you continue to link to what Google doesn’t like and say they’re picking on affiliates. What’s the saying about insanity?

Plenty of merchants (and affiliates) are direct linking and official word from Google is direct linking is OK.

2. Google hates affiliates.

FALSE. It only appears Google hates affiliates because the majority of affiliates (95%) offer the searcher absolutely no value. Affiliates are lazy, looking for shortcuts and that doesn’t jive with a business that wants top quality.

3. Affiliates can’t afford to keep up

FALSE. When the business model is ONLY selling other people’s front-end products, good luck with that. That’s the affiliate business model.

As Trump says, “Success comes from making the numbers work.”

Think small, get crushed.

4. Google is too ambiguous – I don’t know what they want.

FALSE That used to be my own excuse. Google tells you EXACTLY what they want. But you’ll never hear it / receive it until you’re ready to stop fitting what they want into how you want to do things. In short, build sites following the advice you’ve learned at Internet marketing events and Google will hate you. Write John Carlton style copy (like I like to do) and Google will hate you. Give Google what they want . . . love fest baby.

This post isn’t about Adwords or affiliate marketing, or Google, because these conditions come and go across the marketing world. Once upon a time it was the direct mail industry complaining about their paid mailings getting dumped in the trash. Telemarketing was supposed to die with national do not call.

Hey, awesome as he was, I’m a little tired of the Jobs adulation (I don’t own a Mac on principle). But when I read that quote I was inspired – because that’s what it takes to win – no excuses, just find the way to get it done, period. That’s the kind of simple kick in the arse we all need on occasion.

What’s your excuse? If you were having a discussion about your business with Steve Jobs would he leave the room infuriated with you . . . or a raving fan?

All the best to you - X