You simply cannot afford to miss out on the latest internet marketing strategy. Maybe you’ve tried social media or article marketing. Maybe you’ve given a shot at Google pay per click. If these things are not generating the leads you want, then you’ve got to look into the latest, the hottest, perhaps the greatest internet marketing strategy ever.
Have you ever felt this way?
Have you ever been on track, working hard to develop a specific strategy when, WHAM… here comes a better one! Gotta get to the free webinar, or sign up for the free ebook, or start doing some Google research on it.
Are all the newest ideas, techniques, info-webinars, systems and tools a whole lot of hype? Are they just sizzle without any steak?
Sometimes they are. Sometime they are not.
At one time, Facebook and Twitter were new “flashes in the pan.” But they turned the Social Media world on its head. But many other ideas never got any bounce at all, and nobody can even remember their names any longer.
Are You Missing Out On The Hottest Happening?
As an internet marketing entrepreneur, you must decide when to stop dead in your tracks to investigate a new method, tool or system… or when to put blinders on to EVERYTHING blasting off all around you, and just stick with the game plan that you’re carrying out.
I find that a big problem with my clients and fellow marketers is that they are all too eager to jump out of one ship, midstream, and leap onto another going in a different direction. I think part of it is because the grass always seems greener on the other side, and also because things aren’t going as well as they hoped where they are.
Certainly another part of the ship-jumping problem, is that many entrepreneurs thought things would come easier, and instead of keeping their nose to the grindstone and pushing full steam ahead, it seems like it might be less work and more reward to leap for another ship.
Finally, another reason I see people jumping ship is pure and simple, good old fashioned procrastination. Why isn’t their business going forward?
Why can’t they complete a campaign? Because they MUST look into something better that just appeared. That means more research, another webinar, 6 hours of video, read a new book… anything but getting down to the task of completing the task they started out on.
My Advice?
Know that being an internet marketer is a long-term business, not a get-rich quick scheme. Don’t have unreasonable expectations of overnight success for very little work. Don’t harbor expectations of grandeur that come without lots of sweat, hard work and temporary set-backs that teach us more than any book we’ll ever read.
Check out the latest and greatest internet marketing strategies, tools and systems… when you’ve completed the campaign or project you already began.
Could you miss out? Yes. Will you? Not likely. If the latest hype has legs, it will be around for a long time. If it doesn’t, you’ll miss out on a sinking ship.
In the meanwhile, the hottest internet marketing strategy today, as it was yesterday, is to stick to your plan, see it to fulfillment… then and only then, reassess and consider where to go next. Chances are, the strategy you’re working on may not be the sexiest and trendiest thing on the internet, but I’ll bet it’s got a whole lot of success history behind it.
So, yes. Check out the latest and greatest internet marketing strategies. Just don’t jump ship so many times that you end up drowning.
I’d love to hear about the ship you’re traveling on right now. Comments, re-tweets, Facebook and other social media shares are always appreciated!
Hey David,
Absolutely perfect post! Persistence and common sense will go a long way to reaching goals. It’s not necessarily easy, yet it sure is fun when you understand how you control you own destiny.
I agree, stick with it because you might be only 3 feet from the gold!
Val
.-= Val Wilcox´s last blog ..A Mind That is Stretched… =-.
Persistence and common sense will take you where you want to go!
You ARE in control, Absolutely, Val!
Hi David,
That is very sound advice. It is very easy to get distracted in this industry with the plethora of new training and products that come out every other day.
The key to moving forward is focus, choose two strategies and stick to them.
.-= Deirdre Rutherford´s last blog ..7 Core Traits Of A Successful Entrepreneur =-.
Yes, Deirdre, you’ve really got to FOCUS.
Avoid all the many distractions that lurk about and stick with your game plan. That’s the only way you’ll become a winner.
Great information David, I retweeted and shared on F/B to countless others, as you seem to have a very good handle on internet marketing! Thanks for Sharing~Cal
.-= Cal, Denver Painting Contractor´s last blog ..Home Interior- Exterior Painting =-.
Thanks for the visit, Cal.
Internet marketing is where it’s all happening these days, but you’ve got to know what you’re doing. Glad to see you digging in to the info pile!
