Perry Marshall has written a very good piece about discernment in the age of the Internet.  I enjoyed this, because I have been working in the noise of Internet Marketing for a few years.  It has always interested me because there are so many people clamoring for your attention it is often difficult to decide who to listen to.

Perry poses the question:

You know what’s wrong with the Internet?

and answers it directly saying that:

Smart people and stupid people get equal airtime.

And since stupid people tend to shout longer and louder than people who have acquired wisdom and judgment, ignorance generally prevails.

This article sits well along side Scott Boulch’s “The Quick And The Dead“  where in part 2,  Scott rails against the Internet Marketers who simply have become “Launch Jockeys”  selling the next latest and greatest product that will make you money. (not)

Both Perry Marshall and Scott Boulch touch on the one area that will make a difference, while they use different terms they both identify the need for the one-on-one support.  This is almost like having an apprenticeship, having the support, training and encouragement while learning.

Marketing using the Internet is not much different from the direct marketing in other mediums, except that it is immediate.  The ability to test your ideas and receive feedback today rather than in 2-3 weeks means that we have to have a large helping of discernment to ensure we are not lost in the noise.