“Who Should I Follow? Which Platforms Should I Use?”
I encourage you to exercise caution when seeking advice and education online and I realize the irony in an educational program telling you this.
I’ve had a few people reach out and ask me what I think of so-and-so’s online program or book, and while many of them are great, some of them are definitely a waste of time and money.
Do as much homework as you can and make sure the person or people you are listening to and learning from, are providing facts and simply not opinions, that their stories and examples are grounded in experience.
The reality of seeking recommendations and advice around anything online, is that frankly, no matter what you’re looking for, you will find it.
It is an unfortunate part of the political and media climates that we face today.
I’m certainly not about to enter into a political diatribe, rather just use it as an example to say that you can Google anything from, “the Earth is flat”, to “vaccines cause autism”, to “milk is good (and bad) for you.”
You will find a world of information, millions of results to support your line of thinking, regardless of what side you are on or what it is that you believe in or how you worded your specific Google search.
That is the internet today.
The ability to receive instant information, not necessarily backed or researched or vetted information but instant nonetheless.
So why am I telling you this?
How does this pertain to business or to e-commerce?
It all relates back to your business because the fact of the matter is there are conflicting messages no matter where you look.
You will find whatever it is that you are looking for.
From how to manage a business, how to lead a team, how to market a product, conduct an interview, design a presentation, pitch a client, you name it.
You’ll find for and against in almost every category for the very same things.
I follow business leaders and influencers, I’ve mentioned it in previous videos I follow Grant Cardone.
He presently has nearly 2 billion dollars in assets under management and a personal net worth of more than $300 million dollars.
He has plastered all over his social media channels, even on the clothing that he wears, “No days off” – “Be up before the sun rises” – “You sleep in like you’re rich, I’m up early like I’m broke”.
I follow other business leaders like Sara Blakely, the billionaire founder of Spanx.
She regularly promotes self-care, time-off, diligent mental health breaks, giving yourself space and rest, etc…
So, which is it?
How do I become successful?
Rise & Grind. Beat the sun up. No days off.
Or, give yourself time and space and rest and breaks.
Both of them are exceptionally successful and wealthy, leaders of their industries.
What works for some, doesn’t work for all.
Same principles apply to your business, your brand, digital marketing, e-commerce, the way you research and absorb information.
I don’t take on the 52 books in a year challenge, I find that powering through a book a week every week, doesn’t permit me the necessary time to absorb the material, nor attempt to apply what I’ve learned in my day-to-day.
Should I advertise on Facebook? Can I market my brand on Snapchat? What is Tik Tok and should I be using it?
Do a search online and again you will be guaranteed to find, for and against whatever the topic.
Which platforms you use, whose advice you follow, what programs you undertake, what books you read, will all boil down to influence and interest and what you believe in.
What you’re willing to put the effort behind to make work for you.
The truth is you can make any platform work for almost any business.
You just can’t carbon copy something that has worked for someone else and assume that because it worked for them, it will work for you too.
While the internet will help educate no question, it will mostly serve as an amplification tool, to help cement an existing point of view, leadership style, routine or personality type, management or marketing preferences. Only now you have citable sources.
