Internet Marketing

I was out on Gary Simpson’s blog yesterday reading some great content as usual. Like most of you, I not only read the original post I really learn a lot by reading all of the comments generated by the post. I was going through Gary’s latest post Internet Marketing – Alex Jeffreys – Triple Threat Affiliate – Module #6 and I noticed a return comment from Gary to Stephen Bray. They were discussing the fact that everyone has their own unique qualities. Gary listed examples of people who have already started using those unique talents to brand themselves.

Here is a copy of the portion of the post:
See that word UNIQUE – YOU are unique! All you have to do now is display your uniqueness. ie what is your “hook?” Once you can define that then there will be NO stopping you.
Examples:
Gazz-Man – motivation, self esteem, leadership, writing
Paull Hamilton – videos, video production and instruction
Nikki Nixster – ascerbic wit, fun, womanliness, writing
Garry Parkes – leadership, analysis
Hilary Dickinson – writing, quality, orderliness
Linda Caroll – coding, designing, marketing
JT Martin – SEO, JV’s, Giveaways
Alex Jeffreys – Web 2.0 coaching
What do you think? Are these people branding their style? There are others. These just spring readily to mind. Anyone care to add to the list.
Gary

First off I want you all to know that I agree with Gary’s comments. I also agree the people he used as an example deserve to be on that list and I do agree that they are branding their style they have created a hook. What I found disturbing about the list was I didn’t see my name on it. (Now before you quit reading and say to yourself what an arrogant a$$. Please read on.) My first reaction was “Hey I have been helping out and spreading the word, why am I not on Gary’s list.”

I continued down though the posts by the time I went through them all, I was ready to post my comment and oh, boy was I ready to post my comment. I started to write and almost immediately stopped; I sat back in my chair and thought about what I was feeling. The more I thought about what I was feeling, I realize this feeling was very strange to me. You see, I am a very confident person (not arrogant). I am also very unassuming and I believe it is not my job to judge others. I have spent my life helping other people succeed, and with their success comes my success.

Let me explain…

Some may know this and others may not. I have been training in the Martial Arts for over 30 years and have been teaching for over 25. This is not a boast; I only mention this to help you understand where I am coming from. When most people find out I train in a Martial Art, I start to get comments like, “wow you could kill me with your pinky”, or “Ooohhh, I better not make you angry”, or “Show me something?”. Most people don’t understand that Martial Arts is not about hurting; it is a journey one takes to become better person. I tell my parents (by this I mean the parents of training children) and adult students all the time that our goal is to teach both children and adults how to become better people; we use the Martial Arts to do this.

I have been fortunate to train under what I would consider some of the best instructors in the world. My instructors are not necessarily household names, although they all have had one mission, that mission was to promote the Martial Arts and to have their students surpass them. Coming up through the ranks with these types of instructors, my philosophy has always been to create a learning environment where my students can excel and strive to surpass my teachings.

On the other side of the coin I have a Master Instructor (actually 2). This is my teacher, the person that helps me, pushes me, trains me, and helps me to succeed. They have both created an environment of success for their students.

By now you are asking yourself… Thom, what does this have to do with Gary’s comments?

Here is the rub… I forgot something I learned a long time ago, If my goal has always been to surpass my Instructor and at the same time make sure my students have a mentor and Instructor they can learn and grow from, then I have to take a leadership role. Alex Jeffreys has been saying from the beginning people will follow you if you give them value. I know I give my students value, and they are better people for receiving that value. I somehow forgot all of those lessons when it came to being a part of this program.

Up to this point I have allowed others to take the lead. Well starting today, that is no longer the case. Please do not get me wrong, there are definitely people in our group who have gone farther and faster than I have been able to. There are people who know more than I do, who have been able to fail forward faster than I have been able to. What I have realized is, this Journey I am on, that we are all on, is not a sprint, it is a marathon. The people who are willing to do the work to provide benefit and value will be the ones crossing the finish line and if you have ever run a marathon it really is not about who came in first it is about who finished. To give you an example whenever we do a testing at our school we test students against themselves, did they improve from their last test. We don’t test students to some mythical standard (When you snatch the pebble from my hand you will have learned grasshopper), we test them to their abilities and capabilities. We challenge them to exceed what they thought their capabilities were.

Somewhere in all of the coaching modules and homework, I forgot that message. I have been whining about how I can never seem to get it all done. Wrong attitude, lets take a look at what I have accomplished in the last 2 months. I am working with a mentor who also wants me to surpass him, I have a domain, a website, and a useful blog setup and running. I have created to date three videos with four more in the works, I have an eBook in process that will be completed and published before the end of next week, and I have made some great friends who are like-minded when it comes to success.

So to Gary, Thank you my friend for giving me permission to be who I am and to use the gifts I have. I know you understand what I am saying here, for all the rest.

If you have been following Gary Simpson at his site, you now know that Gary is a Martial Artist. For Gary this is not a point on which to boast, it is a fact. Gary is a 7th Degree Black Belt with 40 years of training under his belt (no pun intended Gary). I received my 6th degree Black Belt last year in Korea from my Master. Rank difference aside, I respect Gary and as he knows that is enough for me to bow to his wisdom. (I know you hate that last line Gary). Gary has earned that respect from me; there is a saying in the Martial Arts that you have to respect the belt not necessarily the person wearing it. I respect Gary’s rank, I can not know what it has taken Gary to get where he is but I do know the blood, sweat and tears it has taken me, that aside what is even more important (in my mind), I respect Gary for who he is and what he represents. Gary is the real deal. He tells it like it is, and is a staunch supporter to everyone who is willing to put in the time and do the work, honestly and forthrightly.

Gary had some nice things to say about me in the last issue of Garry Parkes Profit Pulling Project Newsletter. I do not think I have lived up to those words, although starting today I will. Gary watch out, I am no paper tiger and I am no longer a sleeping giant. It might take me longer to get where I am going and the path may be very rocky at times, but I will persevere. It has taken me 30 years to get where I am in the Martial Arts, I have only been doing real (and I stress real) internet marketing for 2 months, just think where I will be in 1 year, 5 years, 30 years.

To all who arrive on these shores, join me in this journey. Next week watch as I unveil two new series, one on leadership and one on sales. I have been selling since I was 14, and I teach sales to associates in a corporate setting. More on that when the series starts.

Thank you all once again for visiting.. Let’s succeed together

Thom

Tags: Add new tag, Blog For Profit, Coaching with Alex, Garry parkes, Gary Simpson, Hapkido, Internet Marketing, Karate, leadership, Marketing with Alex, Martial Arts, Mentoring, profit pulling platform, Thom Swartwood

This entry was posted by Thom on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 9:34 pm and is filed under Learning to Market. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.