LANGRI'LA - Where My Atlas Shrugged!

Catching the Next Wave!

2007-03-31T22:55:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last posting and I am actually embarrassed for my reasoning for not being more responsible to my blogging commitment. It seems that I have been straddling the fence concerning taking action on the myriad of ideas I have for business ventures. So now as I climb down off of my fence I am reminded of what fence sitting is guarunteed to produce. Splinters!!!
I will say that my time has been mostly spent researching the Internet Market and Internet Marketers in a dire attempt to discover the next new, new thing and get out in front of the next big wave that always comes.....always! We all have witnessed those tidal waves that revolutionized an industry or impacted society in a significant way. And we all wondered from time to time what it would be like to be on of the "lucky ones" that were in the right place at the right time so that minimal effort was required to get swept up and spirited away to that place where dreams are fulfilled and success was not just a word.
Well, after much research and good old fashion"paying attention" to everyday trends I believe that my luck has met my preparation and I have stumbled upon the next major wave that will impact Internet Marketing and Marketers in the most significant way.
It's called Web 2.0 which is the buzz word for "social networking anf bookmarking" which people are starting to talk about but few truly understand. Now this is where I begin to get extremely excited about my prospects.
Stay tuned............I will!

AMBITION OVERLOAD

2007-02-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

I was warned! I new the pitfalls of falling prey to the Gods of Irresistable Interesting Information and that awareness still did not protect me from their lure.
Anyone who travels on the Information Superhighway knows the temptation to take detours down unknown roads only to realize that they forgot their original destination. It's a trap....and it's delusional to think that we are accomplishing anything or getting any closer to our goals because we are soooo busy and have gathered sooo much very interesting information.
....and then those moment of clarity occur where we can painfully see that we haven't accomplished a god damn thing!
INFORMATION OVERLOAD is an infectious disease for any Entrpreneur and a potential killer of the spirit because of its' potential power to delude.
Hours, days and even months pass by with nothing much to show for it except for a bunch of half finished, very promising projects. Great "could have beens" that probably never will be!

THE NEXT MOMENT - DESCRIBED

2007-02-04T01:43:00.000-05:00

Question: How is life like Florida weather?
Answer: If you don't like it then wait.....a moment....as it will definitely change!
I am happy to report that the results of our latest attempt to add members to our Internet Coast Mastermind Group is ALL good! Two new additions introduced themselves at our weekly Mastermind pow-wow a it proved to be extremely interesting and fun. Thankfully they were two very different individuals with unique stories to share thereby adding diversity to an already diverse group.
I just realized that even though we strive to develop intimacy or a level of comfort ability within the group it would be wise for us to beware of complacency as that can be a killer of creativity. It has always been one of my beliefs that moving out of ones' "comfort zone" was necessary to birth new ideas and take massive action on them. So, more succinctly put, "new blood" is not only a good thing but probably vital to a Mastermind Groups' ultimate health and survival.
So welcome Ed and Ron! I hope that you live up to the promise we have for you and that we meet, or dare I say surpass your expectations of what the ICMG can and will do for you.
Stay tuned........

What a Difference a day Makes!!!

2007-02-01T21:05:00.000-05:00

What do you think inspired the adage, "It's always darkest before the break of dawn?" Well I would think that anyone that has been struggling with anything before they had an "aha" moment or realized some measure of success would immediately identify with that statement. If you've ever had the presence of mind to reflect on the moments before and after a breakthrough you might see the great contrast of light, attitude and hope. There is an amazing difference between those moments! .....And I use the word "moments because that's exactly what it is in terms of real time. One moment you might be in despair and the phone rings with a life changing offer that affects your "state" of mind and emotion in a significant way! Can you identify? If you think about it I am relatively sure you'll be able to reflect on one of those moments when the lights came on!
I am sharing the above insight because I have just had a series of mini "aha moments" that I sense will grow into a big aha event.
We have been trying to grow our Mastermind group while attempting to adhere to high standards and ideals as written in our Mission Statement. It was appearing to be a daunting task however we never succumbed to lowering our sights just to fill empty seats. I wrote and re-wrote several free ads in our regional newspaper to lure potential prospects and was getting either a menagerie of colorful characters or nothing at all.
Then, then week the newspaper printed the wrong meeting date, I was inundated with a slew of very interesting, gifted individuals that all seemed to be searching for exactly what we were offering. That is, a group of like-minded, highly intelligent. highly motivated, entrepreneurs that needed a venue for the free exchange of money making ideas and enterprises like they needed a drink a water in the desert!
What a score for all parties!
After a drought of potential Mastermind Group candidates we now are swimming in a sea of opportunity. Before receiving that first call I was trudging through the process of seeking out those rare individuals we had set our sights on and I can tell you that it was looking bleak and getting darker by the day. THEN THE DAWN! The phone rang and rang and the lights came on shining brighter and brighter as the calls continued.
So here I sit, enthusiastically reflecting on this transition when the above adage came to mind. One minute I was trudging through the process and now I am dancing, embracing the moment the lights came on.
So I repeat..."why is it darkest before the break of dawn?" I have no idea....it just is! Enjoy it before darkness comes again as it inevitably will.
Until then....dance!

