Last night, Eli Manning did it again. He put a team that barely made it into the playoffs on his back and carried them all the way to a Super Bowl win. He also proved once again that he owns Tom Brady. Now, I don’t think Eli actually spends much time engaged in Internet marketing, but I think there is a lesson to be learned from what the Giants pulled off this year that is very applicable to your Internet marketing or business in general. Here it is, as I see it:
1. Just because your present situation does not reflect where you want to be doesn’t mean you won’t accomplish your goals. Late in the season, the Giants were 7-7 with little hope of making the playoffs. But they kept fighting, managed to get in, and went on to accomplish their ultimate goal of winning another Super Bowl. If your business isn’t where you want it to be, just have faith in your plan and keep working hard. And have a clearly defined goal. What is your Super Bowl?
2. You don’t have to look like a superstar to be a superstore. Tom Brady is good looking and has the famous super model wife. Manning is a good ol’ boy from the deep South who has now beaten Brady time-after-time. So maybe you’re not the best looking or the most charismatic – if you believe 100% in what you’re doing, and give everything you have, you can be a star in your industry.
3. Have people on your team who believe in what you’re doing. Clearly, there is a lot of unity on the Giants squad, and those guys truly believed in each other. Compare that to the other NFL team in New York, and it is easy to see why one has won two out of the last four Super Bowls, and the other does nothing but make headlines for what people in the organization say (rather than what they do). The lesson for you? You can teach skills, but you can’t teach the desire to grow and help build something great. Look for people who want to help you build something, rather than those who are just in it for a paycheck.
4. Be thick-skinned. At one point during the 2011 – 2012 NFL season, there was a mass cry from New York media for Tom Coughlin to be fired. But that guy is thick-skinned and tough as nails. He just kept working, believing in his plan and his players. And it paid off. You are going to be rejected by potential customers, you are going to be rejected by potential employees, and you are going to have hard times. But let it slide off of you and just keep working. Be a tough guy.
So there you have it. Be like the Giants and you just may win your own Super Bowl! If you need help with the Internet marketing part of your marketing mix, call or email Work Media today. We’re ready to be part of your team!