A Disturbing Trend In The "Internet Marketing" Industry

Dear All,

This letter probably won't make me popular with a good chunk of the Internet Marketing crowd, especially those who are in the business of selling "Make Money Online" how-to's, but this needs to be said, and someone has to say it.

There has been a disturbing (and GROWING) trend in people's copywriting in particular these last few years. It is a trend that probably started with "The Rich Jerk", and from there, it has become in vogue with more product launches by others than I care count.

I am talking about "Guru bashing" and frankly, as someone who has been actively investing in Internet Marketing products for years, I can tell you it is a huge TURN-OFF.

I suppose every good story requires a "boogeyman", but seriously guys, you are not in this industry to entertain. You are in it to educate, and offer the industry an expanding air of legitimacy "as opposed to" the gurus you accuse of not doing.

And you are not doing anything of the sort. Nor are you succeeding in lending yourselves credibility by resorting to these character-assassination tactics. For one thing, it smacks of dishonesty. There are plenty of "gurus" who rightfully deserve that title because they have been incredible influences in the lives and the education of their students. Who in their right mind could accuse Rich Schefren, or John Reese, or Dan Kennedy (etc.) of "misleading" people about making money or expanding their businesses?

For another, it reeks of hypocricy: "Guru Bashers" would be the FIRST to hop on those same guru's huge email lists to push their product if they gave them leway (and they sometimes DO, which in turn gets me wondering precisely who this "guru" is that they are bashing in their salesletters when they have been recommended by those enjoying "gurus"-status in the IM niche).

Finally, and again, it sullies the good name of this industry. It erodes its legitimacy. And it's a such a shame, when this is one industry where so many have invested so much of themselves emotionally, mentally, and even physically to maintain their hope for a better future.

And if you are in the business to educate people about making money online, then you are in the business of taking on a huge (really, LOFTY) responsibility. And with every responsibility comes the need for a strong moral foundation; for honesty, for integrity.

Some of you might say "Hey, I am making huge sales... so the guru bashing WORKS!" Sorry, I can guarantee that it is not the guru bashing that is enabling your sales. Sometimes, you succeed in selling DESPITE the "turn-off" because so many are so desperate for new, easier ways to convert higher, to drive more traffic... to pay an upcoming bill... that they invest anyway.

If you MUST have a "boogeyman" to bash in your copywriting to make it more entertaining or compelling, then by all means, tear apart a certain hitherto "established" but inferior method of article marketing... or press releasing... or SEOing... or whatever. Explain why they don't work as well, and THEN introduce the better "blueprint" for those that you are selling.

Case-study: In my "The Secret Potency Report" copy, I am dealing with an industry that is RIFE with "better sex" eBooks/audios/etc. But I do not resort to "guru assassination" to make sales. The "boogeyman" I use are lesser forms of sexual nutrition, and I explain how my nutritional blueprint is better.

And the letter converts like crazy! (For you copywriters out there, feel free to study it).

Believe me, you CAN sell just as much (if nore more) of your product without resorting to hypocricy or dishonesty. I can not tell you how many times I have closed a salesletter half-way because of this. With some of you (you would be surprised at the names I could mention) it has gotten to a stage where I don't bother even opening their emails to "unsubscribe".

Sad, when said "guru bashers" potentially have so much more value to offer than scare "marketing terrorism" tactics.

It is my ardent wish that this letter is spread forward or discussed right here. This is a worthy industry, and some degree of legitimacy needs to be restored in it.

Rick