It’s amazing how much you can tell what someone’s really thinking, or what they really want, from what they say. You don’t have to be an expert or psychologist to work this out.
(By the way, i first wrote this blog in July 2007)
Here’s is a tip for you. Whenever anyone says anything at all, your wife, husband, friends, partners, you should focus on 2 things.
- What they’re saying
- Why they’re saying it!
Most people don’t know the real reason why they’re saying anything but you can learn a lot by studying this. They certainly won’t know how much they’re giving away.
Here’s what I’m getting at. The biggest, most asked questions my new clients have when they want some advice on starting a new business, marketing online or making more money from their existing business…is……….
“Jimmy Can you optimise my website for Google? I want more traffic”
I hear what they’re saying, but what they really mean is:
“Jimmy can you sort out my website for me so I can just sit on my arse while Google sends me lots of traffic, bringing me lots & lots of money for doing absolutely sod all? Also I need to ensure that if it fails, then I can blame you. Deal?”
Now, don’t get me wrong – SEO is an important part of any marketing strategy. But to think about basing your whole marketing strategy around SEO and hope that Google will send you free traffic, and continue to send you free traffic, means you’ve got the mindset for running a business completely wrong. You’re doomed to failure!
Most websites are not even set up to deal with tonnes of traffic and they simply wont convert theses visitors into customers.
Now I need to be careful what I say here as I have contracts with some SEO companies, so here goes. For most businesses, SEO IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY!
I’m glad I got that off my chest!
Here’s What You Need to Know
Without going into keyword research, follow up strategies and how to build a website around it, this is much more important.
The qualities needed to set up and run a successful online or offline business today, are exactly the same as it was 15, 50 or 2,000 years ago ….long before the internet existed. ……… Determination, persistence, burning desire, continuous self improvement, hard work, continuous education, testing & measuring, smart marketing, take advice from real experts etc, etc.
This still applies to running a business online!
Now that the internet is here, everyone thinks they can get a piece of the action without any effort. Lets face it, although everyone says they want to have their own business, if you actually handed them a ready made, proven, easy to use business template on a silver platter, most people will run a mile……. or they’ll give you 197 excuses why the time’s just not quite right for them!
Why? Quite simply because most people are scared stiff of taking on the responsibility for their own success and/or failures.
So when they approach me about starting a business and ask the big SEO question, from the offset they are sub-consciously telling me that they want to hand all responsibility over to someone else like Google……..or.. ME!
At least if it fails, then they can conveniently pass the blame. And if succeeds? Well, with that approach…It won’t!
Don’t worry, I’m sure that was the first question I asked too. The point I’m making is, be prepared to embark on a journey of self discovery and improvement before success in your business can be fully realised. You simply can’t expect someone to send you customers for free!
People are actually more scared of success than of failure!
Why do you think everyone spends all their spare time, hours, days, weeks on social networking sites like Facebook, online chatting, gaming, forums, blogs? The answer is, the same reason they watch Eastenders, Coronation Street or Big Brother. It’s not only to escape from their mundane lives but it’s also to exonerate them selves from any responsibility.
Don’t get me wrong, some of this website stuff is fun. I do like Facebook because it saves me time and makes it easier to keep in touch with old friends. But spending all your free time watching crap TV or on social websites is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand.
In the famous words of the great Scottish comedian, actor, musician, Billy Connolly when asked by chat show host Michael Parkinson;
“So Billy, as someone who came from a poor working class background in Glasgow, an abused child with very little education, how did you get to become so obviously very talented & hugely successful?”
“Well” he replied,” I didn’t get it sitting watching the f****** Des
O‘ Connor show”
That sums it all up for me!
So the point is, if you spent one hour a day, every day, learning about marketing and the secrets of setting up an online business, instead of hiding, how long would it be before you could resign from your job? 3-6 months I bet!
How many people are prepared to do this? Very few, (which is just as well)
It would be wrong for me to say it’s easy to make money online, but it’s fair to say that it’s easier now than it ever was to start your own business….. IF…..and only IF….you’re prepared to commit yourself and to keep learning! These days, you don’t even have to leave the house or spend days in the library researching different markets to get started (although you should try it)
Any successful business (online or offline) must be built upon a series of proven marketing strategies and systems………….at least ten!
SEO can be done last only when all the other strategies are in place.
So let’s get back to basics. If you really want to have your own successful business, you must start with working on your on self-image to convince yourself that you deserve success and then develop the confidence within yourself to take on the responsibility necessary to succeed.
I have read numerous books on this subject of self improvement and most of them are crap. I’ll save you a few years of trial, error & frustration by recommending THE book you must get which will change your life. It changed mine…..most other positive thinking books just confused me and mad me make stupid decisions.
Run a search on Amazon for “The New Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz and get your attitude and mindset ready for success.
To your success
Jimmy Crangle
