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The Ugly Truth About Internet Marketing Live Events

by SKWeaver
45 replies
Several months ago, I attended my first "Live Event" for Internet marketing. For weeks preceding the event, I got emails from the conference organizer telling me how great the weekend would be, the special things that were planned, and how an event like this could take my online business to a whole new level. And, best of all, because I had been a faithful member of his list, he would refund my registration fee if I would make plans to attend. There would also be a special break-out "mastermind" group that I could attend if I registered by a certain deadline.

It sounded like a great deal, but for me to attend meant taking time off from my "regular job" and shuffling my budget around so I could manage the airfare and hotel charges. Eventually, after several weeks of reading emails about this awesome live event, I decided to make plans to attend. I registered, bought my airline ticket and made hotel reservations. I couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive. Then... finally it did...

What a disappointment! What I thought was going to be a time when I could learn "Insider Secrets and Little-Known Strategies for Success" turned out to be little more than a weekend pitchfest! A string of over 20 big-name marketers took the stage to plug their products and offer "limited-time," high-priced specials "for the first 10 people who get up from their seats and head to the back tables" with their credit cards, of course. No content, no secrets, no strategies, just hour-long infomercials.

Two of the presenters, actually have "motivational, mind-over-matter, self-help shows" in Las Vegas... (And, we were so lucky they were able to arrange their schedules to be with us...uh, ok.) Those were particularly painful sessions to endure. But, I sat through them. I had sacrificed to be there and didn't want to skip any sessions just in case someone might actually say something I could take home and use.

Thankfully two of the marketers did! They each gave an outline with great content and shared things I am still using successfully today. They are the heroes of the event as far as I am concerned. They stood out like shining stars in comparison to the rest of the presenters. They over-delivered in a big way and earned huge credibility points in my book!

So, the weekend wasn't a total waste. But, imagine what it would have been like if all 20-some marketers had given actionable content! That would've been incredible!

(I discovered that all the presenters came to the event at their own expense. So, selling their products helps them cover their costs and walk away some extra. No problem. Sell all you can... but deliver some good content, too!)

Another huge disappointment was when the co-sponsor of the event turned me away from the mastermind group because my name wasn't on his list... even though I showed him an email HE sent me verifying that I qualified. Talk about odd! In this case, it really WAS all about the list.

For what it's worth, here are my suggestions for those who conduct live events:
  • Deliver what you promise in your promotions. Or, better yet, over-deliver.
  • Start sessions on time. Have some "tips and tricks" prepared in advance you can share with attendees in case a presenter is late, or there is some other delay.
  • Require presenters to share actionable content along with their product promotions.
  • Remember you're meeting a lot of your customers and subscribers for the first time., First impressions count!a
  • Bring along people who can help you so you're not the one who gets distracted with technical problems and other issues.
For those who attend these live events:
  • Realize going into the event, you're going to be subjected to LOTS of sales appeals.
  • Set your spending budget before you go so you don't go overboard in the excitement of the moment.
  • Take business cards with you and use the event for networking with other marketers.
  • And, take a notebook because there will hopefully be a maverick or two who actually shares info you can use.
Hopefully my experiences will help some other "live event newbie" attend his or her marketing conference with realistic expectations.

Was it worth it to attend this live event? Overall, Yes.
Will I go to another live event? Yes, of course.
Will I return next year to attend this same event? Definitely not.
#events #internet #live #marketing #truth #ugly
  • Profile picture of the author melissa1982
    My first live event was great... I actually got a lot of it and made some great friends who I still talk to to this day (2 years on)

    There was lots of pitches and stuff but thats just part of the game... the only time you don't get any pitch what so ever is when you pay $5k to $20k to be at an event... I sopose you pay for what you get
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  • Profile picture of the author SeanyG
    Some more insider secrets:

    - those "experts" weren't even paid to be there to speak. They cover all of their flight and hotel just to go and speak at events like these because they make a KILLING selling their products. This is why it is a pitch fest.

    Occasionally a big name will have their expenses paid for to get them there but they will still sell at the end.

