When the Technology Era was introduced to the masses in the mid 1990’s, it received a lukewarm welcome at best. Some said it was a passing fad that would run it’s course, and disappear. Some believed the ‘world wide web’ and it’s ability to connect thousands, if not millions of people instantly…was a ’sign of the times’, a fulfillment of prophecy signaling the end was near.

But most people were too busy juggling the day to day activities, responsibilities, and demands, associated with work and providing for their families, to give it much thought at all. Unless this futuristic technology could put food on the table, or money in their pockets“now”…it seemed irrelevant in the scope of things.

Taking little more than a momentary pause, everyone went back to their busy lives, blissfully ignorant of just how relevant that moment really was. Little did we know, life as we knew it, was sitting directly on the fault line of a historical Paradigm Shift about to open up, and swallow it whole.

Paradigms explain, or define the world to us. They shape our perception of life, which creates the boundaries and rules we live by.

When we were in school, history books taught that in the days of Columbus, people believed the world was flat. They thought the Atlantic ocean was filled with sea monsters large enough to devour a ship. And were certain if you sailed to the horizon, you’d plunge over the waterfall waiting for you at the edge of the earth.

The Paradigm was the socially accepted view of a flat earth. That perception defined their lives, and shaped the boundaries and rules of that time period.

When Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in fourteen hundred and ninety-two, (funny how some things stick with you for a lifetime!) he confirmed his theory – the earth was round, and not flat.

That single piece of credible new information created a historical Paradigm Shift. Their perception of life, and the boundaries and rules created by that perception, all made sense in a flat world. But not in a round one.

(And yes, since our elementary school days, it appears that historians have discovered this was a myth. The people of that time period did not think the world was flat.)

Paradigm Shifts change the game and create a new set of rules.

The paradigm shift we are all living through at present, transitioning from an  Industrial Age world, to this new Technology/Information Age world, is a new experience for everyone.

Learning how to thrive in this new environment is challenging, especially since everything is in constant motion. One of the main reasons that so many people are NOT finding success creating income online is because they are trying to fit a 20th Century Marketing philosophy and strategy card, into a 21st Century marketing ATM. The two are not compatible.

It’s like insisting that you are going to keep the world flat because that is what you are used to, and familiar with. And that will get you nowhere fast.

The first step to success in the 21st century, is to accept you’re no longer in 20th century. No longer playing by Industrial Age rules and boundaries. Take a moment to pause, and get comfortable with the fact that things have “changed” .

Once you acknowledge, and accept that….then your journey to producing income in the “New World” can begin.

To Your Growth and Profit,

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You’re bombarded with the message ‘you can be anything you want to be. Do anything you want to do. That the possibilities are endless – all you have to do is believe in yourself and reach for the stars!’

It sounds great, but who are they kidding?
By the time the checklist of daily necessities, responsibilities, work, errands, and unexpected moments take their toll, reaching for the light-switch is challenging, not alone reaching for the stars!

When taking stock of life, the majority of people know the life they’re living on a day-to-day basis is nowhere close to the life they dream of. Their days are stuck in ‘response mode’, one continual reaction after another to the circumstances and the people, who demand  time, attention and energy.

Most people are on the treadmill of life – constantly moving, putting one foot in front of the other, but going nowhere. They have moments when they realize all too well what they’re doing isn’t going to cut-it. If they stay on the path they’re on, they will leave this world not only never having achieved their dreams, but never even getting started on them.

Those “Crossroad” moments in life are opportunity calls. The opportunity to re-evaluate, weigh out, and make a conscious choice to either stay the course, or change it. To ask yourself ‘am I okay with where I am at? What I am doing? Where I am going? If I never do more, accomplish more, or am more, than I am right now, is that acceptable to me?’ And if the answer is ‘no‘, then those moments can be the catalyst for change.

If only it was that easy! Right?

But that’s just it – it’s NOT easy.
Not easy for you.
Not easy for anyone.

There’s NOTHING EASY about coming to grips with where you are in life, not liking what you see, and deciding to change things. Especially when you don’t get to wipe the slate clean. Don’t get to undo the decisions you’ve made so you can start out fresh, unencumbered by the results, and the circumstances you’ve created for yourself.

The reason the book “Unstoppable” by Cynthia Kersey, or any of the other thousands of books that have been written trumpeting the perseverance of the human spirit, end up on the bestsellers list – is because they’re the ultimate ‘pep talk’ for anyone seriously considering ‘change‘. They reinforce and affirm the message - “It’s Not Easy, But It’s Worth it!”

It’s time to get serious about what you want out of life. And, whether you are on a path that can take you there. Time will either work for you, or against you. If you’re not moving closer to your dreams, time becomes your enemy. If you are moving towards your dreams, time becomes a welcomed friend.

Whatever struggles, hardships, or downright difficult times you endure in pursuit of a worthy goal, is time well spent. It won’t be easy – but it will be worth it.

To Your Growth and Profit,

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Happy 4th of July America!

We’re proud to be Americans.
May God Bless our Country and the men and women that protect it.

As the beneficiaries of freedom, may we diligently remember it is a gift
and some paid the ultimate price to give it to us.

Some Gave All -

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If you’re still sitting there scratching your head trying to figure out what’s different about today’s Marketing environment compared to the way it used to be. If you’re noticing the compelling calls to action that used to yield results aren’t coming through for you. If consumers just don’t seem to be responding to your advertising methods and you’re wondering “Why?”  Here’s your answer…

Although the answer can be summed up in one simple sentence, the ramifications of it has changed the face of marketing worldwide. “The Marketer Is No Longer In Control, The Consumer Is.”

When social communities began to pop up online like MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, and many others, they were looked at as nothing more than a venue for people to stay in touch. To share personal info and photo’s online with family and friends, and an opportunity to make new friends in the process. But if anyone could have looked into a crystal ball and foresaw the future, they would have seen the beginning of the most powerful marketing platform ever to come into existence. And it only reaffirmed what we as marketers, have always known – there’s no marketing out there, nor has there ever been, that is more compelling than “word-of-mouth”.

An exuberant testimonial or positive word, from a family member, trusted friend, or acquaintance, is all the endorsement a product or service needs to find its way to the person receiving the information. Word of mouth trumps the most cleverly written pieces of copywriting out there, every time. Word of mouth circumvents the entire marketing process, completely eliminates the work and expense of convincing, leading, and selling, the consumer. Word of mouth is a ‘done deal’.

You’ve heard of the ‘town gossip”? Multiply that by 446,483,050 –  And that’s just the number of Internet users in America. There are 1,802,330,457 worldwide.

It’s called “Buzz Marketing” – one continuous stream of talk, about everything, and anything, you can imagine. Including, your product, your service, your bedside manner. It’s a ‘head’s up’ to the entire world whether or not what you have, what you offer and how you conduct business is something others should avoid like the plague, or rush to take advantage of. There’s no more getting by with only doing enough to say you did it,  and then leaving the consumer hanging. The repercussions of conducting business like that will be swift, just, and permanent. The Internet never forgets!

Everyone likes to believe their opinion matters – never before in the history of the world has something as common as ‘an opinion’ carried the weight it does today. Never has the ability of the average person to say what’s on their mind, been as empowering as it is now. And there are absolutely NO qualifications or limitations, to the process of sharing it.

SO if you are still trying to figure out HOW to succeed with your advertising, here’s the KEY to Marketing in the 21^st century, keeping in mind this can work “for you” and “against you” – “Make Your Business, Product, or Service, “Conversation-Worthy”, and the buzz will take care of the rest.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 3% [?]