Shiny Objects Come in Waves From all Directions, Threatening to Sink Us

The notion of shiny objects syndrome is not new; nearly all marketers hear about it at some point. Yet the majority of those who say they are “online marketers” seem unable to overcome its powerful allure. I admit that I have often been captured by various shiny objects. Yet it’s not like I’ve never heard of the power of these things. In this post I will explore the things that both distract marketers as well as add to their financial debt. It is no accident that I am using the plural form in “shiny objects.”

It is the very fact that these shiny objects appear in so many places, that causes online marketers to be so easily knocked down by them. Like a sailor in a stormy ocean where waves seem to come from multiple directions. You think you have nicely avoided the danger of one wave, only to be smacked by another wave coming at you from the rear. The shiny objects come on waves from many directions.

External Waves of Shiny Objects

1) Email. Marketers know that their business is their list. Solo marketers make most of their sales from people reading an offer in an email. The better they are at copywriting, the better that their emailed offers will convert. Think of copywriting as the ability to take an ordinary product and make it shine irresistibly.

Turn it around: It is not unusual for novice marketers, to join the lists of dozens of guru (and wannabe guru) marketers, all of whom are sending buying offers (advice, recommendations, yada, yada) as often as daily or at least weekly.  How many lists are you on? How many things have you bought during the past year as a result of skillfully written offers (or teasers) coming into your inbox?

The more lists that you join, the more frequently that you open the mail from these copywriting masters, the greater your exposure to shiny objects.

2) Launches. This is when you are assaulted from multiple directions to buy a single product. It is the “email” shiny object raised to the level of a solar flare because you are getting the same offer (plus bonuses!!!) coming into your email box from three, six, or a dozen other marketers that you follow and respect to one degree or another.  The pressure to buy includes

• The normal powerful copywriting, now written from many perspectives. If one marketer doesn’t convince you, another one will have thought of why you need this product.
• Crowd pressure. If so many gurus are promoting this, it must be the most super valuable deal of the year.
• Scarcity. You need to buy it before the offer is “closed.” (Did you know that in some launches, 50% of all sales are made during the 24 hour period that the offer is opened “one last time” after it was already closed 7 days before that “last chance”?)
• Peer Pressure. This is partly engineered with testimonials; but a lot can be serendipity. If you are part of a community of marketers that is being flooded with the same launch offers from various affiliates, it is not unusual to hear one novice marketer say to another, “Have you gotten ‘Shiny Flashy Cash Blueprint’ yet? I got mine from Susie B Nicest; you should get yours from her and help her out; she has done so much for us.”

3) Membership Sites. I am talking about the sites where you pay a monthly fee to access a large to gargantuan sized array of either training videos or “products.” These are shiny objects that flash brightly in two ways.

• Initially membership sites are shiny objects that attract your attention and create a joining-fever because it seems like such a great deal. You get “sooooo much value!!” When you are overcome by the glare in your eye, you may end up paying just $39 per month … or, in reality, $468 in one year.  Hmmm. Did you really get $468 in value?
• Once a member, a membership site presents a different kind of shiny object. Each of the many training videos (or ‘products’) loaded onto the site is a potential distraction. More on that below.

4) Forums and Facebook Groups. If you are active in an online marketer’s community, you are subject to the enthusiasms of other marketers who are discussing or promoting a marketing fad-of-the-day. Today everyone is into becoming a publisher on Kindle; tomorrow the “next big thing” is mobile,… or local,… or FaceBook ads,… or even collaboration. If you are swayed into paying attention to these things, you have been distracted by shiny objects. Debt is indeed one negative outcome of having SO Syndrome. But distraction, which I’ll discuss in a moment, is an even graver consequence of this affliction.

5) Mentors. Not every mentor is going to contribute to your shiny objects problem; just the wrong kind of mentor… or, at least, wrong for you. This is something that can be prevented by knowing what you want to focus on as an online marketer. And frankly a trained business coach (typically not a mentor) can help with that. Once you know what you want to focus on, you are better able to find an appropriate mentor. Otherwise you may be getting confusing advice that is out of sync with your business plan. And then the mentor is part of the distraction instead of part of the solution.

Clarification.  Please don’t misunderstand this post. There is nothing wrong with marketing to a list, I am not against product launches, membership sites, forums or mentors. This post is calling attention to the challenge of shiny objects and a very fundamental solution.

What’s the Main Safeguard Against the Distraction of Shiny Objects?

The biggest problem with shiny objects syndrome is that it distracts novice marketers from actually creating a real business. Can you accept for now that there are in fact proven fundamental steps for creating a business that are common to all real businesses? Sure, there

Stick to Your Plan

are distinct variables depending on the target niche and marketer skills and preferences. Still, there are common elements and common steps. Agreed?

The novice marketer may or may not know these elements and steps, but following the steps have potential to bring success and not following the steps will most likely fail to bring success. And that’s the danger of the abundance of shiny objects; they are distractions. They cause the marketer to wander aimlessly in a maze instead of on-plan on a straight path.