    - the "host" of the event gets a cut of the products sold by the presenters. It can be as high as 50%.

    - Even big name business people like Robery Kiowsaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad) and Donald Trump licence out their names to seminars like this.

    - It works. You can make a killing going on the conference circuit! I have friends that do it and they will walk away with no less than $10,000 from a room and regularly a LOT more. They go speak at a conference every weekend. Thats a lot of money.

    My advice on conferences:

    - Don't go to the first year of a conference. There are always hiccups and they don't usually have any big names. The only smooth first year of a conference was for the Canada Marketing Summit in Vancouver. That was all quality with guys like Alex Mandosian.

    - Only go to conferences that you've heard are awesome from other guys in the industry.

    - The more you pay to go to a conference, the better it will be. Conferences like Frank Kerns, Eben Pagans and Yanik Silvers Underground are thousands of dollars because there are no pitches and incredibly valuable speakers.

    - Conferences are WAY more about networking than learning. Bring cards and shake a lot of hands. This will help you tons in the long run!
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  • Profile picture of the author Maddi
    Some great insights and I'm sure it will prepare event-virgins for what to expect.

    My first event I went to was by Lee Mcintyre's Continuity Workshop in Newcastle. It was a 2 day event and he was the only speaker. He did pitch some stuff but that wasn't the main thing in the event. He gave quite a lot of info and basically shared a lot of strategies and steps to take.

    I met quite a few big name marketers for the very first time and actually made friends with some of them. The networking was awesome.

    My second event was in Bristol hosted by Robert Puddy[whom I had met at Lee's event] and Donna Fox with speakers from all around the globe and some of the biggest names in the industry.

    It was a mix of the two. Robert and Donna delivered great content making it worthwhile for anyone who didn't want to buy anything from the speakers and most speakers actually shared a lot of tips and advice on how to take our business to the next level and then pitched their stuff [which is fair I suppose]

    The networking was awesome. I made new friends and met old acquaintances too.

    Overall a classic event. I actually blogged about this one on my blog and shared some do's and don'ts when going to a workshop.

    So yea, it depends on who's events you go to, who is hosting and how you come across as well. Events are great for Newbies and Veterans alike but like you said, if you plan to buy stuff - set up a budget beforehand.

    Hope it helps anyone contemplating...

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author warriorkay
    I agree wholeheartedly with the tip you gave
    "Take business cards with you and use the
    event for networking with other marketers."

    That's the single reason why many pay the
    huge amounts to attend such events,

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  • Profile picture of the author REW72
    Agree that there's nothing worse than a pitchfest. Having said that, if you get entry for free, expect it and consider it the price of admission.

    On the slip side I recently attended an event hosted by Chris Cobb where he and Saj P spoke. It was a freebie, but both he and Saj gave 90% content 10% pitch which as far as I am concerned is first class.

    However, the room was 2/3 empty with lots of no-shows. Such a shame that just because it's free people can't show a little respect and get out of bed for an event that they have confirmed they would attend.

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  • Profile picture of the author Sojourn
    SK - I had to chuckle at this. Not at YOU, sorry, but at how I could relate to your experience.

    I just left a fairly high-level corporate position a few months ago in which I was required to attend a number of industry conferences every year. My first year on the job, I looked forward to these. What would I learn? What new advances were being made? What would I find out that would let me take my own company to the next level?

    It took me just a couple of them to figure out that a conference has one main purpose (besides making money for the group putting on the conference) and that is to bring vendors and customers together.

    In my position, I was a "customer".

    As a manager with decision making authority, I was "red meat".

    Vendors send attendees to conferences with one goal - grow the business. This is done through making contact with existing clients or establishing new clients. Otherwise, attending has no payback. (Spying on the competition is probably another, secondary, reason vendors attend.)

    When I was speaking at a conference, I wanted to share our latest strategies, cooperate with the audience as a team, brainstorm on how things could be further improved. My company wanted me to keep our strategies secret. "Can't let the competition find out what we're doing, you know."

