About 6 month ago I created a page I call "Ask Bob".
http://www.smithfam.com/askbob.html
This page is a form where people can ask me specific questions. My intention was to use my web site's knowledgebase to help point people in the right direction. I also get a feel for which issues to address in more detail in the newsletter.
At the time I had no idea how useful this page would become. I would like to share some of what I learned through this page.
Many Of The Questions Sound Something Like This:
"Help, I am new at this and don't know where to start"?
What people are really asking me is do I care enough to answer them in a timely manner. This type of question is really hard to answer without knowing something about the writer's experience, goals and interests.
A person strong in computer skills would most likely do better with a technology based emphasis. A non-technical person might do better marketing someone else's products or services, at least in the beginning.
In order for me to really help I need to determine where people are coming from and what they really want to know. Early on I made the decision to not invest more answering a question than the person invested in asking the question.
The quality of the answer depends to a degree on the quality of the question. When you go to a potluck you are expected bring something to share. Success in anything depends with bringing something to the table.
Mark Victor Hansen said, "The key to selling anything is to find a need and fill it" The key to Internet Marketing is to find your niche. Your niche is where your knowledge and passion come together.
My advice is always the same. Discover your niche before you do anything else. Find your passion and it will direct your path. Without passion you will just be one more marketer with your hand out. Define your market first then find or develop specific products for that market.
Here Is Another Common Question
"I don't have enough free time to learn all this stuff and I
have little or no money to invest. I just want to make some
fast and easy money. I understand the Internet is the way to
go. I'm going nowhere, can you tell me how I can accomplish
this?"
It's not possible anymore to develop an Internet business that sells without a major investment of time and/or money. I tell people if they are unwilling to invest their time and eventually re-invest some of the profits starting a business may not be the right path to follow.
Jobs are for people who are more comfortable being told exactly what to do and when to do it. Expecting the Internet or any home business to resemble a job is a very common mistake.
Jobs are useful; they help you develop specific expertise. Jobs are great for making it possible to find enough spare time and money to develop a home based business. If your job supports your passion it may actually lead you into a business of your own. If your goal is just paying the bills a job is a much easier than a business.
http://www.smithfam.com/news/s6.html
Two Distinct Paths To Success.
The first path is to read and study everything eventually discovering systems that will work for you. This is my approach but it does require more time and effort. Over time I have discovered information sources that fit my personality. This newsletter is the tool that I use to solidify information for others and myself.
http://www.smithfam.com/tutorials.html
The second path is to find and follow a mentor. In order to have what your mentor has, do what your mentor does. This is faster and a less confusing. I follow several mentors. I subscribe and read their newsletters; I buy and help sell their products. The problem with blindly following any one mentor is choosing the right mentors in the first place. There is a real risk of incorporating your mentor's faults into your business.
Most marketing leaders are too busy to devote a lot of one on one time to everyone that wants or needs help. Many potential leaders are downright unresponsive. A good leader will share the secrets to their success on their web site and through their writings and via example.
I answer questions from the "Ask Bob" page as quickly as possible. If people take the time required writing me a specific question the least I can do is to respond in kind. Most of the questions I get are honest questions about subjects that can be confusing. Answering them usually requires less than 5 minutes and very often it can save someone a lot of time. It pays off big for me when people thank me just for responding.
I find that time is well spent. Everyone wins; my visitor gets directed to a tool or resource they might not have found on his or her own. I win by making new friends and customers. Over time it helps me stay in touch with the needs and desires of my visitors.
Unresponsiveness from self-proclaimed mentors is one of the biggest complaints I hear about. People hate getting ignored. How someone can claim to be an expert and not take time to share with his or her visitors is outrageous to say the least.
Folks want to buy from businesses that support their customers. The next time you are thinking about buying something from anyone on line test his or her support first. Ask a simple specific question and see how long it takes to get a satisfactory answer back. If they don't answer pre-sales questions they are much less likely to respond if there is a post sales question or a problem. Vote with your feet.
The "Ask Bob" page works for me because it works for others. It allows me to respond directly to specific questions in real time. It helps establish relationships with my visitors. Long term I am rewarded in cold hard cash.
I want my customers to find solutions and answers on my web site. One of the best ways to do this is to respond to my visitor's questions and concerns as directly and as quickly as possible. You will find my name, phone number and email address on each of several thousand pages of content on my website.
You might consider adding a similar page on your web site. It works if you work it.
Best Wishes
Bob
Click Here to Email Bob Smith