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...

Miracles from 2008

As I sat in meditation moments ago, my mind began contemplating the year that is about to end this evening. I opened my eyes, and was gazing out at the Atlantic from our winter rental here on the beautiful South Carolina beach. I marveled at the miracle that made it possible for us to leave our cold and snowy northern home for the winter – and as I marveled at that, I began to think of all the other miracles of this past year.

And I was inspired to write this post.

I have not yet attained millionaire status; however, if the miracles of 2008 are any indication, I am surely on my way – not only monetarily, but spiritually as well. May I share with you the multitude of things that awe and inspire me about this past year?

Thank you.

As I review the year, I realize that early in 2008, my focus began to sharpen. I am so grateful for the first 45 days of 2008, wherein I detoxified my body and mind to a state where mental clarity became the norm. How grateful I am.

In 2008, I made my first large affiliate sale, resulting in a real commission check – made out to me – and I no longer needed to visualize something that hadn’t yet happen. Because now it DID happen, and I could visualize even more of them. This first success made me realize that success truly is within my reach. How grateful I am.

I am so thankful for that experience, and thankful I didn’t quit the way I used to quit when success wasn’t mine overnight.

I am also thankful that, as 2008 continued, my other websites began producing sales. I didn’t quit 6 months after getting my websites up and running, even though I wasn’t yet earning enough to live on. How grateful I am.

I am extremely grateful that I have learned to calm my mind and become patient – and through this calmness and patience have seen my faith deepen.

Many times during 2008, I felt thankful that we had discarded our television 4 years prior. I am thankful that I avoided newspapers and newscasts, because I was unaffected by others’ pessimism about whatever was happening in their economy. The time I did not spend in front of the television set or newspapers was spent in learning to visualize my goals and intentions, and these were untainted by whatever was happening to others.

During 2008, as I walked along the quiet country road where we live in northern NH, I often found myself thankful that I didn’t really know or “hang out” with anyone in town – because my solitary walks became walking meditations wherein I could formulate new visions for my life. When I had first moved to that area, I felt lonely because I didn’t know a lot of people or have friends there. Once I turned my vision inward, I realized what a gift that the solitude truly has been for me. How grateful I am.

I am so grateful that 2 years ago I lost my job – another in a series of grant-funded work that always evaporated when the funds dried up. If I had been able to keep any of those jobs, I could not have packed up and left NH when the snows fell this year. I’d still be shoveling, scraping ice, driving on snowy mountain roads, and spending money on heating oil, plowing, and firewood. Instead, thanks to the fact that my jobs were gone, I was able to work on becoming an internet marketing entrepreneur – AND go to a beautiful southern climate for the winter. How grateful I am.

I am also thankful for laptop computers and cell phones which make it possible to work wherever I want to be.

Although this sounds sad, I cannot begin to say how thankful I was when, 6 days before we were to leave NH for SC, that we were both home when our beloved little cat, “Kitty,” suffered a stroke – and that we were both with her, petting her and loving her as she made her transition over the rainbow bridge. If we had both been at a job, our little Kitty would have suffered and died alone. Another miracle is that the vet – who is only in our rural area 3 days/week – was there and still open when this occurred. How grateful I am for the 9 years we had our pet. How grateful I am.

I am thankful that I reconnected with friends that I thought had moved on. I spent many pleasant hours with some of these folks, and heard new insights and gained a new appreciation for who they are. What a blessing these friends are.

We are told that the real estate market is doing poorly. There is a small city in northern NH where more than 120 single family homes are for sale, and few are selling. During 2008, we had a small single family house in that town that we needed to sell. How thankful I am for the miracle of the house selling within 7 days of being put on the market. How grateful I am, and awed, when I think of the person who bought the house – who we discovered was born 4 doors down the road, 68 years before, who had moved away 40 years earlier, and who just decided to “come home” to his hometown. How grateful I am.

I realize it is by no accident that, over the course of this last year, I have stumbled upon remarkable books, some written in the early 1900's, about the universal Law of Attraction. These books are not widely discussed today, as other, more contemporary books have since been written. Nonetheless, these older volumes resonated with me, and have quickened my progress in my own ability to visualize and act on my goals. How grateful I am.

I am overwhelmed with thanks that my husband joins me and supports me on my path, and that together, we spent the 2008 holiday season volunteering in our new winter community instead of purchasing and opening gifts. This experience was unlike any other we have ever had, and touched our hearts and changed our lives forever – and we will never be the same. How grateful I am.

Throughout the year 2008, I have learned to hear, listen, and follow the intuitive messages speaking within my spirit. I have been led along the path, guided to make certain turns – and have learned to trust the direction I find myself following.

I am seeing potential I never saw before.
I am meeting friends I never knew existed.
I am being introduced to business and marketing strategies that – a year ago – I had never even heard of.
I am trusting and loving myself as I never have before.
I am feeling a depth of love in my heart for others that I never thought could be so strong – so strong that tears come to my eyes whenever I contemplate it.

I am so grateful for the joys, miracles, and awe that 2008 has brought to me – and I have touched on but a few of them here. These words I have written come nowhere near the feelings and thoughts that are bubbling within my heart and mind.

But, I wanted to share them in the hope that they spur you to contemplate the miracles that may have occurred in your life – and to anticipate the miracles that are yet to occur in 2009 and beyond.

I wish you all a blessed and happy new year.