Last week, one of my partners for another site of mine said he wanted to reach out to a large retailer in our niche so we can sell their products on our site. Now this guy is pretty savvy when it comes to offline businesses but he’s not our internet marketing genius. In fact, he’s even somewhat of a techie since he’s the president of the top solution provider for one of CA’s biggest products.
When I told him that I can put an ad on our site to market their products so we can earn a commission of those sales within minutes, he was almost in disbelief. So guess what, I put him on hold for five minutes and then asked him to refresh the page on his browser. Voila! There’s the new ad right smack on our home page.
For those who know how affiliate marketing works, obviously, I was able to either sign up as an affiliate on the retailer’s site or on their affiliate network and got approved immediately. I was also able to choose varying ways to get paid as an affiliate and simply drop the code right on our page.
Look, we all have to start somewhere. His ignorance was partly due to his intense focus on the other parts of the business. And besides, if he knew everything about making money through new media, he wouldn’t need me. That said, it’s still amazing how some very common internet marketing terms somehow slip through the brain cracks in some of the brightest people’s heads.
Do you have a story of someone who you hold in high regard but surprised you with their lack of knowledge in a particular area? I’d love to hear it.
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I am a business professional
with an entrepreneurial spirit. Although I have an MBA and managed websites and IT departments
for several Fortune 500 companies ...
Years ago and still somewhat today I am known as the guy who can hear just a couple seconds of a song on the radio and tell you exactly who sings it and what the name of the song is. This doesn’t really have to do with Internet marketing but I hope this is still relevant to the topic at hand.
I was better at this years ago but still do a bit of it now. I’m not sure you can call it a gift or anything but it’s fun to do and surprises the heck out of most people I know.
Eric´s last blog ..The Most Money You’ll Ever Make With Your Blog
i don’t get what your gift has to do with his question.
Well, I’m the opposite of his question in a sense.
It’s kind of complicated to explain exactly.
Sorry for the confusion.
Eric´s last blog ..The Most Money You’ll Ever Make With Your Blog
Yes Gabe, and ironically, it was just the other day.
A friend asked me to Google an old college mate’s name for their blog and I was surprised to find they were on a hosted platform with no ads. This was after blogging ‘successfully’ for four years. Valuable content, plenty of traffic and this blogger believed the only way he could make money was by getting commissioned to do a piece. I howled!
Wow, that’s four years of blogging in a bubble!
So right Gabe. I’m still amazed.
I am shocked everyday by the vast difference between common knowledge and common sense!
Ms. Freeman´s last blog ..A Plea On Behalf of Haiti
Yes, sometimes we take both of those for granted.
Here’s an example, many years ago, I was doing some basic consulting work for the Director of a particular state’s Turnpike Commission (I won’t say which state). Anyway, I had to show him how to send a simple email and he was trying to type “good bye” with two words. Not a big deal but he asked me how to put a space between the words! To his credit, the space bar is actually the only key not labeled. But how can a guy manage a $100 million budget and not know where the space bar on a keyboard is?
Yes, it’s hard to keep abreast with the times but it pays to pay attention at some changes happening around, especially the major ones.
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Hey Gabe,
I wouldn’t call this as an lack of knowledge, actually he is more into offline business than online. Of course, your friend is not into this business but I can assure you he will explore in some time if he is interested in IM.
Not everyone starts high, some people including me, learn the process slowly and then explore the hidden gold. Point is, it might have taken him time to be successful in offline biz.. and similarly, online biz success can be achieved with patience and learning
Bangaloreloka´s last blog ..Shorten Affiliate Links? With Free Shorty Make Custom Short Domain Links
Look, we all have to start somewhere. His ignorance was partly due to his intense focus on the other parts of the business.
yeah you’re right…Many tech savvy people are not aware of this online ads and SEO and SEM.Anyway interesting post.
Thanks
TC
Neo´s last blog ..Home
This situation is which make each people will have their part in some thing. I ever face that my brightest partners who expert in linux, know nothing about cisco configuration. And that’s make us be great partner which fill other hole.
Dana @ Blogging Update´s last blog ..Email Creation by Using WebHosting Cpanel
My partners and I have a perfect balance of our responsibilities. I’m sure some of them could write a few stories about me!
I have a story to tell. My cousin whom I respect most due to his knowledge on computer and web, once fall into very bad situation. Once he saw a link on his friend’s page on Orkut about new Orkut and he click on it and use his login id and pass to access new Orkut. He never tried to look on the address bar because the page was a clone of Orkut and he end with losing his id. Fortunately that was his secondary id on Orkut. The url was v0rkut.tk.
Arafat Hossain Piyada´s last blog ..Google Says : Get power Twitter users as followers to maximize traffic
Sadly, phishing is so abundant these days. Almost anyone can fall for phishing attempts. It’s way worse when they get critical info like SSN or financial account info.
I didn’t know that either. I gotta get out of the classroom more often.
Jacqui´s last blog ..A PowerPoint Slideshow for Third Graders
You have a great niche! You should be able to monetize it with very little effort.
Yo Gabe, my man, compadre, duuude, are you trying to put us newbie coaches (including yourself) outa business? lol
Everyone is a “newbie” at something, no matter how smart they are…it’s the super intelligent that think they know it all that are the most dangerous.
My dad was/is an Electrical Engineer, considered (at one time at least) some of the smartest people on the planet…I no longer even attempt to discuss anything I do with him; he just don’t get it.
Of course, being in his 80′s and not the best of health, it might also be a small case of just not caring to learn at all. lol
Dennis EdellI’m with gabe on this one, good job!´s last blog ..4 DAYS LEFT!- ProBloggers-31 Days To Build A Better Blog- + 3 Awesome Bonuses!
You remind me of my one time ex-team lead who once asked – “I wonder how they bundle up a hard drive to store so many snaps, files, music, contact info etc. inside my tiny little mobile camera”! Can you believe it?
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The funny part is if he had a compact camera, he just kept the “standard” memory card that came with it? That might hold about 10 pics!
I am not at all a sexist. But, funny part is she was a “she” not a “he”!
I’m sure it would not have made much of a difference if he was a “he” though. Just trying to keep the facts correct here
I knew it had to be a “she” because it was such a … just kidding!
LOL
TechChunks´s last blog ..Top 10 Geekiest Quotes Ever
Oooo I’m TELLIN’ lol
Great articles & Nice a site
In my life such events happen pretty often. It begins from boasting in childhood and continues for the whole life.
Exist a proverb: “not knowing passing don’t even enter the river”. Agree with you that in a new media just few people catch all at once , but anyway we should try.
This reminds me of a lesson taught me by one of my earliest mentors: “Whenever you are going to visit a business that you are thinking of investing in, before going in to see the CEO, go to the loading dock and ask the guy there, ‘What business are you in?’ Then go in the front door and ask the receptionist the same question. Then meet with the CEO. You should only invest in the company if all three — the loading dock guy, the receptionist, and the CEO — have the same, clear description of what business they are in.”
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To be frank I also don’t know much about the new media you have explained here…I am still getting more information regarding the new media so that I can use it for my Denver Website Designs project..I think googling it may help a little bit, but most of the times Google really irritates me…
You wouldn’t start a business that you are passionate about with a friend who hasn’t shown passion in the same area, would you? Typically start-ups are created out of a clear – and obvious – love for something that can be linked to an ultimate goal.
By the way Apple began from two men who were good at hardware, but knowing nothing about software. But I think the engine of their success was the great interest in their overall business.