Today while I was reading in my private mastermind group I came across a post that really struck a cord with me. So much so that I felt that I have to post about this for you to read and share your own thoughts with me.
This is so “common” it’s pandemic.
How many courses, ebooks, audios etc. have you purchased just last year alone that promised you “XYZ” only if you took action? My guess is that it’s probably a high number. I was shocked to discover that so many people who are extremely motivated and excited to get money online actually fail. Sure, they buy the product they believe will be right for them and they go through it with excitement but they still fail.
I was shocked when I learned this from Frank Kern but he says that the majority of people who end up buying high ticket items online are actually newbies. Now there is nothing wrong with that…we’re all newbies at some point in everything we learn and actually the price point of the product is irrelevant but I personally thought that those who would spend that kind of money on a product would definitely be more advanced.
I was WRONG!
After reading other peoples comments and thoughts in forums and blogs I would often see a recurring theme among them. They were complaining. But like clockwork you could sit back and hit refresh and watch the program owners and their henchmen come in and discard the persons comment with the all too famous line…”You need to take action.”
I’m guilty of that one too.
I actually bought into that for a long time and it wasn’t until I really sat down and had intimate conversations with my own customers who are now my friends about their business before I soon discovered that it’s not about taking action…it’s about taking the right action at the right time. My friends and customers were actually losing their motivation. Not because they didn’t take action…in fact, most of them did take action…massive action and spent a lot of money in the process. They can prove it by the bills on their credit cards and bank statements. But those “gurus” always brush it off as them not taking action.
I personally have even bought courses where I was really impressed with their marketing skills and how they got me all hyped up and ready to buy only to find out that the course didn’t allow me to succeed. Sure they had really great information in there and if I could just apply that new found knowledge in my own business I know that it will give me another reliable income stream for my business.
So what went wrong?
They failed me. They made the mistake of thinking that everyone who bought their course was advanced or they assumed that I knew their fancy lingo. Big mistake. But as I started reading forums and blog posts about their product I quickly found out that I was not the only one. Now I’m a pretty advanced guy online but I’m also a newbie myself. That may sound weird but when I’m learning something for the first time and trying to apply it in my own business…I’m a newbie too!
Not only did they fail me in not starting from the beginning but they also don’t know their market very well and made the fatal mistake of marketing their product to ‘Everyone’ instead of one type of person. I actually see that a lot. They come up with all sorts of fancy marketing tactics to get you hungry to buy but kill your chances of success with targeting the wrong person and not starting from the beginning.
I can hear the “gurus” chiming in now…”You’re just one of THOSE people who just jump from course to course with no commitments to try a “proven” system throughly and probably does not even take action at all”…Sound familiar?
There are thousands of success stories with these products…sure…but what about the thousands of untold “I’m struggling” stories that will never be heard? I believe that the only reason we’re seeing such a high amount of these cases is really because these OTHER marketers are targeting everyone and not focusing their marketing on one type of person.
I really thought about this hard today after reading a post in my mastermind group forums and I wanted to share my thoughts with you and hopefully get you to share your own thoughts and feelings about it. In fact, this has totally changed my way of thinking. Focus on where you want to go and what’s already helping you get there.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
You know, I seem to see the same stuff all over the place. They always say that people don’t take action or that they are lazy. Plus I see stuff that says all you have to do is push a button and you’ll make tons. Come on, really? There is no such thing. Nothing happens overnight, but I’ll have to admit I’m still a newbie myself. I just started last year and have tried lots of things and stayed with it but never saw anything from it. There are things that don’t work. My opinion is that the so called gurus really don’t care if the new people make it or not as long as they can take the money from them.
What I would like is to really see something that really works but gives you everything you really need to make it. Thanks for sharing this. This is really good information.
