JULY
2011
Greetings & Salutations:
Have you ever wondered ...
"If most of the information about making a
fortune on the Internet is horse manure and hogwash, where do
the promoters get those people who give the fantastic testimonials
of success using that information?"
First ... if you read carefully ... some of those testimonials
are of "the emperor has no clothes"variety -- "I
just know I'm gonna make a fortune using this valuable information."
They ain't done it yet ... probably never will ... but what they
have to say 'sounds convincing' in a testimonial.
On the other hand, you have those people who give less-than-totally-truthful
testimonials.
In order to gain the approval of the promoter and experience
a vicarious thrill of fame, those people actually 'lie' to the
promoter about their success. By so doing, some of them
even hope to achieve success by association ... allowing the
promoter to use their full name and address in a published testimonial,
or appearing in the promoter's TeeVee program to bear witness.
One of those people once told me that, to succeed, you had
to "fake it 'til you make it." Although most
people thought he was rich and successful, he never did make
it. -- By spending every penny he earned on 'appearing' to be
rich, he never had money enough to ever get a real business started.
Then again...
"You cannot teach a man anything; you can
only help him to find it within himself."-- Galileo
So, even if only 10% of the information provided by a less-than-totally-truthful
Internet marketing guru is factual, there will be those among
his (or her) customers who will find what they need within themselves.
Those people will attribute their success to the promoter who
awakened the 'spirit of success' within them. -- They won't even
realize how much they had been mislead until much later, when
they look back and compare what they had done to what they had
been lead to believe they were supposed to do.
To illustrate, let me tell you...
A true story from my own experience.
As you know, back in my younger days, I made some outrageous
money as a Finder. Then, in 1978, I created my Finder's
Fee course ... which has since become the 'bible' of that industry.
But, I have never before told the story about how that course
came into existence.
Back when I was just a kid, growing up on the farm, I discovered
that I could make a few extra bucks by putting buyers and sellers
together and charging a 'commission.' -- If farmer Brown had
a tractor (or whatever) for sale, I would make an arrangement
with him to give me a commission if I could find him a buyer.
Then, when I found another farmer who needed such a tractor,
I would introduce him to farmer Brown and, if he bought the tractor,
I would get my commission. -- It was 'easy money' because I knew
almost everyone in the county, what they had for sale, and what
they might buy.
Later, when I was in the Army, I learned that used car salesmen
would pay me what they called a 'bird dog fee,' if GIs I brought
to their lots bought a car. -- Again, I was earning Finder's
Fees, introducing buyers to sellers, but I didn't know it at
the time.
Sometime during my stint in the Army, I somehow acquired an
old book about unusual businesses. In that book, there
was a rather lengthy chapter about earning Finder's Fees.
That chapter mentioned that Finder's Fees could be earned in
the fields of Industrial and Oil Field Equipment (just like farm
tractors), Closeouts, Liquidations, Collectibles, and a whole
world of areas I had never even considered.
Even before I got out of the Army, I had started earning bigger
and bigger Finder's Fees on all kinds of products and services
... just introducing buyers to sellers ... as I had 'learned'
in that old book. -- By the mid-1970s, I was known internationally
as a successful finder ... earning some outrageous fees for 'finding'
some of the most diverse products and services you can imagine.
For 10 years, I firmly believed that my 'success' as a finder
was due to what I had 'learned' from that single chapter in the
old book I had read. And, had anyone ever asked, I would
have 'testified' that I owed my success to that author.
As I pursued my career as a finder, I read everything I could
find about Finder's Fees. -- Everything I read was 'bullstuff.'
None of it even vaguely resembled the 'truth' about being a finder
- and - when I was able to actually speak to the authors, I learned
that they, personally, had never earned any Finder's Fee, but
they had 'read' about it (maybe in the same book I had read).
In 1978, when I decided to 'teach' people how to really and
truly earn Finder's Fees, I went back into my archives and retrieved
the old book I had read ... thinking I would use the chapter
on Finder's Fees in it to start my course.