MY BIRTHDAY EVE

2007-01-19T23:22:00.000-05:00

As I sit here on the eve of my birthday, I fight the temptation to reflect and and conger up something profound. It is obvious that nothing truly significant happens as the clock hits 12:00am officially adding another year, making me another year older. Technically, as one minute flows into the next I can only age one minute at a time but we still place tremendous significance on the adding of another year to our Driver's License. We celebrate the day, sometimes becoming elated and other times depressed. This seems especially true when we arrive at those so-called "decade" milestones such as 30, 40, 50 and so on! It's almost as if we place far too much importance on the ticking clock as it reaches specific plateaus. All of this is certainly compounded by the commercialization of the birthday event by the selling of cards, candy, flowers and the like. all aimed at making a buck. Actually, lots of bucks are made by that imaginary line that is crossed by us all as the clock passes from 11:59pm to 12:00am every year on the eve of our birth day.
Ironically, the clock did just pass midnight several minutes ago officially transforming me from 52 to 53 years of age and I didn't feel a thing. Hmmm, interesting!

EXPECTATIONS

2007-01-18T02:41:00.000-05:00

You would think by know that I should have learned my lesson concerning having expectations when it involves other people. I still combat daily those expectations that I have regarding myself and fail miserably every know and then. Add other people to the equation and I tend to be let down even as I continually lower my expectations again and again.
I usually have the same inner conversation stating the there must be other people that are sincere and willing to behave accordingly. This conversation also contains the commitment to perservere in my search for those apparently rare individuals who are worthy of my trust and respect.
The above revelation comes as a result of the unexplained disappearances of a couple of my Mastermind Group members. I say "unexplained" because they just opted to not show up, not call and not callback concerning our weekly scheduled meetings. I can easily digest people having changes of mind but what I cannot and will not stomach is the discourtesy of not conveying their intentions.
IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?
I THINK NOT!!!
My resolve is to continue my search and shake off the bitterness that haunts me form the past. For if I did bring the cancer of past resentments to my future relationships then I will surely fail before I even begin.
Wish me luck!

MAINTAINING EXCELLENCE

2006-12-09T20:27:00.000-05:00

I'm proud to report that our Mastermind Group is slowly growing, developing into something that just might stand the test of time. But is that enough? Is not dying the same as living a life of excellence? I think not!
Now having formed the nucleus of our Mastermind Group we are entrusted with not only its survival but whether it will flourish magnificently or settle into mediocrity. I sometimes fear that my zeal alone will not carry the load long enough until others also champion the cause. I always wondered what it would really be like if one person's unwaivering belief in excellence could be cloned several times thereby growing geometrically. More simply put, what if every one of my fellow Masterminders matched my enthusiasm and passion beat for beat. I can only imagine the things we could accomplish and collective power we could realize.
Right now we stand at a crossroads with our Group's future in our hands to be molded like soft clay into whatever truth we wish to create. We could be destined for greatness and something that will not only stand the test of time but maintain excellence limited only by our lack of vision and belief that it can be so.
The responsibility is now ours with no one else to blame for the outcome.

MASTERMIND FIELD TRIP - NAP of the AMERICAS

2006-12-07T23:06:00.000-05:00

Last night 5 members of our newly formed Mastermind Group took a quick trip to Miami to attend an event at the amazing NAP of the Americas. I perosnally haven't been there for several years and was quite impressed with how well it has developed staying on the leading edge of technology. I was on the original Information Technology Task Force committee charged with making the NAP a reality. It was a different time (1999-2000) when all thing seemed possible until the infamous "Tech Bubble" burst killing many dreams and stalling many professional lives. The NAP, however, emerged from the rubble managing to navigate the pitfalls that befell many other enterprising projects.
Anyway, our group had a great time first sitting in on an eForensics Roundtable which was both interesting and humorous at times. The highlight of the evening was the tour we took of the facility which was met with a lot of "oohs and aahs" as we traveled from room to room staring starry eyed at the beauty of this technological marvel we were witnessing. I must admit that I did feel a tinge of pride as I reflected on the many meeting we had with the "tech retards" we were challenged to educate on the what a NAP was and why should one be built in South Florida. Whatever adversity we met with was very much worth it as I now stood within its walls.
The secondary benefit of the evening was that I got to bond and share this experience with my fellow Masterminders who were now rapidly becoming my friends. During a few quiet moments on the way home I felt a renewed sense of purpose and vowed to myself to continue to fight for recruiting the best and brightest minds I can find to add to the Group. In addition I also felt even more responsible for not letting our present members slip on their initial commitment they made when joining the Group for my experience has taught me that if they do they then become a cancer that must be removed. Sometimes I need to look upon these responsibilities as "tough love" as it is that rationale that allows me to be OK with making hard choices which sometime makes me the bad guy.
All that aside, I had a great time and look forward to more like it!

