Have you asked yourself any of these questions about online marketing?

• Should I start a blog?
• Would I have fun creating a YouTube channel?
• Is it a good idea for me to launch a podcast?
• Can I become successful in online marketing?

If you are wondering about these issues in any way then I have written this post for you. (Spoiler Alert: I also have something special for you if you make it to the end of the article).

You see, I asked myself these same questions in late 2015 and decided yes, yes, yes and yes. After so many years being a satisfied employee and literally loving where I work I decided to go “all in” and commencing 1 January 2016 I tested the waters of the online world.

I studied marketing in my MBA but the online marketing world is a totally different beast. One of the lessons I quickly acquired was that I should always aim to give my followers more value than they expect. For example, for my LinkedIn articles I decided to do something the readers would not expect and include a bonus free webinar registration as a reward for reading through to the end of each article. (Spoiler alert!)

Two of the other key messages in online marketing are that you need to “niche until it hurts” and find and target your avatar. The latter has nothing to do with the big budget movie. Instead, the principle is you have to clarify your ideal customer/target that you want to serve with your content and then give them plenty of what they love. And by servicing your avatar within a specific niche you will develop a following. Do this well enough for long enough and you will have a tribe of followers larger than Justin Bieber at his prime.

I am 50 years old so competing with Bieber sounds tough. But I am in love with webinars and the idea of serving great content to educators and business professionals and helping them with their very real challenges of becoming confident online presenters lit a flame under my butt. So off I went….

I felt like a Jedi. Although I know I am still a Padawan I have enjoyed the ride of finding an audience and sharing with them everything I know and am learning about how to deliver compelling valuable webinars instead of the boredom feasts that some webinar presenters think is appropriate fodder for their online captives.

Just like the Star Wars movies, sometimes I am winning. And other days I wonder why I am battling the Death Star. However, I refuse to let the dark side overwhelm me and every few days someone will do something amazing for me.

• Sharon emailed me and thanked me for my “awesome videos”.
• Edgar asked me to help him get a job as a webinar presenter.
• Veronika purchased a product I recommended and I earned an affiliate fee.

Every little win like this reminds me of my why. I want to help people deliver better webinars. Every time someone reads one of my training articles or watches a YouTube video or listens to an episode of my podcast I make the world a little bit better. And that motivates me to keep learning and keep giving more to my fans. OK, Bieber isn’t looking over his shoulder at me but I am happy.

My “why” is critical to me taking the actions I need to have an impact with my online activities. Simon Sinek in his masterful TED Talk eloquently explained why we need to “Start With Why”. If I didn’t have a compelling why then I would sleep in, watch movies and go to more sports events.

Should you follow in my footsteps? Mmmmm. Maybe the footsteps of Darren Rowse, Amy Schmittauer, John Lee Dumas or Amy Porterfield might be a more inspiring aspiration. But I am happy to give my testimonial that going online can be a fun and very rewarding experience.

If and when you can confidently answer these 4 key questions you are more than ready to embark on your own online marketing adventure:

1. Are you willing to give your followers more value than they expect?
2. What is your niche?
3. Who is your avatar?
4. What is your compelling why?

Ultimately, make the decision that is right for you. If you decide to move forward into the online marketing then my key advice is don’t let fear hold you back. If you feel a bigger mission lies in front of you embrace the uncomfortable. And as I say at the end of each of my podcast episodes, become your best!

Webinar Bonus Offer

I am presenting a pitch-free money-free 30 minute webinar titled “7 Winning Webinar Engagement Strategies” on Thursday 19th January 2017 at 7:30pm AEST. Click here for your local start time. Typically, people have to pay a webinar fee or purchase a course to attend one of my webbys so this is a legitimate win for you.

If you can’t make it live I’ve got you covered. Register anyway and a recording will be sent to you. However, I have a surprise bonus you will receive for turning up live so you will definitely want to participate if you can.

Are you ready to learn? Then join the party and register for my next free webinar.

Have you thought about getting started in online marketing?

If you have a question or comment I would love to hear it. Please click here to share your ideas at the LinkedIn page where I have re-published this article.