Home
>
Writing
>
Every Result is an Asset

Every Result is an Asset

Not long ago, I went to an Internet Marketing Seminar. One of the speakers was John Reese, a man who set the Internet world abuzz in August 2004 by achieving the amazing result of just over a million dollars worth of sales in 18 hours. The product, Traffic Secrets, was all about driving traffic to web sites in order to become known and ultimately make a profit.

So what is the common link between writing and internet marketing?

It's simply this: the mantra that John Reese lives by -- "Every result is an asset".

You may be thinking that it's very easy for someone who made a million bucks in less than a day to say something like that. Undoubtedly, such results are an asset to him! But when you learn more about John Reese, you discover that he spent years finding out what worked and what didn't work. Before he made that million dollars, he started 'in the hole' - one hundred thousand dollars in debt. Nothing he did seemed to work.

John didn't give up. Bit by bit, he added to his store of knowledge and built his business. He treated every result as an asset: another fragment to add to his growing data bank - whether the news was good or bad. If something didn't work, he knew not to try that again. If something worked well, he adopted that strategy as part of his arsenal. He tracked results, tweaked and tried again, made mistakes and had successes. Then, a HUGE success - a million dollars in a day.

"Every result is an asset."

Think about that for a moment. Imagine what it means to your daily life. It has implications far outside Internet Marketing - and far outside writing. It's first cousin to the saying "Everything happens for a reason". It's all about learning what works for you in life. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone experiences rejection. Everyone encounters roadblocks.

You can choose whether to give up when the results fall short of your expectations... or you can treat every result as a valuable piece of information.

Your story or article is rejected

After you swear and slam a few doors and maybe burst into tears, calm down and think about how this result can be an asset. What have you learned?

Did you target the wrong market?
Did you submit a story that is the wrong length?
Does your story need further polishing?
Do the characters need work?
Do you need to contact (or start) a writing group to help you work out what you might be doing wrong?
Do you need feedback from a critique service?

If you're lucky, the editor will give you some feedback to indicate where you might be going wrong. If not, you'll have to try to work it out yourself - and you might need help to do that.

There are other things that rejection can teach you, too - like how much you want to keep writing. Is your desire to write strong enough to withstand rejection? Are you willing to put in the time necessary to polish your craft and market your work? Do you have the resilience to bounce back after rejection - or would you be happier with another hobby or job?

Belinda Alexander's Story

Belinda Alexander was devastated when she sent her 'chick lit' story to agent Selwa Anthony and got a firm 'no'. After all, chick lit was selling well. Belinda thought she could write it OK.

Her agent didn't agree. She told Belinda to go away and figure out what it was that she really should be writing. So Belinda did.

The result was "White Gardenia" - a sweeping saga of a mother and daughter torn apart by war and finally reunited more than two decades later, after spending years searching for (and just missing) each other. Belinda's inspiration was her family - tales of wartime hardship and the plight of refugees.

This time, Selwa Anthony gave a resounding 'yes'. The novel met with critical acclaim and was a best-seller - and Belinda has found her true voice. For her, the apparently negative result of an initial rejection was a huge asset - it set her on the right path.

As a writer, you are going to meet with rejection - from editors, agents and sometimes from critics who pen negative reviews. You are going to say things you wish you hadn't said. You are going to hear things you don't like from those offering critiques. You are going to get a 'no' when you send in samples of your writing in order to secure a grant or a writer's residency.

At those times, remember: EVERY RESULT IS AN ASSET. What have you learned about yourself, your writing, your approach? Use what you learn to do a better job of crafting your work, finding new markets or deciding on a better direction. Use every bit of knowledge to move yourself further along the path to the results that you really want!

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

Ashley limo service .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: ConnectOnCall breach leaks sensitive data of 910,000+ patients.

Rising elder scams: How to recognize them and protect yourself and your loved ones. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you outsmart the scammers.

There are common habits and oversights that could leave your financial information vulnerable to cybercriminals, according to Kurt the CyberGuy.

Counting calories just got easier with The Drop, the world's first automated nutrition tracker using advanced computer vision and artificial intelligence.

A virtual private network can help ensure your information remains security and your privacy remains intact. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Artificial intelligence-based cameras are giving air defense operators unprecedented capabilities in monitoring and protecting airspace.

Apple's iOS 18.1 Inactivity Reboot automatically reboots your iPhone if it hasn't been used or unlocked for more than three days, providing better data protection.

An inventor designed rooftop solar panels for a Tesla that draws solar energy while the car is parked, adding travel mileage without plugging in.

There are currently no laws governing what artificial intelligence can and cannot do with the information it gathers; here are 10 things to avoid telling AI chatbots to keep yourself safe.

A credit union with over 240,000 members recently revealed it was targeted by cybercriminals, resulting in a data breach that was part of a two-month attack by hackers.

Scammers have become skilled at creating convincing fake websites that can easily fool unsuspecting users. The CyberGuy offers tips to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.

Hackers recently leaked personal information of about 500,000 Americans and stole patient medical records that included lab results and insurance details.

The holiday season sees a rise in mobile shopping scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to stay safe.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a VPN enhances online banking security by encrypting data and protecting privacy.

Beware of these six sneaky holiday scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives you tips to avoid falling victim.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to securely back up and factory reset your Android to protect your privacy and data.

Artificial intelligence is making life easier for cybercriminals, allowing them to create elaborate scams to trick people. Kurt the Cyberguy explains how to protect yourself.

Cut through all the digital clutter and delete multiple emails from your Android simultaneously. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how it's done.

Tips to prevent your holiday decorations from being stolen

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson lays out the immediate steps you should take if your phone has been hacked and your personal information becomes vulnerable.

Fraudsters are sending people bogus invoices through PayPal as part of a sneaky scam that is going around; here's how to protect yourself from being fooled.

Every Result is an Asset

Writing