Yesterday I got slightly distracted. Browsing around YouTube, I found some videos analysing the news media footage of 9/11. They broke down it down piece by piece to show that the planes were actually computer animations and that the news media had used blue screen effects to cover up missiles striking the buildings. Which, of course, had been ordered by the US Government to justify the war in Afghanistan and then Iraq.

Honestly, their analysis was pretty convincing but there was always one question left in my mind: If the US Government was really prepared to kill their own people to justify their war, why wouldn’t they just fly their own plane into the towers instead? Why bother involving the news media at all? Digging deeper, I ’surprisingly’ found websites debunking the “missing plane” theories and presenting much more plausible evidence.

I think the conspiracy theories raise some interesting questions that are being ignored by the news media and US Government investigations. But the point was how scary the world we live in can be. Who do we trust?

When I was a child, I remember thinking my parents knew it all. Obviously, grown ups in general must have a pretty good handle on things and give good advice. As I got older and became able to investigate more ideas for myself, my perspective changed a lot. You realise that your parents might not know as much as you thought, and that maybe they’re just as scared and lost as you feel yourself sometimes.

When you reach this kind of awareness, it can be scary or it can be exciting. I think we all make this decision within ourselves based on our own comfort zones and how much ‘risk’ we are willing to expose ourselves too. After all, if the people you’ve had guiding your life for so long turn out to not know it all, who do you turn to? Who do you trust?

I think we make an important decision at this point and the people that come out on top in this world decide to trust the only person they can, themselves. That doesn’t mean that we don’t listen to other people and take their advice, but we have to ask ourselves if this advice is truly in our best interests and not just blindly follow along.

At University, I just wasn’t feeling right about the whole situation. I’d chosen to study computers because the starting salaries were great and the industry had a great future. Plus, I’d always been interested in tinkering with computers. The only problem was I hated my degree. I enjoyed some parts that had management aspects but it wasn’t enough. When I saw other people programming with their eyes closed and I struggled with it all, I knew it wasn’t for me…but what was?

That’s when ‘fate’ lead me to the answer, a book on a bedside table where I was house-sitting called “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investment.” I devoured it, realised my true passion lay in entrepreneurship and building businesses, and never looked back. Getting a job was no longer an option for me, despite going against what most people believed was the right path.

Seven years later, I’m still on the same path even though I’ve had some detours. I haven’t succeeded in changing the world with my business yet, but I feel like I get closer every day. I know I am doing the right thing, I know I am helping people, and I know I will change millions of lives one day. Because I trust myself.

I had a similar experience in my relationship a few years later. After five years together, the last one and a half years being a painful long distance relationship where my girlfriend lived on the opposite side of the globe, she finally returned and broke up with me. Of course, this was a little devastating to my plans of marriage and babies so it was an interesting time. But on reflection, I decided to find out why this had happened.

After all, I was a nice, considerate guy who would do anything for her. And that, I discovered, was the problem. So I went back to the books and started to realise what I’d been doing wrong, and how to fix it. Now, my love life is pretty sorted, and I’m much happier for it. All by identifying what I wasn’t happy about and making an effort to change it.

When researching, there was a lot of information and advice given. Through experimentation and analysis, I decided for myself what really worked and what I wanted to apply to my life. There were some critical sources that I trusted but at the end of the day, I trusted myself. Because I knew that was the only person I could really trust.

I bring up these experiences in my life because we all face a similar problem. In our relationships, in our businesses, and in our lives. Who can we trust?

When you are looking to improve your business and website you to ask yourself who you can trust. And at the end of the day, the answer will be yourself. You need to be responsible for filtering out the sales and marketing crap that is thrown at you and make good decisions. You need to take responsibility for understanding what you are being taught and if it makes sense to you.

Too many people hide their heads in the sand. When something goes wrong, they are quick to blame everyone and everything apart from themselves. If you don’t get the outcomes you want in your life, it’s your fault, end of story.

You’re the person who didn’t take the time to learn. You’re the person who didn’t take action. You’re the person who let fear of failure or success or clowns hold you back. You’re the one who decides if you are going to be happy or not. Not your spouse, not your children, not your parents, and certainly not the latest salesperson offering you instant riches.

It’s time to take responsibility for your life, your business, and your results.

