The title of his post is The TRUTH about Online Marketing! The Comfortable Illusion vs. the Uncomfortable Truth. Here’s what Hans wrote:

The Comfortable Illusion —– The Uncomfortable Truth

Remarkable advertising sells —– Only remarkable products are bought
You can target consumers —– Consumers might target you
Claim & seduce the market —– Honesty invites good customers
Marketing is about control —– You never have control
Your time, place, message —– The consumers time, place, content
Push hard enough and it works —– You need to work very hard to get pull

He also asked a few questions and made a great suggestion:

What are your take aways when you read this? Do you have other examples which underline this further? Please let me know here or even better, let me invite you to join this and other interesting discussions/news like this in our Strategy, Marketing & Innovation Forum by clicking below link: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1899487

Of course, I had to agree with Hans. I started what I thought would be a short comment. Half an hour later I was still writing. So I said to my VIP with VIP self, “Bonnie, this is good stuff. All professionals who want to be well seen, well heard, and well paid need to read this. Go add it to your blog right now. And then really polish it and submit it to a few article banks, like selfhelp.com, ezinearticles.com, and biznik.com. You’re an Information Marketing and Business Development Specialist. Model what you teach.”

So here’s my comment to Hans’ post:

Hans, thanks for being so honest. I know there are people making lots of $$$ online, many of them selling their products promising we can do the same ~ promising us instant success, no less! If only we’d buy and follow their proven method. I wish it were that quick and easy. As The Web Woman says, “Success on the Internet isn’t instant pudding.”

Because we all want a quick and easy path to success, we are vulnerable to thinking this guru or that product is the answer. We buy, maybe we read and/or listen. Then we find ourselves back where we started ~ suffering from Marketing Resistance Syndrome. If you’re feeling confused, overwhelmed and intimidated by what to do next and how to ‘do it all,’ welcome to MY World.

Maybe you’re uncomfortable promoting yourself and your product, maybe you don’t think you know how to language your message so ‘they’ get it, maybe you want to turn your knowledge, wisdom and experience into information products and don’t know where to start, maybe it’s how to package and price what you’re offering so your prospects KNOW you’re the right person for them.

The good news is these are obstacles we all face at one time or another. The difference between those who succeed and those who flounder? Those who persist and make continuous progress turning their dreams into reality are willing to overcome any obstacle that appears in their way whether it’s real or imagined. How? their dream, their passion, their purpose, their vision for a better future for themselves and their clients/customers is so BIG they are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

THIS IS HUGE! The attitude of “I CAN & I WILL!” assumes there is a solution ~ probably more than one, or two, or three. The challenge then is to find and implement one.

This is a much smoother path to success than what happens when we wonder, “Can I? Is there a way?” Why? because implied in those questions is the possible no. Then you have to convince yourself there is.

Having worked with thousands of professionals and spoken to thousands more, I’m convinced there are a first things we each need to do before we start another new marketing project:

* Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance.

Start with believing YOU CAN!!! YOU WILL!!!

* Look at what you’re already doing and give yourself credit for those things. Then ask yourself, others you trust, and maybe even an expert or two, what you could do to make it better. I’ll share A simple example: what’s your email address? If you nave a domain, yet your address ends in aol, yahoo, gmail or the like, you’re hurting your professional presentation. Contact the company where you registered your domain name and have them set you up an email box that looks like this: YourName@YourDomain.com. That’s so easy.

A bit more challenging to set up a way for you to receive emails sent there. For example, I use Outlook so I had to set up Outlook to check my email box, bonnie@marketingtoyourworld.com. Notice I said only a bit more challenging. Either the customer support person at the domain registration company, or your web master, or a friend will help you do this. All you have to do is ask. For someone who’s done this before, it’s a very quick and easy task.

Then next time you get your business cards printed, change your email address. Go change it on your website, blog, all social networking profiles immediately.

You may think it’s only a small thing. And in one sense it is. Yet every little thing you do to build a solid, well-crafted and integrated brand is one more brick in your solid foundation. It’s one more thing you can feel good about doing. And taking action is one of the best ways to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance!

* Learn more about the “new-to-you” marketing tools and techniques.

While there are lots of them, there are only four, yes 4 ways to share and receive information… Yes, you read that right. Here they are: text, graphics, audio and video. Everything, yes everything you hear about uses one or more of these four to communicate: blogs, webinars, websites, articles, podcasts, ezines, e-radio… all new words used to describe unique ways of producing, packaging, and delivering information. I

* Develop a strategic plan to achieve your desired business outcomes.

