Does a house or car express success to you?

Nope it doesn't really turn me off...It's the person's choice and what makes them feel comfortable. But then again...You never know what price the person paid for that kind of success.

No why it should turn me off?

If you know that you would buy such things when you'll get rich it doesn't need to turn you off

Not at all.

Personally, I think not going out and buying everything you see (just because you can) keeps you grounded. That is not to say you can't have a nice house or luxury car, but some discretion is always refreshing to me.

~Sarah Johnson

I just remembered a interesting thought that a friend of my husbands told us (He works for Lexus).

He said that the majority of the people that buy luxury cars can't really afford them...they are just leveraged to the max. And the people who could buy with cash usually get the less expensive ones.

Almost like they are not trying to prove anything.

~Sarah

It doesn't turn me off, but I'm definitely the 'millionaire next door' type (who no one realizes is a millionaire). I doubt I'd even move to a new house if I had a sudden windfall or if business started booming. Great thread...

Read "the Millionaire Next Door" - it's the flashy high-income
salesmen who drive the beautiful cars, wear the Rolexes,
and the $1500 suits who aren't getting wealthy - they spend
everything they make for the sake of appearances.

Many of the wealthiest people got to where they are by being
very pragmatic about money, investing is assets like rental
properties rather than in luxuries that depreciate in value
like sports cars.

Michel Fortin has an ebook - "Throw Away Your Goals" or something
like that where he really digs into the way we perceive
ourselves and success. It's no great revelation but he's
a good communicator. The thrust of it is that in many cases
people buy nice cars because they enjoy the feeling they
get from knowing other people are impressed... not from
actually enjoying the reward for it's own sake.

Here it is: http://www.michelfortin.com/drop-your-goals/

Sad thing is, those ads work, otherwise they wouldn't be doing them. Of course, all plays to people's greed, powerful emotion. How many people want that fancy house or car, to impress people, or be some one important.

So many "rich" people drive old cars or live in modest houses. One of the primary ways to wealth is by spending less than one earns. For most people, this means living frugally.

I have more respect for these people than a person who makes a lot of money but has no savings.

It does not turn me off. I actually respect others more who are able to take the money that they make and get out of debt rather than creating more debt.

No, it wouldn't turn me off.

Most of the rich people I have met live modestly. You don't become rich by spending lots of money.
I've met millionaires who have been driving the same car for 20 years.

I think honesty would sell better that fancy cars, but I could be wrong, I don't waste my money on those gurus ebooks anyhow.

A car I guess...

If you are really wealthy then you dont really give a s***T what anyone else thinks.
However be prepared for different treatment from others.
I was once (and I intend to be again) seriously wealthy and I found that the way you dress and show has a direct relationship with how peole treat you.
In one example i used to fly frequently all over Australia for business and i always wore a business uniform of immaculate tailor made suits.
I never had cause to complain about the check in service on First Class with the then Ansett Airways. i was always treated to exeptional service.
I did not fly for some months and then with my daughters turned up at the First class check in dressed in old shorts and my favorite but slightly worn hawain style shirt ( we were going on a holiday ) Well the contrast in the service was mirrored at every port of call on that trip, The differnce was so huge from instant almost sucking up service on the one hand to almost being ignored and looked at with disdain on the other.

The only time you need to dress up is IF YOU are the one wanting to make an Impression For Example if i am going to a business meeting where I want aresult I will have a haircut and dress accordingly. however if you are visiting me in my office then you may find me in shorts and a casual shirt.
At the end of the day if the way I dress or live is not up to some one elses perception of what it should be then "quite frankly my dear I dont give a dam"

In Australia people are sick of been shown some billionaire who lives a completely over the top lifestyle in a mega million dollar house only to find that when they go belly up you lost your life savings because you invested it in their company.

All successfull business people should show respect to others and wear Old Shorts and drive around in a second hand car.

I think that quite a few people are having a materialistic lifestyle wakeup call with the shaky economy, and that there had better be something underneath the smoke and mirrors after the dust clears.

Loren's post is spot on with the book recommendation The Millionaire Next Door. BUT, here, in this field, the IM lifestyle is the sizzle that sells the steak, as John's picture comparison shows that it's worth more than 1000 words.

Personally, I ignore all that stuff because it seems like a doctored clickbank earnings statement to me...I try to evaluate the product on it's own merits and how it will help me add to my businesses.

It doesn't turn me off at all. It doesn't "sell the dream", but says they are more frugal in their thinking. Warren Buffet has lived in the same home since 1976 and just gave $40B to the Gates Foundation. Just because someone doesn't flash the cash, doesn't mean they aren't banking!

I could probably go on and on about some of this, but I'll hold my tongue.

I used to work at a bank and hardly ever saw a person with a nice car or who lived in an expensive house who ACTUALLY OWNED it. Most owed more to the bank than they had in it. So does getting credit mean success???? Not to me.

There is the practical side. We all seem to grasp that just because someone has a fancy car, home, or office that it doesn't automatically mean success.

Still the "Winning Through Intimidation" by Robert J. Ringer is still valid. Companies by corporate jets to impress clients. Banks build marble lobbies to intimidate borrowers. Corporations build massive headquarters that help to sway clients that they are successful.

