South Africans Know How to Bastardize an Industry
I know this post is going to upset a lot of people, but someone has to stand up and call a spade a shovel, so if you get offended maybe you’re in the wrong yourself…
As South Africans we are good at many things and this generally makes for a nation full of budding entrepreneurs, but it also this D.I.Y syndrome that is not only killing our potential, but slowly causing a rot within our industry.
In the past 3 months I have noticed dozens, actually make that double dozens of local “internet marketing gurus” popping up all over the show, now in 2010 it seems every second oke and his dog has suddenly become an internet marketing expert stroke “guru” – (shame how pathetic).
Fist we had the property expert turned online marketing guru (no surprise this happened during one of the biggest property recessions in years), and then soon to follow was trust and small business warrior expert turned internet marketing evangelist (all whilst sitting in the north pole like nogal)… and that was just the start…
Now we have Social Media experts who only have like 1000 twitter followers and 10 facebook friends running around claiming they have cracked the social marketing code and they spend their time coaching and teaching others to do the same. “Sies tog” (makes we want to puke in my cereal).
And don’t even get me started on the number of SEO and Adwords companies that have sprung up all over South Africa, who incidentally all outsource their work to the same low grade Indian workers who neither understand nor appreciate our vernacular, and are nothing but $5.00 an hour workers with a $1.50 an hour mentality.
I speak from personal experience when I say this; South Africans know how to bastardize an industry. Having pioneered (that means being first) in every single industry I have been in, I have been copied, plagiarised and cribbed more times than I care to remember.
South Africans are generally lame ass plagiarists in almost every sense of the word, give them half a chance to copy or crib a business, or try and offer the same thing cheaper, and they will.
Perhaps it’s because so many South Africans, especially the white ones (did I just cross a boundary that no one else will) have no choice but to eek out a living in the informal sector (nicely worded as private) that we feel the need to set aside our own creativity and simply try and jump on the bandwagon of emerging trends.
See here is the thing, I want to see our industry growing, its good for all of us, and I want to see new Internet Marketers emerge, but nothing, and I mean nothing pisses me off more than when some wet behind the ears snotty nosed, personality lacking jack ass who has ZERO credentials passes themselves off as an expert… I will actually go out of my way to call you out, piss on your parade and bring you down to earth.
You can tell these yuppie mouthed geeks from a mile, they are the ones mouthing off about being a “guru” the general term used by half wits who don’t realise it stands for “general understanding relatively useless” whose only claim to fame is that their mouths move faster than their brains can process.
I along with many others who are making real money from real consumers (not this internet marketing to the internet market crap), adding real value to online consumers, moving real products to real consumers and forming real relationships with consumers, hold this industry very dear, not only because it is our lively hood, but because we pour our heart and soul into what we do and we have the experience to back it up.
So when I see someone stepping out of line I refuse to hold my punches or mince my words!
My advise to all you budding internet marketers, the first thing you need to do is get rid of the notion that there is a shit load of money to be made selling or teaching internet marketing to other budding internet marketers (you know the ponzi scheme we’ve all been subjected to).
Secondly dispel the notion that this is a get rich quick alternative to your crappy job, life or whatever and realise that like any other business it requires real expertise and real time.
And my last bit of advice and perhaps the most salient advice you will ever get, choose who you listen to and follow very carefully, because good and honest advice is hard to find, and there is no shortage of bad advice.
On that note I would like to introduce you to a blog that has recently been started to help local affiliate marketers, and I 100% support the initiative because it’s coming from someone who is actually making money selling real products online, and he has ZERO interest in selling internet marketing to internet marketers, and is totally genuine about helping others
The blog is run by good friend of mine, client and student who I not only respect immensely as a businessman, but also a human being.
Dale and I met 3 years ago just after I arrived back in South Africa, and for almost a year he literally beat down the door and bombarded his way into my world and business life (in fact it was his persistent calls to my wife that eventually got him in front of me) and since then our relationship and friendship has blossomed through mutual respect and passion for this industry.
Dale will credit me for a large portion his business and personal growth in the online space, but the truth is I have simply been the facilitator and advisor, it has really been his own passion, thirst to learn and ability to take action that has put him in the position he is.
I am both proud and confidant to recommend that you head over to Dale’s Affiliate Marketing blog at http://www.affiliate-program.co.za and take the time to learn from someone who actually knows what they are talking about.