MASTERMIND GROUP UPDATE

2006-12-02T21:13:00.000-05:00

Another great Mastermind meeting today. Syeve brought Jack and Nick, 2 new potential members who have agreed to join. It is becoming increasingly clearer to me that we must be very careful who we recruit and ultimately let join as it has a direct and significant effect on the group dynamics and the direction it will self adjust to. We did all agree that the ultimate acid test is what can one "contribute" to not just how they can "benefit" from!
We will meet at a new location as a test and most of us are going on a field trip to a holiday event at the NAP of the Americas this Wednesday.
I'm tires so it's short tomight.
Until nest time....

MASTERMIND GROUP UPDATE

2006-11-26T02:40:00.000-05:00

We had our 2nd meeting of the Internet Coast Mastermind Group (ICMG) today and I am still extremely excited about how it is evolving. Alberto Rodriguez, a recent addition to our group was referred by Steve Crass who couldn't attend as he was away for the holiday weekend. Alberto is from Ecquador and is a Web Designer and appears to be very sharp. Exactly the ideal candidate for our growing group. We all agreed to assist each other in our respective projects, each adding our individual specialties. I will contribute my writing and marketing...Carlos will add his Marketing, SEO and Web work while Alberto will add is web design/SEO skills. We will wait to determine what Steve wishes to contribute.
In the interim, Carlos agreed to build our ICMG site keeping it simple with a cover page and form for interested prospects for membership. Sounds Great!
We will meet again next Saturday and agreed to attend the I-Coast Luncheon on Friday.
Things are looking up!

DOB: 11/18/06 NAME: Internet Coast Mastermind Group

2006-11-20T21:22:00.000-05:00

It's Official! Our Mastermind group is born this day, 11/18/06. We met at the Books-A-Million in Deerfield Beach, Carlos Ayala, Steve Crass and I (Michael Lang). It was alomost everything I had envisioned and hoped for. A nucleus made of like-minded, intelligent individuals that are serious about making this happen....and happen right! All agreed that our power and overall success is predicated on how much we contribute to the greater good and who we wish to attract beyond ourselves.
We will be meeting again this Saturday and have already invited a Web Designer which is exactly what this doctor has ordered.
Stay tuned as more will be revealed!

THE BIRTH OF A MASTERMIND GROUP

2006-11-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

One of my mottos has always been. "lead, follow, or get the f..k out of my way!" So afer looking around for any Mastermind Groups in the South Florida region and coming up empty, I decided to start my own. My experience has taught me that any group must have a strong nucleus if it is going to flourish and have any longevity. I put a notice in the Business section of the Sun Sentinel and hoped for the best.
As the date I set for the first meeting approached and no one called I began to brainstorm on alternate ideas for recruitment. Then it happened! I received 2 calls from interested parties and will be meeting with one of them tomorrow to begin the process. His name is Carlos and he appears to be sharp and expressed a enthusiastic interest in getting involved with the group. I also spoke to Ben who works odd hours and cannot make this first exploratory meeting but asked for a report which I gladly will provide.
It dawned on me after talking with these gentlemen that I would need to define the parameters for the kind of people I ideally would want to populate the group with. My ideal group would be highly intelligent and creative individuals who have at least some experience in the utilization of Internet marketing as the primary vehicle for the promotion and selling of a product or service. It would be great if these people shared a common thirst for leading edge knowledge of marketing trends and methodologies so that we challenged each other, in a healthy way, to vie to be the alpha dog.
I beleive that the group's power and ultimately success will be contingent on our resolve and the benefits that we derive from meeting with each other. Healthy and abundant contribution is a requisite to attract quality candidates. It will probablye be necessary to work these details out with Carlos when we meet tomorrow. The only hope I have is that he posesses those traits described above.
More will be revealed!
Stay tuned....MLL

