Fact vs. Fiction in the Guru Biz
People are suspicious of gurus.
As well they should be.
One of the biggest reasons to be suspicious of gurus is that if most of their followers don’t actually follow through on their advice, everybody just assums it would work if actually carried out but if nobody implements, nobody’s the wiser.
While I was reading Joe DiSorbo’s “rant from a frustrated estudiante“, my neurons dredged up an old Amway story. One time I was at this regional rally, there were maybe 300 people there. Somebody on the stage said, “I want everybody who showed the plan 15X or more last month and [I think there were a couple of other criteria, like listened to a tape every day and did their 100 points of volume that month] to stand up.
Out of 300 people, there were two people who stood up: me and one other guy. That’s it.
I knew him. He was a lot like me – an exemplary student, working real hard, following instructions to the letter, and so far as I could tell, not getting the kind of traction he really needed to get either. Clocking in the miles and not seeing results.
I was beginning to wonder if this thing worked at all, and I remember thinking, “Hmmm, even if this thing doesn’t really work like they say it does, there’s only two people in the room who actually know it: me and him. So long as everybody else thinks this works, they’ll just keep buying tapes and coming to all these rallies and never be the wiser.”
Which is exactly what Joe is talking about in his rant – people selling air instead of selling results.
See, if most people never do anything, then it’s much, much easier to sell pixie dust and unicorns and fairy tales than to sell things that actually work. All you have to do is issue a refund to the 5% who actually try it and determine it doesn’t work. You still get to keep the other 95%. There is an entire class of ‘mail order buyers’ who purchase information like this and never use it…who have been deliberately cultivated by their preferred gurus to behave that way.
If I were willing to do that, life would be a whole lot easier. for a little while. The problem with that is that eventually it does catch up to you. Eventually everybody does figure out it’s all smoke and mirrors and the whole thing comes crashing down. And in the long run, I would attract losers and wannabes to myself rather than peak performers. I wouldn’t have the privilege of working with the Roundtable members and cutting edge online marketers like Bullock and Ari and Glenn. (Oh, I forgot to mention – Joe did purchase Glenn’s system, thank you very much, and he’s going to have an intern implement it. Competent intern, no problem.)
I wouldn’t be on the leading edge, nor would I get emails like this one… let’s grab the most recent one in the folder. Came in on Wednesday:
Perry,
Just thought I’d take a moment to say thanks for the advice I’ve received from you this past year and a half. I had one VERY expensive adword campaign before I ran across your coaching information and put it into practice.
When I got started with your advice, we were launching a brand new church in Fort Wayne. Most of the time, churches start with just 50-60 people. Sometimes, when a guy really has a grip on marketing (I have an MBA in it), a church might launch with 200 or so folks.
Last September 2005, with the coaching we received through your materials, like the Definitive Guide, not only did our costs drop dramatically so we could use the excess funds in other ways, but our church launched with 579 people on our first service. It has been soaring ever since.
In fact, since then, several businessmen in the community have approached me to help them launch adwords campaigns.
And, the success from those businesses actually led me a few months ago to start a company that specializes in putting adwords campaigns together for small to mid-size businesses (the ones that Marketing Sherpa reported are either being shrugged off like fleas on a dog or not even bothered with at all).
Anyhow, I’ve figured out a profitable way to set up campaigns and run them for guys who want to get started and find the success I’ve discovered. Of course, I am constantly refining the process, which is what led me to
looking at your latest stuff… which I discovered I had bought twice!Well, I thought I’d just take a moment to thank you. The church is soaring, my new adwords firm is taking off quickly, and life is good.
Thanks,
Ray R. Harris
Lead Pastor
The Pointe Church
and now CEO of
SitePropeller, Inc.
http://www.SitePropeller.Com
Is marketing guru-dom all it’s cracked up to be? I for one am not complaining, but as I’ve said in other times and places, I’m definitely a cat on a hot tin roof. When your job is the dissemination of fresh ideas, then buddy you’d better be producing good stuff, consistently, month in and month out. I remember a conversation with Jonathan Mizel about some of his ‘side businesses’ and he said, “I finally got sick and tired of my students making more money than I was.” Which is why he doesn’t keep a high guru profile anymore. He makes a lot more money hiding in his cave and quietly, invisibly, selling non-info products to non-info marketers.
As a matter of fact I couldn’t tell you what his websites are even if I wanted to. He does it all under the radar. In the vastness of the Internet, there are a lot of places to hide. Let’s be frank: You generally make a lot more money keeping secrets than you make revealing them. Doesn’t that kind of make sense?