I agree with Gary this is really good information. One thing I have had trouble with is the Lingo. not everyone knows WHAT the acronyms represent. I have heard of C-panel and signed up but I really do not know just what C-panel stands for or exactly what it is. It would be very helpful if this Information was one of the first things explained at the beginning of the course. Any thing that would help a newbie or medium type student, in my opinion, needs to be taught at the very beginning . thanks Alison
Thanks Gary and Alison…I appreciate your thoughts and feedback.
You’re right Gary…Nothing happens overnight…it could, but rarely happens. It’s like winning the lottery I guess
First off, you both are welcome and I’m glad to be able to share my own experiences with you all and be able to get your much valued and appreciated feedback like this. And Gary, rest assured that any future content or programs that I produce will not fall into this category.
Alison, your question is great and see guys, I’m kinda guilty of this myself. I thought everyone knew what CPanel stood for. It’s actually short for “Control Panel” Alison. It’s the control panel that you use to manage your website.
The problem is really that the guru’s are not targeting the right prospect from the get go. They have no clue about their target audience and therefore fail the entire group. Even if some of that group succeeds using their system, the entire group is failed because of this lack of understanding to their customers and market.
Thank you for the comments you two
-Chris
WOW!
Thats all I can really say, you seem to hit that nail square on the head for me. I feel that I will “get it” but I wish it would of happened by now. I am now actually trying to READ instead of my usual skimming. I know I will make it and I wish everyone great success as well!
Eric
Hi Chris,
I agree with Gary that the Guru’s don’t mind if we make it.
To be honest I’m glad that the FTC came into action with the “fake”
testimonials. Some were really professional testimonial writers.
Now they are trying to get us with HUGE videos like 30 minutes or more.
They make it easy like click click and after 30 min. you hear it doesn’t cost $5,000
but only $997.
Other things what they “forget” to tell you you need elance for writers, you need 50 domains or more.
Clickbank fees or PPC cash etc.
I finally joint a “big” ticket product that solved my bad writing and technical skills.
I’m really happy about it because it solves my above mentioned problems and I knew that if I want to make money I needed get extra’s. The guru was very clear telling about that.
Hi Chris,
I’m just a newbie branching out into affiliate marketing and I agree with what you’re finding. I consider myself to be intelligent, fairly computer savvy and I do know what a “cPanel” is. I have fairly extensive knowledge and experience in writing websites, and although I often tweak css and php files and can write html, I’m certainly no programmer.
One “turn-key” website package I got (thankfully for free) required programming skills to be able to implement it, but it was not marketed that way. If I were a person without my knowledge I would have been trying to “one-click” that website into existence, which simply isn’t going to happen that way. Fortunately for me the minute I opened the files I knew that some programming would be required to get it functional. I can clearly imagine the frustration someone could go through trying to do what the sales pitch said was possible.
I agree with you in that I too am seeing many with advanced knowledge marketing items to anyone who will buy without the consideration that some folks don’t have even some of the basic knowledge they take for granted.
Heck, I’ve written websites for clients and tried to walk them through a cPanel live and many just don’t understand it. It is something I too used to take for granted since I did it all the time, but now I get very real with my website clients up front when they are looking to “maintain a site” on their own after I’ve developed it. Most really don’t have the knowledge or skills to do that and I discovered that their idea of “maintaining a site” was usually akin to checking email, which it isn’t.
You’re right, even with the experience I have there is a lot that I’m a newbie at in this field. Alison’s right too about the acronyms- I’ve had to stop and do searches just to figure out what they are talking about.
The Guru’s are right though too… you DO need to take action. But that is true with any kind of business or program you undertake. The problem is when you have no basic information on how or where to begin it makes it hard for a newbie to take action. The marketing does seem to be geared toward “anyone can do this”, which is simply not always so.
I realize there will always be those people who want that “magic pill”-the one thing, the quick fix-that makes it all happen for them with no work. They will forever be disappointed though no matter what they’re buying into.
