27 replies
I'm new to this forum and I enjoy all the good info, but I noticed something that made me ask this question. Whenever someone posts a "I quit" thread, there are many responses as to not give up, perseverance is the key, etc. Stuff to make the person keep going. I also notice though that many is very guarded about their methods and sites, which is expected. For example, I am having trouble finding good examples of niche sites. When I PM'ed someone asking for their site, the reply I got was basically "not going to show you". No big deal, and I expect that. That's breeding more competition. So back to my point; why then do people try to keep people from quitting? People quitting means less competition, as I stated before. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on this.
#pep talks
  • Originally Posted by mjsca07 View Post

    So back to my point; why then do people try to keep people from quitting?
    Interesting point actually!
    I guess it's one thing revealing your own work to the competition, but I guess if you encourage someone to hang around you can feel good about yourself, and there is a good chance they will not become your DIRECT competition.

    Never thought of it like that before though.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanmilligan
    Banned
    Not true. People that are new to IM are great potential customers. So essentially more competition but also branching your customer base.

    I usually do these so called 'pep talks' because I'm sick of people expecting something for nothing all the time. People talking about how they put in 3 hours a day but no results. At the start for me it was 6 hours a day and about 15 on weekends and I was essentially a kid.

    People jusy generally need a stronger work ethic if they want to get anywhere in life.
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  • Profile picture of the author rooze
    It's much about a persons ego. It's like trying to talk someone down from the 10th story window, you'd really like to see them hit the pavement, but the accolades and feeling of self-worth are much higher if you manage to talk people down.

    I usually respond to those types of threads by encouraging people to quit while they can. Statistics are on my side so I figure I'm saving them a whole bunch of trouble if I can convince them to quit early.
    Plus, I have low self esteem and no ego, so it all hangs together well.
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    • Profile picture of the author JOSourcing
      Banned
      Originally Posted by rooze View Post

      It's like trying to talk someone down from the 10th story window, you'd really like to see them hit the pavement, but the accolades and feeling of self-worth are much higher if you manage to talk people down.
      As someone who has experienced a suicide, I can tell you you're way off base here. I have no intentions of steering this thread into a dark place, but ego and self-worth have no place in suicide prevention.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by rooze View Post

      It's like trying to talk someone down from the 10th story window, you'd really like to see them hit the pavement...
      You must have been a great loss to the Samaritans.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      Originally Posted by rooze View Post

      It's much about a persons ego. It's like trying to talk someone down from the 10th story window, you'd really like to see them hit the pavement, but the accolades and feeling of self-worth are much higher if you manage to talk people down.

      I usually respond to those types of threads by encouraging people to quit while they can. Statistics are on my side so I figure I'm saving them a whole bunch of trouble if I can convince them to quit early.
      Plus, I have low self esteem and no ego, so it all hangs together well.
      that's messed up. I would never want to see anyone hit the pavement. I shudder at the very thought of it.

      I also would not be too quick to convince anyone to quit. Maybe it's because I'm not a quitter. Instead, I would be helping that person determine what his/her passion is, what strengths he or she has, and get them thinking positively about their goals.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by mjsca07 View Post

    So back to my point; why then do people try to keep people from quitting? People quitting means less competition, as I stated before. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on this.
    You have to look at where people's bread is buttered.

    Let's imagine that I have a site in a particular niche, and you decide you are going to get into internet marketing.

    You are almost certainly not going to get into my niche. If you are an internet marketer, you have thousands of niches to choose from, and chances are very low that you will choose this one.

    Even if you do get into my niche, chances are very low that you will be as good as I am at making money from it. I've worked a long time to learn how to make good money in this niche.

    So I'm perfectly happy with you being an internet marketer. You're probably going to be in a different niche and you probably won't be as good as me. I will still make more money than you, so there.

    But now here you are asking about my niche sites. And if you're as smart as I am... and honestly, most internet marketers are not that smart, because we're just plain old everyday people doing a plain old everyday job... you will be able to look at my niche site and make one just as good.

    And it will probably be in my niche!

    Plus, you might be smarter than me. You might make a better niche site. And then you would make more money than I do, and I won't have that. Because I am a jealous, self-involved twat who measures my self-worth by my bank balance.

    (Remember, we're imagining. I don't really think this way, and you can probably tell what I think of people who do.)

    But I am actually different! I don't make my money off niche sites. I make my money selling products. And while I do not myself have a product about making money from niche sites, I have friends that do, and I will happily sell you their products through my affiliate link.

    So I would very much like you to stay an internet marketer! And I would also very much like you not to know what you are doing, so you will want to buy products! From my friends! Through my affiliate link!