For now I am off to have a strong coffee, and a deep breath…
Phillip van Coller said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:10 am
LOL, that was funny as shit, but absolutely true. I must admit I don't feel the way you do as I'm not in the position you are. But I'm a web designer, and I get really pissed with companies / freelancers making the web a worse place by selling crap. o.0
People want to make money and they will do anything to do it. As you once told me, it's about adding worth to what you are offering. I think that is where people miss it by focusing on themselves and money.
Great post.
Justin McCall said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:05 am
Yeah, I have to agree with what you say, unfortunately. There are so many of these fly-by-night marketers, but the reality is that they don’t last, they cannot sustain what they ‘promote/spam’.
Phillip van Coller said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:10 am
LOL, that was funny as shit, but absolutely true. I must admit I don't feel the way you do as I'm not in the position you are. But I'm a web designer, and I get really pissed with companies / freelancers making the web a worse place by selling crap. o.0
People want to make money and they will do anything to do it. As you once told me, it's about adding worth to what you are offering. I think that is where people miss it by focusing on themselves and money.
Great post.
Dawie said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:11 am
Lol this is a really honest post – but I like it!! I don't even know what to say since you said it all…. I have also seen dozens of people claiming they're the experts and then talking about how important meta keywords is etc etc.
I think what pisses me off most is these SEO companies that's charging you thousands, only do a few reciprocal links every month and requests that a link has to be put in the footer of your site just for their own benefit.
As for the blog…. nice job Dale, I have also been following along it. For the others visiting the blog – put the feed in your RSS reader. That way it's easier following a long.
Derek said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:16 am
Hitting hard bud. As you said there are many SA whites that are left out in the cold. We are a nation of Magiver's…Fix anything with bull wire and a shifting spanner. There is one true element in that we all want to learn and grow. The problem is that most of the Guru's are clueless and you will pay money you have to learn things that are no longer in use. So where can we learn…what should we be investing in…
Cheers
D
ChrisDuToit said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:16 am
Well said. I've seen the same thing in this industry, where someone bought an ebook or two and now claim to be an expert. The questions he asks and advice he gives to clients were possibly relevant in the 90's, but not anymore… and he gets even the basic stuff wrong.
I'm just sorry for those customers who get mislead by these people.
Dale, well done on the new blog. I'll be adding it to my RSS reader just after I'm finished with this comment.
Arthur Charles Van Wyk said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:20 am
Hey Justin
You sound really angry man. But it’s understandable knowing that you’re in the game yourself.
Can you blame the youngsters for trying? With sites like PirateBay and Demonoid giving you anything on any subject you could ever want for nothing, I’d probably think of myself as a guru too after I’ve read David Meerman Scott, Chris Brogan, Seth Godin or Paul Gillin without paying a cent for it.
So now that the problem has been identified, how do yo propose this gets solved?
Dale said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:24 am
Awesome post, and thanks for recommending my blog. Your are 100% right there is to much bullshit on the net and i finally decided to share what i have learnt. The info is very basic still, but i think for beginners they need to know what to look out for and how to start without spending alot of money.
Jan Rautenbach said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:26 am
Unfortunately it happens in every industry and trend.
Joan Parker said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:41 am
wow that was umm, heavy don't want to get on the wrong side of this conversation.
Mark said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:48 am
OH I call that a smack down of note, little people be ware Mr. Harrison is on the loose. That was a funny post man I am sore from laughing – but so true.
Forget the Google slap you just got bitch slapped if you are a Guru
Michelle Jayes said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:49 am
You are absolutely correct Justin, but one of the main causes of this kind of behavior as I see it is that the SA market appears to be limited with opportunities (I could be wrong) but for someone just starting out it is not easy to find internet business here and I would certainly like to do that.
Thanks for telling us about Dale's blog, I have bookmarked it and will go read it when I am finished here.
Michelle Jayes
Johan said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:58 am
What cheese me off is the increase of spam emails from south african marketers. I got one the other day from a SA marketer promoting clickbank. I did report the guy and i think they will be closing his account. What you say is true Justin but as in every thing new this is what will happen. You will find shortly as lot of these "GURUS" will be school kids as it is easy to hind your identity. I do however feel that SA is not there yet on the net and have not bothered to do aff marketing on any .co.za domains. The ones I did and the sales i got most requested refunds and they were all SA sales. The USA and EU sales showed no refunds on my other sites.