    That made developing a presentation more a game of charades than anything else. I would give just enough information to leave people with loads of questions. I hated it.

    Eventually, it became clear that the real magic of a conference happens behind the scenes. In the hallways. Over breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. At the receptions when you meet new people and the barriers against sharing are down. Sure, you'll find out some new information listening to presentations about new products and finding out what vendors in the marketplace are up to but you'll get even more out of it by finding like-minded people with whom you can share notes and establish relationships.

    Your suggestions are excellent. More than a few I wish I'd considered when I was going regularly.

    Go in with a plan. Don't go in expecting a magic bullet.

    Go with the intent of:

    1. uncovering one, golden nugget
    2. building relationships

    It sounds as if you've learned a great deal about the conference industry itself so that next time you'll be able to leverage it for even more value. Thanks for sharing.

    Good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
      If people want pure content, no pitches, then they should not expect to get it at a free or very low cost conference. I've spent $10,000 for pure content with take home goodies and very few if any pitches for more stuff. Those are usually very good.

      A conference in many cases is just another sales channel. When I go to those I expect a pitch.

      That's ok with me. If I'm not interested in the "thing", I see how it's done and enjoy a good sales presentation which I can learn from. Some are better than others and it's a real education.

      If the whole thing was a pitchfest I still get the benefit of meeting people and of having a good time which is mostly tax deductible.
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  • Profile picture of the author SKWeaver
    Great post Sojourn! I was too naive and gullible. Because I respected the marketer who sponsored the conference, I believed his emails. He was probably sincere, but he definitely didn't deliver. He lost a lot of credibility points with me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rocket web
    I am a newbie when it comes to attending conferences. And I will note all the above before I pick one to attend. Lesson learned: do not have high expectations, and try to make a best out of networking.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Daley
      I'm glad you got some benefit from the experience so that it was not a total waste for you. It would have been nice if you got in to that special insider group though. How did the networking go?
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  • Profile picture of the author SKWeaver
    Rocket web: Another great thing to do is check in with other warriors here in the form (something I didn't do). They can tell you if the event is worthwhile and if the organizer is trustworthy.

    Michael: The networking went well, but the truth is, I've made better contacts here on the Warrior Forum!
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  • Profile picture of the author helisell
    Been to a couple of particularly bad ones here in the UK recently.

    Actually I did ok. Picked up a couple of gems but 99% in the room were just being suckered with schemes that they were nowhere near ready for.

    Ironic that they preach 'give value' and then they deliver....trash at the pitchfest.
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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    Was it actually advertised as a pitchfest? Or did it just turn out to be just that?
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    • Profile picture of the author Gary J Martin
      Like with most things, you get what you pay for. You pay 5 or 10k for one you aren't going to get much pitching. The marketers have already made good money.
      As for the free or cheap ones, I wouldn't even bothering listening to the pitches. Go and hang out at the bar and along will come both marketers and "gurus" alike
      It really is about relationships. Its leverage. We lead a lone lifestyle in front of our comps, so its nice to keep in touch with people who are doing the same things. And help each other to greater heights.
      Pity you didn't mention the names of the "heroes". A mention by name sounded well deserved.
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      • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
        Originally Posted by kronus View Post

        Like with most things, you get what you pay for. <snip>
        You get what you invest in it, and that involves much more than money.
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    • Profile picture of the author kmckillop
      Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

      Was it actually advertised as a pitchfest? Or did it just turn out to be just that?
      Any low cost live event is advertising itself as a pitch fest with the price.

      You get what you pay for, these aren't charity events. They're a business and when you pay very little to attend, they have to make money somehow. When you pay for it upfront with a $2000+ price tag, then the expectation is set that it won't be a pitch fest.
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  • Profile picture of the author scorpion
    They promise you will get rich fast and easy with their 'simple' system. They are so good in persuasion and they will suck your money from your wallet like a vacuum cleaner.

    Most of my friends paid thousands of dollars and never earn enough to recoup their fees. Later I realise that I can learn just as much for a lot less through other means. I think 99% of the people will lose their money. And only 1% will succeed.

