Chasing The Guru Ghost
It seems that a good number of bloggers seem to be under the impression that one path to success is to follow the guru ghost. If that’s your blogging business model keep reading.
The truth is most of what you read on those mega blogs is outsourced content written by hired writers. That doesn’t mean the content isn’t worth reading and learning from. What it does mean if you are following and commenting in hopes of getting the guru’s attention your chances are slim and none. Take a look at their comments sections and notice how little they even take the time to respond to their commenters.
This post isn’t to attack the blogging gurus, I just want to clear up the misconception that your blogging success depends on them. Quite the contrary, your success depends on developing relationships with other bloggers within your niche and interest. As a blogger, success can be measured in many ways but I’m referring to traffic, comments and money earned.
Blogging is a two-way street and most mega bloggers quit that game long ago. How many of these gurus have emailed you or even taken two seconds to comment on your blog? How many have clicked the link to check your site out?
I’m not going to attack John Chow but he is very well known so I’ll use his blog as an example. One of his featured posts, How I Make $40,000 a Month From a Blog, currently has 191 comments. Out of that only 10 are John Chow’s replies. I’m not saying he’s doing anything wrong, I’m saying you are more than likely wasting your valuable time commenting if it’s to rub shoulders with the Guru Ghost.
One more point on John Chow’s blog while I’m on the subject. In that same post I referred to above, John Chow wrote, “The video contain information that I have never written about before – it revealed my blog business model“. Isn’t that amazing? With all of the ‘make money‘ posts he has published why would he leave out the things he does to make money? Now do you think the video is showing the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
For all you marketers out there that have purchased thousands in ‘life changing‘ products pushed by the marketing gurus has a single purchase paid off? Do you think Mike Filsaime is such a good guy that he’s going to give away the golden goose for $97? I think not.
The Truth
You have to find your own way because the path is your own. That’s not some Kung Fu Confucius quote but the truth. You should start with your peers. People you have a common bond with and who you admire. That’s the only why to develop sincere relationships. Anything less is simply trying to take advantage of someone and no one is interested in being a victim, not even the guru ghosts.
Would you like to see who I admire and follow? Who I consider friends? Check out my friends list. Are you on there?
Sire (97)
Dennis Edell (93)
Blog for Beginners (70)
Sheryl Loch (66)
Make Money Blogging (36)
Brad West (34)
My Life Thinking (31)
Steve | Trade Sho... (23)
Kikolani | Bloggi... (22)
solo advertising (21)
Sheryl Loch on September 19th, 2009
All I can say is you are VERY lucky that I am on that list of friends post. I’d hate to have to call you out.
Ok, I do have more to say.
This is MY opinion!
You need to read/listen to others that are more advanced in a technique, more successful, or does things differently than yourself.
You can not move forward if you do not associate with people on a higher level. Kinda like the ‘no child left behind’, if you sit & wait for everyone to catch up you will still be sitting in the same spot at this time next year.
So you do need to sometimes have a changing of the guard. By this I mean that those you once listened to may start sounding like a repeat. That is because you have learned all they are willing to share. When this happens you need to move on.
You also need to remember that just because 1million other people are singing someones praises does not mean crap. MANY people sing praises to be with the ‘group’. Most of those people will still be waiting with baited breath for the next post. That is because those people read the ‘what I can do’ but, they never go & put it to their own test.
I don’t read JC but, what if I took everything he posted & really applied it – If I then made the $40,000 a month then BAM, he is the man.
But, if I found that what I was learning from him got me nowhere (even when applied)then I know it is time to move on. He is either not talking in a way that I understand, he is not telling the entire story, or I am just a failure!
Instead of #3, I would just go find someone that did give me the missing piece. The missing piece could be that I just found a person who says things in a different way.
I have recently went through a ‘changing of the guard’. I have dropped some of the ‘experts’ that I did follow and now spend more time with listening to a few that are not even known to most bloggers but, they have info that when I have put it to the test – it works! In the past they kind of talked over my head but, I am catching up & understanding more.
Yep, moving up to the next level.
(That is why we are making changes at the forum).
If all you do is repeat what a ‘guru’ says then you will be found a fraud. You have to be applying & getting results if you want to be a value to your community. Even if the results means you learn that it doesn’t work.
My thought of the day –
There will be thousands of people that will buy shit in a squeeze bottle just because a ‘guru’ said it made their sandwich taste better. Those that can think on their own will not make a 2nd purchase because they know shit when they smell it!
Sheryl Loch´s last blog ..How To Set Up BING Webmaster Tools
Brian D. Hawkins Reply:
September 19th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Wow Sheryl, that was better than my post
I agree with everything you said. Read and learn from everyone willing to share useful information as long as it’s real. Too many are saying ‘take the service road via my affiliate link’ while they never left their home.
Sneak peak into the next Social Edition…
Not So Famous Quotes, “You need to read/listen to others that are more advanced in a technique, more successful, or does things differently than yourself”.