I believe I have a lot of good information to share with you. I believe I can give you the tools to make a difference with your website. But it all comes back to you. If you don’t believe it, call bullshit. If you do, then hang around and let’s try to do some great things together.

And feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments.

Episode 1: The not so phantom menace of my mother.

I promise it has some stuff about improving your website and business as well. At least like 5 seconds I’m sure.

Anyway, I thought a video blog could be a fun idea. Nothing too fancy, just a nice casual attempt to teach and entertain you. Hope you like it. You can show love in the comments. You can also show hate if you prefer.

However, villagers with pitchforks will not be tolerated!

For the last few days I’ve been re-reading Good to Great by Jim Collins and the chimps (his researchers). If you’re in business and you haven’t checked it out yet then go get yourself a copy. Not only has it made me take a long, hard look(again) at my business, but it has also given me some killer ideas for what makes a successful website.

I’ll be talking about those ideas over the coming weeks in another exciting development. It’s time for Craig to start his video blog and talk about himself in the third person!

I’ve been meaning to do this for a while but technology and my bad video making skills have been standing in the way. While my skills haven’t improved a lot, they’re just going to have to do. Anyway, this is going to be a very informal and relaxed video blog. But don’t worry…I will be wearing pants (we’re not getting that relaxed…).

So, if you’re interested in quick tips on improving your website (and business), then subscribe to the RSS as I hope to have the first ‘episodes’ on the way soon.

In the meantime, you can check out Jim Collins’ website for some good immediate material. Because I know how frustrating waiting a few days for one of those old-fashioned book things can be!

One of my regular readers commented that the posts recently have been “a bit angry.” Well I didn’t mean them to seem angry at all actually. But to balance that perception, here is a few thoughts on life and business from yours truly.

1. Trying to fit in only leads to mediocrity.
2. Everything happens for a reason, so always look for the reason.
3. Life is only hard if you’re not doing what you need to do to get what you want.
4. Always think positive, but don’t ignore the warning signs.
5. Learning is the second most powerful thing you can do, taking action is number one.
6. Life will always test you to see how much you want success, so show it.
7. Always put more faith in yourself than others do.
8. Ignore the cynics, the doubters, and the complainers. What have they ever achieved?
9. Every challenge can be overcome with time, effort, and knowledge.
10. The goal won’t make you happy, the journey should.
11. You learn far more by failing than being successful.
12. Dream big, but when you wake up, live big as well.

Anyone else have their own they’d like to share?

Well blood isn’t actually on offer (although for the right price I’ll consider it) but I still want to know what you want from this blog. In fact, I want to know what you want from a business blog, in particular a blog about improving your business website.

You see, I watch my RSS subscribers go up and down on a daily basis. Yes, I said down. That means that when I gain a few subscribers, I also seem to lose a few subscribers. This I don’t like one bit and it obviously means I’m not giving you what you want and expect.

So what is it that you want and expect?

My goals are to teach you how to improve your website and to make it enjoyable. So how am I doing? Should I have different goals? Grade me, leave a comment, drop me an email (c r a i g at c o n n e x t e d dot c o m). Whatever works for you.

Because I can’t improve unless I know what you want. And the only way I can find that out is by asking.

So I asked, let’s see if anyone out there is willing to reply…

Personal confession time: I’m still not happy with this blog or my website.

I talk about being different and try to insert some humour into the posts…but let’s face it…it’s still pretty boring stuff. Quite frankly, it’s hard to really be entertaining and make sure you learn something.

But I think I’ve stumbled upon the answer. I’ve had an idea today and it’s slowly floating around my head gathering steam. Something that will hopefully entertain and teach, all at the same time.

It’s time for me to take my own advice and really differentiate myself from all the other crap that’s out there.

So stay tuned, something is coming…

Starting a website can be a frustrating experience. The fact is it takes a while to build up content, visitors, and communication. I’ve spent time building up content at the expense of marketing and it makes me feel a little lonely. When you’re blogging your heart out and find very few comments, it can be a little discouraging.

But building something worthwhile takes time and we have to be prepared for that.

Why?

As much as people like to romanticise business and show overnight success, that’s usually not the way it works. I was reading about Sam Walton’s story recently and he said he was always amazed at how people saw Wal-Mart as an overnight success. The fact was he’d been building up his retail stores for about 20 years before it took off.

