Internet Marketing Lessons 9 and 10 from Thomas Paine to Your Small Business
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the fifth and final post of Internet Marketing Lessons from Thomas Paine to Your Small Business. When Thomas Paine published Common Sense back in 1776 the Internet was about 200 years off and blogging had 225 years to lay low before entering our lexicon. However, bloggers, content marketers, small businesses owners, and Thomas Paine all share the goal of communicating a message through the most effective channels out there and persuading people to take a specific action.
Thomas Paine
Check out the first post in this series for more on why it makes perfect sense to look to Common Sense for Internet marketing lessons. Before getting to our final two lessons, here are the first 8 lessons we’ve mined from Common Sense thus far:
- Figure out the specific content that you can contribute to your niche.
- Define your personal brand and use your content to build on it.
- Have one main point.
- Make your content rich with target keywords and phrases.
- Break up your content into digestible chuncks to aid understanding.
- Supporting your positions in a strong, entertaining, and witty manner is a plus!
- Let your passion bleed through your language.
- Don’t just point out problems, offer solutions!
Lesson 9. Offer Realistic Optimism that People Can Trust
Whether you’re trying to get people to do something good for themselves, buy your product, vote, or fill out a contact form; you want your content to be positive, optimistic, and energetic. You can be negative, but that’s only good if you want people to act against something. Speaking or writing negatively about a competitor, if effective, may make your audience consider other options, but positivity is the best policy when trying to attact people or at least get them to be for something.
However, you have to offer positivity and optimism people can trust. “Too good to be true” optimism doesn’t fly for long. Therefore, strive for a similar brand of realistic optimism that Thomas Paine pushed in his Common Sense pamphlet.
As Paine drew his Pamphlet to conclusion, he confidently wrote “that nothing can settle our affairs so expeditiously as an open and determined declaration for independence” (53). He wrote this long before independence was declared. Even today, 235 years on the other side of Common Sense, we can feel Paine’s certainty and optimism, and get fired up about independence, freedom, and all that good stuff.
But there was more to Paine’s optimism than just confidence. He modified it with realism by acknowledging that achieving independence is going to be a tough road – unpleasant but necessary business:
“These proceedings may at first appear strange and difficult; but, like all other steps which we have already passed over, will in a little time become familiar and agreeable; and, until an independance is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity” (54).
In lesson 8 we talked about offering helpful content that solves peoples problems. In addition, in order to be truly helpful, such content also needs to honestly prepare the audience for the challenges and difficulties that they may encounter on the way to the solution.
Lesson 10. Continuously Update Your Content
On the day the first edition of Common Sense was published, a speech the king had made had been published in America, so Paine quickly added an appendix to his pamphlet that addressed the contents of the kings speech. Also, in a subsequent edition to the pamphlet, Paine added some specific calculations to show the cost along with how feasible it would be for America to have a sizeable navy.
Like Paine we should maintain an attitude of continuous improvement towards our content for the following reasons:
- Frees us up to get our content out there! If we view our blog posts, articles, and ebooks as living and growing documents then we no longer have to wait for it to be “perfect” before publishing it through our channel of preference. Instead, we can post it, email it, publish it once it is “good enough” and then go back and research some other angels and make some further modifications and re-post it or re-package it at the appropriate time.
- Keeps our content relevant. While some of the principles expressed in our content may stay the same, new anecdotes, information, and discoveries are broadcast via the Internet, mobile devices, and the 24-hour news cycle everday. We might as well jump on the informational bandwagon and work any applicable viral information into our existing content. This expands our audience and keeps our existing audience coming back.
- Good for the search engines. Lastly, the search engines give preference to content that is frequently updated.
So that’s it! A big thanks to Thomas Paine for giving us 10 timeless lessons we can apply to the rapidly moving Internet and social media marketing arena. Click here if you haven’t read or would like to review all 10 of these Internet Marketing Lessons from Thomas Paine to Your Small Business.
Until next time, get out there, be empowered, and try something old in a new way!
Everett Reiss
Internet Marketer for Small Business
Connect with me on:
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/everettreiss
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/everettreiss
- Mad Staffing Blog
The quotations and page references came from Project Gutenberg’s Common Sense by Thomas Paine ebook; I encourage you to read it yourself!
05 September 2010, 4:42 am
Buy:Human Growth Hormone.Retin-A.Nexium.Lumigan.Arimidex.Mega Hoodia.Prevacid.Zovirax.100% Pure Okinawan Coral Calcium.Petcam (Metacam) Oral Suspension.Actos.Synthroid.Valtrex.Prednisolone.Zyban.Accutane….
