Remove the Guru Glue

I've noticed something interesting lately in my various social networks and circles. Everyone seems to be an expert. Everywhere I look someone is an expert at helping me market my business, increasing my income, get more traffic to my website, write a book, make millions on the internet, the list goes on and on.

My question is, where did all these self proclaimed experts come from and what makes them an expert to begin with?

The truth is just about anyone these days can claim they are an expert at something but you owe it to yourself to do your research before jumping on any bandwagon.

We all want to be successful and we're all looking for the "thing" that will get us where we want to be. Many of us (myself included) have stepped in what I call "Guru Glue" at one time or another. Guru Glue is when you get caught up in an expert's hype and information and before you know it you're on their mailing list, signing up for teleseminars and buying their products. Before you even get a chance to go through one program another guru comes along and you find yourself repeating the process over and over until you have an inbox full of newsletters you probably never read and several programs you purchased thinking they would bring you great success when in reality you haven't had time to go through any of them.

Before the next guru sticks to your shoe, do some research.

• They may be successful but is the path they took the path you want for your own business?
  
• Are you going to have to spend thousands of dollars to get the "real" information that they don't give you in the $47 or $97 info product that you bought?
• Is the way they conduct their business in alignment with the way you conduct yours?
• Are you seeking information because you feel stuck or lost? If so you may need to evaluate some underlying issues with yourself and your business before continuing your search.
  
• Is the information they are presenting the same information you've heard over and over regurgitated in a different way?
  
• Are you looking at the information from an emotional standpoint or a logical one?
  
• Does this person have long term success? There are hundreds of so-called "experts" out there who seem to have found overnight success with one method or another. But will they be around in ten years? Or even six months?
  
• Is their expertise based on information you can easily find yourself for free?
  

I'm not saying you shouldn't find mentors or successful people to model after. That's absolutely a key component to success. However, it's so incredibly easy to get caught up in the moment when something too good to be true comes along. (and by the way, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is or there's some sort of big catch that isn't obvious on the surface). The info product industry is soaring with the increase in online businesses. There are more products, mastermind programs, membership sites and teleseminars out there than you can imagine. Its very easy to quickly put these products together, throw together a sales page and sell them. But having a snazzy sales page, creative copy and eye-catching graphics doesn't make someone an expert.

If you're really interested in someone as an expert, here are some ways to get quality information from them for FREE:

1. Subscribe to Their Newsletter or Ezine
(yes I know I warned against this earlier in the post, but really an ezine is a safe way to get free tips and great information from someone in the industry that you admire.) You can always unsubscribe later if you decide you are no longer getting value from it.

2. Read their Blog
Most experts have a blog that they update at least once per week. There is usually a wealth of information in each post. Much of which comes straight from the info products that they sell.

3. Follow them on Twitter
Follow experts you are interested in on Twitter or Facebook. Many experts offer exclusive tips that they only post on Twitter. It is also a good way to interact with them on a more real level instead of placing them on an unreachable pedistal. Many experts also create Facebook fan pages and groups where you can get incredible content you won't find anywhere else from them. You may even find that some experts offer special deals and discounts to their "Fans" in the event you choose to purchase something from them so it pays to be on the "inside".

4. Sign Up for a Free Online Class
Most of the time when an expert does a "free" teleclass or webinar they are doing it to sell a product at the end. However, in the 60-90 minutes during the presentation you can usually get a lot of great information and tips for just the cost of the phone call. (*tip: to avoid spending the money on the phone call, sign up and wait for them to send you the recording after the call. Most offer the recording when you sign up as a bonus so you don't have to worry about missing the information).

Before the next guru sticks to you, take the time to decide for yourself whether you even need expert advice to be successful. If the answer is yes then do your research and make sure the guru is a good fit for you, your business and your objectives.