    Why is that so. Here's an analogy. Even if you read everything about Donald Trump or follow his method will not make you another Donald Trump.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
    I have been attending off-line marketing events since 2005 (avg 2 per year) and I can say that 95% were pitch fests. But I still go because I have different expectations than most of the people in this thread who are "disappointed" by pitch fests.

    My BIGGEST reason for attending: Networking.

    In fact, it's to a point now where I don't even listen to the majority of the speakers. I network. I make friends, contacts, swap cards, phone numbers and emails.

    THAT is the value of these events.

    You already know that people who attend are like-minded to a degree, have the same interest, actually understand you when you talk about internet marketing and...

    Are looking for partners for a launch, want to form mastermind groups, have skills you lack and you have skills they lack.

    Every bit of my on line success I can trace back to some event somewhere. I have made a LOT of money as a result of these "disappointing" pitch fests. The ONLY difference between me an "you" is I attend with a mission - to make as many contacts as I can.

    And here's the best part...

    It would surprise you to know that there are many "under the radar" successes sitting in the audience, taking notes, etc. who you start out sitting next to, or maybe have lunch with and the next thing you know you have a joint venture brewing.

    Every partner I have ever had came from live events.

    In fact, I met Mike Filsaime at a simple breakfast with about 20 people back in 2005. We have done a lot together and I also now work on his team.

    I met Ron Douglas at a simple lunch in 2006 and we are partners on 2 different sites.

    I met David Preston at an event last year and we are now partners in a service.

    One former partner, Fabio Marciano, I met at a lunch. We launched 3 successful products and made six figures (gross sales) with our joint efforts.

    So I will say this as clear as I can... If you attend events thinking "content", forget it for most events. ESPECIALLY if (as noted) they are free or cheap. Stop thinking that free=all the answers. It doesn't. Go to these events with the mission to talk to as many people as you possibly can.

    When the speakers are on stage, go out in the lobby. That's where the REAL value is. Those are the people looking for like-minded people to work with, trade ideas with, etc.

    It's all about the mind-set, folks.

    Good Luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ernie Lo
    To be honest I don't really understand why people go to these seminars paying 2-10K. Apart from networking, most arent going to get much benefit well compared to the cost.

    dont they realise they are MINUS 10K? Are they that jaded? Sure education is great but you have all the education here online for free or a massive fraction of the price.

    And all the positive thinking and great words or content that the presenters share with you want aint going to make a shed of difference because the reason these people are failing is because they are too damn lazy to focus and do some real work on their business or they simply don't know how.

    How many of these people paying these ridiculous sums of money at these seminars actually turn a profit? I doubt its any higher than any other person trying to make it any field 5% or so...

    Oh well...I guess I shouldn't knock it until I tryit but I honestly can't see the benefits, it seems to be more of a motivational thing to do which you can find in spades online for free/cheaply..
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  • Profile picture of the author FiverrGuru
    insightful, I haven't been to any seminars
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    • Profile picture of the author Vogin
      Oh, I'm not really a fan of live events and these are some of my reasons.
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      • Profile picture of the author Geoff A
        I like going to them for the odd bit of info you get that is valuable. Sometimes a lot of info. But yes, they are essentially a sales funnel
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  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    Usually, I agree with the "you get what you pay for..." approach. However, based on my only experience of this kind of events I have to disagree.

    Seemingly, I have been at one of the cheapest events in term of cost - yet I got the most of it. It was the Warrior Forum networking event last year in Raleigh: there was only a nominal fee to cover the expenses of organizing it.

    I have met a number of well known internet marketers, listened to some great presentations... and yes, we spent quite a lot of time in the bar and, personally, I had great conversations outside in the smoking area

    I am not going to list names (you can look up who was there) because I am afraid I'd forget somebody. Networking was the most important part of the whole event.

