7 Must Know Lessons From 101 Digital Marketing Success Stories

So you want to hear some successful internet marketing strategies? The sort of information that’s all laid out and you just follow the steps to riches one by one. Nice and easy for ya right?
Well, I hate to tell you this but when Buck Flogging (AKA Matt Stone) and I interviewed 101 internet entrepreneurs that was hardly what we got back. We did however discover 30 keys to digital marketing success that came up over, and over, and over again.
Here I’m going to give you seven of them, but they might not be what you expect. They are more like fundamental principles than “send this email on this day” or, “make this popup open after x seconds.” But if you put them into practice they will almost certainly help you to finally get going with your online endeavors, accelerate the pace you get things done at, or even help you to improve things within an existing business.

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 1: Know Your Strengths

Allow yourself to work on the things you enjoy and excel at. You are far more likely to produce outstanding results if you do this. Then surround yourself with others whose strengths lay in the areas where you are weak.
Without being big-headed, (OK, just slightly big-headed… a little bit) I have written 5 books myself, but could I have edited these books myself? Sure, I could have! I also could have created the covers, proofread them, and formatted them for paperback and digital reading.
I could have done all of that, but the results would be average at best. These are not my strengths, and by spending my time on them I would be doing the readers a disservice by delivering a product I could have made better, by allowing people who excel in these areas to take control. I would also not be using my time optimally by doing other things that don’t revolve around my strengths.
Although it is a good idea to have a working knowledge of all areas of your business, you should concentrate your efforts on developing your strengths. Through practice and learning more in your area of strength, you will become one of the best in your field.
21 of the 101 entrepreneurs we interviewed said that this was an important thing to focus on.

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 2: Focus on Few Things

This lesson can be put to work on many different levels. It concerns you as an individual, and if you ignore it, you are almost certainly not going to achieve much. Stephen Guise, author of “Mini Habits” and one of the online marketing success stories we interviewed put it this way:
“Too many people try to do too much, and they sacrifice consistency to do it.”
The more projects you work on, the less likely you are to finish any of them. You are also not focusing your full attention and are going to produce sub-optimal results even if you do eventually finish.
Think of it this way. Let’s say it takes you six months to create one product. You have ten ideas and begin work on all of them. It would take you five years to complete them all, and in the meantime, you would have made no money at all!
If you had taken one project at a time, after six months you would already be making some money, after a year you would double that, and you would be adding to your income regularly every six months. Still want to begin work on several of those great ideas you have?
Focusing on just a few things is the optimal way to get things finished and out the door. Both the quality and quantity of your work will improve if you follow this rule.

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 3: Find a Mentor

Mentors can come in many forms. You may be able to find an individual within your network who understands your business or personal goals and can help you, but there are other options.
Consultants, a mastermind group, angel investors, a business partner or even friends or a family members with relevant knowledge can act as mentors in some way.
If you are just getting started, it is likely you know few people in your industry, or perhaps you do not yet have a budget for paid mentorship. If this is the case, you can use virtual mentorship via online courses, read all you can on the subject and contact those who have seen success in your area. Seek out podcasts and websites that give out valuable knowledge and resources. Reach out and ask questions – this will also help you to build your network.
There is nothing wrong with learning all you can with these methods, but nothing will replace having a good mentor. He or she will accelerate your success, help you avoid problems and bring out the best in you. They will also make you more productive and help you follow through on things because accountability has now entered the equation.
In the words of Derek Doepker:
“It’s critical to get a great coach or a mentor who can see your blind spots so they can help you find your own path to success.”

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 4: Don’t Give Up on Us Baby!

Yes, sadly that headline was a reference to David Souls’ smash hit(?) from 1976 which I kinda, sorta like OK? Don’t judge!
53% of the contributors to “Internet Business Insights” told us that you should never give up when it feels like you are going nowhere fast, or you become discouraged. Learn to keep striving for your goals. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and remember that success takes time.
Make consistent productivity a habit that can help carry you through the times when you just feel like quitting and find a way to avoid that “stinking thinking.”
Change your mindset back to positivity in whichever way works for you so you can get your show on the road again. This might include:

• a quick blast of listening to motivational talks.
• Reading a book that set you off on this journey in the first place.
• Looking into the success of others who have overcome difficulties to achieve their goals in the form of biographies.
• Motivational videos. (My suggestion: The Art Williams “Just do it” speech. If this doesn’t pick you up, nothing will!)