I am about to start marketing for a south african company in a very competitive niche purely South African and I will be applying all my overseas marketing method but not sure it will work. It is a tangible product and not digital.
I like article marketing so mabey i must launch 2 separate article sites only for SA one english and one afrikaans. It will only except SA articles marketing SA products only. I am not sure if that will work though (some feedback might help ) If i know i can get support from SA marketers i might be worth it. I do have the means and to do this as reasonable low cost so might consider it.
No you article didn't piss me off as it is the truth not that i have many friends here. I will visit Dales blog but watch it as i might start a heated debate there
Werner Wichmann said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:59 am
Very well said. A big problem exists here in south africa with regards to SEO.
There are hundreds of SEO consultants hopping around giving people advice on how to make money online without themselves being able to make a sale online.
Last night for instance I was at a free SEO session where the company hosting ended up telling the almost 50 attendees, that Search Enige Optimization is a bad strategy and you have no control over your rankings, then telling that Adwords is the only medium to focus on and punting their Adwords course. Which is absolute false information.
Search Engine Optimization is a extremely effective strategy if done correctly and an essential part of an online business. Focussing solely on Adwords is a mistake.
I urge everyone out there who is looking for Search Marketing services to not just blindly believe the first SEO consultant they see, but ask for reference and proof that they can do what they say they will. And if they cannot provide you with a definite action plan of what they will be doing and provide proper reports on work completed stay away!
Joan said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:27 am
How right you are, I started a year ago and the tutorials sent me down a path of building a blog. Had no clue what "niche" to enter so proceeded with an "about" life story. I try to only post on what I have read or utilized, so it is more – hey "read what I have read maybe it will help you!"
Coming from an accounting background and doing research on assisting people with setting up finance (foundation of all business) online, I have found it is not a "hot" topic, however I know where I have come from, so I have continued to write an ebook to "test" the water, still getting there…
One year down the line and I still feel there is so much to learn, floundering around trying to find which direction to take. My gut feel is to remain with what you know and don't try to BS your way around.
Dale I will go back to your blog, been there before and enjoyed it – we always seem to get side tracked trying to learn and setup correctly.
I said it before and I will say it again, Justin has been the only SA guy to assist online, we need technical – article writers etc to make their presence felt so that the "affiliate marketers" can turn to local for help – local is lekker!
rob anderson said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:39 am
holy crap i have been outed at last, i was hoping that all those spammy emails and comments that i have been leaving on your website would go unnoticed, does this mean that i have to give you all your deposits back?
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:52 am
Well I don't blame the youngsters for trying, in fact I encourage it, I just don't and won't accept people going around calling themselves gurus and experts when they have not done their time and actually proven a strategy or a process themselves first outside of the internet marketing to internet marketing space.
And in terms of correcting the problem, its fairly easy, these budding marketers should rather just hold back on preaching until such time as they have a proven system that is delivering bottom line results (clients and revenue).
And above all when they don't know, rather than winging it – just say I don't know rather than passing off miss information.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:53 am
You are so right Philip, people just see dollar signs rather than seeing where they can add value. If you add value the money will come!
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:54 am
Yes Dawie, you are right you guys know how SEO works and some of the stuff that is sold or packaged is a complete rip off and a waste of time.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:56 am
My advice when starting out is to start small, test a few things yourself, read a great deal but most of all take action, learn from your mistakes and grow as you move forward… there is no university for this industry or manual, you have to do and learn and let me tell you it never ends.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:57 am
Not out to cause a fight Mark, I am just telling things the way I see them.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 8:58 am
In South Africa the opportunities are limited – but on the internet you don't live in South Africa, you live in the global market place, and therefore you have an opportunity to serve the lobal market place – think bigger, think wider and expand!
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:00 am
Johan, nice to see you back here – and you know this all too well my friend we are not out to make enemies (and you are certainly not one) we just call things as we see them and people here are mostly passionate about there businesses online, so things may get heated at times, but its all in good faith.
As for the article directories, put them up, we'll all use them
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:01 am
JA Nee Werner, this is a problem when you have people giving out bad information, but you know what they will eventually be called to answer for the stuff they are telling people, so just move ahead!
