If You Think You're Going to be Successful by Only Networking Online, Think Again - ISSUE 43 - 7/29/12

After pounding the keyboard for many years and reaching out to thousands of people, it finally became apparent that marketing your internet business is not exactly what you may think it is. For starters, there are too many individual people, as well as organizations with many employees, attempting to market online in the same fashion you are. They are utilizing the same techniques and strategies. Everyone knows to hit up the Social Media sites (where all the people are gathering these days), to create a value-rich website and to write an entertaining and informational blog. However, one very important aspect people fail to take into account is their online presence and credibility. Although you are probably doing everything correctly, you are getting smashed to the ground by larger companies because they have more money and more resources available to them than you do.

The answer is simple, people will not spend money with people they either do not like, do not know, do not trust, or a combination thereof. The larger your company, the easier it is to overcome each piece of the puzzle. For example, if your company is incorporated, people tend to equate that with success and trust is usually automatic (unless, of course, your company has a bad reputation for poor customer service, poor quality products, outrageous prices, or anything else negative). Unfortunately, most of you are small businesses with less than 10 employees. Chances are, most of you are a one-man (or woman) show. You have taken the leap of faith and are working diligently to improve the quality of your life and those you love most. However, you are probably experiencing challenges you did not foresee when you began your business venture. Don't worry. You are not alone.

You figured that since there are 900 million active users on Facebook (as of May, 2012) and 500 million active users on Twitter (as of 2012), your success would be easy and smooth sailing. I'm certain that if you have spent enough time on these two sites (as well as other social networking sites), you would agree that it's the furthest from the truth.

Since you are also a consumer and are being marketed to just as much as the next person, I want you to put yourself in those shoes for just a moment. What do you do when you're watching TV and a commercial comes on? Do you sit contently watching them with absolute focus or do you click the mute button, go to the kitchen to grab some food, or do you fast-forward your DVR? How about when you get a phone call from a telemarketer? Do you respectfully listen to what he has to say or do you immediately shut down and ignore him? What about Twitter or Facebook? Are you clicking on every link that reads "Buy Now" or "Spend Money With Me" or do you completely ignore them as if they don't exist? Lastly, what about all those marketing emails you get in your inbox? Are you reading every single one thoroughly or do you delete anything that resembles a sales email?

Chances are, you are doing everything in your power to avoid most, if not all, marketing and sales situations for multiple reasons - you don't have the money to spend, you enjoy buying but don't want to be sold to, you don't trust the companies, you don't know the companies, you feel like your personal space is being evaded, the companies aren't providing enough value, you are sick of it, etc. etc.

If I'm right (which I know I am), then why on Earth do you keep repeating the same things for which you are working so hard to avoid? If you are a small business owner, you have to take into consideration what makes you different from everyone else. The answer is simple, it's 'YOU'! There is only one of you in this world and if you don't get out into the real world and meet new people, you will never get to prove that you are one-of-a-kind to everyone else. It's extremely difficult to stand out in a digital world where you are "just like everyone else."

Life is not fair (especially in the business world) and the people who are the most successful have learned to harness the power of networking. Humans are always looking to others they know and trust for advise and whether they realize it or not, a large percentage of them will only do business with people they have been referred to mostly out of fear of being taken advantage of. Today the Internet is extremely vast and is only going to get bigger and new online marketing techniques may or may not be effective for you.

There are millions of people committing frivolous crimes and they're constantly finding new ways to steal from others. Because of this, you must work very hard to prove you are trustworthy, likable, and deserve someone's hard-earned money. You must step outside of your comfort zone and step up to the plate. Don't be afraid of rejection because the more you focus on value, and steer away from sales, the easier it will be for you to become successful and rejection will no longer be existent.

The point I'm trying to make is that although the Internet is a necessary tool in today's highly advanced digital world, it cannot be your primary focus. Your primary focus needs to be to get out and meet as many people as you can and to tell each one of these people who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. If you aren't comfortable doing so, there are many avenues for you to take. You just have to find the one that works best for you.