Maybe you’ve seen emails like this one:
“Hi, I’m Big Guru Guy and I made $28 million in just six hours with my last launch! Now, I’m going to unwrap my most tightly guarded secrets and give them ALL to you. With my Super Duper Program, you get a complete step-by-step blueprint—all you have to do is fill in the blanks, while watching TV eating tacos, and you too can make millions while you sleep, heck, even while other people sleep. Only four payments of $997.”
This guy made millions with his last product launch because apparently, there are a lot of people willing to believe this stuff.
But for me, it just doesn’t translate into reality. Here’s why, see what you think.
Follow The Leader. Or Not.
This advice sounds true: “If you want to make money or be successful, find someone else who has already achieved what you want to do, and follow them.”
Let me suggest there may be a few lines missing.
It would appear that the Big Guru Guy who sent out that email is definitely successful, right? And heck, you couldn’t do much better than following him, step-by-step, right? After all, there’s an implicit promise assumed by all his sales copy: This stuff worked for him, it’s gonna’ work for you.
It’s all about modeling, after all.
Is it?
Always?
What’s Your Next Step?
We’ve coached businesses of all sizes, and I can honestly tell you I have yet to see the missing link for one business turn out to be the same for another business.
Each business has a unique message, product mix, audience, style, and that’s the way it should be on the Personal Web. And some audiences respond differently to some tactics. Some products just don’t work well with some marketing channels.
What’s your next step? Not Big Guru Guy’s next step – what’s yours? Do you know what that next step is to gain maximum traction to take your business to your next level?
Guru Guy is doing you a big disservice if his product doesn’t quickly point out your next step, and how his super-duper program helps you take that step. But of course it can’t. That’s the point of mass marketing.
Here’s what I think is missing from our quotable quote about following the successful: Model principles. Model strategies, not tricks and tactics.
When it comes to specific next steps for you and your business, follow a program that’s one step ahead of you, with an eye on your big picture strategy and goal.
To summarize: Maybe Big Guru guy is just too big . . .
Think Big, Start Small and Focused
As a coach, my new client would come to the first call with Big Goals. You know, the vision board with the Big House and the Big Car and the Big Cash.
I didn’t have a problem with any of that. It’s just missing a step or two. Like the next step or two.
Dream big. Please. We need more big dreamers. We require a world with people of vision.
Then, the world desperately needs more people willing to look at their big goals and figure out the steps –the work, the action – they need to take to get there.
