| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Marketing Gurus : Do You Need One?
Its become fashionable to bash marketing "gurus" nowadays. There are some for whom the prospect of even looking at someone as a "guru" is a sin. They believe in being free-thinkers, unfettered by the bonds of guru-dom. Then there are those who try to score points by "proving" gurus wrong. They think they have achieved a new high in their field just by proving that a "guru" made a false statement. The problem with such people is that they refuse to understand "gurus" for what they are. So just what IS a guru (marketing or otherwise)? To put it simply, a guru is someone who has "been there, done that." A guru is not one who is meant to be followed like a sheep, nor one whose every word is written in stone. Of the letters in the Sanskrit word "Guru ", the letter 'Gu' stands for darkness or ignorance; and the letter 'Ru' stands for the one who removes it or dispels it. A guru is one who imparts knowledge that clears the path of the seeker. Knowledge that helps the seeker gain a better understanding of himself. Unfortunately many people see gurus - and marketing gurus in particular - as successful, over-bearing, conceited boors. Trust me, if a person was successful in this field, he'd never have got there by being over-bearing and conceited. Why? Because to be a success, you need other people to help you get there. And no one is going to do business with you if you're an over-bearing, conceited boor. So just why do you need a guru? For the same reason you need a parent - to guide you when you are young and still learning the ways of the world. For the same reason you need a teacher - to introduce you to new concepts and ways of thinking you may never have conceived of. For the same reason you need a football coach - to teach you the rules of the game. For the same reason you need a mountain guide - to take you through treacherous terrain to a safer place. Sadly, people only perceive gurus as someone to look up to with fear and disdain, or as someone to pull down so that one can feel important. They can never understand that a guru (or mentor, or teacher, or whatever you choose to call them) is just someone who can help cut their learning curve. Someone who can help you NOT re-invent the wheel, but continue where they left off. Someone who could share with you a new way of doing things that could benefit you in ways you could never imagine. Few 'real' gurus - at least those worth learning from - will ever want to be called that. The ones who do are usually cocky, self-professed types, full of their own importance - and you'll learn more by avoiding them like the plague. The gurus to watch (note, I didn't say follow - as in sheep) and learn from, are the ones with a long track record of success. The ones who have repeatedly proved that their methods are legitimate and that they work. Not the flash-in-the-pan types, who come and go faster than you can say "bestselling ebook." Not the ones who jump from one opportunity to the next and try to take you along for the ride. Not the ones who endorse everything from lunar real-estate to miracle cure-alls. And certainly not cocky little teenagers, who have never cut their teeth on real marketing. Don't expect your chosen guru to know everything about everything. Even gurus specialize in different areas of expertise. Just to give you an example, I respect Corey Rudl highly for his pioneering knowledge of marketing. But I would never take advice from him on getting high rankings in search engines. For specialized knowledge like that, I would learn from someone who is a true expert in that field, like Dan Thies or Michael Campbell. Whether you're a newbie starting out on the internet, or an experienced marketer who has honed his skills to perfection, the one thing you can always benefit from is an open mind. And a willingness to be taught. So when you do choose a guru, guide, mentor or coach, pick one whose insight can help you see yourself - and what you have to offer - more clearly. One whose knowledge can show you how to bring out your own latent talents. And one whose guidance can help you grow into a seasoned and successful entrepreneur. Copyright 2003 Priya Shah _____________________________________________ Priya Shah is the editor of the newsletters Be a Whiz at eBiz! and The Glutathione Report. She shows you how to truly build multiple sources of income online with the Brilliant Team Home Business Opportunity
MORE RESOURCES:
marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Marketing Strategies: What Choices Do You Have? Most business people want to see improvements in sales and profits. But how do you get there? What choices do you have?To build your business there are four strategic options that must be considered:1) Sell existing products to existing customers. Case Study: How to Get a Big Boost in Response by Taking Your Marketing to the Extreme Want a big boost in response and quick sales from your next direct marketing effort? Then take your marketing to the extreme. What do I mean by extreme? I mean unconventional, break the mold, out-of-the-box, reaches-out-and-grabs-people-by-the-lapel marketing. Whats Your Marketing Weak Link? Your marketing weak link could be undermining the rest of your marketing. It is vital that each link in your marketing system supports and builds upon the previous link. No One Gives A Damn About Your Business. Unless You Give em A Reason To The good news is that there are thousands of people looking for what you offer. The bad news is that those people are extremely tough to attract not to mention that your very livelihood depends on it. Like Brushing Your Teeth What do the following things have in common: brushing your teeth, regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, paying your bills on time, cleaning your gutters, spending quality time with your spouse and kids??They're all forms of regular "self-care" that, if you neglect them for a period of time or take the wrong approach, there will be costly negative consequences.The same goes for marketing. How To Bond With Customers So That They Stay With You Longer How many of your customers are loyal customers? More importantly do you know why they are loyal customers?Customer loyalty has been a buzz term in marketing for some time and with good reason. Estimates suggest it can cost 5 times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. What Does Your Logo Color Say About Your Business? And not only your logo, but also your website, your brochure, your business cards and any of your marketing materials for that matter.Yes, colors do matterThey communicate feelings and emotions. Marketings Nuclear Weapon Three seconds. That's what you have to convey your message. How to Set (and Get) the Right Prices Which product feature of yours is every buyer keen to know about? Which sales tool closes prospects instantly? Your price. Yet, despite the far-reaching consequences of a company's pricing, I'm surprised at how little time small business owners spend on it. How to Use Your Newsletter to Research Your Market A few decades ago, in the early days of automatic banking terminals, the management at Citibank made a somewhat reluctant decision to introduce automatic tellers. They were anxious to cut costs, but they assumed that customers would rather deal with human tellers, had they the choice. Who are Those People Youre Selling To? If you're in the IT business, that's an important question.Most marketers are keen to profile their prospects. An Easy Start to Mail Order Listing names of Big Mail Requestors, and sending out packages ofBig Mail is an easy way to get your start in the business ofselling by mail. There are a number of mail operators pulling in an easy, extrathousand dollars a month, by what you'd hardly call work--doingnothing more than receiving money for advertising a list ofpeople's names interested in receiving Big Mails, and sending outenvelopes stuffed to overflowing with Big Mail. Are You Playing Checkers or Chess? When you think about how to attract more clients for your professional services, are you playing checkers or chess?You're playing checkers when you.. Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment In direct mail lore, there's a rule stating that you can measure the success of your efforts by a minimum response rate of 1-2%. In other words, if you send out 10,000 pieces, you'll have a successful mailing if at least 100 recipients respond to your offer. Radio Advertising Works With These Tips! Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation strategy. But like all marketing tactics, success or failure lies in its implementation. Refresh Your Web Site So you have a Web site. And so does most every business these days. Building Skills in Information Marketing will Boost Your Business Yesterday I was sitting on a train going into London when I thought I'd take a look around the carriage just to see what everyone was doing. I wanted to make a mental note because my five year old son always asks me 'what happened at your work today Daddy?' So I put my newspaper down and took a look around me. Private Practice Marketing: 3 More Secrets I Wish I Knew When I First Started Out Secret #4 - Get very comfortable asking for paymentOne of the easiest ways to set this up is to have very clear explanations in your intake forms about how payment works.It's your job to train your clients how to pay you promptly. A Guide to Brochure Printing Brochure printing can be easy if you first identify your needs and have a clear sense of your budget. Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a trade show handout, a data sheet, or another application, brochures are a great promotional tool. So What Do You Do? Once you have the attention of a business prospect, at some point in the conversation, the prospect will ask you, "So what do you do?". In most cases, you will only have 60 seconds, to catch the interest of the prospect.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
