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Who's Your Favorite Guru?Guru d' jourBy Trina L.C. Schiller Who is your favorite guru? Who do you follow, and why? Come on... everybody's got somebody. Most people follow the sage advice of someone, but are you following the right guru for the application? There is a guru for every ocassion: child rearing, health care, weight loss and fitness, publishing, copy writing, pet care, spirituality, interior decorating... you name it, there's a guru for it. The word, 'guru' means teacher; one who teaches or instructs. However, people have attached a sort of super stardom to the word, holding certain teachers in an almost immortal light. Additionally, some, 'gurus' have really cashed in on their status, whether or not they really know what they're talking about. This is an abuse of power. To instruct another on how-to, one must actually know how-to, don't you think? Not in theory, but in practice. Think about it for a minute... Would you inquire of Dr. Spock, child rearing guru, as to what to do about your taxes? Would you ask Donald Trump how to get stains out of your laundry? How about asking the Dahli Llama to diagnose the strange sound coming from your refrigerator? Each of these individuals are experts, 'gurus' in certain fields of practice. But just because Dr. Spock can teach you how to bring up your child, doesn't necessarily qualify him to be your tax advisor, anymore than your auto mechanic would be qualified to consult with you regarding a brain tumor! But when it comes to the Internet, and marketing in particular, it seems that most people are oblivious to this concept, and treat experts as one-size-fits-all. People get hooked on a name, rather than a field of expertise. They follow the leader, who is probably just as blind as they are, thinking that guru so-and-so must know what he's talking about, because he is so-an-so! Just because a person may be an authority on one subject, or even several subjects, does not mean they are an authority on all subjects, yet we, the knowledge seekers, seem to miss that point. It's not a point lost on them [gurus] though. They just keep on selling information, to anyone who will pay, regardless of the accuracy of their content. I write about health and wellness, RSS and Internet marketing, because, that is what I know about. (Remember the mantra... write about what you know.) For me to try to sell myself as an expert in programming, for instance, would be a disservice to you. Just because I know about RSS, marketing and the wellness biz, doesn't make me an expert in other areas. (I am definitely not a techno whiz!) Being an expert requires ample experience with the subject matter, not just a couple hours, or even days, looking up definitions, and asking programmers to set you up with information. To be an expert, one must know what they're talking about, through practical usage, not just by making educated guesses. If you want solid information, on any topic, look to those who actually specialize in that area, not just someone whose name you recognize from someplace else. Get your information from the doers, not the talkers. Copyright © 2004 The Trii-Zine Ezine http://www.ezines1.com/triizine About the author: Trina L.C. Schiller is a professional network marketer, the publisher of the Internet marketing ezine, "Trii-Zine" and owner of TLC Promotions, as well as a founding publisher at Quikonnex.com, and President of AdsOnQ.com, the Internet's first syndicated advertising agency. She has also authored the following ebooks: "Your Beginner's Guide To Syndication" RSS, Blogs and Syndication... The Facts vs The guruese" Circulated by Article Emporium
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