Can you hire Mizel? Yes, I’m sure you can, if there’s enough money in the deal. But don’t show up with ten grand and expect him to play ball, ’cuz he won’t. Can you hire me? Yes, I’m sure you can. But there’d better be a very realistic possibility of generating a half million dollars or more, and if the $363.00 half-hour consultation makes you blink, you’d better look elsewhere. Oh, and I have to like what you’re doing. If my gut doesn’t feel cozy about it, no dice. (More about that in a little while.)
The Art Factor.
Joe’s right, a lot of people disguise the art factor as systematization. But there is an art factor. Case in point: Can I hire somebody to write my own monthly newsletter?
Absolutely not. I doubt it would ever sound like me, no matter what whiz-kid writers I hired to write it, and no matter how much money I paid them to write it. Some years ago a big publisher sold a bunch of subscriptions to a brand new newsletter, to be written by a very famous business guru, who in the 2nd or 3rd month of publication decided he
didn’t really feel like writing a newsletter every month. They attempted to get the thing ghost written but the whole enterprise soon hit the skids. Their only recourse was to issue refunds to everybody.
Could I teach people how to write my newsletter? Well, I might be able to teach you how to write your newsletter but I could never teach you how to write mine. Why? Because my newsletter is me on a piece of a paper. Your newsletter is you on a piece of paper. That is not replicable, not duplicatable. Yes, there is definitely an Art factor in marketing.
BUT…and this is a very big but – the Art Factor is NOT the thing that holds most people back.
What holds most people back is not the Art Factor, but the fact that they simply do not put one foot in front of the other and execute. If you’re going to be a marketing guru, yes, the Art Factor is probably crucial to your success. In the “Marketing Guru” market all your competition is absolutely razor sharp, they’re all in it because they’re obsessed and fascinated with the human psychology and with the game itself. If you don’t have a personality that stands out, you don’t stand a chance.
Who else in the marketing biz has a good print newsletter? Let’s see, there’s John Carlton…there’s Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer… You wanna play in that sandbox, be my guest. Meanwhile I might suggest that there’s less contested real estate to be had out there.
But most markets are not that way. Most markets have zero prime quality newsletters, not three. In most markets, it’s “In the land of the blind, the man with one eye gets to be king.” Like where I came from, the industrial market – you only needed to have a little bit of personality to stand out.
Perry Marshall
Hello Perry,
This is the first time I’ve left a comment…… just about anywhere!
As a person very new to internet marketing (less than a year)I’ve simply not been drawn to commenting on almost anything I read re internet marketing.
I find what you write, is to the point, insightful and intelligent.
Very refreshing.
Thank you for being a part of my ‘internet education’
Best wishes
Michael
I am greatful to find someone who is willing to let the truth be known. Subjective information is readily available.. I am thankful to find someone like you online.
I am one of those 95% (hard to admit) but I do know that in my heart I want to help people and do it online somehow & make legit money. The world online has so many things “to-do” and to learn that at times it is hard to decide to do what you need to do because it’s hard to know where to start or if the advice given is a bunch of fluff.
Thank you for illuminating me to the fact that to be myself, do my best and keep working by looking for strong leaders like yourself.
Perry, I have to say this is a great post and very realistic. I am not and don’t want to be a guru, but I do like to help people. I read quite a few forums and like you, see complaints and bad mouthing going on and some gurus do deserve those comments. I also think that the people doing the complaining do not realize it was their choice to purchase a product with the unrealistic expectation that it would make them rich without any work. It doesn’t matter that most of the gurus say you can make money without any or very little work. Yes that is an emotional button but people need to get a reality check that to make money requires work and some amount of effort. The systemization is to automate as much of the work as possible so you work less, but you still need to work.
To all those who want to make it to the millionaire status, you must work and keep learning, find the good gurus (Perry is one of them), follow the steps, engage in forums and get answers to what you don’t know along with coaching if needed, and systematize as much as possible. To sum it up in four words “You must take action!” If you do this, then before you know it you will be in that millionaire status.
BTW, I am one of the most, if not the most skeptical people on the face of the planet. This business really does work.