DEATH AND REBIRTH

2006-11-15T20:35:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Mike Filsaime's new ebook, "The Death of Internet Marketing" which is causing quite a stir on the Net and within the Internet Marketing (IM) community. It describes the present condition of IM, what it has evolved into and where it is heading.
Ironically, the entire premise of the ebook is eerily similar to the things I have been coming to realize, believe and write about in MyAtlasShrugged.com. It is also one of the reasons that have given me pause in initiating some of the strategies I have formulated for my businesses.
As a result of "transparency and reverse engineering" coupled with IM's explosive growth and its incestuous nature, the whole industry had been transformed. Filsaime writes about "product launch overdose" and more specifically, "The October Effect" which describes that over abundance product launches and the effect it is having on the industry as a whole. Without going into all of the details, the gist of the message is that there are now "too many chiefs and not enough Indians". More plainly stated, if everybody wants to be a seller then who is going to be left to buy? If the amount of new Product Launches continues to grow where are the JVs going to be found? It appears that we have and are continuing to paint ourselves into a corner which means there will be a finite amount of opportunities.
So when students become gurus and wish only to teach and point the way then we have a very lopsided world. Wouldn't you agree?

A NEW DAY IN AMERICA!

2006-11-08T20:51:00.000-05:00

Today Americans woke up to a new Country with another opportunity to get it right. If you've been in a cave for the past 24 hours then you might not know that Americans voted and put the Democratic Party back in the drivers seat. Now I am not expecting miracles because politicians are politicians and the political arena has a way of nullifying the greatest of intentions. But what I do feel good about is the system of "checks & balances" that our Founding Fathers instituted in the beginning, still works! I am constantly amazed about how wise and courageous those men were. Wise because they knew that the inherent nature of Man is to seek to satisfy their own special interests. That greed, ambition and power can corrupt the best of us. And courageous because they were not personally swayed by those things and designed a system to protect us from ourselves.
Unfortunately time and avarice has erroded those principles like a river's water on the rocks in its path. Still in all, we have survived and even thrived despite ourselves but I wonder how much American Democracy can bend in the ill winds of self serving interests.
There are 2 things that bother me terribly that I'll now state for the record on this momentous day. One is the failure of our voting system to accurately reflect the will of the people. I obviously speak to the disgraceful so-called "fool-proof" machines used to record and count our Votes. Not to mention the pack of lies the manufacturers of these machines continue to blab. And number 2 is the failure of our elected legislators to adopt campaign finance reform as a result of their unwillingness and inability to police themselves.
Putting this aside for the moment, which I am willing to do...for the moment. I would like to relish this win and make believe that it will truly make a difference when all of the dust settles.
Congratulations America!

BACK TO BASICS

2006-11-01T20:03:00.000-05:00

I been told oh so many times that you don't have to get "Back to Basics" if you never gave up their implementation in the first place. In other words, you don't have to "get back" to anything you never left to begin with. It has always seemed like a simple directive and one easily followed but life, or just old habits, intervene to move me away towards more complex behaviors. Put another way, I tend to fuck up every now and then.
Why is that? Why do we not just continue to use what works for us instead of mindlessly (and sometimes with great forethought) experimenting with a winning formula. If you're waiting for an answer you're going to be waiting a long time. I decided to only ask questions tonight. You know, keep things in the interrogative?
B'de, b'de, b'that's all folks!

COURSE CORRECTION DAY

2006-10-28T22:06:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I need to slow down, mentally climb above it all to attempt to give myself a new, more realistic view of it all. It is so easy to get wrapped up in it all, especially as an Internet Entrepreneur whereby I spend a lot of my time alone, sitting in front of the laptop exploring and creating new worlds.
So today seems to be one of those. Clean house physically, mentally and spiritually is a refreshing experience but usually, like most things, appreciated after the fact.
So I clean, prioritize and discard the old and that deemed useful no more. My thinking use to be, when in doubt, keep it...JUST IN CASE! Can you identify? Now my new, more improved thinking is when in doubt, throw it out....it even rhymes!
Tomorrow I shall chart my new course based upon a re-thought vision of what I want my organization to look like, function and represent. The magic, I believe, will come as a result of clarifying the vision...the more specific I can be the easier it will be to navigate my way there.
Wish me luck!
Mike
as My Atlas Shrugged

TRAFFIC'S DOMAIN NAME AUCTION

2006-10-27T20:03:00.000-04:00

WOW! That's all I can say about the Domain Name auction held today at the TRAFFIC Conference at the Westin Diplomat Hotel. They auctioned off over 300 domain names for some extraordinary sums, some for well over a Million dollars. It started at 1:30pm and I had to leave for an appointment at 4pm with just over 100 names already pitched by the Auctioneer. The event was sponsored by Monte Cann's company, Moniker.com and they did a great job! The Auctioneer was extremely entertaining as he exibited a great sense of humor. When I left the most money spent for a single name was $1.5 million for "Cameras.com". There were other that were rumored to draw more than that so I am eager to log on and see the results. It is amazing that all of this "virtual real estate" goes for the premium prices that it does. Remember, that all of the domain name originallty sold for under $10!!!
Only in America?
Mike
@ www.myatlasshrugged.com