    (Not imagining anymore. LOL )

    So there's not a lot of "yes, you should give up" in the threads where people are talking about giving up. Because nobody benefits from that.

    And you'll find that the most active people in this forum are... not surprisingly... the ones who sell products about how to be an internet marketer. So they're very interested in keeping you "in the fold" with the rest of the sheep, and the niche marketers with whom you'll be competing aren't concerned enough to argue the opposite side.

    Hey, you can't accuse me of covering anything up.
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    • Profile picture of the author mjsca07
      Great response, CDarklock! Everything you said makes sense, and it's along the lines on what I was thinking.
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    • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      You have to look at where people's bread is buttered.
      CD uses "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" - DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM!
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      • Profile picture of the author Matt Bard
        Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

        CD uses "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" - DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM!
        At least he doesn't believe in flying monkeys and KFC eating Cardinals
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
    Originally Posted by mjsca07 View Post

    why then do people try to keep people from quitting? People quitting means less competition,
    Having someone come into the world of IM and worry about them becoming competition would be the equivalent of being on a beach and worrying that you both want the same grain of sand.

    I'm always pleased to see people fending for themselves and taking initiative to explore new avenues rather than surrender to the clutches of society visiting a job centre every 2 weeks or flipping burgers for Ronnie McD.
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    • Profile picture of the author DJVan
      Originally Posted by Daniel Evans View Post

      Having someone come into the world of IM and worry about them becoming competition would be the equivalent of being on a beach and worrying that you both want the same grain of sand.

      I'm always pleased to see people fending for themselves and taking initiative to explore new avenues rather than surrender to the clutches of society visiting a job centre every 2 weeks or flipping burgers for Ronnie McD.
      I love it when someone gives a good old common sense answer!
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
    There is no such thing as failure. There have been success stories that have went years with no success to then become a multimillionaire. Why? Because they never gave up. If you give up you will never become a success story. Why would someone give you their niche if they took months to years to find it and become profitable? It doesn't make any sense. Stick to one purpose and you will eventually have success if you keep taking massive action. Lots and lots of temporary defeat will take place. The question is how bad do you want it?
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  • Profile picture of the author stephenwaldo
    I don't really view it as pep talks so much as tough love.

    A lot of people come into this form expecting instant results and huge sums of money to just fall from the sky into their bank accounts. Obviously that is a far cry from reality, and sometimes people need to be told that. I don't think it has anything to do with competition; when I hear about someone giving up I don't think "Sweet, one less competitor in my market space," because they probably wouldn't be in my niche anyways.

    We're all human here, and we've all 'been there'...

    When necessary we offer encouragement, when necessary we offer direction, and when necessary we offer reality.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    I don't normally encourage them not to quit if they talk about quitting. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur and some of the people who say they're quitting (one I noticed recently) is still in high school. I think high school should be his priority and then continued education after high school. Or he can just blow education off and continue not making a dime in IM and then not be prepared for any career in his life.

    Some will make it, some will not. If they are going to give it their all until they succeed, nothing will stand in their way.
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  • Profile picture of the author Henry White
    To be "competition" they would necessarily have to be at least as successful - which they obviously aren't or they wouldn't be throwing in the towel. In fact, in the new economy, with the 21st century mindset, "competition" is passe; it has been replaced by "collaboration" - which is a win-win for all ooncerned, providers and consumers.
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  • Profile picture of the author WriterWahm
    Sometimes, some people just need that extra bit of encouragement to get to where they are going. But those people are usually willing to go the extra mile.

    There are many warriors here who will share their niche with you because they don't really worry that much about competition...like someone here has rightly pointed out, there's enough sand on the beach.

    However, you also need to do a little bit more than just mailing and asking for a niche. What are you willing to give back in return? A lot of warriors won't even ask you that but you need to ask it of yourself. Don't go around expecting freebies - they will come. But always try to see how you can add value to the person you're asking something of in return.
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by WriterWahm View Post

      What are you willing to give back in return?
      Here's a big secret.

      If you offer to write articles for cheap, lots of people will want you to write articles for them. Most of them will want you to write for niche sites. And an awful lot of them will show you that niche site so you can get a feel for what's already on it.

      This is a great way to actually get paid for looking at other people's niche sites. You need to take some care about what you do after looking at it... you cannot, for example, write crap articles for your clients and then write better articles for your own niche site that competes with them. But if you honestly want to see what lots of different niche sites look like, so you can pick your own niche and build your own site in it, this is a great way to do it.

      And once you see the articles most of these niche sites have on them, you'll understand why I don't say something like "if you are a good writer" or "if you know how to write" or even "if you speak English well."
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      "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Bard
    I guess I have a different take on the whole "pep talk" thing here.

