Focus on a Few Things Well Than the Many Not so Well.
We have to agree that the online marketing world is very complicated. However, when we strip the layers away and view the core elements, they are very simplistic and basic.
The methodology of Affiliate marketing is as basic as it gets.
The idea of promoting or selling someone else's product or service has been around since the dawn of time. You take a product, sell it to a third party, and you are paid a commission for doing so.
I remember a time when there were door to door sales folks that was not too long ago say the 1980s, which is 40 years ago, so I guess that is half a lifetime ago, now.
While at high school, I had a part-time job selling business cards; you would cold call on businesses and promote a line of business cards and stationery; from memory, the commissions were quite good. Probably where I learned the gift of the gab, or could it be that touch of the blarney I am blessed with.
What happened around this time?
There was the emergence of online products and services. The products were delivered to your door, and there was considerable downward pressure price-wise and in a time frame that outstripped the old standard production.
That signaled a paradigm shift that is continuing today; for businesses, they either get with the program and invest online, or unfortunately, they are on a slow burn to extinction.
One of my favorite reflections;
Anyone remember Kodak, they kind of invented photography as we know it and they were there as the march of civilization forged west.
The only trouble was they did not adapt to a changing environment.
The internet, as we know it is 11,210 days old, it continues to expand and shows no signs of slowing down, as technology continues to open new doors.
That initial phase;
Initially, when one comes to online marketing, it can be overwhelming coming to terms with the way the business operates. If you stick with it, something that you may come to observe is that the technology kind of wraps itself around the humans.
As an analogy, most of us drive a car. Many don't have a clue about what is going on under the bonnet. All we have to do is turn on the motor, stick it in the drive, and away we go. We do not forget to push the brakes, of course.
We are blissfully unaware, the " A to B " does all the work we are along for the ride.
There is an evolving issue; technology makes it easy, on reflection too easy, take the creation of websites, for example. In WA, we are lucky to have access to some proprietary assets that enable the effective and efficient creation of a website. So easy, there is the temptation to create another and another.
Without doing the math, it can be so easy to succumb to the fog. So easy to build sideways as more and more elements are added to your online exploration. The energy becomes dissipated.
The math;
How much unencumbered time is available. Free time that is, the time you do not have to spend on other activities?
That is the question we all need to answer for ourselves, that can define the extent of our online position. The trap that many fall into is adding more and more.
The effect is diminishing time and value.
I can become easy to be that guy, and no one wants to be that guy or gal, in a way, it can almost be a rite of passage thing. It can be life; we all try to pack in so much, filling every waking moment. It is kind of crazy.
So on the other side, one of the best things to do when crazy comes for a visit, slow it down, and start focusing on the few and do those few things well.
It is not focusing on the many things that need to be done, zeroing in on the things that create the best outcomes. For bloggers, it is writing, and focusing on that one blog, concentrating on managing the content that is generated; there is a purpose.
I can hear the audience screaming; I have so much to do that is just nonsense.
The strange and counter-intuitive thing that occurs is that instead of opportunities compressing, they expand.
In the beginning and middle, we have to be mindful of how we spend our free time. It is the most precious time we have.
If we are spending it on the many, then we are not getting the best from our time.
If we spend it on the few, we create the many.
If that makes sense, it does to me, and it works a treat.
Thanks for reading, much appreciated.
Alex Evans
Recent Comments
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Yes, totally agree. However, it's hard sometimes, so many ideas and avenues to travel down and explore. That said, I have been mindful not to spread myself to thinly. I have gone down a few cul-de-sacs, turned round and come back onto the main road.
I have a few and I will be concentrating on the two, well maybe three but the thrid is more of an online diary. One is a place where I can go and do all the exploring I Ilke, under one roof, so to speak.
A timely post for me Alex, thank you.
Hi Twack, it can be a matter of working out our own way to engage, it looks like the spinning top is slowing down and becoming more centered.
Nothing like evolving that plan and working that plan, for sure, keep us updated on your progress, Twack.
The hardest thing is drilling down into the elements that are going to create the best return.
Best wishes you have come so far in a short time, well done.
Alex
We are all focused on content and this is the hardest thing. If lax for a week or two traffic diminishes. Second is the promotion of our affiliate products. However, this is not too taxing, once you stick the product link just wait for the results and no one knows when.
That is why content is king that should be taken care of.
That only one thing takes much time. For me I don't want to add more, the more I will not be productive.
Spot on Jimmy you are sorted.
Thank you for sharing.
If we keep it tight, then we build a solid foundation.
Best wishes.
Alex
Very interesting post. You could liken your thoughts to someone firing a blunderbuss where many pellets scatter in all directions withour causing serious damage. compared to firing a high powered, deadly accurate rifle which hits the target and achieves the desired result.
Interesting comment, Lain, range would be the defining element.
Indeed the choice is ours to make, a good analogy.
Alex
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How did I stumble on exactly what I needed to hear? Love it when that happens. I have a whole lot more trouble learning the technical side of this as I have been the consumer for so long. I have learned over the years when the glazed-over look enters someone's eyes, you are either over they're head or boring them or both. I recently advised a friend not to take a vacation into someone else's mind, the streets of mine are very dangerous. I love what you said about crazy coming to town, how do you let it know it has overstayed its welcome?