Why We Can’t Give Up

That was awesome - and so true and my favorite part was the shitdiots!! :)

Danny,
you've set the tone for 2011, this is a truly outstanding 'call to action'.
It's probably time to open up PVSM as a public group, or start a PVSM blog.
The 'salad days' are over.
Cheers,
Steve

Count me in. Also, "shitdiots" might be my new fav word!

A friend and I have been noticing the "faux genuineness" phenomenon lately and talking amongst ourselves about it. The thing is, the internet is the great enabler of our time when it comes to this phenomenon. There is a totally different "scale" now on which to gauge whether someone is an expert in their field or not. Hint: it doesn't have to do with Twitter followers. Legitimacy doesn't have to do with Twitter followers either.

Also, this line really hit home with me, "If we give up, then repetition wins and originality and creativity loses", because I am on the creative end of things. Repetition in design is really all over the place now. Just the proliferation of cheap-and-easy instead of skilled and creative is a real downer sometimes. But much like "crowd sourcing" is showing signs of biting itself in the ass, I think a similar backlash might happen within design and marketing.

I feel like all I can do sometimes is just stay true to what I do best - to keep fighting the good fight, so to speak, and to keep kicking out killer creative work and forward-thinking marketing ideas. I also keep trying to educate all the clients and potential clients out there through my own blog.

Perfect, never give up while you feel like this. The day you don't then move on.

I have had some of the same feelings, in my past I spent 15 years as a living sculpture standing motionless up to 8 hours at a time through a day. I also worked as an interactive, participatory coneptual artist. The last 7 years in web and graphic design.

I can honestly say I have never felt as energised about connecting again with people as I do now working with people on social media.

People are the thing that drives this not technology and while we contiinue to communicate we will always find more effective ways to do so. Those less genuine will always fall by the side.

Hi Danny,

It takes a true man to call it like it is : shitdiots
Like Margie, Mack, and the other voices of reason, I think we are all here to do our own thing. Once again, social media gold rush reminds me of the early days of the Web (yeah, I am that old) when just about everyone was there to cash on the new big breakthrough. And when I say anybody, it was really anyone.
However, with perseverance and skills, the real committed talents managed to emerge, despite the nonsense that was going on.
There is a role for many different types of skill set in social media; the strategist is not the only option there. And like in any other industry, there will be shidiots who will cash in. that’s the name of the game.
Thus, forcing us, to even be better at what we do and providing even more value.

Nice post, Danny. You're a good writer. But it seems like this argument is overdone, lately. Everyone points at these asshats - but no one calls them out. Who are they? Is it considered good etiquette to bash them, but not mention them?

In September I even went so far as to kill my other account (@smashadv) on Twitter as a way to avoid most of these guys (I'm @jmitchem now.) But, even now that I follow a lot fewer people, I still follow a few of ‘them.’ I’m curious to see how people who have influence (real or perceived,) position themselves here. And I’ll tell you something else - I actually believe there's a pyramid scheme at work. All these guys rally around each other in an attempt to develop something like pack credibility. If enough people with big numbers promote each other, certainly the newbies (or those who aspire to play the game this way) will be influenced. And so then these people buy into the pyramid. It's like narcissistic cancer.

Still, I want to see a post where some of these guys are called out. Let them defend their tactics.

jm

I you Danny Brown. But you already knew that. :-) Thanks for the courage to keep going in spite of it all.

OK Danny, enough with the somewhat deserved fan mail...

It is going to boil down to results talk and bullshit walks. The more the talk gets focused on what has been done that delivered RESULTS the less the people who just talk are going to get attention.

And yes, this is an excellent post mate, but I always carry a pin to burst bubbles with.

Hello Danny, a very well written article. I have been involved in the internet marketing field for about 10 years now. Have seen a lot of the good, the bad and the ugly during these years.

What makes the field of internet marketing good are the people who started with a main interest. Their focused interest being sincere in helping others to build a successful online business. Some of those people are still around with the same focus! Praise God!