    I view everyone as people first and I feel that it is important to help someone when you have the means and the opportunity to do so. (hey, I know it's not for everyone but that's just me. I'm a bleeding heart liberal lol)

    If the person asking for help (the "I give up" call is usually a cry for help) is sincerely looking for it, they might find what they are looking for with all of our replies.

    Encouragement can be very powerful and help someone feel like they are not alone and they need to know they are not alone because they are not. None of us are.

    Nobody ever made it without the help of someone else. Even if they think otherwise.

    Reaching out to help another person is, in my opinion, the most honorable thing any of us can do. (again, I get it if you don't agree)

    So for me to give someone a pep talk is not about helping them stay in my food chain. It isn't about wanting to create a loyal fan to help with my image. It's not always about helping them with an immediate problem.

    For me, it's about letting someone know that they are not forgotten and left out of the tribe to die on their own.
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  • Profile picture of the author twelvejewelz
    Because people that are "quitting" can be sold things for helping them to actually do better at IM. lol
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    They post these "I am quitting" threads because they are looking for attention,
    IM is a lonely occupation, and not everybody can function without a support
    group around them.
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    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

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  • Profile picture of the author theemperor
    You assume that less competition is a good thing - but that isn't the case. Assume there was just one internet marketer in the world - YOU, with zero competition.

    Then there is of course no Google to compete with you for visitors, no joint ventures, nowhere to advertise, no one to advertise on your site, no Aweber, no Warrior Forum. Do you think that is better?

    No of course not.

    Competition is a great thing - it creates a marketplace. That struggling newbie-cum-future success could be your future customer. Or future supplier of a product you wish had come out years ago.

    So helping out a struggling warrior is a good thing to do.

    Now would I share a secret that is specficially making me money - well of course not. Many methods exist that can make one guy a living but cannot be scaled to 100's of other people copying the idea.

    For example if there is a low competition keyword on Google that is bringing you $1000's a month you won't share it because soon you will have dozens of others trying to rank for the same keyword.

    So in summary: more entrepeneurs is a good thing - it creates a marketplace. But someone competing on your exact idea, niche and method is bad it cuts into your profits.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    I think more people should quit. It's rare I encourage people to hang onto something they're having so much trouble with. First thing is, marketing online isn't something everyone is cut out for. So many people have bought into a bogus bill of goods and believe the crap that they can put everything on autopilot and use dirty little Ninja secrets to get money streaming into their bank accounts overnight.

    But the truth is it takes a strong work ethic, dedication to providing value and some marketing knowledge. And even with all that in place there are still no guarantees.

    If I sense someone is all about that stuff and is still having trouble then I'll try and help. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of that here these days. The evidence of that shows by the outrageous number of "how can I make three grand by Friday" posts that pop up nearly every day.

    As for people sharing their niches, most often they think if someone else finds out what they're up to there will be less for them. But in my experience that's rarely the case. In fact, I believe that if you help someone get started who is truly sincere that you actually end up with more in the long term. There are a few exceptions to that but to me, very few.
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    Originally Posted by mjsca07 View Post

    I'm new to this forum and I enjoy all the good info, but I noticed something that made me ask this question. Whenever someone posts a "I quit" thread, there are many responses as to not give up, perseverance is the key, etc. Stuff to make the person keep going.

    First of all your perspective on how to make money using internet marketing is quite narrow.

    There are many, many more ways to make money than with niche sites and asking for someone with a niche site to share it with you...that's one of the areas where people are going to be more guarded.

    In a tight niche you don't want someone else coming in targeting the same keywords etc. and if someone is asking you questions about your site in that niche and you have no relationship with them there's no chance you're going to share your hard earned experience because you simply don't know what they intend to do with it.

    People making money in the many, many other ways are going to be a whole lot more willing to share advice and methods with you.

    There's pay per click, copywriting, web design, SEO, article writing, mobile marketing, the list goes on and on.

    You can gather more than enough information on this forum to make yourself a very good income if you're dedicated and focus on providing a real service to others in some way.




    Personally if someone on a forum says they're going to quit I suggest they get on with it.

    Why waste time telling people you're going to quit?

    You have that much time on your hands that you're going to waste time on a forum talking about how you've quit?

    Seems like losing behavior to me.

    On the other hand if you come on the forum, tell people where you're at and ask for guidance and advice you'll find a wealth of people here ready to help.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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  • Profile picture of the author Bluekoala
    We do all want to hold on to our strategys, but we do all want good things to happen to good ppl.
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  • Profile picture of the author meltingwaves
    Because you'd be a bit of an a*s to say "oh yea go ahead and quit, less competition for me". We're all on the same journey more or less and we are one big TRIBE. We need to help out the little guys that aren't getting it and want to give up and pull them up and show them what's possible.
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