Okay, so you know that I’m both a marketing guy and a techie guy, right?
I can write copy, put up websites, run product launches, set up shopping carts, install testing and tracking scripts, do my own webmastering work, and install programs (like blogs) when I need them.
Easy. Done it a million times.
Except…
Sometimes it’s NOT that easy. Some things are truly like reading GREEK — especially when I’m doing something new and the instructions aren’t clear — and I find myself in the very same spot that you are in with so many of the marketing and techie tasks you’re faced with.
It’s so FRUSTRATING because you know what you want to do…you know that OTHER PEOPLE have done it…and it just shouldn’t be THAT HARD!
You know what I mean, right? Someone says “just do THIS” and you don’t even know what the heck this IS! Well, last night I had such an experience.
I was installing a program to fulfill my promise to you of putting up some of kind of a directory for you to share traffic with other people. (Remember that conversation we’d been having about generating traffic??)
I’ve found a script that I think will help us do exactly that.
And so I was installing it as a test last night and it took me maybe an hour to follow the steps in the installation instructions. In the scheme of things, that’s not a very long time, but it was still an hour that I spent reading and re-reading every word and studying every illustration to make sure I was doing exactly the right thing.
Well, I thought I did something wrong because once I was done, the thing didn’t work. The site came up, but I couldn’t log in to make all the settings that I needed. “SERVER ERROR”, it said. So, I deleted the whole thing and started over.
Want to know how long it took to do the work the second time?
It was a totally different experience. Now, instead of thinking of every tiny little step in the process, I could think in bigger chunks.
1) Upload files. 2) Set up database. 3) Run the setup script.
BANG.
Done.
Six minutes.
Six minutes versus 60 minutes. Big difference.
Why? Because my FIRST ONE was ALREADY DONE, and now all I had to do was repeat what I knew.
So why am I telling you this? Because getting traffic to your site is probably the same exact experience for YOU.
For example, you might struggle the first time you write an article to market your site:
* You’re CONFUSED about how to write the headline
* Painfully AGONIZING over the introduction
* TRYING to get the voice just right
* WORRYING about every word
* WONDERING how you should end the article
* And what the heck do you put in a Bio Box anyway?
You’re stuck. Hours go by. ARGH!
And then the WORST THING is not knowing if you did the thing right at all! Was this worth your while? Did you pick the right subject? Will it actually WORK to get even ONE visitor to your site?
The indecision, self-doubt and anxiety are really the worst part about all of this, because you don’t know if the hour (or day or week) you just spent was a waste of time, or the beginning of something great.
Yes????
Ah…
But once you get the first one done, and you KNOW you did it right, and you SEE it work…
Ahhh…THEN you know it was time well spent.
And you can easily go on to write your second article. And third, fourth and fiftieth.
And it becomes easier, quicker and you move forward with more CONFIDENCE and less frustration because you KNOW with CERTAINTY that you are doing the RIGHT THING.
Yes or Yes?
Does this make sense to you?
If it does, let me know. Because if it does, then I HAVE THE SOLUTION to your traffic problem.
Take a moment, please…RESPOND BELOW…Can you tell me about an experience — preferably online — when you struggled getting the job done the first time, but once you had your FIRST ONE DONE, it was easy? Have you had that experience yet? Or are you still stuck on that first one for EVERYTHING?
I mean, isn’t the problem always getting that first one done???
Talk to me, please, because I’m pretty darn excited about what I’m about to tell you — next time — if I’m guessing right.
To Your Success,
–Mark Widawer
P.S. An aside, for a moment…please…
Is your product in the self-help or spiritual areas? Do you have a genuine desire and drive to help people? If that’s you, then you might be very interested to know that Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski are planning their next Heart-based Internet Marketing event next month.
Judith and Jim are unique because they’re about the furthest thing from “hype” you’re ever going to find, online or offline.
In fact, we see very much eye-to-eye on one thing — that no matter what business you are in, if you are good and honest and genuinely trying to help people get what they want, or heal a pain, or live a better life, then SELLING IS A “SPIRITUAL SERVICE”.
If you’ve got some time this evening, they’re willing to spend an hour with you to tell you more about their approach to “Bridging Heart and Marketing”. If this speaks to you, then join them free on the phone, or pick up a copy of the MP3 once the call is over.
I’m planning on being at their live event in September. Maybe I’ll see you there.
-M