Battle Hymn of the Tiger Marketer
A lot of people wonder how the “Guru’s” have such successful businesses. They wonder what these marketers do to produce so many high traffic sites and dynamite launches. They wonder what the “secret” is and think that if they only knew the secret, they could do it too. I know the secret, because I live it every day. Here are some of the things I never allow myself to do:
- Check analytics more than once a day
- Begin the day without a plan
- Refresh – refresh – refresh Twitter, Facebook, etc.
- Use social media to chat with people
- Keep instant messaging clients like Skype open
- Take personal calls or appointments during the work day
- Prioritize any activity over SHIPPING
- Spend more then 15 minutes in Google Reader in the morning
- Spend more then 15 minutes in Gmail in the morning
- Promote any product I haven’t personally vetted
- Make graphics
- Let my enthusiasm for an idea cloud my interpretation of the keyword research
- Use free tools when a paid one is faster and more powerful
- Install sites & configure settings / plugins
- Write content for niche sites
- Enter niches that are trendy within IM (forex, acia berry, etc.)
- Choose niches based on personal interest
- Complain about Google
- Get caught up in launch frenzy / fear of loss when considering a purchase
- Buy more tools when the current ones I have are being underused
- Buy any product that doesn’t fit my business model
- Spend any time in forums
- Think “tricks” or “secrets” will improve my business
- Accept any rank less than #1 for a site’s main keyword
I’m using the term “Guru’s” (above) loosely.
The term Guru is stupid. It assumes magical secrets. It assumes doe-eyed followers a la Jim Jones circa 1978. Not good.
I’m a Tiger Marketer. Tiger Marketers might or might not publish in the internet marketing niche, it’s personal perference. But they sure as hell have financial interests in other niches. And they work those sites, those niches, with the cold, calculated precision of a Tiger.
Most marketers are Terrier Marketers. They jump around, make a lot of noise, but ultimately after running around in circles all day they’ve accomplished nothing but annoying the people around them (even virtually).
Even when a Terrier Marketer *thinks* they’re “getting things done” they’ve not come close to the output of a Tiger Marketer. For example, a Terrier Marketer who considers themselves effective might spend an hour making comments on do-follow blogs for backlinks. A Tiger Marketer doesn’t give a damn whether a site is do-follow or nofollow (and certainly doesn’t waste the time filtering them out accordingly), and wouldn’t even be building blog comment links themselves, by hand, anyway.
Terrier Marketers debate, wonder why & complain about the unfairness of their competition who has 100 backlinks outranking them when they have 200 backlinks. Tiger Marketers just go get more links.
If my business model is SEO, I do nothing that doesn’t move my sites’ ranking upward. If my business model is PPC, I do nothing that doesn’t help me increase conversions & lower CPC.
If my business model is “build it and they will come” then God help me, because I’m a Terrier who’s deluded myself into thinking I’m a Tiger.
Which is your Battle Hymn?
(P.S. If you’ve read “Battle Hym of the Tiger Mother,” you’ll recognize this post as a tongue-in-cheek riff on the opening of the book. I hope it amuses you – and makes you think).
Thx Michelle!
It does make one think. I took pause at #10 Promote any product I haven’t personally vetted. That, I have found from being on the opposite side of the “counter” is crucial.
Thx so much for making me stop and take a look in the mirror.
Another thing I shouldn’t allow myself to do is get caught up commenting on blogs, but this one deserves it.
Michelle, that list is one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever read. As a recovering serial-procrastinator, this post has helped me a lot.
OK, back to work.
I want to have your baby. No but really. It was interesting to see what you don’t allow yourself to do. I have to say that I do alot of these things. I want to stop being a terrier and reading your blog is awesome.
An EXCELLENT post Michelle – one that will be unpopular with many because they would be forced to face the truth about how they are running their business. This truly is a great post. Thanks
To put it simply I am the one they never see coming. I keep a low profile until I find things that interest me and then jump on it like a stealth panther in the night.
Made me laugh, thank you!
This is a great list, Michelle. I plan to print it out and keep it near my computer for future reference!