    Of course, there were sales pitches by the presenters (and others who wanted to do it for a small fee) although even that was interesting to watch: some were excellent while others... so-so. But you can learn even from the less successful ones, namely how not to do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill_Z
    I went to the marketer's cruise last January, it was great. Good combo of content and fun...and barely any pitches. The only pitch that was really pushed was to attend the cruise again the following year, and they don't need to convince me to do that anyway.
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    • Profile picture of the author helisell
      People who attend these events for networking reasons are usually further down the line to success than the average newbie.

      The seminars seem to be aimed at newbies, and my experience is that they are the ones who are least likely to benefit and most likely (desperate) to have large chunks of cash extracted.

      It's not fair to sell them as 'everything you need to know' type courses to newbies, who know no better.

      It's cynical and is part of the reason that IM gets a bad name
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
        Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

        To be honest I don't really understand why people go to these seminars paying 2-10K. Apart from networking, most arent going to get much benefit well compared to the cost.
        Most of these events are no where near that price point to attend. The most common price runs between $400 and $1000, and go as low as $100 (not including travel and hotel expenses of course). Usually the higher the price the less pitching.

        Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

        dont they realise they are MINUS 10K? Are they that jaded? Sure education is great but you have all the education here online for free or a massive fraction of the price.
        Ah, the "You can learn it all for free on line" argument. I love this misguided statement No offense intended there, but let me ask you... how can you learn about something if you are not aware in the first place? Methods, resources, tools, people. You can find a lot of info, but you won't find everything.

        You can learn to build a house on the internet. Does that mean you should build your own?

        Let me ask you something else. Would you spend $1000 to make $16,000? That's how much I spent on my first event (that includes airfare and hotel/food) and how much I grossed on the product I made afterwards. I was a newbie then. I made very little money before that. And some of the folks I met there I am still in contact with.

        Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

        And all the positive thinking and great words or content that the presenters share with you want aint going to make a shed of difference because the reason these people are failing is because they are too damn lazy to focus and do some real work on their business or they simply don't know how.
        And that's the fault of the seminars how? This is just another excuse to point fingers outward and blame people for one's own lack of success. No matter what you do on line, no matter who you learn from, you are responsible to make it happen. There's no such thing as "we do all the work - you make all the money" services or products. That's a dream

        Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

        How many of these people paying these ridiculous sums of money at these seminars actually turn a profit? I doubt its any higher than any other person trying to make it any field 5% or so...
        Probably more like 1 - 2%. But as above, how is that the fault of the event or the speakers? It still comes down to taking action on what you learn and capitolizing on the new contacts you make.

        Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo View Post

        Oh well...I guess I shouldn't knock it until I tryit but I honestly can't see the benefits, it seems to be more of a motivational thing to do which you can find in spades online for free/cheaply..
        You should try it. But start with something small, like a local lunch gathering. Go to the section in this forum that lists these events and find one near you. If you can't find one, organize one.

        But after you attend take action. Free info you find on line will ONLY reveal so much. Trust me on this - you sometimes need guidance. If everyone knew how to find all this free information, and then knew how to apply it, there would be no need for school/college. Students could simply learn at home, on their computers.

        Sorry - it doesn't work. I spent 5 years looking for and learning via the free way. I didn't make much money at all until after my first event and I have never looked back.

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        • Profile picture of the author Ernie Lo
          Thanks a lot Mike, your post cleared a few misconceptions I had about seminars.

          Maybe one day I'll try one, definitely would be fun as long as the price isnt too high


          Originally Posted by MikeAmbrosio View Post

          Most of these events are no where near that price point to attend. The most common price runs between $400 and $1000, and go as low as $100 (not including travel and hotel expenses of course). Usually the higher the price the less pitching.



          Ah, the "You can learn it all for free on line" argument. I love this misguided statement No offense intended there, but let me ask you... how can you learn about something if you are not aware in the first place? Methods, resources, tools, people. You can find a lot of info, but you won't find everything.

          You can learn to build a house on the internet. Does that mean you should build your own?

          Let me ask you something else. Would you spend $1000 to make $16,000? That's how much I spent on my first event (that includes airfare and hotel/food) and how much I grossed on the product I made afterwards. I was a newbie then. I made very little money before that. And some of the folks I met there I am still in contact with.



