What Finding Sharks' Teeth on the Beach Has to do with Internet Marketing

So, what does finding sharks’ teeth on the beach have to do with internet marketing?

Well, quite a bit, as it turns out. And I'll share this with you here.

See, when we got down to Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina to escape the cold and snowy winters of northern New Hampshire, we noticed a lot of people beachcombing for different shells and – sharks’ teeth.

First of all, we need to note that the only reason we could uproot ourselves from the bitter northland for warmer climes is due to the amazing opportunities that the internet and internet marketing have given us. For this, we are thankful.

Anyway, as we settled in, and began walking along the ocean front, we decided that we, too, would look for sharks’ teeth.

And so we did. Every day, for a month, we looked for sharks’ teeth. But, nary a tooth was to be found.

This was getting frustrating.

Finally, one day we noticed a couple down by the Cherry Grove Pier who looked like they were completely engrossed in whatever they were finding in the sand. Intrigued, we approached them and asked what they were finding (Note: Down here, everyone – and we mean EVERYONE is exceptionally friendly, so we weren’t concerned about approaching strangers.).

Well, not only were they looking for sharks’ teeth – they were FINDING them. Lots of them. We asked if we could see them – they showed us numerous types and sizes, and they even knew what type of shark some of them were from (they even had a Great White Shark tooth – which served as a reminder as to why we do not want to ever encounter one…).

A week or so later, we decided to walk a little more slowly than our usual pace – just in case we could more easily spot a tooth. Because typically, we were hurried, more intent on getting exercise with the hope that we’d spot a tooth. And every day we said, “THIS is the day we find a sharks’ tooth!” We kept visualizing what it would be like when one of us finally said, “Honey, I found one!”

And all of a sudden, about two weeks or so ago, it happened. We were strolling along – not intent on exercise, but on finding a shark’s tooth. John bent down, picked something up – and said, “Honey, I found one!” And sure enough, it was a sharks’ tooth!

Now, moseying along ahead of us was a gentleman who was also a shark tooth hunter. He had a plastic zipper-lock bag with a bunch of them – and one was very large.

We asked him where and how he found all of them. He explained that we needed to concentrate our search on where the tide was going out, leaving a “wash” of debris behind – almost like a sluicing action one might see in a gold pan or sluice.

Well, wouldn’t you just know it! Within minutes, I found a sharks’ tooth, too! Then another. And another. Before we knew it, and several days later, we had amassed a collection of about 24 sharks’ teeth.

Then, a few evenings ago, I went out for a breath of air on the beach. It was nearly sunset. I noticed that the “wash” from the previous high tide was quite high on the beach since the day before saw extremely high winds, and subsequently, high and rough wave action.

I thought of what the various experienced shark tooth hunters had taught me, and I decided to search in this particular spot. Lo! Within a minute I saw a sharks’ tooth.
And another. And then another. In less than 40 minutes, I came home with 12 full sharks’ teeth!

And to think that less than a week or so before, we hadn’t found even one.

So. What does any of this fascinating story have to do with internet marketing?

Plenty. Because as I marveled at how we were transformed from well-intentioned, but uninformed beachcombing dilettantes, ignorant of the knowledge that would help us find that elusive prize – the coveted shark’s tooth, into beachcombers who were now having success and finding sharks’ teeth easily, and on a daily basis – it hit me. It hit me hard.

Internet marketing success is NO DIFFERENT than hunting for sharks’ teeth. What is it we all want in our internet marketing efforts? We want sales. We want customers. We want like-minded members to join our organizations.

If you decide to market online, but don’t know: 1) what your customer looks like, 2) where to find your customer, and 3) how to find your customer – then you are just like we were when we started searching for sharks’ teeth.

But, the second we 1) slowed down, 2) asked someone what they looked like, 3) learned how and where to find them, and 4) focused on the search until we found one, we became successful.

So, what this means to you, as an internet marketing specialist, is that you – we – all of us, need to do the following:
1) Slow down – don’t work in a frenzy, jumping from product to product, marketing strategy to strategy. Don’t try to focus on more than one thing at a time. It doesn’t work. My eyes prove this – I cannot look at the computer screen while at the same time clearly see the ocean in front of me.

2) Learn from people who already successful. Hey, this is no secret. Every internet marketing guru out there will tell you to follow success.

3) Learn strategies that are proven to be successful, and then implement them. And keep implementing them until you, too, find your first shark’s tooth. Then, by some kind of wonderful magic, you will find more and more of them.

What if – after talking with all the people who are successfully finding sharks’ teeth, day after day – what if I walked away and said, “Well, he doesn’t know anything! It must have been luck! I’m going to look around the base of the Palm trees next. Surely, there must be a shark tooth there…”

What if I did that?

Even worse, what if – after all that discussion, all that initial interest – I decided, “Nah – it’s not worth it to find one silly little tooth.” And then I just walked away, thinking, “Maybe I’ll just find something easier to identify on the beach.”