They are like bad weather that keeps a flight from taking off.

They are like going on a road trip without the benefit of a map, stopping instead to ask people along the way who mainly give garbled and inaccurate directions.

So the main safeguard against shiny objects syndrome is to have a solid, reality-based plan and follow it unswervingly.

Here’s how it works:

• Email. Does this letter have anything to do with the step of your plan you are working on right now?  Does it address any difficulty you are experiencing with the current step of your plan?  If “no,” delete the email. You can delete 95% of your inbox that way, very quickly. If it bothers you to delete mail with a product offer applicable to a future part of your plan, then save it. Create a series of folders in your mail application and name the folders according to the steps of your plan. Save something relevant into the corresponding future step folder. But I’m willing to bet you’ll delete it later anyway.
• Launches. Can this product advance my plan or will it distract me from my plan? If it is a training type of product, how much time will be needed to study as opposed to working on my plan? If this product “might” be useful for my plan, but I still have months of work on my plan before I get to that step where it could apply, forget it. Spend no money or time on a product or training that takes time away from the current step for working on your business plan. There will never be a shortage of expert training on the skill or task with which you need help. Never. Not now or in the future. No matter how well the promotion of a product implies that you must buy NOW, don’t worry. It won’t do much good if you are not ready for it anyway. So forget the launch offer. When the time comes, and the offer for help comes, it probably won’t be for the same product; more than likely it will be for an even more helpful offer.
• Membership Sites. Join the site if it is immediately helpful to what you need to do for your own plan. Quit the membership when it is no longer germain to what you are doing. If the membership includes weekly webinars, don’t listen faithfully. Listen only if the topic of the week is specifically relevant and might resolve a problem with the step of your plan on which you are currently working.
• Forums and Groups. Know your purpose in visiting these sites.  If you have a strategic goal, like creating a track record of engagement, or like looking for other entrepreneurs with whom you might collaborate, then set a daily or weekly time limit. Don’t peruse offers on community sites like the Warrior Forum unless you are specifically searching for an answer to a challenge regarding a current step of your plan. Otherwise, view these sites as mainly distractions. Stay away.
• Mentors. First, make sure you know the difference between a coach, consultant, trainer, and mentor. Seek appropriate help as needed, but don’t get distracted if your mentor is more interested in getting your help for their own plan. Quit meeting with that so-called mentor.

The first thing you should do if you plan to start a business (online or not) is to clarify your niche, determine the products that this target group needs, and create a sales funnel for those products. In conjunction with that, create a budget and a work schedule. For simplicity, I will call ALL of those things your “Plan.” Now everything you choose to focus upon should be filtered by the “Plan.” That’s how to guard against shiny objects.  No “Plan” means no filter means indefinite confusion in the maze.

This takes discipline because this may not be your usual mindset.

Internal Waves of Shiny Objects

As the weeks and months pass after your initial decision to start a business, there are only two possibilities.

As I say, it takes some changes. You may be used to (conditioned to) responding to shiny objects. When a fish sees a glittering object in the water, it is conditioned to think it’s food. And it takes a bite. The perfect illustration of shiny objects destroying a plan.

Shiny Objects Can Ensnare ©cipella on istockphoto.com

But you are not a fish… right?

Great! Only problem is that humans are also conditioned, and in fairly subtle ways.

• How curious are you? Are you someone that needs to know everything about everything faintly related to your business? I was a teacher for many years. I enjoyed learning more than my students and having the ability to answer arcane questions. I don’t think I’m the only person with a great deal of curiosity. So some of us have a predisposition to be attracted to shiny objects! It doesn’t even have to shine much – I just want to understand it, relevant to my plan or not. Key Question: How far are you willing to pursue your curiosity at the expense of a real business and a profit? It is key to have a plan and to use it as the guide to your daily actions. To have no plan is to be pulled about by a line with a hook, and hoisted into someone else’s profit boat.
• How patient are you? Are you inclined to search for a quick way to wealth? Impatience can pull you away from a solid plan and predispose you to many fanciful and shiny offers.

I am sure you can think of other mindset patterns (internal waves) that can knock you down and open your resistance to shiny objects. But also I believe you can overcome all obstacles and shiny objects by establishing a plan and resolving to focus on the plan, one step at a time.

I am sure you’d like to know the sweet spot when it comes to the length of an email or the frequency of your emails. I don’t have that data but I can tell you what happens to the mail I get.

I know that I prefer having the ability to skim quickly so that I can decide almost instantly if I want to act on anything suggested, or simply delete the mail. For that reason, I prefer shorter length emails. I also don’t like to be bombarded by the same person all the time.  In my mind 2-3 emails per week should be tops.

What My Personal Email Behavior Says About Another’s List Open Rate

Now let’s look at specifics. I have selected three marketers from among the many from whom I receive mail and analyzed ten emails from each of the three marketers.