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:02 am
Yes please, send mine to "groen dakkies" it might help settle the bill – LOL
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:03 am
Yes Justin, you are right, that's the one thing that gives me hope is that they will be weeded out eventually.
rob anderson said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:04 am
hey Justin – i commented, and then went back to work and while writing the next two pages of a report i was thinking about what you had written all the time, and realized that i needed to come back and add another point of view.
you see i was sitting next to Werner last night at that very same free SEO seminar and his comments were spot on about that seminar. what i would like to add is this comment – i was hoping to learn something new last night and found that 100% of what was discussed i already knew and was more excited to have met Werner personally that i was about what i was supposed to learn.
My point is that in the 12 months that i have bee online my education has been massive, and naturally i am still learning every day. what i really am still learning now is the pain of split testing and whenever i try something and it fails then that was my lesson,l and yes a huge amount succeeds at the same time.
In fact i have only been able to do some aspects of this marketing thing for the last 2 months. so what was i doing for those first 10 months?
probably sending spammy emails out without even knowing it.
or writing badly written ebooks that didnt ever sell ( true i did a 15 book report) so you see – finally what i wanted to say was that all beginners in every industry makes bad beginner mistakes, and we all were beginners in every industry in our lives.
there was a time when i was in the top 5 kitchen designers in south Africa – if not the best, could i compete today? i doubt it.
i was one of the best hammock manufacturers in SA but now? i am only a fledgling marketer struggling to find my feet online but not giving up, and am welcoming all the thousands of new marketers that will flood the south African market as this is the new way and the "future"
we all are going to stuff up but hopefully get to be a great success in the long run.
you have to admit that you have always known that south Africans are some of the worst SHEEP in the entire world, and it is our job to line them up and to get their money.
Johann Victor said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:19 am
Hi Justin.
So true stick to a reliable source of advice that you get from a proper experts or better wording a engineer of marketing as you can only be called one if you have your degree in engineering same go,s for internet marketers if you have the proof that,s in the poeding as they "say" then only you can at all means be proud to say so……Im a internet marketer.
Well im far from been one I am setting goals for my self to be come one as at the moment im studding for SEO. My source well if any of you would like if any even read this i can tell you were my most and the best source of advise i get for SEO and internet marketing but for know when it comes to simplicity JUSTIN is the best for Internet marketing and follow my other advise of SEO from another expert.
Go well Justin and Dale.
Johann Victor,
Patricia said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:43 am
Hey Justin, be positive man, and give us the solution? The forum about affiliate marketing last time I checked did not provide much incentive to join. That is why I did not join it, because it is hard enough to remember all these passwords, and I did not want another. Apart from that, I am not an affiliate marketer.
The world is a world of abundance, and there is a place for everyone. Also for those who buy crappy and buggy Microsoft products and for Microsoft. In all industries and in all countries you will find good and bad. It is your job as a consumer to protect yourself and invest in yourself, so that you know enough to be successful. Do those courses, even if you learn one thing, it was worth it. I spent a lot of money myself on so called worthless courses, but each time I learned at least one thing. Even if it is the marketing technique used to lure me in to purchase it, or the presenters presentably or whatever the case may be.
You see fellow commentators, there are a lot to learn out there, and even from this blog post itself. Justin if you did the persons course who do not have 10 Facebook friends, and then comment on it, I will appreciate it. He may do like many institutions in which we trust, like the universities, and present information other people produced. So if I should not do his course, then no one should study engineering or for a medical doctor, or Business Management or even Entrepreneurship, because those lecturers do not have their own business. But what they teach are theory that were gathered in very much the same way that the 'social networking' person got his knowledge. The question is, if you like to teach, you do not necessarily like to do what you teach, but to teach, and vica versa.
All I want you to realize is 'think'! and also realize that no one person can teach you everything. Therefore, I might learn something from Justin, as well as learn from that person who think he is a social marketer with 10 friends. The most lessons one can learn from others, are where they fail. Then you simply do not repeat their mistakes!
Because everything we do is marketing, even if the marketer tries to tell you he knows nothing about marketing. If he has success in marketing he knows, and all his words he writes and say is marketing. It is inside of him. Therefore every blog post, every newspaper article, everything out there is marketing.
I can also tell you that ALL internet marketers 'Think' they are gurus, who teach this 'new' way of doing business on the Internet. People, there is nothing new on the Internet. Marketing is marketing, business is business, internet is internet. And people are the common factor in all of this, and they are the ones we try to sell to.
