I read a lot and I like to read about all different kinds of subjects.
Along the way, I’ve discovered that no matter what I read, I always find something I can apply not only to business in general, but also to Internet marketing in particular.
I just finished a truly great book by a guy named Moses Avalon called “Million Dollar Mistakes.” It’s got an interesting subtitle: “Steering your career clear of lies, cons, catastrophes and landmines”
Pretty provocative, huh? Wait, it gets jucier…
Avelon was writing about his experiences in the music industry, but as I told him after I finished his book:
“Moses,
You may think your book applies only to the whackos in the rock and roll business, but I can tell you it applies to every industry I’ve ever had first hand experience with: Wall Street, the real estate lending business, Madison Avenue, movie making and the Internet marketing industry…especially the Internet marketing industry.”
Folks who teach copywriting often emphasize that people are more emotional than rational – and they’re right to do that because it’s absolutely true.
Another way to say this is that people are irrational which is to say they often act the EXACT OPPOSITE of rationally.
Rational people think things through and make decisions that are in their best short and long term interests. Irrational people just act based on how they feel at the moment.
Manipulative salespeople love this. That’s why they sing the praises of “pushing the greed button” and “creating scarcity” and, a big favorite among Internet con artists a year back, “social proof.”
All these forces are real and using them does work – to a degree.
On the other hand, depending on these forces and pushing them too far can – and often does – backfire.
Let’s talk about the “rock star phenomenon.” I was having a chat recently with Doug D’Anna, the reigning “top gun” direct mail copywriter now that Gary Bencivenga has announced his retirement.
Doug’s had a lot of interesting jobs (as many great copywriters have) and one of them was working for the legendary rock and roll promoter Bill Graham. Doug didn’t have a lot of personal interaction with Graham, but one day Graham took him aside and told him:
“Let me explain the essence of this business to you. You take a chance on a group and send them on their first tour.
In the beginning, it’s ‘Thank you Mr. Graham’ and ‘Is this food for us Mr. Graham? Thanks!’
By the end of the tour, they’re smashing the furniture in their hotel suite and turning over the food carts and saying ‘This food is s***. Get it out of here!’
What changed? Their egos blew out of control. And the musicans who act like that? They become life’s losers so don’t take it personally. It’s just part of the business.”
Few of us will ever get the chance to kick over the catering cart in a $3,000-a-night hotel suite after a successful sports arena concert and that’s probably a good thing.
But if you stick with your business long enough and you get a few lucky breaks along the way (and we all need them), odds are at some point you’ll have your day in the sun.
Don’t blow it by letting your ego get out of control and forgetting – and betraying – the people who helped you get where you’re going. In his book about rock and roll, Avelon says it’s one of the most common million dollar mistakes there is. It’s pretty darn common in the Internet marketing world too.
I can almost always predict when an Internet marketer is heading for a fall when he falls in love with manipulation. This is such a reliable indicator you can practically set your clock by it.
Instead of thinking about their customers, their customers needs, and the quality of their products, they start obsessing about how much they can sell and how fast. Once thus obsessing starts, it’s all over. The helpful, clean cut young guy quickly morphs into a drooling greedhead.
When people get into this state of mind, there’s no talking to them and unfortunately, it’s not hard for them to find fellow greedheads who live off each others’ delusional BS like pack of vampire cheerleaders.
Greed has its own logic – and it’s illogical.
Wealth comes from coming up with new ways to serve your customers intelligently. It doesn’t come from plotting with your buddies on how to stampede people into buying things that may very well not be a value for them. The greedheads never seem to get anywhere in the long run. They make a lot of noise. They may even make a lot of money. But somehow nothing sticks. There’s no natural momentum. Their businesses spike and then crash back to zero when their customers eventually wake up and realize they’ve been had.
It’s a million dollar mistake to approach business and marketing this way.
Actually, it’s a multimillion dollar mistake.
Is being a dishonest, sleezebag schemer the only way to make money? Many Internet gurus would like you to believe that.
Here’s someone from the real world of sales and marketing who explains there is a different, better and much more profitable way.
(The audio quality is not great, but OK. Thanks to the magic of electronics, it gets better as the interview goes on.)
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– Ken McCarthy
P.S. For over 25 years I’ve been sharing the simple but powerful things that matter in business with my clients.
If you’d like direction for your business that will work today, tomorrow and twenty years from now, visit us at the System Club.
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