The other day a friend of mine put this question out on Facebook…
“Do you think the internet is going to continue on and on and on or do you think it’s gonna go bust — sort of spontaneously combust — at some point?”
None of us can predict the future so there’s really no way of knowing but most people thought, “That’s NEVER going to happen!”
It’s easy to live from a place of “things will never change” even though, deep down, we know that things always change.
There’s a quote that I love and it captures the truth about change…
“My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover but his son will ride a camel.” — Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum
What this says to me is there’s a cyclical nature to pretty much everything — even online marketing!
Think about it…
Our predecessors used direct mail to connect with their customers and then we primarily started using email to get our message out.
Now Millennials are giving email a miss and turning to Messenger, WhatsApp or other chat apps. 
So based on the cyclical nature of everything, I get a hunch that the generation after this one might find themselves right back at the beginning with direct mail!
You might be thinking, “That’s ridiculous, Marisa! That’s never gonna happen!” but let me ask you…
Are you 100% sure? Stranger things have happened…
The End of the Internet As We Know It
When you look at the technology life cycle (which traces the different stages of innovation in tech) it’s clear that things simply can’t keep accelerating at the current speed.
In other words, innovations in tech are not on an endless growth cycle.
Sooner or later things are going to hit a plateau and go into decline and what this means is the internet as we know it right now, might not be around forever.
Yes, it’s a scary thought BUT it’s not all doom and gloom and it definitely doesn’t mean you have to quit your online business and run out and do something else!
Because when it comes to starting and growing a profitable, purposeful business in any industry, in any time period, anywhere in the world, here’s what I know for sure…
It’s all about the marketing.
It’s all about getting the word out and connecting powerfully and effectively with the right customers because no matter what else is going on, no matter how much the industry changes, the world changes or your offer or service changes…
Damn good marketing is damn good marketing is damn good marketing!
And it always gets the job done.
It’s Not What You Want to Be Obsessed With
So here’s the thing…
Nothing ever stays the same and the future of powerful, effective marketing will shift and it could potentially morph and evolve — or even devolve — into hundreds of different formats.
For instance, it might return to direct mail, or even flyers in your neighborhood community space, or it might be some kind of high-tech AI-based Chatbot thing we haven’t even heard of yet.
But guess what? None of that matters.
What matters is your ability to communicate a message that attracts your clients and customers and keeps them coming back to you again and again.
The thing is: most entrepreneurs don’t get that.
I see so many people getting super obsessed about keeping up with the trends and doing the “latest, innovative thing” but they’re NOT obsessed enough about becoming a damn good marketer.
They’re way too busy chasing every tip and tactic out there but they’re not doing the thing that will help them get through every transformation that could happen online (and even offline), now and in the future.
I’m talking about building timeless, foundational skills that drive powerful, effective marketing.
Things like knowing how to work with persuasion and human psychology to build your customer base and knowing how to write great headlines and CTAs that can’t be ignored…
And understanding the art of connecting with people and creating genuine rapport.
Business owners and entrepreneurs have used these skills to survive and thrive through every change, evolution and innovation that have come before.
And these are the skills we need to survive and thrive whatever’s coming, in the future.
The reason Gary V continues to smash it on TikTok isn’t just because TikTok continues to smash growth records (hitting 1 billion monthly active users — years earlier than Facebook and Instagram reached that milestone), but because Gary V knows how to grab attention and keep it… day after day.
Building a Business that Stands the Test of Time
So if you and I were sitting across from each other right now and you asked me to share the one thing that will help you stay in the game, play it and WIN, this is what I’d say to you…
Get out of the hamster wheel of keeping up with marketing trends and tactics and get back to the basics.
(Note: Check out my video with 21 timeless online marketing tips).
Forget about implementing every marketing trend you can find on 10 different social platforms, forget about the bells and whistles on Instagram and Facebook and doing Evergreen Webinars and whatever it happens to be and go back to the basics.
Focus on becoming a damn good marketer.
Remember that the goal of riding that camel and the goal of driving that Land Rover is exactly the same… you want to get from point A to point B.
The goal of marketing is to get someone from not knowing who you are to someone who loves you and trusts you and buys from you again and again.
And when you become a damn good marketer — a damn great marketer — you’ll know that no matter what else happens, you can start and grow and sustain a business that stands the test of time.
If you want to know exactly how to communicate what you do in a way that captivates your ideal audience so they want to work with you and buy from you again and again (and these are all “damn good marketing” skills for sure :-)) join us virtually at our 10th annual Live Your Message LIVE! (This will probably be the last virtual event… we’ll likely be returning in-person next year).
This is a one-of-a-kind 3-day event where you’ll leave with your entire business (and big irresistible message) on one sheet of paper (including what to say, what to sell and what to do to grow your business now).
I’ve designed this event from the ground up to be the world’s only de-overwhelming business-building event…
And the world’s only business event where you’ll actually walk out with a SHORTER to-do list than when you arrived.
If that sounds like a refreshing change, then I invite you to join us! Register now BEFORE ticket prices go up.
Your turn…
If you could be the best of the best at one marketing skill, what would you choose? Speaking or copywriting or networking or something else?
Share in the comments… I read and reply to each one 🙂