Art Williams “Just Do It” Speech

Being persistent doesn’t mean you have to continue on a path you find you have no desire to follow. Persistence means actually continuing to search for the work you will enjoy being a part of. Many of our contributors had several attempts at creating a business and either didn’t enjoy it, or it failed. But they persisted in searching for the thing they loved doing, rather than quitting and settling for a “normal” job for the rest of their days.

Don’t give up looking for the side hustle that is right for you. Don’t give up when you start facing problems on the path to making that work, whether it be internal struggles or external obstacles.

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 5: Look at Failures and Adversity as Opportunity

You are going to make mistakes and things will go wrong – it is inevitable! You must train yourself to see any adversity or “failures” that you go through as learning experiences that will help you grow, learn, and do things better in the future.

Of course, you should plan ahead to avoid problems, but always keep in mind that things will go wrong at some point. When things inevitably do go wrong, you will be mentally prepared and less likely to be deterred from sticking with your goal.

I am wary of even using the word “failure” here. Many book contributors refused to even acknowledge the word failure in the context of their businesses or their lives in general. Several didn’t even answer the question until I rephrased it!

Finally, on the subject of failure, admit to and own your failures, and use this opportunity to get feedback where possible. Letting allies see you stumble will not cause them to see weakness. Rather, they will see both

1. The strength you possess in getting back up.
2. The integrity you possess in your ability to admit your shortcomings and correct them.

We also need to cover adversity here and I can’t think of a better example than Mark Goblowsky. When he was only 3 years old, Josh (Mark’s Son) was involved in a hit-and-run accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury. I’m sure you will agree that this is every parent’s nightmare. It brings a tear to my eye every time I even think about it!

This was of course devastating for Mark and his family. But in the end, he used this traumatic experience as a way to connect with and help others who are fighting through their own struggles in his “Strength Through the Struggle” podcast. If Mark can use such a devastating experience to help those around him, what’s your excuse?

Want another example? Derek Murphy of creativindie.com just got kicked out of Kindle Unlimited. If the ban sticks, it could cost him around $50,000 over the next year! Easy for you to curl up in a corner and give up after a hit like this right?

I sent a message to Derek saying I was sorry to hear about his predicament and here was his response:

“Thanks – it’s alright, probably for the best anyway. The story makes for a good piece of content, and I should learn more about the other platforms.”

Don’t get me wrong, Derek isn’t going down without a fight, he’s contacting Amazon to get this cleared up if at all possible, but the point is, he isn’t prepared to let this defeat him. In fact, he has seen the opportunity in this! Check out his article explaining the crazy reason Amazon decided on this ban: https://www.creativindie.com/how-i-got-kicked-out-of-kindle-unlimited-and-lost-50000-overnight/

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 6: Get Used to Being Uncomfortable

It is likely you can think of something you could do to take your business to the next level, yet you don’t because the thought scares you. This fear might be there because you don’t yet hold all of the information you think you need to begin. Perhaps it could also simply be a fear of putting yourself out there in a way you are unaccustomed to. This might include things such as interviewing somebody for audio or video rather than a simple written set of questions.

In our interview with Brad Wilson of Enhance Your Edge poker training, he summarized this idea in the following way:

“Fears are the barrier to entry and they keep most people from truly realizing their fullest potential. Do what the others are unwilling to do and bust through that barrier.”

If you willing to take steps to get past your fears, it is probable that you will accelerate your success, and in the process you will be delivering more value to people. If you mess up, or make mistakes, what the hell? Learn, keep trying and you will eventually succeed.

Digital Marketing Success Lesson 7: Be Careful of Bad Partnerships

25% of our book contributors warned against getting into bad partnerships. This goes beyond just your business partner. It could include employees, subcontractors, or even needy clients or customers!

A bad partner doesn’t necessarily mean they are a bad person. It could just be that you both went into partnership with different goals and visions for your business moving forward. At some stage this is going to lead to problems.

“If you are going to go into a business partnership with anyone, make sure you both agree to a contract that specifically states what the objective of the partnership is, what your ownership and payment terms are, what your respective roles and responsibilities will be in the business, and what your exit strategy will be.”
– John Lagoudakis

Whichever type of partnership we are talking about, it is important to make it clear what is expected of each party involved. This should be in writing when possible, to protect both parties. Although your word may be your bond, bear in mind that misunderstandings can and will happen. Also bear in mind the fact that unfortunately, not everybody holds to the same level of integrity as you.

That’s all folks, I hope you enjoyed the read! If so then please consider sharing or perhaps leaving a comment.

Finally, don’t forget there are another 23 keys to online marketing success from the 101 internet marketing success stories we interviewed! See below where I’ll tell you how to get all 30 success lessons and a copy of the book when it is released.