06 September 2010, 1:02 am
Buy:Cialis Super Active+.Propecia.Cialis.Levitra.Viagra Soft Tabs.Cialis Professional.Cialis Soft Tabs.Tramadol.Viagra Super Force.Viagra Professional.Soma.Viagra Super Active+.Maxaman.VPXL.Zithromax.Viagra.Super Active ED Pack….
06 September 2010, 7:52 pm
Buy:VPXL.Propecia.Levitra.Super Active ED Pack.Viagra Soft Tabs.Cialis Super Active+.Viagra Professional.Cialis.Viagra Super Active+.Viagra Super Force.Cialis Professional.Viagra.Tramadol.Cialis Soft Tabs.Zithromax.Maxaman.Soma….
11 November 2010, 3:50 pm
…
BUY FASHION. TOP BRANDS: GUCCI, DOLCE&GABBANA, BURBERRY, DIESEL, ICEBERG, ROBERTO CAVALLI, EMPORIO ARMANI, VERSACE…
15 July 2011, 5:55 pm
buy@generic.VIAGRA” rel=”nofollow”>……
Need cheap generic VIAGRA?…
29 July 2011, 4:59 am
Order@Cheap.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it…
29 July 2011, 9:15 am
Buy@Abilify.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds…
29 July 2011, 9:55 am
Buy@Cheap.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it…
29 July 2011, 7:53 pm
Purchase@Generic.Abilify.5mg.10mg.15mg.20mg.30mg” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
30 July 2011, 7:36 am
Order@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow it…
30 July 2011, 11:55 pm
Order@Generic.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buywithout prescription…
31 July 2011, 7:34 am
Cheap@Generic.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now…
02 August 2011, 3:42 am
Purchase@Cheap.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
03 August 2011, 12:12 am
Purchase@Cheap.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
03 August 2011, 5:12 am
Purchase@Abilify.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
03 August 2011, 2:05 pm
Buy@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buywithout prescription…
03 August 2011, 2:40 pm
Buy@Discount.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
03 August 2011, 5:27 pm
Order@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now…
03 August 2011, 6:03 pm
Order@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it…
04 August 2011, 12:21 am
Purchase@Discount.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
04 August 2011, 3:06 am
Cheap@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
04 August 2011, 5:26 am
Get@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
04 August 2011, 10:55 am
Buy@Acai.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
05 August 2011, 12:14 am
Buy@Discount.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
05 August 2011, 7:06 am
Purchase@Discount.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
05 August 2011, 11:36 am
Buy@Cheap.Accupril” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric meds…
05 August 2011, 5:02 pm
Purchase@Accupril.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
05 August 2011, 11:53 pm
Buy@Cheap.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
06 August 2011, 8:26 am
Cheap@Accutane.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric meds…
07 August 2011, 5:52 am
Order@Aciphex.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription…
10 August 2011, 3:36 pm
Cheap@Actonel.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow it mou…
10 August 2011, 5:09 pm
Buy@Generic.Actonel.35mg” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription luw…
10 August 2011, 6:49 pm
Generic@Actonel.35mg.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills zdg…
10 August 2011, 8:28 pm
Buy@Cheap.Actoplus.Met” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds qmo…
10 August 2011, 10:09 pm
Order@Cheap.Actoplus.Met” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs krg…
12 August 2011, 11:55 am
Order@Cheap.Adalat” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs lzt…
12 August 2011, 6:45 pm
Order@Discount.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buywithout prescription dyo…
13 August 2011, 6:06 am
Order@Cheap.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription xiu…
13 August 2011, 9:28 pm
Abilify@5mg.10mg.15mg.20mg.30mg.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric meds svb…
13 August 2011, 11:53 pm
Buy@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription wkp…
14 August 2011, 1:58 am
Order@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription jui…
14 August 2011, 8:41 am
Cheap@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now sge…
14 August 2011, 10:58 am
Buy@Generic.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs mby…
14 August 2011, 6:32 pm
Cheap@Generic.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buydrugs without prescription vrg…
15 August 2011, 11:21 am
Order@Discount.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription gdt…
15 August 2011, 1:40 pm
Purchase@Cheap.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyit now ojb…
16 August 2011, 6:03 pm
Buy@Cheap.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription tao…
17 August 2011, 3:42 am
Get@Accutane.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription ccw…
17 August 2011, 7:22 pm
Cheap@Generic.Accutane.10mg.20mg” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow it zdg…