Michelle, that was an interesting and creative post. I’ve not read “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”, so I can only attribute this to you. We’ve all been there – chasing our tails and thinking that activity meant positive action. And, we’ve all been duped by the “Gooroos” enough times to figure out the con hard way.
Thanks for the great post Michelle
are you single?
Excuse me while I get the butcher paper& Big Felt tip on the wall with “10 things from your Never Allow List” Fantastic post thanks Michelle
Great post Michelle. I only wish I could have someone do some of the things on your list, but I have to do them now. (make graphics,Install sites & configure settings / plugins, take personal calls) Good advice for us all who are trying to make a living online.
You ROCK! Love this.
Little bit confused your never allow yourself to do list. Lot of these things I do everyday. Am I still newbie, right?
If I didn’t already know what you look like it would be easy to envision you in black leathers with a whip.
Personally I don’t think it’s wrong to choose a niche based on personal Interest, as long as that niche is profitable. Choosing niches where you have zero interest just makes the rest of the process boring and a chore. Like being in a job you don’t care about.
Great post – very inspiring for a professional procrastinator such as myself!
You may be right that the term “guru” is stupid, but not for the reasons you mentioned. Guru is a Sanskrit word which basically means “bringing light to the darkness.” It is applied predominantly to teachers of philosophy and spirituality who guide others towards Self-realization (or God-realization). In the original context it doesn’t have any of the negative connotations you impose upon it. From where I stand, it is a positive term, if misappropriated or misapplied by a few.
Again, thanks for a great post – I’ve taken a LOT of it to heart.
Tiger Marketer…love it!
awsome post..now a plan of action to overcome or stop these pesky behaviors.
Great post! ’nuff said.
Well I’m not sure if commenting here now after reading the post makes me a Tiger, or Terrier. Either way I did find the deluded Terrier part very funny.
Wow I actually received an honest email without a sales pitch. Thanks Michelle, I’m glad I deleted all the others.
Trying to think which is better… The blog post or the Tiger picture in the beginning, DAYAM he looks tough!
Too true! Consistent focus is vital to success. Interested to see what your process is now that we know what it is not…
OMG… I am a terrier… so what do I do? Just decide on one thing? But there is so much….
Woof bl**dy woof…thanks Michelle…good wake up article…only thing worse than a terrier marketer – a two headed one – looking in two directions in once and utterly confused. Now wondering how to become a Tiger!
That put a tiger in my tank… single minded focus
Hay Michelle
Spot on and a great call to action for the tigers
Kinda funny. I guess I’m being a terrier merely by reading your post and leaving a comment – lol. So those are the things you don’t do… helpful to a point. What I’d like to know is what the successful marketer DO, er, DO…
Add.. – take some brilliant and successful marketeer’s list of dos and don’ts and think they apply to me
Mark
great post. I don’t think I’m a tiger though. I enjoy mucking around with Photoshop too much and like to think I use Twitter to find useful stuff to read and think about. like this post.
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Well I’m 80% tiger! I like that about not caring whether or not it’s a do-follow blog.
From now on thats not going to sway me!
For a minute there, I thought you were referencing “Kung Fu Panda>”
As for my outlook on how i see myself online in the IM game- i`m a tiger and my battle hymn is ” You just can`t stop me ” by the J Giels Band.
Watch for me. I`m coming from nowhere and day by day i`ll be working hard to make sure i`m movin` up until i`m # 1 in my field.
Thanks for sharing a very direct & upfront post. The tactics you mention to avoid and the analogy to being a terrier show me instantly where I am making mistakes during the day. I’m going to be more of a tiger and will continue to refer to this post to make certain I’m holding to the principles.
I’ve been following your emails and blogs for quite awhile now. You are always an inspiration to me which keeps me going. There is much truth in your post. Thanks for the meaty advice.
Thanks for a direct yet amusing post more please
G-R-R-R-E-E-A-A-A-T post Michelle. `Specially the ”clouded k-word research” & ”personal interest niche.” This is consumer, not marketer thinking. Major distinction. Thanks for the post. lb