RED FLAGS on product promotions & emails

It already is regulated, and stricter in some ways than even television ads and infomercials.

Anyway, I think it just comes down to common sense and not buying something on a whim. But then again, in sales, we are taught that financial logic is just a small part, and that people buy on EMOTION and because they want something, not because they need it. It's the feeling that they need it.

I don't think all of these are red flags, either, just Joe's personal annoyances or opinions. Although, I think a lot of us share your views. Blind copy just annoys me, but it doesn't always mean the product sucks. Bought a few great products from guys who always use blind sales copy. Their blind copy may annoy me but the product info doesn't.

I hate tons of popups, too, doesn't just about everybody? It's tacky, especially if done multiple times.

Also, some scarcity is true. I see some marketers use scarcity, and they keep their word, and see this on Warrior Forum quite a bit. It's the false scarcity that's stupid. So, sometimes it is crap, but not always. Scarcity and urgency are time proven sales tactics, but you have to use them ethically.

Anyway, a good list overall. People just need to be smart but the problem is if it's great sales copy and albeit a crap product people will buy because the sales copy is hitting those emotional buttons.

Aha.

Here is what you seem to be missing - the tactics work.

I'm not going to get into whether it is right or wrong to use them, because for each business it will be different.

But it sounds to me like you've been working behind the scenes of the movie too long, and now when you watch the movie if it is a bad one you start to dissect it and can see where the lighting is bad or there are continuity issues.

This happened to me after working on films a bit. I would go to the movies and because I knew how things were done the magic just left - unless it was a really good movie. It had to be something so mystical or magnificent that I could be drawn into the story again.

When I hit this same type of feeling with IM, I was again kinda hurt and upset that maybe I knew more than I should and perhaps people were doing scrupulous things.

These things are done because they are legal, and they work. While I might know how to make someone disappear before your eyes on film, you may still not have a clue how it is done, and if that is something that will get your attention, then I might have to use it.

Love your web site. Just found it today and read all of the posts.

Wonderful!

As was implied earlier, much of this is simply classic marketing.

If you're feeling inundated, why not A. send promo emails to a separate folder or email account, or B. spend more time creating marketing for OTHER people to read .

I think it's important to read these pitches with your "observant marketer" hat on, not your "prospective customer" one.

My $.02.

-Bryan

Of course these tactics work, that's the point. This thread exists to warn people not to fall for these tactics

A lot of newbies come through here each day -- we need to help them keep their wallets intact so that they will stay in IM and not be scared away by the highway robbery that's rampant. After all, IM does work and is very profitable. What these highway robbers and scoundrels are doing is making it difficult for the newbies to succeed.

Imagine you're visiting a new country and the first thing that happens to you is you get mugged, your identity stolen, and you're dumped in the homeless encampment in the seedy part of town.

What would be your first impression of this place? Would you want to stay?

Great list.

Something else that drives me crazy...where's the price! How far down a stupidly long sales page do I have to go to find the price, or worse add to cart with no idea what the price is! (rant over)

And the exit pop-up is awful, and even if I was planning to buy I would exit to get a better deal. So maybe, they are getting counter productive.

I want to see one sales letter start out with "I had a decent job making average money, but I wanted more" or "I was bored with my 9-5 job".

Why is it that EVERY one of these guys was broke with 5 dollars left to their name, homeless, bankrupt... they all just had their cars repossessed. How does a person who let themselves get into that position suddenly have the vision to turn that last $10 into a multi-million dollar empire? I know it's all just part of the game, but after a while it gets insulting.

great post, very amusing too.
regarding what you said about google removing things from the internet....that's true, but then again they are the biggest search engine by far. If they take you off their searches, you're in a serious jam