So here is the truth as I see it after doing many IM courses as well as Business Courses: Marketing like Internet Marketing is a study of the behavior of people. The only thing that is new to the Internet, is the systems, and how it helps us to accelerate our business, to get quicker responses, and do proper tracking. Justin you emphasize in all the topics about IM that you need to build relationships. And you are right. That is how it also happen in the offline world as well.
The people on the Internet is the same people that walk on the streets. Unless someone can proof me wrong. But I am the same person at least.
So to know social media, you need to learn the systems. Then do a normal marketing course and you are very likely to know how to make money on the Internet. Think about this also: The owners and staff of Kalahari.net, did not do an IM course, did they? Neither did NetFlorist.co.za. And if they did recently about social media, then it is to understand social media, not people. If you want to understand social media, ask your 10 yr old some questions, and then you add some common sense, and then you do not need to do a course. Your other alternative is to do the course, because if you pay for it, you might be more likely to act on it and take the presenter serious, because if you do not, why did you pay for the course?
In summary, what I tried to say is the more things change, the more they stay the same. There are universal laws, which govern all of this. You need to know these laws, and then the word niche will be just like any other nonsense out there. We need to filter the truth from the crap ourselves, and not expect others to do it for us.
But maybe I am wrong
Werner Wichmann said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 9:44 am
Hi Rob,
Don't know if you have this yet, but check out Justin's Split testing guide…
http://www.splittestmasterguide.com.
Werner Wichmann said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 10:19 am
Hi Rob,
by the way rob, no doubt that the guy from last night can Do Adwords very well. It just pissed me off that false/uninformed information about proper Search Engine Optimization is supplied in order to punt Adwords.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 11:16 am
Johan, I really encourage people to learn from as many credible sources as possible, that's what I did – my only issue remains as you pointed out people claiming they are experts before they have actually earned their title.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 11:29 am
Patricia, you’ve made some very salient points, and as I have responded to others on this thread, I encourage your to learn from as many credible sources as possible, that’s what this business is about, it’s a never ending journey of learning and discovery and I certainly did not get where I am today without subjecting myself to that process.
I will repeat my point however, just because you can hit enter on a keyboard and signup for twitter does not make you a genius, the genius part comes when you prove and deliver the results.
Part of the problem we have coming is that we have a crap load of teachers in this market and very few actually doing… that’s a bit like an army full of captains and no soldiers – or as I said in my post another ponzi scheme in the making.
By all means learn, study, and gather knowledge, but at some point just like in the real world you need to get of the bench and take action.
I am an old school businessman, for me results speak louder than words, and above all else I believe in keeping things simple and focusing on my clients, and that’s why I have succeeded.
malcolmp said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 1:12 pm
It is assumed that Internet Marketing does not need any money to start receiving an income. Low barrier to entry = many fools entering the market = people don't have a clue what they are doing and expect the tree to start shedding it's money leaves into their garden.
It will get worse, as the economy keep dipping (expected in the rest of the world excluding SA), so will more people – who have a PC and can press the "Enter" key – flood the market.
Some will follow people with good advice, and others will follow the not so good advice givers!
Go Dale you have earned your stripes!
Arthur C. Van Wyk said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 4:09 pm
Would you not say that youngsters going around calling themselves gurus and experts is the same as you losing that container full of laptops?
You follow the path you believe is the right one because – firstly – that path has not been traversed extensively enough for anyone to be able to teach on how to walk it; and secondly – everybody that actually do teach on the the little they can on the subject of internet marketing charge an arm and a leg for information that is really available for free.
People do things because they have no one to show them how it's done.
Compare downloading a gang of e-books at R29 per GB to flying to Cape Town – which cost money – AND PAYING to attend your seminar. Now I know you're good. I've heard about your work from quite a few people here in KZN, but you have to put yourself in other people's shoes from time to time.
This industry is very young. Very few of us have had the privilege of being online since the days websites were just grey backgrounds and text cobbled together with the most basic HTML. So what we're seeing is the equivalent of a goldrush. The gurus and experts have not seen the medium evolve. When they wiped the sleep from their eyes it was there – as we know it today, and all they see are the opportunities to capitalise on whatever they can before the rest of the world catches up.
I'm not defending anyone. I've just had 5 years to sit on the sideline, watch the web evolve and watch what everyone is doing.. hence my assertion above.
Dale said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 4:37 pm
wow – awesome post . A lot of what you said is so true. At the end of the day it all boils down to people.