Hmmm. Beached jelly fish are certainly easier to identify.

Hopefully, you would say that I am a fool for ignoring what is clearly a proven strategy for finding such an intriguing part of nature.

Yet, how many of us do that very same thing, day after day! We say we want to learn a good internet marketing strategy. We pay money – sometimes a lot of money – to learn from those who are successful. Then, after one or two limp gestures, we drop it.

Maybe the next strategy will succeed...

Maybe...

Law of Attraction and Attraction Marketing

Most people in the online marketing or home based business industry have probably heard of the Law of Attraction by now. And from the many forums and discussions I've seen surrounding the subject, it appears that a lot of people are looking to tap into this universal principle to help improve their business - and therefore, their cash flow.

Fair enough. After all, why be in business if not, ultimately, to earn one's daily bread?

It seems that a natural direction to take would be to figure out how to market in such a way that attracts the right customer or prospect to one's product and/or business opportunity. Hence, we can now find the term "attraction marketing" springing up everywhere.

Regardless of whether you own a bricks and mortar business on Main Street or your own a home based business opportunity that you are marketing on the internet - you need customers. The Main Street business - if you are selling something that a good number of people in town or passing by want and need - will most likely get buyers stopping in since they see your sign and store. Or, if you advertise in the local flyers, the local buyers will visit.

CAVEAT: We must hope that before you put up your shingle on Main Street, that you did some market research to ensure that there was enough demand for your product in your area. After all, if you absolutely love surfing, and really want to sell surfboards but live 4 hours from the coast in the mountains, would it make sense for you to have a surf shop?

It is not much different on the internet or in network marketing prospecting (Again, we must hope that you have done some market research to see what people are buying online before you start your business). We need to target our market. We need to learn how to attract the right people to our product, service, or opportunity. How do we do that?

Fortunately, this is a learned skill. You won't master it overnight, but you can - and should learn how to understand and use the universal principle of the Law of Attraction and how it pertains to business. I am not going to go into this here. There are dozens - if not hundreds of sites out there now who can teach you these principles. Just do a "Google Search" for "Law of Attraction."

However, 2 of my personal favorites include http://humanscience.wikia.com/wiki/The_Secret_Project, and http://mental-science.com/.

In addition, I'd like to turn your attention to a few other specific learning resources to get you started on some action steps that you can begin using the second you read them.

If you are of a spiritual temperament, you can learn a lot through a very interesting site called "Growth Online," which discusses "fundamental factors that enable an individual to grow and evolve." From my own experience, whenever I feel that I am "stuck" or otherwise not succeeding, I have found that 100% of the time it's because I have somehow hindered my success through limiting thoughts and behaviors - essentially, not being able to "get out of my own way" as the saying goes.

This extensive site uses a little different terminology than you might ordinarily hear in more mainstream Law of Attraction sites. But, Growth Online, run by an individual speeding on his way to true enlightenment (if he's not already there), discusses techniques to encourage positive "Life Response."

I have utmost respect for this individual, whom you'll meet at his site. He's taught me more about self and business growth in months than any number of other experts have in years. I'll not say more - just visit and decide for yourself.

Another site that has helped me understand at a very deep level that "people do not join a business - they join YOU," is Magnetic Sponsoring which offers a very inexpensive book on the subject. Also visit another one of my sites, http://www.truthtowealthonline.com/ to get a great free ebook on the subject of why a lot of folks just don't make it in internet marketing. It's no-nonsense, and no-excuses. All business. Again. See for yourself.

Finally - and I don't have a specific site to send you to on this topic - if people don't join a business, and they join YOU, then it stands to reason that YOU are also a good part of the reason someone may PURCHASE something from you. Those of you who know me know that I have a small commercial website from which I market Portable Garages and Shelters - hence the name, http://www.portablegaragesandshelters.com/ (pretty clever, huh? :)

Now... I won't pretend that these structures are something that everyone just can't live without - but a lot of folks can and do use them. There are also many, many dealers out there selling them, and also several manufacturers for them.

So, if a lot of us are selling the same or similar items, why should they buy from me? I employ what is (in the advertising copywriting lingo) a USP - Unique Selling Proposition. What is unique isn't the product. It isn't necessarily the price.

It is this: I make sure that my customers know that I CARE about them more than the average salesperson does (or at least appears to). I make sure they see it in my writing, when I answer the phone, or when I respond to an email. Do I get every order? No. Of course not. But I get the orders from people who want to know someone cares about them as a person, and not just the money I earn from the sale. After all, we are all one in this universe. If I show caring for others, I'm showing the same for my self and business.

So, at the end of the day, it comes down to this: We need to learn how to dissolve our self-induced limitations, and get out of our own way to allow the universal principles to work through us.

The concepts can be learned. Practice them consistently and with faith, and you WILL succeed.