17 August 2011, 9:30 pm
Accutane@10mg.20mg.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs ajd…
18 August 2011, 3:21 am
Order@Cheap.Aciphex” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buydrugs without prescription faj…
19 August 2011, 6:38 am
Aciphex@20mg.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it lmg…
21 August 2011, 5:07 am
Buy@Actonel.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buydrugs without prescription hak…
21 August 2011, 1:20 pm
Order@Cheap.Actonel” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs nih…
21 August 2011, 4:02 pm
Purchase@Actonel.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs vbr…
21 August 2011, 5:21 pm
Purchase@Cheap.Actonel” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buydrugs without prescription xab…
24 August 2011, 1:37 am
Buy@Advair.25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg250mcg” rel=”nofollow”>..< /blo…
Buygeneric meds dxy…
24 August 2011, 11:38 am
< a href="http://trig.com/advair4746/biography/?ml=Generic-Advair-25mcg/50mcg-25mcg/125mcg-25mcg/250mcg-50mcg/500mcg-50mcg/100mcg-50mcg/250mcg-Without-Prescription Generic@Advair.25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg2…
Buydrugs without prescription jlg…
25 August 2011, 3:40 am
Get@Aggrenox.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow fjl…
25 August 2011, 10:19 am
Order@Cheap.Albenza” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow it sxk…
27 August 2011, 6:04 am
allopurinol@cheap.buy” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now…
28 August 2011, 12:42 am
risperdal@vs.abilify” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
28 August 2011, 4:21 pm
allegra@generic.purchase” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
16 September 2011, 12:31 pm
……
Search music now US Charts…
22 September 2011, 2:04 pm
Download@pop.Rock” rel=”nofollow”>……
Search rock US Charts…
17 October 2011, 12:43 am
sleep aids and half-life…
Buy_it now…
17 October 2011, 10:44 am
warfarin zoloft…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
17 October 2011, 12:24 pm
do cats carry ringworm…
Buy_generic meds…
17 October 2011, 5:23 pm
recent advances in cancer breast…
Buy_now…
18 October 2011, 6:21 am
adhd drugs causing hallucinations…
Buy_generic meds…
19 October 2011, 10:40 am
soft food diet ideas…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
20 October 2011, 6:22 am
number of obese in this generation…
Buy_generic meds…
20 October 2011, 8:01 am
aspirin pain relief dog…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
21 October 2011, 2:53 am
drug alcohol prevention resilience…
Buy_it now…
21 October 2011, 6:13 am
tuna during pregnancy…
Buy_generic meds…
25 October 2011, 6:54 am
gestational surrogacy…
Buy_now…
25 October 2011, 10:14 am
combination food diet…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
25 October 2011, 4:52 pm
research being done to treat hiv…
Buy_generic pills…
25 October 2011, 11:35 pm
buying prescription drugs in mexico…
Buy_now it…
26 October 2011, 11:13 am
faye sick lung cancer…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
26 October 2011, 9:13 pm
serotonin natural sources…
Buy_generic meds…
27 October 2011, 6:52 pm
nursing drug study website…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
28 October 2011, 10:29 pm
swollen ankles headache pregnancy…
Buy_generic drugs…
01 November 2011, 5:30 am
stop smoking phlegm…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
01 November 2011, 11:50 pm
questions about ortho tri cyclen…
Buy_generic drugs…
03 November 2011, 11:36 am
what foods anorexia eat…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
05 November 2011, 1:16 am
canine medi cam rx…
Buy_generic drugs…
05 November 2011, 9:16 pm
nexium pepsin ac…
Buy_generic drugs…
07 November 2011, 8:19 am
will the recession become a depression…
Buy_without prescription…
07 November 2011, 1:16 pm
teen girl 16 18.6 bmi…
Buy_generic drugs…
07 November 2011, 11:16 pm
social interaction anxiety…
Buy_without prescription…
08 November 2011, 8:05 am
acne scar and pit lamp…
Buy_generic drugs…
08 November 2011, 9:50 pm
at home diet programs…
Buy_generic pills…
09 November 2011, 9:30 am
synephrine hcl diet pills…
Buy_generic pills…
10 November 2011, 8:30 pm
terry abbot…
Buy_generic drugs…
12 November 2011, 5:30 pm
foods with triglycerides in them…
Buy_generic drugs…
13 November 2011, 6:50 am
benicar hct and norvasc…
Buy_it now…
13 November 2011, 8:30 am
advisory group on hepatitis uk…
Buy_no prescription…
13 November 2011, 1:30 pm
macon georgia drug court…
Buy_without prescription…
15 November 2011, 12:28 pm
flat warts and probiotics…
Buy_generic drugs…
16 November 2011, 1:48 am
medicare drugs covered…
Buy_generic meds…
16 November 2011, 5:08 am
state of arizona ontiveros drug…
Buy_now it…
16 November 2011, 4:47 pm
lexapro versus prozac differences…
Buy_without prescription…
16 November 2011, 9:48 pm
sample ncp for diabetes…
Buy_without prescription…
17 November 2011, 4:28 am
what year was advil introduced…
Buy_now it…
08 December 2011, 10:18 am
Download@pop.Rock” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buy rock US Charts…