          And that's the fault of the seminars how? This is just another excuse to point fingers outward and blame people for one's own lack of success. No matter what you do on line, no matter who you learn from, you are responsible to make it happen. There's no such thing as "we do all the work - you make all the money" services or products. That's a dream



          Probably more like 1 - 2%. But as above, how is that the fault of the event or the speakers? It still comes down to taking action on what you learn and capitolizing on the new contacts you make.



          You should try it. But start with something small, like a local lunch gathering. Go to the section in this forum that lists these events and find one near you. If you can't find one, organize one.

          But after you attend take action. Free info you find on line will ONLY reveal so much. Trust me on this - you sometimes need guidance. If everyone knew how to find all this free information, and then knew how to apply it, there would be no need for school/college. Students could simply learn at home, on their computers.

          Sorry - it doesn't work. I spent 5 years looking for and learning via the free way. I didn't make much money at all until after my first event and I have never looked back.
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      • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
        Originally Posted by helisell View Post

        People who attend these events for networking reasons are usually further down the line to success than the average newbie.

        The seminars seem to be aimed at newbies, and my experience is that they are the ones who are least likely to benefit and most likely (desperate) to have large chunks of cash extracted.

        It's not fair to sell them as 'everything you need to know' type courses to newbies, who know no better.

        It's cynical and is part of the reason that IM gets a bad name
        You would be surprised at the level of success of many of the attendees. They go because of the reasons I stated in my other post - to network, share ideas, look for partners, etc.

        They are aimed at newbies because it's newbies who are looking for the info they are providing. It is the newbies who will benefit the most - provided they have the drive and determination to make the most of it.

        Obviously, not everyone will benefit, but these events CAN give you a huge leg up. Read my other posts about how they helped me

        It's not cynical to sell events like these to newbies. It's cynical to assume they have absolutely no value (especially if you have never attended one).
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  • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
    Loads of good advice here for those who know how to look for it...

    Where one person sees a pitch-fest, another person will find an opportunity to:

    - network
    - take notes (who is selling, how are they selling etc)
    - sell their own products/services

    I used to attend breakfast meetings known as "Business Referral Exchanges" - they ARE pitchfests... but, they are also invaluable...

    Small businesses send their best salespeople/directors to these in order to gain new clients, not only from the attendees - but also from referrals from the attendees.

    You can learn a lot about selling just by being there. You can also gain some very good contacts, friends and clients - but that's if you look for the OPPORTUNITIES.

    If you take one thing away from this thread, it should be this word:

    PERSPECTIVE

    Change your perspective, and you will find new opportunities.

    For example, if you're trying to do everything free or cheap, you're probably going to struggle to earn a good living (whilst being able to enjoy your free time)... a simple change of perspective could help you find some great paid products and services which will increase your earnings exponentially.

    Good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jay B
    Boy, what a drag...I'm sorry this event was such a clunker!

    I suppose -- like everything else -- not all of these "live events" are created equal, and in any case you can expect some kind of promotion from every speaker on the bill...even the great ones!

    In my experience, even if the content of the speakers at one of these seminars is not so hot, I usually feel like it has been valuable if only because of the other people I meet in the hallways and at the hotel bar afterwords. These networking opportunities are simply not possible for me at all when I am sitting in front of a computer monitor in my sweatpants and t-shirt "feeding the beast".

    Thanks for the post...great replies too.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Puddy
    THERE IS NOTHING UGLY ABOUT SPEAKERS TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING

    if your the type of person complaining about anbody (never mind the speakers) trying to sell you something, then your not cut out for this... or any business at all.

    your all trying to get into the business of selling something...complaining about someone else doing what your trying to achieve is non sensical and hypocritical.