Now it is apparent that length is not the only factor for me. I happen to appreciate quite a lot about Marketer 1 and 2, although for different reasons.

Marketer 1 has lots of ideas (specific tactics) and lots of offers, usually priced low. She typically writes about two sentences at the start of the letter concerning something she is doing or thinking about, and then she gets quickly to her point. I like that, and like her example and marketing focus, and that is in spite of the high frequency of her emails, which I don’t normally like from a marketer.

Marketer 2 has a different style, describing big ideas – marketing strategies – sometimes profoundly. A big factor is my interest is the topic about which he normally writes (collaboration!). He definitely writes long messages, often repeating verbatim huge portions of what he has written in previous mails, so I have gotten to the point of skipping quite a few of his letters.

Ironically, Marketer 3 writes short letters but until I did this study and actually counted the words, my perception was that his emails were too long for me; yet they average the same length as those of Marketer 1. Why did I have that misperception? I believe it is because most of his letters start with a personal story that takes about half the letter and with which I cannot relate at all. In addition I find that I flat out disagree with many of his information “nuggets.”  Finally, he often misspells words, making the message even harder to skim. In short, the letters seem long because they seem irrelevant and although short, it is not easy to find the main point. I can scan the 1500 word letters from Marketer 2 faster… and more profitably. So why don’t I just unsubscribe?

How A Feeling of Connection Affects Your List Open Rate

Generally, I am more apt to open and skim a marketer’s letter if I feel a connection with him or her. The connection may have resulted from having met this person at a live event, or because of a Q&A call with the marketer, a Facebook group interaction with the marketer, an email exchange, or something similar. I believe that a personal connection plays a huge role in open rates, but, as with the average length of a letter, it too is not the only factor.

As it happens, I have met all of the 3 marketers in the above table at one or more live events. I have bought products from all three. All three have helped me in direct ways with one of my projects.

It is a factor in why I continue to open Marketer 1‘s letters, even though they come daily and occasionally twice a day.  I have unsubscribed from other marketers whose letters came at a very high frequency but with whom I had no connection. If I did not have a connection with her, there is a good possibility I would unsubscribe because of that.

Marketer 1 is the very successful Connie Ragen Green. She is adept at connecting with her list. For example, she conducts frequent Q&A calls with her list at no charge. Several times I have written to ask her a technical question and she has responded almost instantly with a personal note (no support desk disconnect).  I don’t know if that practice is scalable, but she has written a book called Huge Profits With a Tiny List. Better to have a strong list open rate with 5,000 people than a terrible open rate with 100,000 people.

Getting back to Marketer 3, my “connection” with him plays a part in why I have not unsubscribed while opening maybe only 15% of what he sends me. He has reached out to me on several occasions and, while some of his letters just turn me off, I am reluctant to cut myself off from his list. See how “connection” plays a significant role?

What Else Affects List Open Rate?

Note that each item below includes the word “must.” Take it with a grain of salt. I recommend following the items below as a starting point. Go ahead and test, slowly so as not to provide a chaotic meal to your subscribers, and make changes that seem right for you and your list. (And BTW, I am aware that I need to practice these points more faithfully myself.)

(Pic From Ayzek.com)

The information you share must stay congruent with the reason people joined the list. What did your opt in (lead gen) page offer? What did it say explicitly and implicitly? That’s what most of your content and offers must be about. If you want to talk about and sell something else, create a new offer, new opt in page, and new list. I joined the list of Marketer 2 because of his expertise in bringing people together and in teaching collaborative marketing. Ken McArthur delivers on that promise and I stick with his email because of that.

You must provide some value.  Otherwise, why exactly do you think I will open your mail? It has to go beyond sell, sell, sell for your service, event, or product.

The “From” line in your email often provides the biggest and fastest impact on your list open rate. You must make sure that there is congruency there as well. I recommend putting your name and picture on your opt in page and your thank you page. Then make sure that same name appears in the “From” line of your mail.

The “Subject” line plays a huge role; I think that is pretty well known. There are a number of training programs that will teach you about the “Subject” lines with the highest open rates. Ryan Deiss covers that in a course called Sneaky Little Email Tricks.  Don’t be fooled by that title though; tricks as in tips are good; tricks as in tricky, or getting people to open a letter for one reason only to talk about something else will eventually cause people to mistrust you.

Keep your letters brief. Going beyond 400 words is not brief.  It is good to build the expectation of, “I’ll learn something useful and it won’t take long.”

As mentioned already, you must develop a connection with your list. It has to be authentic.  The style must be yours. That said, taking two sentences to say something about what is happening in your life (no drama!) helps. Keeping an open tone helps.

We all know that your list is your biggest asset.  However, developing a higher list open rate is one step closer to higher conversions and more profit regardless of the size of your list.

Please use the comments to share your ideas and experiences as to what affects a marketer’s list open rate.