TL;DR: In the “Magnetic Marketing” podcast, Dave Dee talks with online marketing specialist Alex Mandossian. They discuss why being a social influencer should come before creating a business or developing an email list. Mandossian provides his perspective on the power of social media influence in today’s market.
In the episode of “Magnetic Marketing,” guest host Dave Dee engages in conversation with online marketing expert Alex Mandossian.
They explore the pivotal question:
Why should one prioritize becoming a social influencer over building a business or a subscriber list?
Evolve Beyond Email: Embrace Social Influence Marketing
The episode begins with Dee introducing Mandossian and immediately delving into a provocative assertion Mandossian has made: “You don’t need a list to grow a herd/tribe/following.”
Dee expresses his skepticism about this notion.
In response, Mandossian clarifies, “[This is important because] you can’t have a business without a list, but you can’t have a list without a business.” He asserts that this principle is crucial whether for new ventures, existing businesses exploring new niches, or those just starting out in infomarketing, as all are ultimately focused on list growth.
Mandossian contends that by removing the focus on list building, marketers uncover some universal truths:
Due to social media, customers’ attention spans are fragmented, rendering email less effective as a marketing channel.
Customers face constant interruptions from phones, social media, emails, blogs, and articles.
There isn’t a single approach to using social media for building both online and offline businesses.
Email is becoming an outdated medium, slowly losing its efficacy due to the fragmented attention of customers.
These insights, he believes, steer marketers toward establishing themselves as authorities and social influencers without the traditional reliance on email lists.
Mandossian poetically summarizes this approach: “I think that’s going to heaven without the inconvenience of dying.”
The key message is clear: the waning relevance of email lists in the marketing sphere underscores the urgency of adapting.
With splintered attention spans, incessant interruptions, and the continuous evolution of digital channels, the focus should shift to building social influence and authority independently of email lists.
GUTSI: Unifying Platforms, Amplifying Reach, Transforming Marketing
Dee prompted Mandossian for a “Step-by-step, how do you get started with this?” guide.
Mandossian introduced the concept of GUTSI, which stands for Grand Unification Theory on Social Influencing.
This principle emphasizes the importance of unifying all online social media platforms instead of treating them as separate entities.
GUTSI’s application extends beyond digital tactics, improving offline marketing strategies as well. Traditionally, platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn are seen as distinct outlets, which can result in a scattered marketing approach.
GUTSI encourages the creation of a cohesive editorial calendar that could extend for months or an entire year.
Mandossian illustrates this with a metaphor: picture a central circle symbolizing your blog — the hub of your online presence.
Around this core are additional circles, each representing powerful social platforms with substantial audiences, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and article directories.
By harnessing their established influence, marketers can significantly enhance their visibility and messaging.
Mandossian pointed out the adaptability inherent in GUTSI, sharing how he pioneered a new “teleseminars” category within an article directory, which quickly grew to be both dynamic and interactive.
This strategy visualizes the synergistic flow of content between platforms, symbolized by arrows connecting these circles.
The number of circles can grow, adapting to include new, relevant platforms that emerge.
At the heart of GUTSI is a strategic vision that comprehends the flow of information and its impact. It encourages marketers to transition from simple list-building to truly impacting and engaging with their audience.
To illustrate the effectiveness of GUTSI, Mandossian recounts the story of a man in his 50s who, without any prior computer use, cultivated a 4,000-strong list in just three months, demonstrating the potent reach of this methodology.
In summary, GUTSI is about more than mere unification of online platforms; it’s a transformative strategy that fosters interconnectedness, enhancing the impact of marketing efforts and prioritizing genuine influence over mere numbers, thus broadening the reach and resonance of one’s message across various channels.
GUTSI: Centralizing Blogs, Amplifying Reach, Offering Irresistibly
Mandossian emphasizes the GUTSI model’s structure, where a central blog is surrounded by major platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and EA (Ezine article directory). These platforms engage in a dynamic two-way interaction with the blog, channeling traffic and engagement.
At the heart of the model is the singular, focused arrow pointing from the blog to the Irresistible Offer (IO). The IO is pivotal in converting casual browsers—referred to as suspects—into prospects and potentially into loyal customers.
Mandossian champions a sequence of engagement: transitioning from visibility to credibility, and finally to profitability.
On platforms like Facebook, users receive appetizers or teasers, enticing them to visit the blog for the full content. This method ensures that content remains fresh and relevant, thus gaining favor from search engines.
Mandossian advocates for a thematic approach to content dissemination—organized into monthly themes with weekly sub-themes across all platforms.
The content provided is “useful but incomplete,” acting as teasers that lead audiences to the main blog.
The blog, which should be prominently featured as the landing page on one’s website, hosts the IO.
This offer is crafted to move a visitor from simply being an observer—gaining visibility—to becoming a lead—establishing credibility.
Profitability is realized as these leads demonstrate purchase interest. In the GUTSI framework, the paths from all efforts lead to the IO, which is designed not only to build credibility but to cultivate a potential customer base.
Takeaways
1. The relevance of email lists in marketing is decreasing due to splintered attention spans, constant interruptions, and the evolution of digital channels. The current landscape calls for a focus on establishing oneself as a social influencer and authority, independent of traditional list reliance.
2. GUTSI, a unifying framework for online platforms, refines marketing strategies by advocating for interconnectedness rather than operating in isolated silos. It redirects the focus from merely building lists to cultivating authentic influence, thereby extending reach and enhancing messaging across multiple channels.
3. The GUTSI model highlights the importance of a centralized blog, leveraging major platforms as conduits for traffic. Initial teasers on these platforms entice users to explore full content on the blog, guiding them from mere visibility to established credibility, and leading to the presentation of an Irresistible Offer (IO).
Listen to the episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6FqUkyhH14vlWTC6KdhqBw
About No B.S. Inner Circle:
Magnetic Marketing | No B.S. Inner Circle is a community of entrepreneurs and business owners who are dedicated to growing their businesses with Magnetic Marketing®.
Founded by marketing legend Dan Kennedy in 1993, Magnetic Marketing® has helped hundreds of thousands of businesses attract new customers that pay, stay, and refer.
No B.S. publishes the famous “No B.S. Magnetic Marketing Letter” each month and hosts conferences, workshops and mastermind/coaching groups on a variety of marketing and business growth topics.
No B.S. Members hail from 50 US states and 67 countries on six continents.
About Alex Mandossian:
Since 1993, my unique marketing strategies have generated almost $400 million in sales and profits for my companies, students, clients, alliance partners on five continents. I’ve had the good fortune to have shared the stages with thought leaders such as Richard Branson, Ivan Misner, Donald Trump, Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, Suze Ormand, Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Dalai Lama.
A partial list of distinguished consulting clients include: New York University, Wal-Mart, BNI, CEO Space, Success Resources International, Dale Carnegie Training, New York Yankees, Well Fargo Bank, Steiner Sports and several other clients who prefer to remain anonymous.