    Robert

    PS: with out having the opportunity to go to events, most of the people you call guru wouldnt be half as successful as they are...if at all
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    • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
      Originally Posted by Robert Puddy View Post

      your all trying to get into the business of selling something...complaining about someone else doing what your trying to achieve is non sensical and hypocritical.
      Great way to put it. Hope you don't mind, but this is going into my "cut out and keep" pile
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      • Profile picture of the author Robert Puddy
        Originally Posted by KarlWarren View Post

        Great way to put it. Hope you don't mind, but this is going into my "cut out and keep" pile
        help your self man...its true

        And should be pointed out more often
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        • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
          Originally Posted by Robert Puddy View Post

          help your self man...its true

          And should be pointed out more often
          That's why I'm keeping it, so I can so eloquently tell others to "man up" when needed.

          What people don't understand is that the best way to learn how to sell effectively, is to be exposed to the best sales people/pitches. Instead, they feel the need to try and force-feed their poor converting sales page with inferior traffic, hoping that one day someone won't bother reading the offer and will just hit BUY NOW.

          Amusing to say the least.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
      Originally Posted by Robert Puddy View Post

      THERE IS NOTHING UGLY ABOUT SPEAKERS TRYING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING

      if your the type of person complaining about anbody (never mind the speakers) trying to sell you something, then your not cut out for this... or any business at all.

      your all trying to get into the business of selling something...complaining about someone else doing what your trying to achieve is non sensical and hypocritical.

      Robert

      PS: with out having the opportunity to go to events, most of the people you call guru wouldnt be half as successful as they are...if at all
      The way I understood it, the OP wasn't complaining about the selling. No one should have a problem with it, if the speaker does a good job of providing valuable content during his/her presentation. If they do then they don't even need to do the used-car sales stuff since they've whipped folks into a frenzy of excitement to buy their stuff.

      But if all they do is pitch without adding any value or useful tips then people will feel like the OP described.

      The last event I attended only 1 speaker sucked. Pitch, self-promotional, pitch, I'm so great, pitch, etc. that it got old. That doesn't mean I'm not cut out for this. Not everyone wants to be a speaker at events. ALL the other speakers though were awesome so then of course, pitch away at the end. I don't think anyone minds that. Almost no one likes pushy sales people.

      That being said, hanging out at the bar at the place where the event is being held (usually a hotel) is worth many times what the charge for the event!
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      • Profile picture of the author Robert Puddy
        Originally Posted by Alan Petersen View Post

        The way I understood it, the OP wasn't complaining about the selling. No one should have a problem with it, if the speaker does a good job of providing valuable content during his/her presentation. If they do then they don't even need to do the used-car sales stuff since they've whipped folks into a frenzy of excitement to buy their stuff.

        But if all they do is pitch without adding any value or useful tips then people will feel like the OP described.

        The last event I attended only 1 speaker sucked. Pitch, self-promotional, pitch, I'm so great, pitch, etc. that it got old. That doesn't mean I'm not cut out for this. Not everyone wants to be a speaker at events. ALL the other speakers though were awesome so then of course, pitch away at the end. I don't think anyone minds that. Almost no one likes pushy sales people.

        That being said, hanging out at the bar at the place where the event is being held (usually a hotel) is worth many times what the charge for the event!
        The way i understand it as a promoter of live events is that most people only see the pitch at the end, it negates every bit of content that was delivered in the presentation.

        Even with our policy of a 90 minute presentation with just 15 minutes at the nd to make their pitch i still get people complaining of the very thing the OP outlined

        I have never been to any such event (and i attend a lot) where speakers dont deliver oodles of insider info in the presentation, it may be that i'm experienced enough to spot nuggets when they appear.

        But the biggest reason for not seeing them or acknowledging them is the attendees sceptisism as soon as a pitch is made.

        Most people at events couldnt spot an opportunity or a great idea if it jumped up and slapped them in the face, thats the biggest problem.

        Even in this thread my last event was praised for its content yet when the subject of sales pitches comes up it's tempered with a "I suppose thats fair enough"

        I bet if i had attended the same event as the OP I would have come away with 50 new ideas, I'm betting mike Ambrosia would have done too.

        I'm also betting that there were a % of people actually at the event who came away with a whole lotta content that the majority (including the OP) missed.

