Principles Versus Methods
Posted on June 27, 2007
Filed Under Marketing Strategy
“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man (woman) who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man (woman) who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Each and every day you and I are bombarded with “methods” - just wait for the launch explosion of July 2007.
Methods are great if you have principles -
Software is great if you already have a system it can enhance; it’s a waste of money if you don’t.
“The only complexity in life is the ego trying to undo the simplicity of reality.”
- Lester Levenson
Where there is over-complexity, there is “un-necessity” -
My blip on the IM map showed up when I did things nobody else was doing; now I’ve been ripped off far and wide by lesser mortals.
More than a few people need a steel chair over the head - and it’s probably on it’s way.
And props to MF for promoting new crap (after saying he wouldn’t promote crap anymore) and labeling the “Day Job Killer” “Mr. X” . . . laughable.
NOTE: “The Day Job Killer”, whose products I’ve fully supported in the past, claims he’s not writing himself in as “X” or “Mr X” - this, apparently, was MF’s doing. Why did I never put those two initials together? Sad thing is, after having a great time at MF’s event in February I’d buried my hatchet with the guy. So why does he pull this crap? Up until now, the muse for my work has been my former boss - a control-freak who’s a real-life spitting image of Elmer Fudd. Does MF want the job of X’s muse?
But you know what? Who the fuck cares? My life ain’t never been better and I’m about to change direction again.
Deeper down the rabbit hole we go.
The wannabes? They’ll follow - they always do. But you can’t be a leader if you’re a follower and you’re a follower if you waste your time worrying too much about what the thieves, liars and leaches are doing.
.X.
Hi X,
I love your honest and raw commentary on the IM world today and all the bs out there.
I have been following you since the Adwords Blackbook and was lucky to get a copy.
I don’t understand something however and maybe you can explain.
I think alot of the stuff being pushed out there in Guruland is bunk because it is not backed by principle or backed by lousey principle. It is funny because your “Death of Crap” site echoed most of my sentiments at that time as if I had written it.
So tell me now you write this today and yet I am looking at IMX Files and see you will reveal the methods of the masters?
I think many of these Gurus have good things to teach unfortunately they don’t include them in working 123 step by step money at the end of the project systems.
They are usually parts of something…like useless cogs most people can’t figure out how to assemble into a machine. Therefor their stuff is useless unless it fits into “your” system.
So tell us what exactly you are going to show us here in general…cause you can’t really have it both ways. Slamming and then using their material?
I am only asking…I am one of us.
“they don’t include them in working 123 step by step money at the end of the project systems.”
Thanks Scott - great question / comments.
First of all the IMXFiles will include step-by-step “blueprints” - brief and to-the-point. So mission accomplished above - I hope.
Second, I’m not going to “swipe” material in terms of “Here’s so and so’s product and here’s what’s in it”.
Instead, I’ll be revealing systems - processes - tricks (as will the other four monthly contributors). The key difference is what they DO as opposed to what they SAY.
You see, a guru is only a guru as long as they have something new to say - and that’s a big part of the crap (so they teach crap they don’t do and they swipe other people’s stuff left and right).
Contrast my career curve here with Chris McNeeney’s - he’s prolific but his quality has taken a nose dive, his tactics progressively exploitative of his customer base, and he’s outright stealing other people’s material.
He’s a smart guy with skills, but I’ve been telling my colleagues for a while - “Here’s a guy who has no intention of being around long-term - he’s milking everything he can out of IM on his way to becoming hip-hop daddy.”
Along the way he’s forfeited any integrity he might have started with - sure, he looks like a real IM star to the rest of the “gurus” - but to me, no thanks.
The other part of the equation is promoting - no doubt “MF” has a launch coming up and in order to have his “Mr. X” promote his launch, he had to kiss some ass to get that. Apparently he thought he could do that by squeezing in the promo with another message - and, yet again, compromised his own integrity.
I’ve done that once - I promoted something from Cody Moya - and will never do it again.
Anyway - hope I answered your question - and I hope to answer it even better by delivering a high quality product.
All the best to you - .X.
Wow X!
At last someone who’s got the balls to speak his mind. Can you hear the applause?
After learning a helluva lot from the Blackbook DVDs, I know the IMXFiles will be top notch too.
I want to avoid guys who get up your arse. So who is “Andre The Giant?”
Be as subtle as you want
All the best from me.
Yes X,
Very helpful…hmmm Cody Moya is he a marketer?
Maybe…he sold alot of stuff…does that mean someone is a marketer? Might(read money) Makes Marketer?
Well that is the end goal, but selling dog shit is not marketing. Giving people something of value which they Desire or a Solution is marketing. Well smart marketing anyway.
Hey you should put together a gigantic pile of crap and sell the rights to it X. Little useless gizmos and e-books written by 5th graders. Let’s call it “Automic Crap Ball”.
I am looking forward to IMX Files… but so help me God if you have one .exe e-book in there I’m outta here.
Andre was not a giant he had “Biglarge Syndrome”.
X, this blog is great. It’s THE ONLY blog I’ve come across in a long time that actually says a piece of crap IS a piece of crap. I’m sick of people praising every and any IM product they come by (Anita C’s Reviewlicious is one of those places - it’s a shame she’d still do it, even after attending your black book workshop).
Cheers to you, X.
Felix