As you have probably guessed, if you visited our Business sites, I am a big fan of marketing on the internet. It is a extremely effective way to get “your message out” to the most amount of people. Hey, we even have an in-house web Director that makes sure we update information all the time, change designs to be more information orientated and to make sure we have excellent ‘organic’ web positioning on the search engines.
My issue is there is a BIG difference between being a Company that markets online and being a Online Marketer. Let me explain.
Do you remember the old stories of the turn of the century gold rush? Average people who left families, jobs and Countries to seek the quick “bonanza” of gold riches. The stories in the papers and of course word of mouth, were saying just get yourself to the Klondike, and the nuggets are just laying on the ground! Ya right. But people obviously bought into it and some paid even with their lives. Ok, so seeking quick riches on the internet may not be life threatening, but the same “stories” of the gold rush are alive and well online. I get bombarded with offers that are saying this is the next thing, ‘easy’ ‘quick’ ‘solution in a box’ ‘even your dog could do this’ ...Ya right. Sound familiar?
I have been marketing online now for over 10 years and let me tell you, it is not an overnight success story. It was hard work, persistence, trial and error and many mistakes. You eventually learn what works and what doesn’t and if your experience is there, you can adapt to the changes online. There is fortunes being made online but they are not the get rich quick programs, its the Internet Marketing Guru’s spreading stories of “gold on the internet” just waiting for you. What they are really doing is selling you the shovels, picks, buckets, blankets, flour, etc. that you need to try and find the so called ‘gold’.
Who really wins in this scenario? I will let you decide that.
As a conclusion, what you can learn from this is if there is a strong market out there that you have knowledge of, you can introduce a complimentary product to service that market and do very well. A good product in a good market will be openly received. I didn’t invent panelized housing but I saw what was being sent and said I can do that better.
Don’t forget the miner’s and prospectors came unprepared for the harshness of the north. The problem was they were usually sold substandard products at outrageous prices. Hey, that sounds allot like some of the most recent offers I was sent online…
Please don’t think of doing this as your success will be short lived.
Regards,
Larry