Hello Perry,
Like many others here, I don’t comment often and when I do, it is only when the content is moving and truthful. I find you to be refreshing in a market that is swimming with sharks. I too have felt like Joe, but being the eternal optimistic that I am, it is unlikely that I will ever give up on my goal of making a living on the internet. Interestingly, without any effort on your part other than this letter, you have convinced me to purchase your latest book on Adwords. Straight answers are not so common on the net today, because everyone seems to be snake oil salesmen after a quick buck. It is no wonder that you are so successful. I dream of achieving your status someday. I’m glad I signed up for your emails. Keep up the good work, Perry and I’ll get back to you on your latest book.
Sincerely,
Jim
Perry,
I love the way you write. You should be a filmmaker and happy birthday by the way.
I share many of the thoughts you have about Gurus and the word is so misunderstood, misused and abused and I always have this sneaky feeling that for most, they still leave something under the covers that they don’t reveal.
The more I study internet marketing the more I realize that in some ways there is not a lot of difference between an on line and off line business.
Your product has to be solid and offer real and tangible benefits to your customers.
You have to provide rock solid support.
This is why I’m so unenamored with people running around twittering…….it is just seems so gimmicky and it creates a bunch of phony, baloney, fake marketers. Sorry for ranting.
You’re top of my appreciation list and again happy b-day.
Hi Perry.
Just want to tell you that, what ever I read about your Information`s, PPC Google Adwords or advise in Internet online Business, has helpped me allot and I appreciate your efforts very much.
Thank you a million times for that.
Peace
Rena
Perry, If it were not for you I would not have stuck
this out. Your consistant encouragement have help
me up until I do believe I am starting to walk now
and I am excited.
I have never doubted that you were trust worthy as
your compassion shows through your letters and the
time you spend on people.
You seem to be the backbone in my business and I do rely on you. I hope to help people in my time.
And thanks again for being there for us.
Carol
Hello Perry,
I do enjoy reading all your posts,emails etc. I am still a relative newbie in this IM game i am more comfortable in my own zone “comunity management Systems” I have several community websites . I hope that i can catch on better to how all this stuf works so i took can be a guru oneday until then i will keep plugging along.
Kind Regards,
John S
Perry-
I want to thank you again for your encouragement. Sometimes I feel that you are the only one (besides my wife and kids) rooting for me to succeed.
Keep it up!!
Ted
Hear, Hear. I ran into that once a guru you mentioned a while back on Twitter of all places, he was spam promoting crap. Go figure. Eventually I will get where I want. It isn’t guru status, I’ll leave that yo those more humble than I. Lol. Thanks & thanks for the people you hire and hang out with. (And thanks for Cosmic Fingerprints, too!)
~Mark
I may have this wrong, so forgive me…There is a chinese proverb that says something like:
“The journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.”
In other words… get of your arse…and begin the journey. You can plan, pack your bags, get the travelers checks and all that stuff but until you step out the front door… you haven’t really started the journey.
Sometimes we feel like we started but we really haven’t.
The most important step is the first.
-rs
p.s. – good stuff. keep it up.
Perry–
I think the “system” *IS* complicated and takes a very long time to implement, and that all of that work has to be done before you get to the point where you can see if you have the “art” in you. But I recognize that setting it up is the first 90% of the work and if it turns out that I don’t have the 10% art, well I should still be able to get 90% of the expected results.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself as I “eat the elephant one bite at a time.”
And Perry, where your stuff is probably the most valuable to me is that by showing up in my Inbox every so often, I am getting periodic reminders to keep chewing.
Now that was refreshing! I come from a technical software development background and find learning how to build an Internet business that includes reasonable marketing a challenge. Right now I am putting one foot in front of the other implementing step by step. It has been a real challenge trying to figure out who to pay attention to. Thanks!
Hi, Perry.
Thank you for doing something that inspires you. When I first started online I was told to pick something very specific to sell that I liked. This was FAR too little information for someone starting out. There are millions of products I could market, but I really didn’t want to be an online ‘salesman’, selling products I knew nothing about.
I started to see the endless information available to help make money online. A lot of it brought me to landing pages a mile long, which ended with a lot of pressure to give money or suffer the dire consequences of failure. I also found a lot of free or nearly free resources, all the price of my email address.
I knew what to do to build a website, I just didn’t know how. What makes others successful and not me? What do I write when selling something anyway, and why do I sell one thing more than another. Then some simple, fundamental information came my way. Find something I’m an expert at. I don’t need to have done it professionally or have credentials. Just something I know a ton about. The answer then was easy, and ‘working’ became a joy. When I bombed a couple adword campaigns I found you on the internet. Thank you, Perry. I am shocked how much BASIC information I’ve got from you. Most of the emails I get are shameless selling tactics. Yet, the emails I get from you are always packed with encouragement, advice, and good quality information. I have learned more from your emails than I find on most websites.