Now, I’m a die-hard researcher, which I realize most people are not. I hate to even think of the hours I’ve spent in the last month reading, researching and surfing just to try to get to the bottom of all this. I have come across a few very good marketers and programs that are very helpful to a total newbie. I noticed some of those names and programs in your tag cloud-but it took wading through a lot of muck to find those. Somebody with less drive would have given up weeks ago… even I reached a point of b.s. overload last night.
From what I’ve seen so far, no-the customer doesn’t seem to matter to a large number of marketers. I’m happy for Agnes that she finally found a product that will solve some the problems she identified. Clearly she has done her share of researching too and discovered the many things it really takes.
Although it’s a shame that we can’t always trust our fellow man, as with anything else this field is no different, so the old adage “buyer-beware” should apply.
I agree totally with your bottom line though, which is to focus on what you want, what’s helping you get there and stick with that. Then take your time in identifying what you really need help with and in searching out those people who can help with those needs.
Hi Chris,
I agree with your take on this problem. I am just getting going with my Internet Career , and I have bought programs, and courses, this past year, that were supposed propel me past the 95% ers , as they call them.
I fell for the hype, that they were going to reveal everything they know to jump start my online success. Well I signed up for the Classroom course, and got my special access to the back room area.
Heck I thought I was on my way, then it happened, OH if you want the real insider secrets you have to be a VIP Member, well that’s only another $200.00 a month, like everybody has at least that lost in their couch right. So now I’m a VIP Student, I set up my first campaign, and I had a simple question for someone who knows what needs to be done, all I needed was a point in the right direction, so I submitted a request for one of the “Trainers” to answer, waited almost 2 weeks, and was told to reread Module 4. So I was one of those that took action, but was cut off at the knees, coming out of the gate.
What was going to be the guide to riches, was a guide to their riches not mine. The Guru’s say you must take action, but on what first and what second would be a great help, and the people in the KNOW, realize this, but still hold the information hostage.
It’s too bad that the FTC doesn’t make the Teachers stand by their word for delivering information that they promised, and not charging you for an upgrade, just to get it. As a few have already said, it is not really always “anyone can do this” as they claim, sure if you keep trying you’ll stumble upon the answers eventually. But when you paid for the answer I think you should not be jerked around.
What I have seen in the past year is the Guru’s passing the newbies around to their friends , to sell them the next Majic Bullit , which they know is just another small piece of the puzzle. And, they just keep throwing the Bait for us to jump at, again and again.
Just really sick of the empty promises.
Hey Eric,
Yeah…stick with it my friend. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I gave up. You will make it because you want to, not because some guru said so. I wanted to find an opportunity to work from and live a lifestyle that I could be with my family all the time and I made that happen. I believe it’s kind of like what they talk about in “The Secret” (The Movie) with the law of attraction.
I saw guys who I wanted to be just like and I went after it. Now I’m really good friends with them and I get to help people and subsequently make money helping others…too cool!
@Agnes – The FTC thing is crazy, I mean even guys like me who are trying to honestly help people are going to really feel this. I’m like crazy paranoid about these new rules. I mean I don’t make crazy claims or lie about things but even simple testimonials have to be really carefully done anymore. It sucks that the guys who are actually trying to help people will be hit by this but I would rather that I have to jump through more hoops to help you then these bs marketers taking advantage of one more person.
And I’m very glad to hear you found a product that actually solved your problem…kudos Agnes!
@Dee – Yeah, I’m not saying you don’t need to take action…that’s not at all what I meant and I know you get that, but they kind of use that as an excuse for their own bad marketing to push off the failure on the customer and not take responsibility for it.
I mean, you can’t learn to walk until you learn to crawl so would you create a course for babies to learn to speak a foreign language when they haven’t even learned to talk yet? That’s a bad example but that’s kinda what they’re doing here.
Thanks for you thoughts and sharing them with me, I really appreciate it!
