Comparing yourself to the IM greats is an exercise in self-torture.
And yet newbie internet marketers do it all the time.
It's not entirely their fault--they're encouraged to do it by the greats themselves. "Just buy this program; I walk you through it step by step."
OK. But there are some missing things we need to talk about.
Things that will make you cry, if you're an impressionable newbie.
Comparing Yourself On Traffic
Let's talk about traffic.
The market leader will tell you, with all sincerity, all you must do is get people to see your offer.
After all, they do this every day. They have experience with it. They can even afford to pay someone to manage the traffic process for them.
The newbie can't.
In fact, without being previously informed, the newbie has likely invested their last dime in the leader's program without knowing a further financial investment in traffic will be necessary.
The leader doesn't make any money from this, so why talk about it on the sales page? Often the newbie has bought something that is already incomplete and they are unable to get working.
But let's say our newbie does have the additional cash. They can make the traffic investment. All right. Now what?
Despite how easy the leader makes it sound, crafting a winning ad is laborious work.
It takes trial and error. Time. And cash.
You're unlikely to succeed on your first attempts.
What's this? Another opportunity for the newbie to give up. Trying to emulate the leader...but not having the resources of the leader.
Comparing Yourself On Conversion
Now to conversion.
The leader gives good technical advice on how to take visitors and turn them into buyers.
Nothing sinister here.
Except the same trial and error requirement is back in play.
It takes EFFORT to develop a converting sales page.
And again, the newbie is dangerously unaware of this as they listen to the leader confidently prattle on about what has worked for them.
Now let's say a leader has put out a new product.
Accompanying that new product is a new funnel, right?
Except that it's not "new."
The leader has built into it everything he or she knows works...and many resources the newbie simply does not have access to.
Comparing Yourself On Cash
Let's talk cash.
Just one factor...money. And how it makes all the difference in a campaign.
So our leader launches the funnel.
First of all, they get testimonials, feedback, buzz, and hype from friends, enemies, and the lay brethren waiting below for dropped alms with outstretched arms.
Leaders 1, Newbies 0.
Now the advertising appears. Paid ads on Facebook, let's imagine. Ah, the leader has a recognized face. Good for them. And the newbie trying to emulate?
Leaders 2, Newbies 0.
Comparing Yourself On Price
Even if the ad performance sucks--the targeting is way off, the message is a complete mismatch--the leader can force it to work.
Because the leader has guts.
The leader knows they can charge $297 or $497 or $2114 for their product.
The Chicken Little newbie does not have this confidence, and is busy clucking at the ground for a few pennies here and there.
Leaders 3, Newbies 0.
See, the newbie says, "I'll take what I can get," and prices at $47.
And the ad budget runs up against that price point very fast.
Say it's $1/FB click.
Our newbie has to make it work within 47 clicks just to barely break even--in fact, with other costs they're losing money here.
But our leader?
They have all the way to 497 or TWO THOUSAND clicks--two thousand chances, one right after another, that they can well afford--to get that sale and break even.
While the newbie runs out of ad money, ROI room, and "at bats" to convert almost instantly, the leader can keep throwing cash at it UNTIL IT WORKS.
So it takes 1,050 clicks to get a sale? At a $2114 price tag, who cares?
For our cash-rich leader, what's a thousand bucks?
But our poor newbie has taken their bat and ball and gone home long ago.
Leaders 4, Newbies 0.
Game Over.
Comparing Yourself On Mindset
The herd mind really likes easy, free, proven, guaranteed. But the plain truth is that none of these apply to internet marketing.
I'm sure nearly all leaders are genuine in their belief that they can help others. And they can. But the road will not be bump-free as they make it out to be.
So if you're a newbie, stop comparing yourself to the IM greats.
They can do more than you, act faster than you, take the road they know works that you don't know, and much more.
Can you get there?
Do they have much to teach you?
Yes.
But it's not going to be a bump-free ride.
The only way you can compete is on mindset. Get to work on that.
>> Jason Kanigan is a business strategist concentrating on conversion. For a $0 no-nonsense guide to marketing, containing all the things a newbie can put into action today, click here. <<