Heath said,
Wrote on January 28, 2010 @ 7:41 pm
Very good statement Justin, being very new to the Internet Marketing space I'm glad and somewhat blessed in a way that I'm learning from the best.
Now that I'm in this space I am automatically tuned into the frequency and can hear every does and his dog preaching about the IM space, and quite frankly it's nauseating because these people pray on the uninitiated and weak. I would love to see them taken down – it's JUSTICE.
I do like the blog Dale, nice Job…will definitely spend some quality time there mate.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 11:08 am
Arthur you make some very good points, points that I have continually pushed across this blog and continually taught to everyone who has ever asked me about this business… this business is not easy, its not all fast cars, hot chicks and yachts, and anyone who knows and follows me will tell you that I have always said that you need to live below your means and get your mind off the material garbage and onto business.
Have I dipped my big toe in that pond of persuasive material perception as you intimate? I guess if you’re an outsider to my world… maybe… but again if you follow me and actually take in my content, you will know that the answer is absolutely not.
Do I drive a Mercedes Benz… yes and I am proud of it and I accredit those 18 hour days to it every time I set foot in it….
Am I busy building my dream home,… yes and I always accredit those 18 hour days to having the opportunity to dream so big….
Have I just purchased a boat to return to my beloved sport of waterskiing… yes and I accredit those 18 hour days to being able to do it….
Do I enjoy some of the most breath taking scenery whilst touring the bush on my KTM motorcycle… yes and I always accredit those 18 hour days to being able to do it….
AND MUCH MUCH MORE – and I earned that right through sheer sweat, blood and tears.
So why do I post some of those things (not all, infact not even a fraction) to facebook, Youtube, twitter and the likes… is it to brag, inspire others or simply spread the word hey look at me I am a big rich internet marketer and you should buy my products…
NO… it’s because Arthur I am proud beyond words of my accomplishments,
and there are many many people associated with my life… clients, friends, staff and suppliers who actually like to catch a glimpse of my personal life, who find value and inspiration in my life and genuinely want to see me continuing to grow… its called sharing!
Why did I hop on a plane at a moments notice to see Dale with his first Mercedes Benz, and why did I show the world… I’ll tell you why pal, because Dale and I have spent every waking moment earning that goal over the last year, and I am proud beyond words (like a father over his child’s accomplishments) that he got there… its called sharing!
But I hear what you say, sometimes perception is stronger than fact, and you are 100% correct about that, and yes we have all in some part contributed to this monster… the question is what have you got planned in 2010 to change that?
I personally have 2010 all planned out for the SA Internet Marketing community, and yes I plan to change a great deal of how things are done and perceived.
Arthur Charles Van Wyk said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 11:14 am
I think one of the root causes of the “internet marketing guru” syndrome is how internet marketers market themselves.
They have videos of themselves in nice houses, driving their SUVs, sitting at restaurants or on powerboats – all supposedly acquired via whatever it is they do for money. The only person I have thus far seen doing marketing related videos at an actual client’s premises is David Meerman Scott.
Yes I haven’t seen every single internet marketer’s video collection, but most of them deal or very subtly sneak in the materialism or what they call “lifestyles” that go with being involved in internet marketing. Nobody shows the hours they spend doing keyword research, competitive analysis or setting up affiliate accounts and actually implementing a proper social media campaign.
You yourself play your cards very close to your chest Justin, and I’ve seen a video of you showing off your house and the piece of land you still plan to build on.. so I believe that all of us that are involved in using the internet as a marketing, promotion or communications medium are actually guilty of being the Dr. Frankensteins that created this monster.
Instead of just talking about the resultant material output, we should start flaunting the late nights, the days without proper sleep and nutrition, the complaining spouses and the many hours spent reading and studying. Let’s start showing off HOW we went from zero to the Mercedes Benz and not just the Mercedes Benz.. perception is way more powerful than reality.
JustinHarrison said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 10:10 am
Well I think comparing the loss I suffered with the laptop business to people (not just youngsters) running around calling themselves gurus is a bit of a stretch – but OK I'll bite for a second…
I do kind of hear what you are saying, and I accept your point of view, however my point will always be this:
We are in a results driven industry, not some airy fairy space like the traditional advertising and branding space where measurable results are difficult at best. So I will always judge the foundation of people’s advice on the result they deliver.