TRAFFIC DOMAIN CONFERENCE 2006

2006-10-25T20:06:00.000-04:00

DAY 1 - Today is Day 1 of the 2006 TRAFFIC Domain Conference & Expo being held at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hallandale Florida. For those of you unaware of South Florida geography, Hallandale is the first city north of the Miami Dade County line and its just south of Hollywood Florida. The new Diplomat Hotel is amazing and I was just told today that it is the most expensive hotel built (I believe) in the U.S. Whatever the case, it's beautiful!
I attended several of the scheduled panel discussions which consisted mostly of Domain Industry related content.
I am excited about the upcoming Domain Name Auction being held at the event. They anticipate generating big dollars at the auction and I mean millions. I did hear an interesting tidbit about a name that might be put up for auction. As most of you know, the company YouTube.com was recently sold to Google for $1.68 billion dollars. Well it turns out that that there is a company that has been in existence since the 1990s called Utube.com which specializes in buying and selling used metal tubing and such. As a result of YouTube.com's explosive success, the other company, Utube.com has seen its daily traffic increase several thousand-fold resulting in their hosting company shutting down because they could not accommodate the surge of hits! So now it seems that Utube is exploring suing YouTube and Google for domain name infringement which obviously has tremendous implications. And...on top of all of this, Monte Cann of TRAFFIC 2006 was negotiating today to put Utube.com up for auction at the event.
I'll keep you posted of this.
The only other thing I have to say about the event is the quality of "goodies" provided by the companies sponsoring the event. I am referring to T-shirts, pens, notebooks, knickknacks and other somewhat useless paraphernalia. Well I loaded up a couple of goodie bags so I satisfied my lower self...for now.
I'll keep you posted on the event as it unfolds this week. I do hope the sessions pick up in terns of energy and content.
Until then, Mike
http://www.targetedtraffic.com/

TRAFFIC EAST 2006

2006-10-23T20:10:00.000-04:00

Hope and anticipation are two very powerful emotions as they can change one's outlook significantly and motivation to rise daily with extraordinary exuberance. I think that most of us can relate to anticipating an upcoming birthday, anniversary or christmas morning and the feeling of excitement it can bring as the day approaches.
Ever since re-discovering Internet Marrketing and its tremendous possibilities I have been living with the feeling of an impending xmas morning and what a glorious feeling it is!
I love looking forward to something...anything....as long as it breaks me out of the daily monotony I live with. In 2 days, Wednesday, October 25th, I will begin attending the TRAFFIC EAST 2006 Conference being held atthe beautiful Westin Diplomat Hotel on Hallandale Beach, just north of the Miami Dade County line. The event is THE event for those in the Web Domain name business as they buy and sell their virtual real estate parcels for ungodly sums. I hope to once again utilize an industry event to further my knowledge and circle of influence by practicing aggressive Networking skills. The event is first class with some great speakers and a veritable whos-who of industry pundits. I plan to document this leg of my journey right here on my blog for all to see and hopefully benefit by....so stay tuned, OK?
Mike
http://www.targetedtraffic.com/

NEWSLETTER LAUNCH

2006-10-22T22:05:00.000-04:00

Well, it shouldn't be long now, the much anticipated launch of the "My Atlas Shrugged Newsletter". Its' birth has taken more time than I anticipated, however it is something that I can be proud of but more importantly, something that accurately articulates my values and vision of the world. Kind of "As Mike Sees It", if you will. I vascillated in when to let it fly primarily due to some of the mixed messages I was receiving by those that teach and motivate for a living. Have you heard the phrase, "You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going"? The moral of that statement speaks more to self-motivation issues, frozen inaction and/or perfectionism. While I did want the inaugural issue of our Newdletter to be great, I was more concerned with it setting an accurate course for the journey we were about to begin. You see, I wanted this newsletter to be more than just a gathtering of interesting content and amusing anecdotes. It needed to convey a message congruent with our beliefs, values and mission statement. So in addition to being a "good read" it would draw those that either share our mindset or interested in elevating their present one to another more principled one. We believe that we have achieved the above but will monitor the results, i.e., the people we resonate with always soliciting their feedback.
Thanks for letting me shre......Mike Lang
http://www.simplemarketing123.com/

SQUEEZE PAGES - To Squeeze Or Not To Squeeze?