        Robert
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  • Profile picture of the author jacksonlin
    I think the networking should be seen as a BONUS rather than what you should attend a seminar for.

    When I first started IM I paid money to got a seminar, only to realize that the course I paid for was the "super cheap deluxe" version, the guy was then offering a "super charged version" of his course for 10,000 more.

    I was thinking "hmmm... I made $0 from his course that he now classifies as the "super cheap deluxe" version and he's promising me a "super charged" version for 10K.... I think I got scammed".

    And yes, I did get scammed.

    I tried contacting the guy who sold me his course more than 10 times.

    He just wouldn't respond.

    I think I was too eager to learn and was asking too many questions.

    That's the ugly truth about internet marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author IdeasThatExcel
    I was going to attend one but I just bought a $3 ebook that will teach me to make $1,000,000 a year working 2 hours per year.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary J Martin
    I've read most of the posts here and it is a fair point that you can learn from watching people pitch. And of course you expect to be marketed to when you're at a seminar on marketing. I think the gripe that many people have is that it is almost all pitch about their own products much of the time, and except from watching how they pitch, and the usefulness of whatever of their products they are selling, there is nothing else learned from the pitch.
    Which can be especially irksome if someone has paid 1 or 2K for the privilege. Taken several days off of work, from their families.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adam Stonehocker
    Hi SKWEAVER,

    What was the event and the marketer that over promised and under delivered?

    I have been to a Stompernet event - stomperlive 9 in Atlanta - they had 1 or 2 pitches but the rest of the 3 day conference was golden.

    I also attend Perry Marshal's events - Part of his round table - Absolutely amazing stuff!

    Anybody else know about some killer events that were worth every penny?
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

    Seemingly, I have been at one of the cheapest events in term of cost - yet I got the most of it. It was the Warrior Forum networking event last year in Raleigh: there was only a nominal fee to cover the expenses of organizing it.

    I have met a number of well known internet marketers, listened to some great presentations... and yes, we spent quite a lot of time in the bar and, personally, I had great conversations outside in the smoking area
    Is there one scheduled for this year?
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  • Profile picture of the author 2oursuccess
    Lifes about living and learning and sometimes these live events work really well
    I go online and get reviews from past years before attending any supposed greatest conference on earth
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    I have been to several seminars. I took more notes during the pitching parts of the presentation than I did during the 'non-pitching' part. Lol. My only regret was I wish Yanik Silver had done a little more pitching.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
      Originally Posted by DogScout View Post

      I have been to several seminars. I took more notes during the pitching parts of the presentation than I did during the 'non-pitching' part. Lol. My only regret was I wish Yanik Silver had done a little more pitching.
      That is true. It is amazing to see how some speakers can just get a throng of people to follow them to the back of the room. Their pitch is a good learning experience.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bruce Wedding
        Originally Posted by HypeFree View Post

        i see stupid morans walking out durring the pitch, when they can learn how to sell and the IM biz is about selling. But then who am I most people (more then 80% disagree with me)

        anyway that is my opinion I love the pitches and seeing how people do it!
        Its a nice rule of thumb that when you call people morons, you should spell it correctly to avoid a mirroring effect.

        Let me give you a few possibilities to counter your 'moron' theory:

        The ones walking out:
        1. Already know how to sell.
        2. Have seen the pitch before.
        3. Have important business to attend to.
        4. Discovered the topic doesn't fit their business model.
        5. Don't like the speaker.
        6. Its happy hour.
        7. They have "sampled" the speaker and decide they don't want to hear any more.

        I could go on but for me, most of those reasons apply when I go to a seminar.

        I remember standing outside a seminar on day 2 or 3 talking with Vin Montello, Erik Stafford and perhaps John Hostler. Vinnie says, "I heard there is actually a large room here where people gather and listen to speakers!"

        We all just laughed because none of us had set foot in the main room. That's not why we were there. We were hanging with the speakers AFTER they spoke, at the bars, restaurants and lobby.
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