Because It Isn't Popular To Say
By Marlon Sanders
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I call it a Game.
Internet marketing that is.
I've been in this Game since day 1. Since it was, I was.
Some of you are new to the Game. You don't know how I am
nor the innovations I've made and contributions I've made to
the Game.
All I can is that people forget fast. There is no loyalty amongst
players in "The Game." For many of the guys and a few girls, it
really is just a Game to see who can get on top. Who has bragging
rights.
"The Syndicate" is on top at the moment. And rather smug about
it. But they deserve to be there.
I'm not complaining. It's a good Game that in spite of the
beliefs of a small minority has helped tons of people make full
or part time living online that is decent, respectable and helps
others.
If you're a newbie and I use terms here you don't understand, go
snag BestofMarlonSanders.com. I define terms in there. It's a
freebie download.
No one else would have the GUTS to write about this, so I thought
I'd write at least about part of it.
There are some things I don't want said in public. So I'll
publish those in the private area for my faithful and dedicated
Ateam members on Monday or Tuesday.
There are two parts to the Game. The people and the players.
The people. That would be you. The players. That would be the
sellers of stuff to help you succeed at The Game.
As far as the people go, there are a few types:
1. The phenoms
These are people who get it almost instantly and make it overnight.
But sometimes they vanish as quickly as they burst on the scene.
2. Empowered people -- These are people who take information and
before you can say Jack the Cat get it done.
They are action takers. They don't have a victim mentality. They
are positive doers.
3. The steady
These people often hang around 3-6 years and learn. But I do see
them become successful eventually. It just takes them time.
4. The victim mentality who feel they are owed
The customers none of us like dealing with are the people who feel
like they are victims in or of the Game, even though no one ASKED
them to play.
You don't gotta play the Game. Therefore, there are no victims.
These people expect to buy one magical product and duplicate the
success story of the phenom.
Won't happen. Isn't reality.
If you're a victim and feel like you've been shafted by everyone
and you're owed success in The Game, you need a psychologist not
the help of a marketer. You know, to an Anthony Robbins event.
Get your head straight.
You'll be better off because of it. Then come back to The Game
with an empowered attitude realizing no one owes you anything and
you get results in the Game by producing products and selling or
promoting them.
The irony of The Game is that everyone in The Game makes their
living and usually most of their living selling things to Game
Players. In other words, they create and sell products.
And while there are those who do well as affiliates, you also have
to "do what they do, not what they say."
Every Game has rules.
========================
The Rules Of The Game
========================
The rules of The Game are simple.
1. You start with your target market. That is the Game board.
It's where The Game is played.
You can't sell to everyone.
2. You get people in your funnel with a freebie offer
There are MANY ways to do this. Look at the freebies that got
YOU to join other people's lists.
The Game is about getting people on your list. Not
necessarily in high numbers. It's not how many emails you
send. It's how many get opened and read. That means
relationship dominates numbers.
The greater the numbers, the harder the relationship is to
maintain.
3. After they join, you have 14 minutes to convince them
to play The Game by your rules.
Stated differently, people are joining so many lists now
that you have 14 minutes to convince them they should
continue reading your emails.
Last night I joined a list that gave me some videos. But
the videos did nothing to sell me on why I should pay more
attention. So I didn't.
4. You produce and sell products
You can be part of someone else's Game if you want to play
by their rules. Being an affiliate is often a good way to
learn at first.
But ultimately, you want to be a product seller. It
doesn't take weeks to create products. You can create
products in a few hours. And don't say it can't be done.
One of my friends Jason Fladlien is 25 and has probably
created 50 products already.
Of course, he's a phenom. But it shows it can be done.
5. After you sell stuff, you sell more expensive stuff
6. The most important part of The Game is not the
products. Everyone wants to love and be proud of their
products. The problem is, great products don't sell. What
sells is products well promoted.
7. That means the most important part of The Game is
traffic.
Really, traffic is probably 80% of The Game. Now, you can
have a small list, and not a lot of traffic and be a
prolific product creator.
But it's better to have a lot of traffic.
8. The best traffic is affiliate traffic, of which joint
venture traffic is a subset
Your JV traffic is really affiliate traffic.
================================
The Role Of Traffic In The Game
================================
What I'm saying here is NOT for newbies. You probably
won't "get" what I'm talking about. Or you'll
misunderstand.
But to make it clear, I'm NOT saying PPC (pay per click)
or SEO (search engine optimization are bad or don't work
in niches. I'm explaining how they work in "The Game."
That is, if you need me to spell it out...in "The Guru
Business."
PPC Traffic can convert. Google has its own Gameboard. And
they change the rules a lot. So it's not the easiest Game
to learn. But it can be worth it. The real trick to ppc
traffic is to sell stuff cheap upfront and do instant
upsells using Perry Belcher's brilliant system he laid out
in Wholesale Traffic System.
If you're in a niche where you don't have a zillion
competitors, then ppc is a good thing. I imagine all
niches are catching up. And on keywords with high OCI
(high purchase intent as measured the MSN tool) the bids
are going to be high. I'm not a PPC guy so I don't know
how much this is true.