Guess what? -- Rereading the chapter on Finder's Fees in that
old book, I learned that what the author had written was actually
even more misleading than the 'pure bullstuff' I had read since.
(It's a good thing I had never given the author a testimonial.)
But, something in that book had inspired me to decide to become
a finder.
So ... you see ... even though only 10% of the information
provided by a less-than-totally-truthful Internet marketing guru
may be factual, there will be those among his (or her) customers
who will find, within themselves, the inspiration to succeed.
Those few will give glowing testimonials to the efficacy of the
promoter's teachings ... fully believing that the information
he (or she) provided was instrumental in their success ... not
realizing that it was their own thinking that produced the results.
Once those people have made the decision to succeed, it matters
not that over 90% of what they have read is worthless.
They will ... as I did in my pursuit of finder's fees ... adapt,
adopt, develop, and implement the methods necessary to achieve
their success.
By the way, I'm talking about 'bullstuff information' here,
not 'bullstuff advertising.' -- Even 'bullstuff information'
can inspire a person to succeed. -- 'Bullstuff advertising' only
benefits the promoter.
Although 'bullstuff advertising' is a corruption, until a
person is well versed in a business method, technique or application,
it is almost impossible for them to discern the difference between
bullstuff information and the real thing. Therefore, unfortunately,
even the very best of information may be, and often is, unwittingly
labeled as 'bullstuff' by those who do not know.
But...
All it takes to succeed (in any business) is a
decision to be successful.
Once the decision is made, you will do it!
It really doesn't matter what inspires you to make that decision.
Whether the information you are relying upon is the best, most
reliable and factual dissertation ever written on the subject,
or pure 'bullstuff,' your decision to do it ... no matter what
it is you decide to do ... will produce the results you anticipate
and expect.
Think about it! Relate your decision making to anything
(or everything) in your life. -- When you are indecisive, you
wander around in a state of perplexity ... nothing seems to be
going right. Then, when a decision (about anything) is
finally made, the stress is relieved and you can go on about
whatever you are doing and accomplish your intended goal.
Even if the decision is to give-up, or quit, or just forget
it ... the result is the same. -- You do it!!
When YOU finally and unequivocally decide that you are going
to succeed at something (anything), you will do it. -- That's
why all of the great teachers of 'success motivation,' emphasize
goal setting. Because, once you decide upon a goal, you
will find a way ... even though you stumble and fall along the
way ... to get to that goal. -- The decision to get to your goal
is all it takes!
Decide, today, that you will have a successful, profitable
business ... no matter what kind of business it may be.
Once your decision is made and you know without doubt what your
goal is, forsake all other avenues to success. -- Then, even
if you are following the teachings of a less-than-totally-honest
guru, you will succeed.
The decision is yours and yours alone!
Can you stump the old master? --
Betcha can't!
Over the past 50 years (man and boy), I have made bundles
of money in direct selling, service contracting, wholesale merchandising,
entertainment (I was a professional Trumpet player, vocalist
& Radio Announcer), freight forwarding, import/export, retail
merchandising, warehousing, real estate, electronics manufacturing,
finder's fees, closeout merchandising, financial brokerage, business
consulting, steel fabrication, gold and coal mining, offshore
banking, mailorder, writing, and publishing. -- That being the
case ...
No matter what business you're in ... whether you're just
starting, well on your way, or at the top of the heap ... I've
probably been where you are, done what you are doing. -- So ...
Anytime you have a question about 'how' to do something in
your business - or - if you have any comments about anything
I've said in issues of this e-Letter; or if you want to add your
2 cents worth ... just "ask" me or "tell"
me.
Send your Questions, Comments or 2 Cents Worth
to ...
with "Question" - "Comment"
- or, "2 Cents Worth" in the SUBJECT.
If I, personally, don't have an answer to any question you
may ask, I will contact some of the professionals in your field
of endeavor (I will probably know one or more personally) to
get the real 'skinny' for you.
Note: If you want to ask a question anonymously
just tell me so when you send in the question. -- Nobody but
you and I will know who asked the question.
Copyright - 2011, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.