Brilliantly put David! As entrepreneurs that are “in the know” we are inundated with the newest and greatest marketing tip, course, book, video, you name it. The bank account goes down, instead of up, and at the end of the day what have you accomplished? Staying focused while staying in touch, “building the list” that builds our business is a time management skill and discipline. I compare it to time spent on moving forward with my current project, and taking a time out for a coffee or lunch break talking to my online friends.
.-= Wendy MacKay´s last blog ..Releasing Anger to Embrace Love =-.
It really is a time management skill, Wendy. And that’s a skill that so many of us struggle to perfect.
Good luck on building the list. I’m glad to see you’re not letting yourself get sidetracked in the process.
Great info David!
It is so easy to get side tracked and overwhelmed by all of the options available for online marketing. Great advice
Blessings,
Karla Setchel
http://www.KarlaSetchel.com
.-= Karla Setchel´s last blog ..Getting Started Again After a “Staycation” =-.
Good to see you out here, Karla.
It’s not always the easiest thing in the world to keep your head above water! Sometimes you’ve got to swim, but when you need to catch your breath, it’s not a bad idea to float for awhile.
David,
but its descriptive) as in you don’t even know what you don’t know to concious competence to unconciously competent in that you do it so well you don’t even have to think about it. I see people giving up and getting distracted long before they have even reached competence and that takes time, energy and commitment! What a waste. You lose time and money every time you switch to the shiny new thing…I’ll jump off that soapbox now! Thanks for starting this discussion.
You are right on target as always. Pick a strategy and master it. There are levels of competence from unconcious and incompetent (I think I made that one up
Christy
.-= Christy´s last blog ..Better to brand yourself or your business =-.
The sad part is that people jump to the next opportunity because they want to make money… at just the point they were ready to make their current endeavor pay off. Some of it’s patience, some of it timing. But consistency is a must in order to achieve the sort of competency you’re talking about, Christy.
Hi David,
Excelent advice!
Is easy to get lost “outhere” there is so much information, every day a new shiny object… and sometimes we tend to see “the greener grass on the other side”.
There are so many ways of doing things, but as you say, there are success stories behind each one, then we have to focus and persevere in the option we have selected, if someone else got results, then we can do it!.
Thanks for this post.
Raisa
.-= Raisa Garrido´s last blog ..Backlinks Mitos y Realidad =-.
So right, Raisa. If someone else succeeded in our niche, then so can WE! It’s not a matter of “if” but “when” we succeed… if we just stick to the game plan!
Hi David,
I think we all find ourselves losing focus from time to time. I am guilty of this myself. Keeping ourselves on track is the key to success.
~ Tim
.-= Tim Colletti´s last blog ..Converting Your Website-Blog Hits Into Sales =-.
Absolutely, Tim.
And yes, we are ALL guilty of this once in a while. That’s why we’ve got to keep it mind and keep ourselves focused.
As Rich Schefren observes: Are you an opportunity seeker or a strategic entrepreneur?
Good to see you out here, Rich. A strategic entrepreneur will certainly have to pass up many an “opportunity” if he or she will stay on course with their success plans.
Thanks for the input.
You really hit the nail on the head with this post David. I have been very guilty of “jump syndrome” in the past, until I discovered a mentor who has taught me to focus on one thing – my Nerve Center!
A self-hosted WordPress blog incorporating a sales funnel built into an autoresponder sequesnce initiated from the lead capture mechanism that is built in.
It’s really the ONLY way to go. Then I make use of social media,blog commenting & guest posting to drive traffic to it.
Keeping it simple enables me to focus on doing the right things at the right time.
Stay inspired!
Michael
.-= Michael B Wilbraham´s last blog ..Network Marketing Leaders Are Out In Front – Are You =-.
Well you certainly outlined the method of succeeding out here in a nutshell, Michael!
Sounds like you got some great mentoring. That often makes the biggest difference, doesn’t it?
Hi David,
Great post! I have been drowning in information overload lately. You have reminded to focus in on one thing at a time. Thanks!
.-= Cori Rizzo´s last blog ..Browsers to Buyers =-.
Overload is a big big issue, Cori.
We do have to keep focus, and if you’re working with other people, down-lines or clients… it’s good to keep in mind to avoid overloading them, too!
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
Hi David!
