If there is one common frustration that plagues nearly all of us when starting out in internet marketing it is this:
INFORMATION OVERLOAD!
I have mentioned previously that I suffered particularly badly from it when I began online in April 2010.
And judging by your emails and feedback I know that many of you have been, or are currently, experiencing exactly the same thing.
So, in this post I’d like to offer you 3 tips to help break through your information overload issues and the ever so frustrating “analysis paralysis” problem…
1. Acknowledge That There Is No “Magic Button”
Often, the first thing people do when they want to make money on the internet is to search in Google.
But look at the suggestions when I search for “make money online”:
In this example, clicking suggestions such as “make money online fast” or “make money online for free” is almost guaranteed to result in information overload and possibly even a great deal of wasted money spent on products that simply do not work.
If at this point you are thinking this all sounds a bit familiar then don’t worry because you are far from alone – I have personally experienced the exact the same problem!
The trick here is to acknowledge to yourself that there are no shortcuts, no “fast money” and certainly no “free money” out there at all.
So next time you see a sales page for a product that promises a gazillion dollars by next Wednesday, or some other ridiculous claim, simply ignore it and calmly move on.
While many people just can’t bring themselves to give up their search for the mythical and elusive magic button, if you yourself consciously choose to do this then you’ll instantly cut down on your own information overload, save yourself a huge amount of time and quite possibly even a fair bit of money too.
2. So, Who CAN You Trust?
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a great believer in learning from other people whether they are more or less experienced than myself.
If I remember correctly then I really started doing this when I learnt that Jimi Hendrix (of all people!) used to spend a lot of time watching bands and guitar players who were much less “experienced” than himself (no pun intended).
He believed that everyone has something to offer and therefore one of the greatest things you can do to advance your own success is to listen.
Of course, here in the internet marketing community the only trouble is that it is very difficult to separate the good stuff from the hype and know who to trust.
So, here are some tips for answering that important question, “Who can I trust?”…
1. Follow Bloggers Rather Than Pure Sales Marketers
While everyone wants (and needs) to make money, on the whole bloggers are there more for the community, providing free useful advice and sharing their own real experiences in making money online.
A great question to ask is this, “Is this person really publishing free and useful how-to advice or are they just providing ‘teaser information’ often followed by product promotions?”
Personally, I follow people like Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income, Glen Allsopp of Viperchill and Ed Dale of The Challenge.
There is a TON of highly valuable information here that won’t cost you a dime.
2. Send An Email And See If You Get A Reply
This piece of advice is not mine but was suggested by Joseph Archibald in my recent interview with him.
It’s a great idea because the chances are that you’re much more likely to actually get a reply (and a quality one) from people who really want to add value and help rather than those whose primary goal is to liberate your hard-earned cash from you.
Of course, this is not perfect because people are busy and emails do get missed occasionally.
But it’s still a technique that can be highly revealing.
The other point I’d make here is to aim to follow around 5 marketers or bloggers as a maximum. In my early days I followed an awful lot more than this and looking back there is no doubt that this massively contributed to my own information overload problem!
3. Take Action
These two words have almost become a cliché in the internet marketing community.
However, they are absolutely true! Many successful marketers have admitted both publically (and some even privately to me personally) that they never saw any success until they actually “grasped the nettle” and just started.
The bottom line is that you can learn everything about making money online and internet marketing but you won’t achieve any success until you actually get stuck in and take action.
Now, this does take some work! Not necessarily massive amounts and certainly less than most people would do in a full-time or even part time job.
However, the trick is to enjoy it! Stop thinking about your ultimate goals and start enjoying the process: Have fun learning about how to find a hot niche, creating your first website, how to drive traffic and so on.
Conclusion
The information overload problem is a very real one and pretty challenging to overcome. For this reason, I certainly wouldn’t claim that I’ve offered any kind of perfect solution in this post. However, just as these tips have helped other people (myself included) there is a great chance they can help you too.
Have you experienced analysis paralysis? What are your tips for overcoming information overload? Take a moment to leave a comment below and let me know….
Hi Rob
Thanks for these very useful tips.