Basically, if you're going to play the PPC Game, you have
to better at it than the other players. Which means you
have to either work harder at it or get better info that
they competitors are too cheap to pay for.
This is why I've promoted PPC Ninja, Gauher, Perry Belcher
and Marshall and PPC Classroom. And don't forget Adwords
Blackbook and PPC Coach in there too. They have the best
info to give you an advantage.
Overall, I don't find ppc to be an easy way to get
traffic. It's a way. It does work. Some do well with it.
SEO Traffic: Same as ppc traffic in skill level. I like
Justin Brooke's info. I like Michelle's 30 Minute
Backlinks. Article marketing works. Press releases work.
Banner traffic: Something most people don't do. Probably
one of the betters ways to get the stuff. I've recently
stumbled across a way to do this I think will be huge.
But the best source of traffic is affiliate or JV traffic.
So here is the irony of The Game. Most all Internet
marketers rely on affiliate traffic. Yet they TEACH other
forms of traffic. But from what I see, hardly anyone is
getting traffic from anything other than jv's. Which is
why you get product launches everyday.
The moral of the story is if you wanna be in the IM
(Internet marketing) space, you better learn to pimp your
affiliate program, do product launches and all that stuff.
Personally, I hate the product launch Game. Nothing wrong
with it. Just kinda makes me puke...the whole thing. Not
that I won't do it. You do in The Game what you gotta do
in The Game to win as long as it's legal, moral and
ethical.
Product launches are legal, moral and ethical. I just find
the deluge to be distasteful.
The problem is that in the IM space, ppc words don't
convert to my knowledge. I don't know anyone selling
Internet marketing stuff who makes ppc convert other than
Ben Hart.
This is why the PPC Phenoms sell their products using jv's
and affiliate programs. They don't use their own method.
Or if they do, it probably only converts marginally or
just breaks even.
The SEO terms have a billion results in Google on IM
terms. Forget about it. There are some things you cherry
pick. But pretty much, the terms don't get a lot of
searches and there are a billion results already there.
That is why all gurus use product launches. They're all
that converts.
Well, there is cpa traffic. Cost per action traffic. That
works but to BROAD topics like homebased business stuff.
You can't pitch Internet marketing products. You have to
pitch something broader.
Shawn Casey probably brings more new blood into Internet
marketing than anyone. I'm talking fresh, new blood.
Almost none of the "gurus" bring in fresh blood. Most of
'em live off of Casey's fresh blood because he promotes a
brand new affiliate program every day.
So he brings in new people then funnels them to affiliate
programs. And the "gurus" by him 70% for that blood. If
they were all "so smart" they might be doing what he's
doing. Props to Shawn. He's one of the few gurus smart
enough to figure out how to bring in fresh blood.
People newer to this Game will say, "What about article
marketing?" And if you're thinking or saying that right
now, you don't get it.
The goal of article marketing is to get ranked on terms in
Google or MSN and Yahoo. I already explained that the
terms don't get tons of searches and they're bid up. And
they don't convert well to begin with.
So I'm attending an Internet marketing seminar to see a
few friends here in Austin. Fladlien will be here. Robert
Plank. Keith Baxter. Eric. A few others I know.
Probably everyone who has a product will either covertly
or overtly ask me to promote it. From the moment they say
hello, that's all they have on their mind.
"How can I get this guy to promote my product to his
list?"
Which is kinda messed up.
In the days a lot of you don't know about or weren't
around....the Boulder days in the early days of IM, we'd
all hang out and speak. No one really pitched that well.
We were there for the camaraderie and not to hit up the
next JV partner.
The ONLY reason I tell you this is to give you some
perspective.
Next time you get that smoking hot pitch, remember the
person gets their real traffic from jv's that they make
the bulk of their money with.
And remember that no one else is telling you the truth
about The Game. They are in The Game.
The first rule of "Fight Club" is "don't talk about Fight
Club." That's a reference to a line in a move for those of
you who haven't had your fair share of pop culture.
I have a hidden motive in explaining this to you.
A lot of people get all seduced and hypnotized by the
pitches they receive. They get all mesmerized by it. And
THEN they do NOT buy what would really do 'em some good.
Like my Overwhelm Cure offer.
Unless you're a raw newbie, you do have problems with lack
of focus or overwhelm. You jump from this to that method.
Yet unless you're the exception, you didn't snag "The
Overhwhelm Cure."
My sharpest, brightest people did. But chances are, you
didn't. Why? Because it wasn't a bright, shiny object with
a new way to make ten zillion in your underwear.
If you wanna chase bright, shiny objects till the cows
come home, I'm OK with that. It just shows you don't
understand The Game and what you're doing.
The Game is about coming up with new, sexy things you just
buy and own. There's nothing wrong with that.
But the VALUE and the real deal is about learning
marketing. Yeah, that word "learn" is a real deal killer.
It's write up there with the word "work" to assure no one
buys your offer.