2006-09-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

Everybody sings the praises of "squeeze pages" and their innate ability to build quality opt-in mailing lists. There is little doubt that they work as I have succumb to them many times as it is sometimes the only way to move forward towards the promised information. The carrrot is dangled and a bite promised with the cost being a name and email address. It certainly seems like a win/win situation, and is in most cases. There are those that are discovered to be fluff or worse yet, pure BS but fear not for there is an easy remedy. It's called "unsubscribing" and it is just a few clicks away. That's the beauty! As eveytime you opt-in you can just as easily opt-out with the only cost being yout ime. Unfortunately I have not discovered a way to pre-judge a squeeze page for its value and authenticity as they are mostly well written with some very enticing enticements. So keep squeezing those pages as it is part of our collective learning curve and part of the game we all must play.

squeeze page

Technorati

2006-09-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

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"MARKETING GURU that CRIED WOLF" or MY ATLAS SHRUGGED

2006-09-04T04:18:00.000-04:00

It's been a little while since my last post as I have been rethinking my focus and direction, both personally and professionally. I am choosing to utilize the phrase "My Atlas Shrugged", (which is derived from Ayn Rand's book of the same name) to decribed the epiphany I've experienced and new direction I am taking.

Hence the new question, "My Atals Shrugged, did yours?"

I have also chosen to include, in this post, an article I've just written which was motivated by the frustration I have been experiencing when buying and implementing Internet Marketing related products and services. I have been the victum of the over hypimg of products by self-proclaimed Makreting Gurus promising me that they and their products will produce tremendous results and catapult me to almost instant success.

I believe that this article entitled, "The Marketing Guru that Cried Wolf", can and hopefully will ignite controversy and shine a bright light on this issue.

I also hope that it stirs thought within and motivates you to share your thoughts and experiences relevant to its message.

**THE QUESTION**
Are you are as tired as I am of the hype, the greed and the uncertainty of not knowing which Internet Marketing Guru to trust?

"The Marketing Guru who Cried Wolf"
Or
How Will I Ever Succeed in Internet Marketing?

We all should remember Aesop’s fable of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and the moral of it that has been passed down from generation to generation. For those a little foggy on the story I will paraphrase it for the sake of this article and the updated moral I am trying to emphasize and publicize.
In short:
A shepherd boy, in an effort to amuse himself, cried “wolf, wolf, the wolf is chasing the sheep!” The villagers responded by running down the hill to assist the boy only to find that there was no wolf. The boy laughed and the villagers scolded him, “Don’t cry wolf when there is no wolf”. Well, the boy continued to cry wolf, and the villagers continued to respond and scold him again and again to no avail. When the boy saw a real wolf, he screamed again, “wolf, wolf” but this time the villagers did not respond as they had been burned too many times before. Some time afterwards, the boy, in tears, asked the village elder, “there really was a wolf so why didn’t you come?” The old man replied, “Nobody believes a liar, even when he is really telling the truth”.
Some of those reading this might be asking themselves what does a child’s fable have to do with succeeding in Internet Marketing. Then there are those, I suspect, that already know what I am inferring by this fable and the title above it. Especially those, like myself, that have experience in sincerely searching for the requisite knowledge for launching and succeeding in the Internet Marketing arena.
Let me unmask this metaphor and clearly state that once I decided to commit myself to launching an Online business, the next question looming over me was,
How Do I Know Who to Trust?
Too many Gurus crying wolf too many times! We’ve all seen and heard it before. The litany of claims of being The Missing Ingredient, Magic Pill or Answer to Cyber-success! Or better yet, have you heard any one of these?
· “Let me hold your hand and walk you through the steps of Internet Marketing”
· “I’ll let you look over my shoulder and watch me work my magic”
I could go on and on……
It’s interesting to note that it is not just the naïve that get caught up in the vicious cycles of believing one more time that this time it will be different; it’s got to be different! Unfortunately it rarely is and we are all familiar with the often quoted definition of insanity; i.e. repeating the same behaviors expecting different results!

THE DILEMMA

So, back to our dilemma and the questions begging to be answered.
1. Where do we go to find the real deal?
2. Who will steer us in the right directions, and
3. How will we know if it’s the real deal and right direction?

So, how do you know? How can you know and for that matter, how can anyone know for sure? Think about it. You are met with a barrage of outrageous claims of mind-blowing income statements and commission checks followed by testimonials expressing awe of achievement and eternal gratitude for having purchased this product at a super duper discounted price! Sound familiar? I thought it might for I too have bought into” the dream” more times than I care to admit only to be shortchanged in some way. Is this part of the process? Is the “trial and error”, eenee-meenee-minee-mo process the only way to wade through a sea of offers, all seemingly the same on the surface?
Remember also that there are two conflicting agendas at work here. Yours is to gain the insight and the education needed to launch and grow a business. Theirs is to sell you their product or service, PERIOD! Now don’t get me wrong. There are those that are sincere and dedicated deliverers of products and/or services that do exactly as promised and these individuals are to be applauded and championed at every opportunity.