The good of internet marketing continues to this day with new people consistently coming online with a true focus! To help others be successful! That is what is so cool about the internet! Always has been, is now and will be in the future! You have to weed out the bad and the ugly.. Unfortunately for the newbies, they haven't learn how to weed them out until they have spent too many precious dollars and precious time before they see the light!

The best thing to ever happen and I mean ever, was the beginning of the blogging! Started a whole new ball game, the gurus had to re-strategize(how did you like that fifty cent word?)

That is why it is so important for anyone reading this posting on your blog site to never lose their focus! Helping other people by being yourself and sharing your good, bad and best experiences in this business with no expectations other than you have helped someone to have a piece of owning their own successful business. As your posting says, don't give in, don't give up, and keep on keeping on! Be a blessing to receive a blessing!

Had the benefit of being able to watch a video interview of Anthony Robbins by Frank Kern and John Reese this weekend. It was so cool to see 2 of the best in the field of internet marketing(good dudes who do care) soaking up every single word Anthony Robbins was teaching them. You had to have seen the respect and awe in both of their eyes and demeanor during the interview. Folks, we are talking the best of the best! Awesome!

Anthony Robbins covered 4 areas, I will post them below and then sign off. The four items are so much in line with what you are trying to bring forth in this posting! Anthony Robbins called this method(derived from many, many interviews) the holy grail of belief.

1. Potential

2. Action

3. Results

4. Belief

They are all connected in a complete circle.

I was very impressed with this interview! I sent the link to a friend, saw the friend later in the evening, thanking me for sending her the link! Great! That is what it is all about my friend!

You do the action part and go find the Anthony Robbins interview with Frank Kern and John Reese and watch your attitude get even batter!

Thanks for having read this far!

Danny, keep up the great work!

Jesus is Lord!

Okay, first I felt outside the 'inner circle.' And now I feel like I'm outside this circle, too. Because I don't really know who you are talking about. Clueless, huh? : )

I have felt all my life that I'm never sitting at the cool kids' table in the lunchroom. Used to bother me, until I figured out" 1) that those kids weren't so cool after all; and 2) what I like most of all is thinking, creating new ideas and writing about them.

I love to hear dissenting views and that is what I admire so much about you Danny. You are brave (and smart). : )

So I write on, oblivious of it all.

When this happens to me (which it frequently does), I like to think to myself, If you're worth something, then go out and get what you are worth. get up, and take it, and don't let anyone stop you from winning. OK, enough self talk, back to plumbing the shitidiot's messes.

Well I'm torn about this post, Danny.

On the one hand, I agree with you. There are a lot of people who are out there solely to rake in the big bucks and get famous, and it kind of makes me mad that their methodologies work. I try to do things the slow, more engaging/interactive way, which I find extremely rewarding, but it's not the kind of work that gets you accolades in the industry.

On the other hand, and I say this as I hope you know with a great deal of respect, I've seen a lot of posts like this one as well, where the state of the industry is lamented and where masked (or not) insults or criticisms are thrown out. I don't find that in the end these kinds of discussions lead to anything good. It tends to garner one of two responses - "Rah rah preach it" or "Oh, dude, that's nothing compared to what so and so did to me."

As I become more enmeshed in the Social Media world, it becomes clear that your experience will be whatever you put into it. Just like the Beatles said. So, yeah, there are people around who don't get it, and that stinks. There are complete idiots - everywhere. And that stinks. There are people who talk like they know everything in the world when actually everything they say is completely wrong. That stinks, too.

But really, what counts is what you're adding to the soup. If you are carving your own experience (like in #blogchat) it bothers you a lot less that people litter the stream with links to unrelated posts. You're off doing your thing. You're with your peeps, as it were. That's how I've been approaching things, at any rate. I feel like posts like these, while well-intentioned, just serve to emphasize the rancor.

But of course, I could be an idiot too :)

First off, I love the Hughes reference.

But on a more serious note it is kind of sad to see that folks who know their stuff get ignored while a talking head with a larger ego and bag of wind gets top billing and mentions.