If you tell me Arthur that you are a social media marketing expert (just as an example) but your key social profiles have a poor following, that makes me wonder and I am more inclined to follow someone who has actually got the results.
Do you see what I am saying… there is a big difference with self proclaiming something and actually doing?
As for you point about people paying to attend my Internet Marketing Brunch VS, spending time downloading eBooks for free, I think you are missing a couple of key points in your assumptions and decision making process.
1. The information I am sharing at the brunch is not available in the public domain, I am specifically speaking to people about my business strategy for the next two years as a result of changes we predict are going to happen.
2. The information you get in eBooks can be very valuable, but they are almost always written after the fact, that’s where this Brunch is so valuable
3. The Brunch provides you one thing your R29.00 a gig downloads can’t, and that’s one on one interaction with not only me, but also real people in the business and that means real networking.
And lets be honest our industry needs more "people time"
MJGilchrist said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 10:38 am
ROFLOLPIMP… or for the less IM literate… I'm busy rolling on the floor laughing out loud whilst pissing in my pant(s)!
That was a GoOOoD post Justin and Sadly all so very true. I'm tired of hearing from all the Internet Gurus that have been so called "GURUS" for a total of a few months.
Who the hell labelled them Gurus in the first place? Oh – yeah – I forgot: They're all Self-Proclaimed Gurus.
All newbies following a guru at the moment take this down:
"Anybody proclaiming to be a Guru is definitely not one. Real Gurus don't boast about being a Guru, their Actions speak louder than Words or hastily constructed websites."
Still grinning
Geoffrey Gordon said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 1:04 pm
Justin great post, very truthful and I daresay probably close to reality. I have been in computers all my life, been designing for about 3 years and still have a ton to learn. Results are the bottom line in my industries. Probably more than 50 percent of designers in my field are part time, " thought i could make a quick buck" providers, who don't have the guts to actually start their own business.
Too often I get jobs to redo website, more than first timers. The sad thing is the designer before did a overpriced job with zero thought of whether the website is geared to be found. They don't listen the client often telling them things cant be done, because they don't know how to get it done.
I admire you Justin you walk your talk, I am in the trenches learning and want to be one of the best at what I do, but recognize that will take many years and a persistence to be innovate, learning and taking feedback. Admittedly i have run a few twitter talks, but all of which i was invited to in the first place and all I did for free to help educate the growing number of new business owners arriving on the internet.
Results speak the loudest, the rest just gets fizzles out.
Joan said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 2:06 pm
Hi Chris,
Sorry to get you here, but I went to the forum site for affiliates and am very sorry to see this has been closed down due to lack of use and support.
Those sh1ts that used your forum for spam, well what can one say – desperately trying to do good clean business and you have to tolerate people who are always non-existent except to muck up something good.
So now on a Friday pm when I try to visit the forum – I am going to join Justin being just plain and simply pissed off….
Thanks for your efforts at the moment I am trying to get everyone united. Using Facebook where affiliates can post and answer each other and those that want to mess that up you can get them evicted. Really hope that works, but I have said from the outset – the group will be closed down if it does not work out.
Joan said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 3:34 pm
Your last paragraph makes me smile again, this is good news and to have Dale with teaching and helping, maybe, just maybe we will start moving forward.
I totally agree with Patricia – too many blowing hot wind. Nothing can get me off of a site quicker than a long winded "look at all that I have", and I did it overnight 24/7 Ja Ja, all I can say is hopefully we are not so stupid as to fall for that BS.
Kerie said,
Wrote on January 29, 2010 @ 9:43 pm
I love reading your blog everything you say is so true. I am still learning and keep telling people I am only learning. Be honest that is the key. I have only made a few cents online so how can I be a guru. I am an ex-teacher of IT and a qualified programmer but I get clients asking me to build servers, I keep telling them it is not my field but they say "but you qualified in IT you should know this stuff." So, with that argument anybody that uses facebook, should be a guru on it. Yeah right.
I wish I was in South Africa when you do your brunch but hey maybe next time.
Then I could meet some great people that know their stuff and not peddling stuff that is old and of no use today.
Cheers
Kerie
luisteixeira said,
Wrote on January 31, 2010 @ 5:13 pm
Wow I cannot believe all comments that are coming through on this post that Justin wrote. I think everybody that has left a comment on this subject has some valid points. I would like to make people aware of what exactly Justin is trying to say.