CLARIFICATION

I think the point has been made. The moral of the above fable has been revealed and the point, I believe, has been made. So what is the solution?
I think you’ll agree that knowing that a product or service produced positive results for someone else is encouraging, but is it enough? And what does an aspiring Netreprenuer need to know about a product or service to believe that it would be a wise investment of time and money for him or her?
My experience has taught me that no one product alone addresses all of the needs to make it all happen. Sure, every product offers something. And there are some truly dynamic people who are sincere and passionate about producing quality products; products that help move the buyer closer to his or her goal. After all, isn’t that the bottom line and all that can be expected of any self-help or educational product. It just seems that because of the promise of generating an income avalanche the expectations are greater. Why wouldn’t they be when “early retirement is within reach” if you’ll just BUY and follow their “proven success formula valued at $2995, for just $147, BUT if you act today you can have it for ONLY $97.00!!
SOUND FAMILIAR?

A SOLUTION

Let me present one solution that We are in the process of refining. It is a system we believe will address the problems of product and service evaluation and credibility in a way that most should be able to understand.
**Because this system is still in development we will not be going into great detail but will share enough so that the reader will understand its value and contribution to solving the dilemmas of aspiring Online Entrepreneurs.**
Anybody who has ever searched the website Amazon.com is well aware of the ability to gain insight into any products’ assets and liabilities by reading reviews by the Editor and those that have experience the product. The reviews themselves are also evaluated for their usefulness to the buyer which adds a system of checks and balances so that any prospective buyer can learn enough about the product to make and educated buying decision.
Wouldn’t it be great to have that same ability when deciding to invest hundreds of dollars and valuable time into a Marketing product or service? I think so as it would accomplish one of many things including eliminating those self-proclaimed Marketing Gurus from crying wolf and filling their pockets at our expense.
Wouldn’t that be great?

About the Author:

Michael Lang is an experienced Sales & Marketing professional and serial Entrepreneur. He has focused on the Internet since 1994 and was recruited by Florida’s Governor as a “Subject Matter Expert” for the State’s Internet Task Force. He is now immersed in the exploding Internet & Affiliate Marketing industry with a sincere desire to affect significant positive change. Please visit http://www.internetmarketingproductsreview.com/ Michael Lang © 2006

AFFILIATE SUMMIT LIVE!!!

2006-07-09T22:18:00.000-04:00

LIVE at the Affiliate Summit! Well here I am...finally...at the Summit where all things are possible. Checked in at registration and hung around to meet some people and actually me some very interesting ones. Like Tony who is trying to drum up support for his "Live Cock Fights Online" which he will be broadcasting live form the Dominican Republic. That's right, Cock Fights! If yoyu think about it people will watch anything...ever heard of Rubberneckers? Interesting dude...quite entertaining. Also met several people from Israel that really have great things to say about living and working there.
Met a few "lansmen" that I had an immediate connection to. Hope to capitalize on them further.
More on that later.
Looking forward to tomorrow and getting to the heart of this Summit.
I'll keep you posted!
MLL

2006-07-08T04:40:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for the Affiliate Summit in Orlando this weekend and I am excited as it is my first one. I hope it meets up to my expectatons....most do not! I need more than the usual shot in the arm...I am looking for substance...information empowering me to take the next step. Too much fluff floating around as usual.
I'll keep you posted....MLL

AFFILIATE SUMMIT

2006-06-29T14:10:00.000-04:00

Well, it won't be long now! Th e Affiliate Summt is just around the corner and I won a full registration in an Essay Contest they held!!! Mjor thanks to John and Missy. I am looking forward to meeting the both of you.
I joined the Network they have with the hope of buildung a support system and hopefully a Mentor or 2.

WE'll SEE

ANYONE DESIRING TO MAKE CONTACT JUST CLICK HERE:

http://network.affiliatesummit.com/new_member.php?m=310dcbbf4cce62f762a2aaa148d556bd

NEW INSIGHTS

2006-06-29T13:53:00.000-04:00

I have been immersing myself in Rich Schefren's Internet Business Manifesto which is blowing me away with it simplicity. I've read many, many different business related books, listened to the tapes, participated in semianrs...even walk on fire but something Rich said in his manifesto knocked me updide my head.
They say, "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear". I am taking a break from listening to the Manifesto to write this...can't wait to listen to the rest of it!!!
MLL

BUSTING ASS!!