Keep me on your mailing list.
Cheers!
-Ambre
Perry,
Since first using your information six months ago to start a new online project, sales have literally doubled every month (and still rising!). Yes it is difficult at first to get your head around the ton of info available and fit the pieces of the puzzle together. It’s like studying a new subject. Nothing makes sense at first but then the haze clears and the pieces start to fall into place. This can be a stressful time for beginners as it was for me. Add to the fact the anticipation of receiving even more info the following month and the puzzle of having to decypher that and fit the pieces to the puzzle and see if they work too- im sure this can all become too much for some. Perry, you deserve the status and respect and im sure you are an inspiration to other entrepreneurs like me who sometimes do need that ‘buddy’ who will pick you up and push you along when you fall on the entrepreneurial battlefield!
The marketing business is tempting and I have to keep telling myself, stick with whats working. Find the niche you can dominate with ease at first and take it from there. Does anyone else feel this same pulling temptation into the marketing management business?
James,
Great to hear from you! Yes, the Internet is full of ENDLESS distractions and opportunistic people are tempted constantly.
I hope to meet you sometime-
Perry
Thanks from Panama.
I´ve been subscribed to your letter for a while. Though my mother language is spanish I literally devour your emails and post. I have a small trainig and consulting firm here in Panama, and I ran a 15 years old itinerant preaching ministry.
So when I read the story of the pastor who also runs a company (shown in one post comments)I really felt peace in my heart.
It was really impressive for me that you sent to me the cd on the 21 guerrilla marketing strategies, and FREE. Amazing! I feel in debt with you, and ASAP I´ll try to collect the money for adquiring your products.
For now, I´m trying to show gratitud by following your advices the best I can and step one foot after the other. You will be in my prayers.
Excellent! Wonderful! It is a pleasure to read such clear prose. Very helpful in my ongoing IM education.
Thank you.
Just as I’m ‘re-reading’ this post, on tv no other than forest gump…
Forest Gump Marketing Classic..
Mamma says..
“Don’t let anyone else tell’ya they’re better tha ya Forest..
If God wanted everone to be the same (Opportunity), they would have given everyone leg braces!”
This is a great example of how to turn a negative into an advantage – see how far forest went although Hollywood fiction, the best example is a real life example..
Maybe we should all relate and embrace the ‘FOREST’ in ourselves and take advantage of that!
Nameless.. ;O)
God Bless!
Perry,
Thanks for helping me learn to put into words the challenge of being tempted with “every new shiny toy”. I apreciate the guidance.
Sam
Greetings Perry,
Many, many thanks for sharing your customer’s letter, and your explanation which followed.
There’s just certain things that you need to come upon on your own, that no one can teach. Believe me, I’ve tried to teach what I do online to close friends and they simply don’t produce my results. People have to come up with their own niches and approaches to marketing it, and refine these approaches via long term testing which is not for the “I want it yesterday” crowd.
Take a real good inventory of what you know and love, and run with it responsibly without compromising your livelihood.
Warmest Regards,
Felix
I need help in trying to get off the ground. Could I get that from you?
see http://www.perrymarshall.com/services
There is a good deal of truth and information in this post.
Thank you for this post.
I run when I hear guru.
It seems that everyone has some program or software that will make you tons of money if you just purchase it.
Since I do not do affiliate programs and state that all of my copy is 100 percent original, most of the stuff is useless for me.
Being online for some time and trying to establish my business online, I find that I have to do it the old fashion way, hard work and learning things on my own.
I have learn a good deal by reading books, and trial and error. I am skeptical about most programs and software hype.
Before I spend my hard earned money on something I look into it very carefully.
Dear Perry,
I am glad that someone sent me to your site. The content is convicting – I’m definitely guilty of not implementing, frank, and helpful. I know there is an “art” to marketing and sales. And most of the teachers I have studied with say that the skills can be learned. The skills plus a solid system will produce results if people take action. So, I know that I can do this. Will I achieve massive success? If I put forth a massive effort, I might. Can I, others, achieve some level us success? Absolutely! Thanks for your honesty and encouragement.
Stephen
Hi!
everything is ok, I try to understand the language and system. Thank you for your advises!
Bye
?au!