I think that “Inaction” and “Analysis Paralysis” are symptoms of the same thing which is “Information Overload” and dealing with that as the root cause helps immensely.
It’s so easy to become lost in a sea of stuff coming at you from every direction. You must take control of it.
Basic time management may sound boring but it’s an essential tool and the real starting point.
I believe that no solution fits all and the best way to deal with overload of information is to create your own systems for dealing with it.
Just as you say above, looking at what others are doing is a great way to learn. I treat this as research and then design my own plan around what works best for me.
The way to do that is to record what I do and then test and refine it so that it improves constantly.
Keeping a record of successes and failures can produce a ready made product for sale at a later date too, so this isn’t wasted effort.
To avoid getting sidetracked when starting work at a computer.
Have a specific task in mind
Do that first.
Use paper or print out your rough plan for the day
Best wishes
Ian McLaren
Hi Ian,
Thanks very much for taking the time to share your thoughts here.
You offer some great tips and I think recording your successes and failures is a really great idea. I think I’m up to about 10,000 words myself in notes now!
Cheers, Rob.
Rob
You have hit on the two key elements to “not being successful”. Information overload is so easy because we start by being inquisitive and get on various lists and sadly not everyone removes you when asked. I am now very diligent and only open from about 5 marketers – and you can see you are one! The others get an immediate “delete”.
The other big key is as you say Action. I have to say that because I work full time I have found it really hard to actually start, partly also because of Information Overload as above.
But the other big challenge is using say Clickbank and finding a product that fits all or most of the criterai. I have spent hours searching and using all the advice but something always seems to stop me moving on – maybe keywords, maybe Gravity or maybe just too competitive. So I have decided to get almost anything up and running within 10 days even if it means making mistakes it at least gets going.
With thanks, good luck and regards
Alastair
Hi Alastair,
Always great to hear from you – thanks for your comments here!
I think you’ve made a great point about taking action. It is so hard to actually get started but my own experience tells me that this is really the hardest step. After we get the ball rolling things do tend to get easier…
I’m honoured to be one of your “trusted 5” too – I shall try my best to live up to expectations!
Cheers, rob.
I think you summed it up in one of the first emails I saw from you Rob..And that is to just get started,What is the worst that could happen. Lay out what you have to do and in what order,if you can,take your time,then do your list in that order until completed.Ask for help when you need it. That is the stage I am at,and it is quite rewarding to see what you can achieve. I know that sound very basic,but I am basic,and most things are,My idea is to eventually outsource,I know thats a whole new challenge,but thats my aim, automate and outsource.
Thanks for all your help Rob.
Hey David,
I think “being basic” is a real advantage actually. My own background is quite analytical and there is no doubt in my mind that this has slowed my online progress a little. Often the most successful people are the ones who don’t think too much and just get stuck in straight away.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
All the best, Rob.
Hi Alastair
Good points you make about (over ? ) analysing things and just getting going.
A well known personal trainer, when asked about momentum and motivation, advised that momentum comes from motion. Pretty simple when you think about it.
We can also be over critical of our own efforts, seeking perfection at the expense of action.
Success can be the best motivator but we should recognise that every step forward is a success. Just getting a simple webpage online is a very important stepping stone (Success) Equally adding a payment button is another (Success)
A marketer whom I’ve followed for ages always says “don’t over think it” and that once you have something online it’s easy to fine tune or modify it but you can do nothing with nothing.
Best wishes
Ian McLaren
Hi Rob
I think everyone can relate to this problem.
Information overload leads to another major problem which is procrastination.
Excuses can hamper your progress till you stop making them. Negativity is everyone’s worst enemy and can be lethal to success.
I dejunked 56GB of worthless products that would not open or could have been better written by a child.
My solution was to sort everything into folders and get organised and then get going. I follow maybe 7 but 8 now with yours. I have always automatically deleted anyone who forwards my details.
Have you ever bought a product and the been inundated with emails from people you don’t even know? I never buy from that person again.
Regards
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thanks for stopping by and your comment!
Wow – 56GB is A LOT! I guess all those training videos add up.
I’ve certainly had unwanted emails in the past. Unsubscribing from them is one of the best things I’ve done.
Thanks again for your input!
Cheers,
Rob.