2006-06-26T12:32:00.000-04:00

Haven't been around for a few days...so much happening. I won the Affilaite Summit Essay contest which gives me a full registration to the event...YEA!!! I am excited about going as I hope to do what I can do best,,,,NETWORK. I am looking forward to meeting Anik Signal there as I am hoping to get the new Affiliate Manager Course coming out tomorrow. Money is tight but I just need to bust ass and follow direction until I can turn the corner.

Been up most the night building websites do I think I'm going to take a nap,,,get back up and bust ass some more. I forgot what iy is like when I'm passionate about things.
Later,,,,,,lang

GETTING FOCUSED

2006-06-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

Missed my daily post yesterday...trying to incorporate the discipline and habit of journaling daily.
Started my Affiliate Classroom training and I am still excited about the program.
Sat in on a Chet Holmes 3 HOUR teleconference led by Ted Miller yesterday and I thought that it was excellent. Ted was awesome! Hew was focused, eloquent, sharp as a tack and didn't miss much. It sounds like they have a fantastic program they are offering. Unfortunately my finances won't allow me ( at this time) to participate. I am going to speak to Tim regarding some alternative solutions.
Built a few more Temp (under construction) sites today including one called "MyAtlasShrugged.
Sold a friend's Cadillac on eBay which I am extremely happy about.
Not much more...back to work!
MLL

LONG DAYS

2006-06-13T00:40:00.000-04:00

I've been putting in long days trying to make progress in several areas. Built 3 websites today and listed a bunch of eBay products...sat in a Teleconference and joined Affiliate Classroom which I am excited about. Too tired to write more...se ya tomorrow.

TA-DA...!! Publish 2 Websites today!

2006-06-11T23:21:00.000-04:00

It’s been a fruitful day! Published 2 websites today which is a first because I’ve always used webmasters, technicians etc. to do what I thought was the frunt work which freed me up to do what I always did best. Watched a Affilate Classroom video which proved my first impression right…it’s a jammer! I think I’m going to sign up and pick their brains clean.
Pulled an all-nighter last night…tucked in at 6:30am and slept for 3 hrs and then got up to do it all again!
Spoke to Anthony and commited to go to the auction next Saturday. Also emailed eBay to cover my ass with the last bozo that jerked me around for 2 weeks and then never paid for the merchandise!
Very tired so I checking out.
MLL

AFFILIATE CLASSROOM???

2006-06-10T19:37:00.000-04:00

Just saw a video demo on "Affiliate Classroom" which appears to be a comprehensive method to startup, maintain and grow an Affiliate marketing business. It seems to be well thought out and from what I can see from my initial research it passes the "no bullshit" test. What I mean is so many programs that claim to be an A to Z, soup to nuts deal leave you wanting more. They all tend to promise to "hold your hand", "let you look over my shoulder", etc, etc. But if they were comprehensive then why do they continue to pitch more and more and more products???
Affiliate Classroom could be the real deal and if not they certainly are on track with the right attitude!

A NEW BEGINNING!

2006-06-10T13:47:00.000-04:00

Well, I'll designate today as my new beginning in documenting my journey into Affiliate Marketing. Mt goal is to journalize my daily activities, sharing whatever insights I've gained, new products and/or services that I've discovered and maybe test drove etc. I'll also ntroduce the personalities that cross my path and try not to express my gratitude to those that have added to my experience in a significant way. I hope that this Journal can be helpful to others in either educating or motivating them beyond their present station.
I invite all feedback...thoughts, experience, amusing anecdotes, etc. so that Moxie's Main has real worth to others.
Let it begin!

2006-06-08T00:47:00.000-04:00

Moxies Main

Just checking in to see how the new gig looks. Mmm, looks great to me! I think I'll spread the word that there's a place for real talk where I can cut through the bull and get to the heart of the matter. GREAT!

2006-06-07T23:55:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Moxie's Main Blog or MMB as we like to call it. MMB is a special place where we can openly discuss the business of Affiliate Marketing. Our primary purpose is to dispel the myths and debunk the hype that surrounds Affiliate Marketing products and services, etc. MMB is a safe place where anything can be said as long as it is true. That's MMB's motto, "truth be told as nothing else matters".
We invite are those that wish to share there experience, strength and hope for a better future via Affiliate Marketing enterprises.

The word moxie is usually meant to mean fortitude or determination. The dictionary defines moxie as: "The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage". The word has a greater significance for me as it was the name of my late Timbershephard, a beautiful, pure white dog that I had to put to sleep last year.

So in remembrace of my Moxie and in the literal definition of the word we shall persevere in our search for a better life through Affiliate Marketing.