Magnificent all what tou have said, I’ve seen this kind of actions related to procrastination a lot with some fellow marketers, and I think that’s the no.1 problem they don’t succeed they want everything in a whistle.
Wonderfull best regards!
Good to see you out here, Alan.
Jumping from one project to another keeps us busy, and makes us feel like we’re doing a lot (and we are). But in the end, it’s often just an elaborate way of procrastinating from moving on to the next level of our development.
Sort of like breaking up with one partner after another when the relationship gets too deep. We end up alone and unfulfilled in our search for love, even though we might date 100 people in a week!
Hola David!
I agree… it’s to easy to jump from one strategy to another and lots of marketers do that. But how can we get results if we don’t give us some time to master a strategy?
Results never come from one day to another. It takes time and effort to get what we want (if it’s important of course)!
Saludos,
Marco
.-= Marco Amaro´s last blog ..Cambio de Mentalidad Hacia El Éxito =-.
Right, Marco. We MUST give ourselves time… even if it’s more time than we want… to gain our success. Every time we change course, we lose both time and money.
Hi David,
It’s so tempting to get caught up in the fervor of launch after launch of a new strategy, while trying to add value to your market. While doing so, the opposite effect may occur – mastery doesn’t take place because laser focus is compromised. Great advice to bring the active campaign to completion before moving on to another strategy. This is definitely the key to planned success.
Dena
You know it, Dena. We must discipline ourselves to COMPLETE the campaigns or projects we’ve begun before moving on to another. Otherwise, absolutely nothing ever gets accomplished, we flounder, get frustrated, and end up giving it all up.
Discipline. That’s the key, Dena. Thanks for the comment.
Hey David…. boy, that one struck home!
I know that I’m not alone in this quandary, but I take little consolation from that. You gave some EXCELLENT advice… it’s a sentiment I echo.
I believe it comes down to this…Discipline, Focus, and Patience… ALL of which I need to work on! Thanks for the great post… keep’em coming!
.-= Chris McCargar´s last blog ..Making Time For Exercise =-.
Good advice, Chris. You said it all: Discipline, Focus and Patience. Achieve that and you can achieve anything.
Hi David: Right on! Too many strong promotions with shiny stuff. Tune them out and unsbuscribe is what I have been doing. Focus on a strategy and get it working before moving on. I’m the tortoise not the hare. Thx for giving me a jab.
Absolutely, Arlan.
All that glitters is not gold… at least not for everybody, every time.
HI David,
You are so right on. It’s like a pendulum that swings from one end all the way to the other, with “the latest and greatest strategy” on each end. It is SO EASY to get distracted by all the goodies on the internet, because there is so much talent out there, and more coming every day! But a wise friend told me early one, to pick ONE OR TWO at the most, and MASTER them, before moving on to the next. Just as you say. You made some great points.
Thanks
Laura Morris
.-= Laura Morris´s last blog ..Paying Your Dues in MLM =-.
Glad to have you out here, Laura.
Your advice is on target… focus on only one or two marketing strategies and MASTER them before moving on. Some very successful marketers never move past that one or two strategies. They get so good at them that there’s no need to!
David,
As a Terrapin(Diamondback Turtle) we are slow and deliberate by nature so you’re advice resonates well with me. I think the key to what you said is to have a plan and stick to it.
Thanks amigo!
.-= Ziz´s last blog ..Many mini-conversations =-.
Happy to resonate with you Terrapin friend! It’s not to say that it’s the ONLY way, but if it matches your personality and style, as it does mine… work with your strength and avoid your weaknesses. Stay within yourself and you’ll never go wrong.
thanks for the insight, Ziz.
Hi David, great post and very well timed. There have been so many launches of the next hottest thing over the last 6 months, it’s often a challenge to resist them. We can all learn a lot from these new things, but like you say, they can wait until the current project is complete.
.-= Julieanne van Zyl´s last blog ..Social Network Marketing with Bookmarking =-.
Yes, Julianne. As long as we stick to it… put blinders on to all distractions and “stick to it”… we will move toward accomplishing our goals. It really does take discipline, but isn’t it worth it?
