How to Think Like a REAL Marketer

I was a little shocked and dumbfounded the other day when a friend dropped a printout on my desk of a program - an ebook - written by another marketer.

The entire program was based on an outline I posted on a discussion board!

Now, I cannot say that this marketer "stole" my idea. It's not so unique that another person couldn't possibly have also conceived the idea.

And whether my idea was the inspiration or not, is not the real point.

If I did get fleeced, I probably deserved it and here are the REAL reasons why:

1. Never undervalue what you know. In fact, what you KNOW - even as a beginner - is valuable to someone. And let's be clear, KNOWING means you've done it - not read a post on a discussion board, or even an ebook on the subject.

2. Look for additional ways to monetize your ideas. Where I have to hand this marketer credit is that he took the same idea, packaged it as a product, and built in residual income streams. These are all things I could have done - but didn't.

3. Ideas are bountiful. Ideas are everywhere. Don't worry about money-making ideas; worry instead about just learning how to make money.

Each of us are in a constant shift and transition, working towards the next level. A lot of us might be trying to just make our first bucks. Others of us are striving for big financial rewards. One of my friends brought in $452,000 in one hour - I know you've heard a similar story about Stephen Pierce bringing in over $1,000,000 in 2 hours.

These stories are true.

I've come to realize for myself that it isn't the "how did they do that" that's the mystery. In essence, they had a good offer and they made an effective sales presentation to a large crowd of people ready to buy. That's it.

The real key though lies in their habits. They create products while others create Adsense websites. They establish relationships while others look for people to pick apart in the forums, largely motivated by their own sense of frustration.

With regard to my friend, he literally had NOTHING to offer just one week before this seminar. NOTHING. We discussed the idea he had and came to the conclusion that it couldn't happen logistically.

Within 24 hours he recalled a conversation he had on an elevator (at a worthless, overpriced Internet marketing pitchfest - being sarcastic if you can't tell), made a 30-minute phone call to a couple of guys with a unique product, put together a presentation and sold over $452,000 worth of the product in an hour.

Now that's masterful marketing - but it's also big money made in a way that most of us are not looking towards. It isn't dependent on a Google algorithm. It isn't dependent on exploiting loophooles that will inevitably be discovered and eliminated.

It's marketing.

I'm sure that I will generate plenty of . . . whatever . . . by what I'm about to say.

Adsense isn't marketing and anyone depending on Adsense as a primary source of income isn't a marketer. The only people guaranteed to make money in that game are the people selling the information on how to make money with Adsense. Not that they don't make money with Adsense; not that I don't make money with Adsense; and not that you may not be making money with Adsense.

But after spending the better part of a year playing that game, with a decent level of success too, I realize it's a long-term loser. I'd be far better off if I'd instead spent my time creating quality products.

And that's why it's OK if I was ripped off. I deserved it and I've learned a valuable lesson in the process. Sometimes a slap in the face, or a punch in gut is exactly what we need.