Made you look with that title didn’t I!? What’s the dirty word I’m talking about – ‘internet marketing’.
You’ve probably noticed that I use a variety of internet marketing and visibility tools to get the word out about me and my work. And as such, a good portion of my client base is at least somewhat interested in how to use the internet to promote their own niches. I say ‘somewhat’ because they have varying degrees of internet marketing and sales resistance – and its that resistance that I’d like to help shift in this article.
General Internet Marketing & Social Networking:
Internet marketing is … well, using the internet to market your business of course. Things like building a website, offering content via free reports, articles, blogs and ezines (this ezine you are reading is an example), using ads, etc to attract your ideal clients. Another variation is using ‘social networking’ tools to communicate with those who are interested in your subject area. For example, I use Facebook, Linked In and Twitter to interact with people who have similar interests to mine (visual thinking, creativity, strategic visioning/planning, law of attraction, depth psychology, etc).
Use What Feels Right to You:
As quickly outlined above, there are many different tools and methods in the internet marketing medium – and just as many teachers, gurus and instructors … with their different energies and perspectives.
Some clients encounter the more aggressive or sales-oriented teachers and get turned off by the medium overall. Which in my opinion is a shame – really throwing the proverbial baby out with the bath water. Its still a very young medium and continues to grow, morph and develop. If you don’t like some aspects of the medium, then ignore them, and use what feels best to you personally and is aligned with your own moral compass and beliefs.
Develop True Value and Results
Sometimes in internet marketing people lose sight of a really important basic – having something of value to offer that gets good results. From a Law of Attraction point of view, I think it helps if you first (or concurrently) develop a product or service that you know is of value to people, then move onto marketing and promoting it. Some folks put the cart before the horse, and get too focused on the outside scaffolding without having first developed a proper and solid foundation.
What is it you are particularly good or gifted at? What is your passion area? What will keep you interested and focused over the long haul? Develop your skills and confidence. Work out your ‘it’. Then go about the tasks of implementing your marketing – whether its internet or more traditional marketing. The foundation comes first, then the marketing scaffolding follows. And, at the root of the foundation lies your own belief in yourself and what you are offering – if that is shaky then the rest of your structure will be too (I’ll write more about that later).
Focus on Quality Not Quantity
In social networking especially, marketing can devolve to a heartless ‘numbers’ game. Facebook has the numbers of ‘friends’ that you have, or, the terminology in Twitter is called ‘followers’ (yuck). Forget about numbers. People are not numbers. I invite you instead to think about ‘vibrational matches’ — linking with and attracting people who are a true vibrational match with you and what you offer, at this point in time. Not about how big your list or someone else’s is.
How do matches find you or you them? By you posting what you are genuinely interested in. By you offering links to resources or items that you authentically believe in and think will help them. By you following people (or subject areas) that you are naturally curious about. In short – you find matches by being real.
And, when being real, try not to take it personally when you post something and people delete, unfollow or unsubscribe … or choose to move onto other people’s offerings after experiencing yours. That’s real too. Just keep your head down, connect with what feels good to you, and focus on providing value … and let Law of Attraction take care of the rest. The right people will find you (and you them) at the right time. It’s about vibrational quality not numerical quantity.
Cultivate and Emit Your Own Tone:
Your interests may lie in areas that others are doing or where there is plenty of so-called ‘competition’. If that is genuinely where your interests and aptitudes lie, then don’t let the fact that others are doing it stop you. It’s a big world – and the internet is opening it all up. Don’t let the fact that someone already exists in that particular space keep you from playing in it too. It’s an abundant world with plenty of clients – who like different things from different people. Put your tone out there and Law of Attraction will do the work of sorting out who goes where.
However, I do highly recommend that you develop your own unique and authentic way of being about that subject or area. Write things in your own words (don’t plagiarize or copy). Communicate your own thoughts and feelings. Create your own offerings and services that are reflective of you and your talents and how you like to do things. If you have been influenced by a particular mentor or teacher – cite and source them respectfully. This will keep you emitting your own tone and keep your signal clear and pure – devoid of mixed energy.
Develop a Thicker Skin:
Some of the resistance that people have to internet marketing is making themselves more visible and potentially becoming a target as a result. The reality is that these things do happen. When you put yourself out there you will get a whole variety of responses and reactions – some great, some neutral and some unpleasant.
The Internet is wonderful as it let’s folks with unique and specific interests easily find one another and connect. Everything that is out in the real world is mimicked in the cyberspace environment. While that diversity is wonderful it can be challenging too. Not everyone will like who you are (or more accurately whom they perceive you to be) and what you are doing. Some will give you legitimate, useful feedback and some will not. Don’t let a few cranky, unaligned people stop you. Instead, realize that negative people with issues will always exist (and project their issues onto others) and that it is just a natural part of the territory.
Keep Doing Your Own Inner Work:
I just mentioned negative people and their issues – however using internet marketing can also bring to light your own issues that may be in need of adjustment and healing too. Business (whether we use internet marketing techniques or not) is a great mirror or foil for our own energy, showing us where our ‘vibration’ really is.
Are you overly concerned about crafting and sharing your opinion? Are you afraid to revel what you really think? Do you obsessively monitor your stats and reactions to what you put out? If so, you probably have some outside approval, people pleasing and conformity issues still to work through (perhaps leftovers from your family of origin or early environment).
Is your content getting ripped off? Do you feel people are ‘lifting’ your ideas and innovations? Are you feeling betrayed? If so, somewhere you are still vibrating at a victim or scarcity level of some sort – not finding the feeling place of true strength, capability and abundance … or these symptoms are an indicator of your own lack of integrity somewhere. Unfortunately Law of Attraction never lies (somewhere there is a vibrational match within you in order for these things to happen to you).
There are many ways that unresolved issues can weave themselves into your marketing and business – these are just a few that I’m personally aware of, from my own journey and from clients that I attract.
Take Heart – A Sea Change is Happening:
This week marked a historic shift with the fascinating symbol of Barack Obama being inaugurated in the U.S. … and significant changes are going on all over the world in terms of old energy and systems shifting to their next levels.
The Internet is obviously no exception. New things are going on. New energies are breaking through. It’s in a constant state of flux and evolution, just like we all are.
If you have been put off by the older, more beginning stages of internet marketing then take heart that a sea change is happening. The old ‘ponzi scheme’ models are falling apart. The questionable ethics and completely m0ney-oriented ways are not sustainable. Cleaner, crisper and more aligned energy is emerging and flowing in the internet too. I encourage you to reframe and shift your resistance to using the internet as a remarkable tool so you too can benefit and add your own unique light and talents to the mix!
© 2009 Christina L. Merkley
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:
Christina Merkley, “The SHIFT-IT Coach” and creator of the SHIFT-IT Method® is a Visioning and Strategic Planning Expert specializing in Graphic Facilitation and Law of Attraction techniques. Based in charming Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, she works deeply with individuals, partners and groups in defining and getting what they really, really want. For more information visit: www.shift-it-coach.com