Being a typical frugal rich person the founder of a tech company was given a new luxury car by the Board of Directors because they didn't like the image he set driving a 10 year old car.

More toward internet marketing, how many of us are swayed just a little by a clean crisp and fancy landing page rather than a plan Jane landing page? How many are impressed by StomperNet's use of high quality video production rather than the standard "uh, ah " Camtasia video?

I'm trying to put my finger on it, but its something I think Ringling would understand.

It's all about making a first impression. I'm sure some people who have that kind of money like to flash it around but it honestly doesn't affect me either way.

In fact, I'm probably more likely to buy marketing lessons from the guy with the broken down car since I'm betting he has more "real world" experience than some guy with a Porsche who cashed in on some "method" early in the IM days and still makes his living hawking the same old tired strategy.

John Rowe's post is right on the money for me...

I would rather buy from the guy that has the fancy car and house than the one that has the beaten up car and trailer park home...

Why?

Because that person, to me, is doing something RIGHT to be living in that house and driving that car...

If you have the money and want to buy the $600,000 Ferrari, do it! If people get envious, move on. Don't worry about it. It comes with the territory.

What I don't like are the people that have the money and tell others, "You're poor and that's pathetic." or "You're a loser because I'm rich and I'm better than you"

There are no reasons to say that, but it does make for great ad copy, IMHO...(Look at Rich Jerk...)

Pavon

Scott,
Great question. I think while many will try not to be influenced...many will be in one way or other. I read an article recently about James Kann - a very successful businessman who's worth in excess of $500m and features on UK dragons den. He set up an investment company after leaving the investment company he worked for. He intially worked from home but his business just wasn't working. So he rented a broom cupboard in building on one of the roads in central London. It was so small he couldn't open the door fully without banging his desk. When clients came to see him he'd make an excuse about the office being mad and aking them opposite to the coffee shop. After 10 years he sold his business for $400m.

Rich

Not at all. Although I love a nice car, I doubt I would actually ever spend more than $30k on a car (even that would be pushing it!). Unless I won the $20 million lottery.. then I'd enjoy a Ferrari for a year.

But as far as spending my own earnings, I don't measure success in financial terms. As long as I have a roof over my head and food, I need nothing else.
Most of my money goes to look after my many pets, as well as assisting with local wildlife rescue.

My measure of success would be realising my dreams, and that is to build shelters and facilities to rescue and rehabilitate animals of all types.

Success for me is measured in how much I can give away rather than how much I can spend on myself.

I am not moved by those who claim to or actually do possess a bunch of "things." I tend to be impacted more by how they treat others and ultimately humility carries a lot of weight with me, good question BTW.

Well, to me that would help explain why he's a $1mil marketer & not a $100,000 one. There are simply 2 sides to having money. How much you make...and how you spend it. The bigger gap between the two you can create, the more money you will have.

On the other hand the Aston Martin & the house are definitely appealing. It LOOKS like success & is an appetizing presentation for sure. But, after a little evaluation, common sense gets a hold of me & I realize there's the possibility that that house & car are the product of pure debt. So after a little thinking, I'm one of the guys who doesn't trust the advertiser any more.

It's possible the stuff's paid for, but would you risk your money trying to learn from someone who's $5,000,000 in the hole? I wouldn't.

Todd

No it doesn't!

A car or house is just a reflection of their massive success.
And since they worked their ass off for it, why can't they show it off?

Then again, it all boils down to personal perspective.
Some would rather help their community, some would spend millions on expensive toys, while some would try to strike for a balance.

It's a matter of individuality.

I had a similiar conversation with Vegas Vince recently, and you know what, personally I would rather buy from the real life person than the "rich, guru" figure. You know why? Well, the rich one or the one with the rich photo doesn't connect with me, it's not who I am and not where I envision myself, even with money. It's all a play on how your perspective client or customer sees things. You think a single mom of 5 is more likely to buy from me, another mom to 5 or from the rich guru who just seems too unbelievable...It all really depends on your market and their comfort level. Selling to others who will dig into your hook is a better way to market then to market to ones who just won't get you. I mean look at the pen names issue, some niches you gotta have a female pen name or your sales bottom, others forget it, they are male dominated and will be dead before they buy from a female. You just gotta know your hook, know the market that will buy it and sink your teeth in.

Sylvia

I think you should purchase what makes you happy...

If you can afford a nice car, and you like nice cars, then get a nice car. If you can afford a nice house, and like nice houses, then get a nice house.

The reason some "rich" people don't buy fancy items is:
(a) In a 'round' about way they are being smug/snobbish -- they feel that buy "not" buying an expensive toy, they are showing others that they are "truly" wealthy (they actually do care about what other people think, and figure by doing that it makes them look even more wealthy)
(b) They are afraid of other people getting jealous, so don't want to show their wealth.
(c) They've gotten into some bad habits -- in that they forget the real reason they were trying to make money in the first place. Just because you are a miser and don't spend any money doesn't mean you are rich.

And... someone who simply squirrels away every penny they make into a bank account, and can brag about having 1 million dollars in the bank... But drives a beat up truck, and lives in a shack, and does so for a number of years... Are they any 'richer' than the poor person who lives under similar circumstances?

You need to remember why you are trying to make money, and you can't be afraid to spend it.