It’s not instant pudding AND it’s not ‘one size fits all.’ If you know you don’t have the expertise to evaluate your current marketing / media mix, STOP! Before you choose the next thing you start, before you dive into the deep end ~ again ~ waste precious time, money, and energy, and worse ~ feel even more disappointed, frustrated and overwhelmed than before, spend the time and, if necessary the money, to evaluate what you’re already doing, how to optimize these, and what is the smartest, best, most powerful thing or things that are best for YOU to learn, do and master next.

A few things done well ~ woven into a Hi-5 Marketing Strategy ~ one that’s Heart-Inspired, Interactive, Integrated, Internet and Information-based ~ will produce far better results than many things done poorly, haphazardly, without focus of purpose.

And remember, marketing alone isn’t enough to produce the success of your dreams. While you are developing the strategic plan and taking daily actions to do what needs to be done, take the time to look at how you run your business. You want to have a solid business infrastructure with tested and proven processes for things like practice management and customer care so you can easily take exceptional care of new clients while treating your existing ones like gold. And remember, to look at your systems and procedures for managing basic business functions like finances, administration, human resources,legal and such.

In addition, it’s time to turn your expertise from words you repeate day in and day out into information products. Your clients and prospects would LOVE to take you home, learn from you at their convenience, and share with others how you’re helping them. It’s time to become known as an expert in your field.

The best way?

* Become a VIP with VIP ~ A Very Important Professional with Valuable Information Products.

You’ll be amazed and delighted at how easy this is to do and what it takes to market these products… when you develop a plan that’s right for YOU, your style, your budget, your current skill level, your available time and energy.

What I’m saying makes sense, doesn’t it? If you know in your heart you need to stop and build a solid foundation before adding anything new to your marketing, STOP! Take a deep breath, let it out slowly. Do that again… maybe a few times. Know there is hope. You have what it takes. KNOW THAT!

If you know that’s what’s next for you and know you can’t do it alone, find a coach, a specialist, a strategist who can help you evaluate, plan, and then execute a well-crafted marketing strategy. Everything you do from there will turn out far better, and produce far better results. The time, money and energy you invest in the big picture will more than pay for itself in the results you get. I promise!

And if you’re ready to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance, sign up now for my upcoming teleclass series. I guarantee you’ll be transformed from the reluctant marketer to VIP with VIP! You can do it! Yes, you can!

Yet how many of us are afraid to stand out and get noticed? I’m pretty outrageous and still, sometimes I am.

For example, a few weeks ago I attended an annual in-person networking event. Last year I accepted a dare and modeled an outfit someone had on display… So this year I needed to do something special. I had a reputation to maintain, didn’t I?

Earlier this year, I attended T. Harv Eker’s Train-the-Trainer 1 event. I guess I reminded someone of the Energizer Bunny ~ they gave me the nickname “The Energizer Bonnie!”

The name followed me home… I was told it’s a ’sticky’ brand a la the criteria laid out in the great book, Made to Stick.

I had recently bought a pink warm-up suit, a matching pink t-shirt, and a pair of pink bunny ears (It’s time for the Easter Bunny.)

So I dressed up as “The Energizer Bonnie!”

Did I stand out? YES!
Did everyone notice me?YES!!
Does everyone remember me? YES!!!

Yet I haven’t worn my Energizer Bonnie costum since.

Why not?

Good question… and I have a few good answers…

I live in Floria so it’s already too warm for the warm-up suit…

I’m an extrovert by nature. I’m short, cute, energetic, and enthusiastic. So I’m visible and vocal at events regardless of what I wear.

And, yes. I feel a bit self-conscious every time there’s another live event where I could wear my bunny ears. I do want to stand out… I do want to get noticed…

I am in marketing, and I want to model for others what it takes to get more business.

Yet I’m not sure I have to ‘dress the part.’ I even wonder if the image isn’t a bit over the top and hurts my credibility. I’m not sure I agree with the adage, “Any publicity is good publicity.”

So I’m reaching out into cyberspace to ask you what you think. Do I go out dressed as The Energizer Bonnie, all in pink with ears and a tail? Do I take a picture and put it on my website? Or do I let my presence speak for me?

Am I suffering from Marketing Resistance Syndrome? Am I letting my fears and doubts keep me from creating a strong and memorable brand?

Or is dressing up, dressing professionally more important to my image?

What do you think?

And what do you do to stand out, get noticed and get more business? I’d love to hear your stories… see your pictures… get your opinion… so write a comment and let us in on your trade secret!