Galileo had a problem.
His observations about the university (what he knew was true) forced him to say things that the ‘powers that be’ found unacceptable.
He had to choose whether to be quiet, or find ways to courageously proclaim what he knew.
What would you do in his position?
What will you do?
Is Your Authority Under Threat?
Several years ago, a friend of mine ran a flourishing music school on YouTube that typically earned him over USD$30,000 per month. When one of his competitor ‘complained’ to YouTube he was shut down and his income dried up overnight. He had no recourse because YouTube owned the platform.
Since then, I have been very conscious of the importance of building your business on platforms you own and can control because this was not an isolated case. It is happening today, and it could happen to you!
Customer protection policies are a double-edged sword. Their intention is to protect the customer, which is noble and good,
BUT…
they can also be used by unprincipled people whose goal is to suppress debate and shut down opinions with which they personally disagree.
Can I Actually Say That?
As an authority, the question you should be asking is: “Can I deliver that promise?” Or, “Is this true?”
NOT… will people allow me to say this?
Unfortunately, if you are advertising on many online platforms, the truth of your statement or promise is not the criteria, it’s palatability and political correctness are.
As a marketing strategist and advisor, I’m hearing more and more often the comment “That will never pass Facebooks’ Ad Approval process, supposedly based on delivering what consumers want to see and avoiding any ‘offence’ rather than the validity of your claims. This is dangerous ground for your business, (and for society in general).
Now, I am not advocating that you adopt offensive policies or deliberately set out to outrage either the public or your customers, but if you know something, shouldn’t you be free to share that knowledge?
And shouldn’t it be up to your readers to ask,
“Could this…
- Be True?”
- Solve my problem?”
- Make my life and business better?” and
- Maybe even make me a better person?”
…and then make a decision about whether or not to adopt the idea you advocate or purchase your product or services?
An Authority Held Hostage is Not Free to Share the Truth
If you, as an authority in your field, cannot share what you know to be truth, then you are really just a straw man. This is true whether you are an employee who has been hired to achieve certain targets but finds that all your initiatives are constrained by others, a business owner who is always told, “Facebook doesn’t like that,” or “Google won’t let you do that.” Or even an academic who is told that his theories are interesting, but not ‘acceptable’ in the current client.
Right now, these constraints and shackles are mostly confined to social media and online advertising, but who knows what is just around the corner, and that is why it makes sense to build your own authority, and your own community of fans, and your own real estate NOW… before things change for the worse.
Fortunately, in today’s world you still have a choice… and exercising that choice will give you more independence and prosperity in future.
Becoming an Autonomous Authority
What is it like to choose whether to persuade others to try your products and services based on the following principles:
- I genuinely believe this idea or practice is true and effective…
- I have seen this idea or practice work in a variety of situations…
- This idea or practice makes people’s lives better and helps them achieve their goals faster…
- I have received lots of positive feedback about the effects of implementing this idea or practice…
Quite simply, it’s extremely satisfying! Way more satisfying than just about anything else because it doesn’t just make you feel happy, it lets you feel that you’re making a difference in other people’s lives.
When you think about it, no matter how insignificant your product or idea may seem to people who don’t have the problem, you invested time and energy into creating a solution because that problem really bothered you so you know it has oceans of value to people who do have the problem.
BUT…
It’s not until you become an authority that they can find you easily and effortlessly and remove the misery that problem is causing them, once and for all.
So… What does it Take to Become an Autonomous Authority?
Actually, its only takes 4 things:
- A website that you own and control;
- A product, service, or idea that makes people’s lives better that you know thoroughly;
- The willingness to communicate your idea relentlessly so you can be discovered by those who need you; which leads to…
- A growing list of interested prospects who know, like, and trust you;
Ok, so there are some moving parts within each of those areas, but the big picture is quite simple, and if you keep your focus on that big picture it won’t be long before you discover the joy of not having to seek anyone’s permission about where, when, and how you share your ideas… as well as the pleasure of having people seek you out and ask your opinions on many other, unrelated, problems.
Interested in learning more?
Every month in Melbourne, a group of entrepreneurial business owners meet on a Tuesday evening in Box Hill for a Magnetic Marketing Mastermind. This is an opportunity to network with like-minded people, wrestle with the real issues around growing an independent, profitable business, and filling your sales pipeline to overflowing so you never have to worry about cash flow again
To learn more and sign up for notifications visit https://memg.com.au.
NB: This is not a sales or referral meeting. It’s designed for discovery, encouragement, and challenge on how to market your business so that your ideal prospects chase you down.
