Choices (Back To Work!)

It is more than just a little ironic that, considering my slogan for February is "Focus," since the very first day of the month, I seem to be less focused than usual.

In the past I have told new marketers that, in order to make any progress when you begin, you must learn to wear "blinders"* sometimes. Otherwise, you may become so distracted by the continuous barrage of "guaranteed offers" and promises of "instant traffic," etc., that all you do is bounce from one useless promo to another.

While this is true to a point, I now think that it is almost a necessary part of the "new marketer" experience to go through a certain amount of time, trying various offers and being distracted. It's not the way to become successful in the long run, but it does serve several useful purposes.

Number one, it gives the marketer a real feel for the various types of marketing. I have said in the past (in my article, Finding Your Niche IN Marketing) that every marketer has to find what works best for them. For instance, one very successful marketer I know (who allows that his annual income is in the 6 figures), swears by traffic exchanges. I've tried them but have not seen any great success. But that's me. I've also been told that forum-marketing (for lack of a better term), can be a way to market successfully. I have had some success with that. Discovering what works for you takes personal experience. So, for this reason, trying all types of marketing will serve to let the new marketer discover what is THEIR best marketing tool or tools.

Number two, it gives the new marketer a greater understanding of the internet. While that may be a broad reason, it is anything but inconsequential. Since this is to be their "bread-and-butter" the more a marketer undestands, the more they can evaluate new ideas and offers as they come along. In the long run, this can make all the difference in this ever-changing environment.

Plus, with each day of new experience, the process of evaluation will help them make better and more efficient choices. So, though focus is important, here again is another reason why focusing should not be over done. If it leads to making better choices, being non-focused has its rewards, too. --mo
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*For those who don't know, blinders were commonly worn by horses, especially in city settings, in by-gone days when horses were a regular form of transportation. They are still used today in busy situations, as a way to prevent the horse from being unnecessarily distracted or frightened. Blinders are two pieces of stiff leather that attach to the sides of the horse's face, so they can only see straight ahead.