@Ken – I get exactly what you’re saying and I’ve seen it before. I mean they sign you up and you expect that for the price you see initially that you are going to get the promises on the sales page for that price. That’s not always the case though…is it?
I’m not talking about one time offers guys, this is the kind of site where you go there and they say learn xyz in 3 days flat and you’ll be making more money than you can haul to your bank. Then you are all pumped up and get to the check out page only to find that the price you are quoted is their basic package, if you want everything you read on your screen then they’re going to put you into their platinum group and it’s a crap load more.
Totally different.
And you’re right, I’m sick of the empty promises too. I’m fortunate enough to have met a bunch of really cool guys in the industry and you can definitely tell when you meet someone you will never recommend because your “BS Meter” goes off like a high pitched alarm and you want to run as far away from them as possible.
Thanks for the comments guys, I really do appreciate them. Keep them coming guys…I’d love to hear what you have to say!
-Chris
For most of us, we do what we can ‘to the best of our ability’ at any given point in time.Whether your are limited in $$$ resources or talent or… Without some kind of success to keep you going you won’t make it.
Taking action is a part of it but if you see no success, with what ever your ‘limitations’ are at any given point in time, you will likely not continue.
Hety, buddy–
Yeah, it seems the customer isn’t really what drives a lot of marketers in the make money online niche– it comes down to the click and the upsell and conversion rates and gray hat and ROI and LVC and how many followup emails it takes to turn someone into a buyer….
There are so many products out there that are all about content spinning and outsourcing research and hiring out your ebook writing and automating your blog content– it seems that you can’t really even be sure what you’re buying has any validity at all… a guy who gets lucky and makes $800 with some Google ad campaign simply extrapolates what those 4 days of sales would be over a year, and writes an”amazing” story of rags to riches and sells 312 copies of some worthless rehashed info for $47 and a whole bunch of new potential marketers are left hanging and discouraged after buying the promise of another great salesletter.
It is true, this niche is foul with inconsistency and hype… But the consumer has to shoulder some of the blame. After you buy one product that promises you profits on autopilot and atm machine emails and stuffing your bank account- and those things don’t happen…. because there is a lot of eork that goes in to creating whatever ‘angle’ the info is suggesting… we need to simply figure out in a hurry that there is work, there is no magic bullet…
I always have to laugh at a “killer” salesletter for a product to teach you to write “killer” salesletters… or an autoresponder series suggesting you buy a complete set of prewritten autoresponder series’. Highly incestuous these days, the I.M. niche–
Folks, just buy what you need when you need it. Get one plan going and pursue it relentlessly. Don’t let the next shiny object pull you away from the course you choose!
Keith deBolt
@Bob – That’s true to an extent. I wouldn’t say that just because you don’t have a lot of money you can not be successful. I am living proof of that. I mean when I got my start I was pulling strings and living on hopes and dreams just to make things work. It didn’t happen overnight but I certainly was not rich or have money laying around to buy this or that. I just had a big drive and desire to succeed by any means necessary. You have to want it BADLY and do ANYTHING to get it.
@ Keith – dude…long time man…what, you only come out of hiding every 3rd full moon in an even month? What gives buddy?
I’m just teasing my friend…I’m glad you stopped by! Yeah, You are right man, I mean we do see a LOT of BS products out there where they make these huge claims and the guys selling the stuff not only haven’t made the income their claiming, but they didn’t even write the book…what gives?
No wonder the FTC is all over this. I don’t blame them. It’s about time though..far too long.
I’m not saying that you need to be an expert in anything to make money online…I’m not even saying you need to write your own programs, ebooks or any of that. What I am saying is that if you do outsource your work and plan to resell the information, you’d better be darn sure you have personally tested, used and made money with what is in your copy and product. Otherwise, you’re no better than the “gurus” taking money out of your pocket today.
Like Keith said…”Buy what you need when YOU need it. Get one plan going and pursue it relentlessly.”
Thanks Keith!
-Chris