Suppose you could sit down with the most successful people in your field and just talk with them to learn what they know.
Well, here’s the deal. YOU can learn what they know – and you can probably do it for little or no cost! You just have to get your head in the game (quit focusing on only YOU), be observant, vigilant, coachable and
appreciative.
If you are a novice wanting to learn the book industry or an author needing to learn how to market books better or a business/ministry leaders looking to learn a new skill – you can get the information you need –
sometimes for free – by following the leaders.
I mean really becoming a “student” of the person. That means becoming a
“disciple” and real follower who is disciplined to learn, listen, study and DO!
It’s amazing to me to see folks struggling to do something and there are mentors online all around. In the age of the internet, a couple of clicks on Google and you can find blogs, books, podcasts, webinars and websites or the some of the best and
brightest minds on the planet.
But don’t just find their info – and email them. That’s the lazy way! That’s the way to be put in the spam and “blocked” folder for real.
So, what do you do once you find a person you feel is the next link in your destiny?
Follow them religiously. Not stalk but become a protégé by doing the following things:
1. Be social! Be their facebook friend, join their groups or be on their fan pages every day! Read their updates and comment on their statuses. It’s easy to get overwhelmed from the 400 million folks
online but zone in on your “fav five” or “top ten.” The folks you need to learn from, folks
you admire, model and want to know how they think, operate and live their
lives. Now, don’t copy. And don’t “hate on” them. A protégé appreciates a mentor. So, learn to give
accolades and tell others of the wonderful info you’re getting from your online mentor! Spread the love and
it will come back to you! Be part of every social site where they are – if they are on twitter, you follow
them on twitter and retweet their tweets.
If they are on facebook or twitter, make sure you get the SMS updates to your phone. If they have a NING, make sure you "friend" them or if you join a ning they are part of - make sure you "friend' the creator of the NING. That's common courtesy! Pick up clues and run with it.
2. Blog. This is the easiest way to really learn from your mentor and get noticed by them fast. Because this is their weblog or online diary, you know what they’re thinking, doing, working on
and can sense the direction their business is going. Read all their old blog posts. Become a student! Do your homework. Also, click all the buttons and links on their blog and find out
what they’re into and how you can add those same buttons, widgets or links
to your own blog. But the main thing, is to comment on their posts! Enough said. Got it?
3. Email. Of course you have subscribed to their email list and read every email (even if they send something out every day), right? This is the secret. The mentor’s emails are the keys to your next level. When your mentor sends an email to his/her list, they are talking to YOU. So, pay attention – they would not send a frivolous email, they are a pro remember?
Here’s what you can find out from reading, saving and keep up with your online mentor’s emails:
1. Their upcoming events, teleseminars, recent blog posts or media exposure. What tools they have to sell.
2. Their style, wording of each email – so you can benchmark your email campaigns.
3. Their pattern for doing things. What days to they send emails, what times?
4. Their “hot buttons” and what’s on the cutting edge in the industry
If they send a lot of emails, learn to manage it. You want to learn from them? Deal with it. Put the emails in a folder on your computer desktop or print them out and put in a binder so you can read during your lunch hours – whatever it takes to be a good student and stay on top of their information – do it!
If the information is coming fast and furious, maybe you’re not ready for the level that you think you are. Think about it. If you can’t read emails from your mentor, then you probably wouldn’t be able to keep up
with their pace they are on. You’re just reading – they’re doing the writing.
Anyway, why would you want to follow an online mentor if their pace was slower than yours?) So, suck it up and get organized.
4. Finally, and most important – appreciate and acknowledge your online mentor/coach. This is THE KEY to
your success. I find that most people don’t do this and consequently they
don’t get the results they’re looking for.
Most folks are so self-absorbed that they rarely take time to be
kind to others. It’s great to have
focus, but you need a team to make the dream work. If you become a good protégé or student
of your mentor/coach, you’d get favoritism. Almost like being a teacher’s
pet online. Those that endorse me
and support me, get special
treatment and get direct access to me.
Those that just “lurk” or watch and never show any gratitude or interact with me – never register on my radar. But those they buy my books, CD, take my teleclasses or listen to my
podcasts and comment publicly, are my “favorites.” And a day of favor is worth more than
years of labor – any day!
So, want to learn from those on the next level? Learn to:
1. Listen. Be observant. Be vigilant.
2. Read. Scan. Speed read. Print and save information.
3. Be curious. Click all the buttons! Do what they do. Model them online.
4. Thank the mentor/coach. Let them know you are watching them and you appreciate them. Never hate on your help. Don’t be a rival friend. You must learn to get rid of jealous feelings and not be envious. How? By showing gratitude. This is CRITICAL to getting over envy and getting favor!
5. Also, don't forget they are in business - so buy something once in a while! Learn to value information and pay for it!
Sounds easy? It is. Do people do it consistently? A rare few who are ready to get in the game and really win! Are you?
www.pamperrypr.com Links to Connect with Pam Perry
Social Media Expert & PR Coach
www.socialmediapr.eventbrite.com LinkedIn URL:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamperryprcoach FaceBook URL:
http://www.facebook.com/pamperryfanpage Twitter URL:
http://twitter.com/pamperry YouTube URL:
http://www.youtube.com/pamperry1 www.ministrymarketingsolutionsblog.com
Posted By: Pam Perry
Sunday, April 18th 2010 at 9:32PM
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