One thing that bothers me in general is that the windbags and hacks seem to get the top billings on things, basically because they can regurgitate other windbags. (and sorry I know you Scots like playing bags with wind, but I couldn't resist).

I also get annoyed when seeing companies in the space get credit for their efforts based upon their company size when a smaller company dwarfs their efforts. It would be nice to see folks get credit where its due and idiots get exposed but that is not the world that we live in.

Sometimes I wonder if the good fight is worth fighting.

Love it!

I can't stop saying it and giggling. It just sounds like a word my Dad would have called my brothers.

I say, bring on the charlatans. Hell, I cook 'em dinner. Why? I want them well-fed and sustainable, because they build incredible retainer clients for me. By the time I get my best clients, they are so exhausted with the marketing circle jerk that they're in "no more yanky my wanky - The Donger need sleep!" mode. That's when I get to do what it is I love - deliver. And they thank me. So I keep delivering. And then I get more clients from referrals...and...

The slappings will continue until the fucktardery ceases, and for that I say HOOO-RAH. That's the only motivation I need to keep on keepin' on. And for what it's worth, you weren't missing much on the jocks/cheerleaders front. :)

The amazingness from this blog continues in earnest. I don't know how you do it - you're like Tony Robbins without the "look at me," and with much better writing skills.

There's a real "haves vs. have-nots" going on, in particular in the social media industry. Push-button systems, my way is better than your way, take a look at all my f&^%$ing followers!

Guess what, Danny. The clever kids are making it out of the library. Believe. It's happening.

Rise above. Keep writing.

Danny - Just so you know, John Hughes movies are EXACTLY like real life ;-).

As for this industry? The growth allows for 'experts' of all stripes to claim their expertise. It is not going to end any time soon. Look at search as an industry. It is much more mature than social media and it is STILL full of hucksters and information churners. It's not going to end. The trick is fighting through that level of engagement and finding the real players.

As for the In Crowd? I would love to know who you consider that to be. I just try to deal in truth and integrity and take my little slice of the pie. It's better that way. O, by the way, if anyone is looking to tear apart my truth and integrity claim? I bet you will find instances where I can found outside of both. I don't claim perfection but I do claim making an effort to be 'clean'.

Keep it up Dr. Brown! Your voice needs to be heard.

Last thing. You missed nothing with that whole cheerleader deal.

Wow it is good to know that there are genuine experiened marketers saying what some of us less experienced bloggers are feeling too.

I was on a blogging buddies site only yesterday where he was having a rant about similar things. He's an experienced marketer and someone I respect. I'm glad I'm finding some "real" people to follow and learn from.

Don't be giving up Danny. You are respected and the fake gurus and the like are being exposed. I left a site disappointed today by what I was reading. Had been enjoying it up until today. Some of us are listening :-)

Patricia Perth Australia

Cuz - we have all felt like you feel right now. Is this worth it? Why are those idiots being taken seriously? I continue to study, learn from the smart people and define my niche. What goes on in the dark, will come out in the light. Persist my brother!
To Mr. Martine -- I agree, but oh that 10% was vivid! There were some great things being said there. This business can be a sifting process - and we sift until we come up with the gold.
Dinna fash yersel with the eejits!
Deb Brown

I have been a member of that club, wondering if all the hard work was paying off. And then I realized something very crucial. The online world is growing, we embrace it and know it can help our clients but it's only one channel and the pat on the head from colleagues is not the end game.

Some "leaders" are actually leading and helping paying clients. Others are good with a keyboard.

Let's keep our eye on the ball and focus on helping customers, not our Klout score.

I've said it to you once and I'll say it again. Don't give in Danny. Because the smoke-and-mirrors crowd will move on to new pastures soon enough. The beauty of this field is that there is a *record* of what you do. When you con someone? People find out. The life-blood of the snake-oil salesmen is new marks to con. The best weapon against them? an informed public.
Shout louder. Shout longer. Perform better. Prove their deception. Share it.