========================================
What This Has To
Do With YOU And How You Can Play The Game To Win And Have
A Blast While Doing So
========================================
Alright. So let's say that you are one of the few people
in my Ateam or one of the few people who REFUSE to chase
bright and shiny objects.
First of all, you're crazy if you didn't snag Overwhelm
Cure. Yeah, I know you're broke. From all the other junk
you bought!
In any event. the point is, if you aren't gonna chase
bright, shiny objects, what ARE you gonna do?
Try these:
1. Figure out WHO you're gonna sell to
The solutions are: http://www.pushbuttontargetmarket.com
And also row one of Promodashboard.com
Or just use your head and think about some market who buys
a lot of stuff. And who you might enjoy selling to or
playing a Game with. A market that interests or fascinates
you.
2. Get really good at one traffic source
If you're NOT in IM (Internet marketing) then PPC or seo
are fine. I still contend that the #1 best source of
traffic is your own affiliate program.
I've stopped harping on it so much because it's a tough
sell. Any guru worth his or her salt knows what I'm saying
is true.
Whatever. Find one source of traffic and get really good
at it. After you master it, you can go to a second source.
I STILL think my affiliatedashboard.com is a heck of a
product. It's what I did to get several million visitors.
It'll never be a big seller.
3. Become a prolific product creator
One or two products aren't enough. You need to know how to
put out products in 5 hours.
4. Become good at writing sales letters
If you're going to do mega launches then you better hire
Vin Montello, Mike Morgan, Ray Edwards or one of the other
hot dog writers who charge $13,000+ for a sales letter
(subject to negotiations...I only have a number based on
hearsay).
But if you're doing bread and butter stuff, you can write
sales letters in 3 hours.
Get it out of your head that it takes weeks and months or
even a year to create a sales letter or a product.
Nonsense.
Flat out nonsense.
You're taking what is simple and making it a huge, complex
thing.
5. Promote the dickens out of your products
Here is how you make bank:
You target people who BUY lots of stuff.
You create lots of products for them that they want.
You promote those products as HARD as you can.
That is the ONE thing you should learn from "gurus." Watch
how hard they pimp their stuff.
Go and do thou likewise.
Get off your buts.
Get off your excuses.
Get off your moaning, whining and complaining.
Whether it's paying your bills, getting out of debt,
buying a new car, putting your child through
college....here is the SIMPLE TRUTH:
Get in production.
Target hungry people who buy.
Create LOTS of products for them to buy.
Promote hard. Really hard.
Now promote harder.
Build your list.
Email your list.
Email your list again.
Email your list again.
Send content. Send pitches. Do teleseminars. Do webinars.
Do everything to sell your product that I spelled out in
detail in Promo Dashboard.
Use all the concepts in Ockham's Razor to create hot, in
demand products.
Use the Formula in Amazing Formula to put your whole
machine together.
Use the Overhwhelm Cure to know out of all the product
ideas you have which one you should do FIRST.
Use the Overhwhelm Cure to take all the ways you COULD
promote your products and find the few to focus on.
Get focused.
Get producing.
Get off your buts.
Create assets (products).
Promote the daylights out of them.
If you don't know how to create products, get
ProductDashboard.com.
Here is the thing:
If you're going to spend your money to play The Game,
spend it on things that help you to create products and
promote them.
NO MATTER what that newest pitch is selling you, the
person DOING the pitch is making their REAL money selling
you a PRODUCT.
Get smart.
Pull your head out of the sand. Seriously.
You CAN do this.
In 15 minutes I'll be hanging out with a 25 year old kid
who already has 50 products most of which were created in
one day.
Don't tell me you can't do this.
Whatever reasons you have that you think you're special
and somehow aren't bright enough, good enough, talented
enough or capable enough, get that crap out of your brain.
Go buy Anthony Robbin's 30 Day Personal Power Program and
listen to it until you puke. I used to do that. I don't
tell you to do stuff I don't do. I've heard that program
probably 200 times.
And you think it's a chore to listen to once? Come on now.
You target demands and wants.
You create products.
You get people on your list by offering a killer freebie
for getting on there.
You blow them away in the first 14 minutes.
You follow up with emails and pitch your products that
you're prolificly producing.
"But Marlon, I can't do that. I'm so overwhelmed."
Then why aren't you in "The Overwhelm Cure"?
Because I'm broke.
Why are you broke?
Because I spent all my money buying these pitches that
sold really awesome bright and shiny objects.
Fair enough.
But if you aren't willing to target, create, produce, and
promote, there's nothing you have to learn from me.
Real world that is what works.
All those people selling bright and shiny objects to you.
They make money dough selling bright and shiny objects to
you.
In other words, they create and sell Tipping Point
products JUST LIKE I teach you how to do in Ockham's
Razor.
So pull your head out of the sand.
Go and do thou likewise.
The rant has ended.
The Game is exposed.
Creating A "Kick-Butt" Business Online Like Marlon Sanders Has Never Been Easier
Click Here
Posts
