You’ve probably heard someone say “turn to an expert” when seeking advice, guidance, or instruction. But what qualifies someone as a real expert? Who are the geniuses of marketing and sales today?

Well, we call them gurus because they’ve guided anywhere from hundreds to thousands of people with their knowledge and experience.

Let’s make some introductions.

What Makes Someone a “Guru?”

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A marketing or sales guru is someone who has achieved a high level of success within their respective industry.

They’ve put in the time, developed the expertise, and earned the experience to be creative thought leaders who offer knowledge that can help their “followers” achieve more within their careers.

5 of the Top Digital Marketing Gurus You Can Learn From

There’s always someone new who wants to shout to the world that they’ve got the keys to the kingdom of digital marketing. But all that talk means nothing if you don’t have the experience and results to back it.

Here are five people that definitely do:

1. Marcus Sheridan

Marcus Sheridan started his professional life as a pool guy. Fresh out of college in 2001, he and two friends began installing swimming pools with a single beat-up pickup truck as their office.

Nine years later, Sheridan’s company overcame the collapse of the economy and near bankruptcy to become one of the largest pool installers in the U.S. with the help of incredible innovations in inbound and content marketing.

Sheridan took the techniques he learned…