Powerful call to action Danny. It will be interesting to see if there is a reaction in 2011. I get so many snakeoil salesmen following me on Twitter each day it's getting to the point I'm drowning in white noise. I'm actively trying to identify the right people to connect with amidst the myriad of dross but it feels like it's getting harder.

I wish Twitter would introduce some kind of blocking system so you could exlude tweeps from their keyword bios. Out would go the "grow your money" types.

Hey Danny,

All it takes for bullshit to triumph is for non-bullshitters to say nothing...or something like that...

They sure seem like they are having all the fun. But it just isn't really that much fun being with that crowd. They seem to be getting all the glory and it makes me wonder how they do it. The John Hughes movie analogy works-except we get to see the inside true story there. In real life, we don't get to do that.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I believe in another movie genre too-the good guys win in the end...even if it takes some time. So be patient and keep "fighting the good fight." Some of us are paying more attention to you good guys than the glitz-we see that man behind the curtain that Toto exposed and we like what you are doing better-less smoke and mirrors! Soon, the biz world will figure it out too.

Wow.. very powerful post Dan. The scammers, spammers, bullshitters, and crap artists won't quit, so why should we?

Thanks for posting this man, it's a great way to start the week.

All the best
Hector

Amen brotha. For the first time, I participated in #blogchat. Easily 90% of the tweets were just worthless dumbass feelgood fluff devoid of any real wisdom or value (http://tweetchat.com/room/blogchat).

It was like some kind of social media douchebag meltdown.

This reminds me of the story of the gold prospector told by Napoleon Hill. During the days of the gold rush a prospector discovered an area that was potentially fantastic. He drilled and mined but discovered nothing and eventually quit. Someone else came along and continued and drilled for just three feet more before they hit a vein that produced millions of dollars worth of gold.

It is always too early to quit.

Michael

That was awesome - and so true and my favorite part was the shitdiots!! :)

Thanks Mr D,
It’s just what I needed to read after a crap 24hrs! Glad I am not the only one who at times feels this way.
Ta x

Marjorie Clayman's got it right (in her comments above), for me. Her tone and stance take the high road.

I mean, who the fuck are you to call out anybody (in that subsequent post you're thinking of writing)? And I don't mean, who the fuck are you that you aren't brilliant or haven't achieved results or haven't helped people, I just mean who the fuck are you to compare yourself and your shit to others, in a way that clearly disparages some unnamed "them"? I know, I know...Livingston says that big boys shouldn't be afraid of criticism. That's not the point.

Argue the merits of process and ideas, Danny - not on your dislike/distaste/jealousy/whatEVER at there being an A-list, at cliques, at organizations who are just too stupid and ready-to-be-taken-advantage-of, at "idiots".

But you are arguing the merits, you say? No, claiming someone's ideas are idiotic or crap shopworn or retreads, or making a judgment about "faux genuineness" and "bullshit," is not debating the idea's effectiveness, it's slamming the person.

You and that Livingston fellow seem to be on some high horse that you're smarter and better than the average bear. Don't know why. You might even BE, but it's pretty unseemly (in my eyes) to be so full of yourselves. Confident? Dig it. Swagger when you can back it up? Love it. Look down your noses at any body? Fuck you. ("But we're not!" I hear you chiming in.)

I can't believe I'm even posting this, getting into this mud. Should regular commercial advertisers whine about infomercials and shamwow sales success? No (at least, not in my opinion). They should carry on - much as your post was trying to motivate people to do - figuring out how to best deliver their message and attract new business and serve their existing customers.

I believe you should never bash the competition. (and spare me the "oh, they're not my competition, mate!" retort). Compare, yes, but not bash. Makes you appear weak. Do your best to educate; let buyer beware; may the best one win, the market sort itself out.

Crap, maybe I shouldn't have entered this fray. Just because I teach people how to make use of some of the social media tools doesn't mean that I have to be part of any club or define myself as being part of some "industry." (Does it?) I do my thing, helping other people. A-lister's, B-listers, Klout-schmout, that's all window dressing.

Damn, I wish I had Marjorie's gift for diplomacy...