Couldn’t agree more with the paragraph beginning: “Know that being an internet marketer is a long-term business…” All business is long term though, I think. Unless it fails (high debt becomes unsustainable) or people give up (high effort is unsustainable). I live in a very small town on the seacoast, one could call it a village. There are about 45 small storefronts scattered through the village, including restaurants. At least 8 or 9 close every year and the space is looking for another tenant. Toy store, book store, hardware store, coffee shop, travel agent, chocolatier, dry cleaners, art gallery, and more… all biting the dust. And most them never expected an immediate profit like so many online marketers. Still, those brick n mortar businesses did not expect that it could be so difficult either.
It is critical to have done the target market research. Essential to stick to reasonable expenses (beware the shiny object) yet be ready and able to pay for overhead for at least 24 months. Be ready to work long days.
Do some jump ahead faster, yes! Most of the time they brought something to the table. Perhaps they are a NWM that brought an existing downline with them online; maybe they brought an outstanding product or skill; but almost certainly there was something.
Expect to create something of your own and be unique. There is considerable difference of opinion whether that should come early (to establish that you are a unique brand) or later (and use somebody else’s system to earn upfront cash). But all agree that without your OWN product or service or system you will never make much money and are at the mercy of others.
.-= Richard Goutal´s last blog ..The Facebook Ads Controversy Collaboration – An Alternate View =-.
Well this was a great addendum to the post, Richard. Thanks so much for your on-target commentary.
I think it’s a good thing to point people to establishing their own product as early in the process as possible in order to do the most important thing (in my opinion): personal branding.
Thanks again, Richard, you’ve given us some great insights here.
David You are perfect, When i started my internet marketing even i used to spend most of the times looking for loopholes or shortcuts to get rich in a day or two,but then i understood unless we work hard and comeup with a new idea of our own nothing is going to work ..Now everything is going fine after a hard work of 2 years of my internet marketing business…
James
.-= James Fulton´s last blog ..Rimadyl For Dogs Review =-.
I guess the worst thing we can bring to the table, James, is expectations. Expect hard work… otherwise… expect nothing, just immerse yourself in the process.
Nice to see you out here, James. Thanks for contributing.
This is great advice. Especially to those of us who are getting started, or even if we are “intermediate” level internet marketers. I listened to a podcast at Internet Business Mastery. Sterling and Jay, who I respect quite a bit, set about 2-3 priorities in terms of growing their business, and they use these priorities as a guide during the year to filter all the opportunities/strategies that come their way. This way, they stay focused.
Sounds like good advice, Steve. Setting up filters is a perfect way to stay on target with your game plan. Thanks for your contribution here.
Hi David,
Nice to meet you! You are absolutely right – nver jump ship! That’s when things start to happen! You have a very nice, informative blog here and I look forward to reading more posts. Thanks!
Thanks for the visit, and the reaffirming comment, Lesly.
Jumping ship is a hazard must train ourselves to approach very carefully, lest we slip off the deck.
Hi David,
I can so relate to what you are talking about. I get on one track, then I start getting those enticing emails trying to get me on their bandwagon. Thanks for the encouragement to follow through on what I started. I look forward to more posts from you, thanks.
Donna Turner
One little trick I’ve learned to steer clear of “those enticing emails” is to “filter” or “set rule” for messages that you want to go directly into a folder that you title rather than your inbox.
So, for instance, if I’ve subscribed to “Hank Prank’s” offer, and I keep getting emails from Hank that I don’t have time to read, but clutter my inbox, I’ll “filter” them to go directly into a folder I might name “Hank’s newsletter”.
Then, I know where they are, I can read them when I decide to, not when they pop up into the middle of my productive time.
Hope this helps, Donna.
Very good points and I remember very well the day I finally said “enough!” In fact I think it would be interesting to know the ratio of internet “experts” who swear you’ll lose every reader if you blog too often vs the “experts” who say the only way you’ll get anywhere is to blog daily. It can make you crazy if you let it. Hope you’ll be posting something new soon.
“Enough” is one of the most important chants to learn, Marquita. Otherwise, you can easily get lost in the internet and network marketing worlds.
I see people drop out all the time when they’re so close to advancing to the next level, simply because they don’t seem to know that word exists!
Congratulations on some keen insight… or maybe survival instinct.
Hi David:
Great points! We live in such an ever changing world and we have to be prepared for change but not change just for change sake.
Kevin
Kevin Martineau´s last [type] ..The road to hell is paved with good intentions