I know the Internet is full of promises of instant riches but the people that chase them end up with empty wallets and nothing to show for it. The people how work diligently and persevere are the ones that make the real success stories.

How?

If you know what you’re doing has potential, helps people, and can bring in an income you just need to keep doing it. Looking with rose tinted glasses doesn’t help, but neither does pessimism either. You need to find a careful balance between realism and faith to keep you going.

It helps to talk to other entrepreneurs and also follow other success stories. You need to know that it’s possible if you just hang in there.

Homework

Check to make sure you’re creating a real business and not just chasing another get rich quick scheme. Also have faith in yourself and what you’re doing, it’ll be worth it one day as long as you don’t give up.

I was reading Bill Bryson’s book Made in America the other day and stumbled upon something interesting. One of the chapters was about the development of advertising and showed a page full of tiny ads. For example:

I will make you a Human Gorilla
At home - In 5 days - No exercises

Emotional copy about being a small weakling that gets beaten up on the beach…yada yada yada…

Send now for amazing free book!

And this of course is followed by a form for your name and address to receive your free book. Does this format sound slightly familiar to anyone? Does it remind anyone of a free ebook offer you might find on a website? Put your name and email address here to receive xyz, called a squeeze page.

Why would this make you a slow Internet Marketer? Because the ad I’m quoting was written around 1920-30…and it wasn’t unique. So basically, we’re now using techniques on the Internet that were being used 80+ years ago in print advertising.

Now I’m not saying squeeze pages don’t work, I use them myself, but it got me thinking about where Internet Marketing is going in the future. The email opt-in is almost dead now, with the constant flood of email we receive, so where do we go next?

It just proves that Internet Marketing is really taking its baby steps now and as both technology and user behavior develops in this new age, the possibilities are amazing. I think it’s time to stop mucking around with your small business website and start getting serious before another opportunity goes flying by.

If your small business sells tiddlywinks, it may be easy to assume everyone in the world knows a lot about tiddlywinks as well.

This may come to a shock to you…but they don’t!

It’s easy when we live and breathe an industry that we just assume the consumers know what we know. The brand of tiddlywinks all the professionals use and the different air resistance factors that can affect a match.

But people don’t. So you need to teach them. And if you take a pre-emptive strike and answer all their questions before they’re asked…well you might just be on your way to building a relationship.

Why

In the physical world it’s easier to explain to a client why they should choose this product over that product. And if the client trusts you they will usually take your recommendation. If you say that X brand of tiddlywinks (really I just like using the word) is going to splinter and give you nasty thumb injuries, they’ll believe you.

The same needs to apply with your website. You need to educate your visitors so they can make an informed decision with your products. They need to walk away from the experience feeling they got the absolute best result for their time and money.

And if your products aren’t suitable for them, let them know! Nothing will impress a potential client more and gain more loyalty than pointing them in the direction of a different solution that will give a better result. Because the next time they need something from your industry…who do you think they’ll come to?

How

Write guides on how to select the best product for their needs. Teach them everything they need to know about the products they’re looking at. Those that want the information can go over it in great detail, while the rest can just get what they need and make the purchase.

Have solution assessment flowcharts, have product demonstration videos. Collect questions and make the responses into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Homework

Choose a problem your visitors face and write a guide to help them find the best solution.

Everyone loves to watch hilarious videos of people hurting themselves on YouTube. Now you don’t have to get accepted by your local “Funniest Home Videos” show to become famous. Just get hurt while someone’s filming and post the video yourself…because everyone will have their 15 minutes.

But if you sell bandages and medical supplies…those videos could even be good content for your small business.

Because content isn’t just for padding out your website, it’s for everything!

Why

Content on your website is important, but so is content that drives traffic to your website. Content can be used to sell your products and also to keep previous clients happy.

So when you think about content, broaden your mind to include all the possibilities. Since most of us are now immune to advertising and ‘push’ marketing techniques, we need to learn how to use ‘pull’ marketing by providing great content.

It can draw visitors in like bees to honey (I decided not to use the strangers and candy analogy…).

How

Articles that don’t go on your own website are an obvious one. We’ve already talked about videos that go on video sharing sites. Guides that help visitors and could be spread around their friends.

Have a look at the content you’re already creating and think about how you could use it to draw visitors to your website as well.

Homework

Explore a content sharing site like HubPages.com or YouTube.com to see how other people are using these tools in their marketing efforts.