How The Clueless Throw Away Their Money

Nom nom nom

I would say wasting precious time on things that do not produce income. They say time is money, so do not waste time on things that you can outsource.

I haven't read the whole thread but...

I find Harlan's post at least mildly insulting.

A couple of other points came to mind:

1. Bashing the gurus is an out of date tactic and rather ridiculous.

2. Technology continuously changes and evolves and so does business. So people doing business must always adapt. But the Internet isn't going anywhere and online marketing is here to stay, in whatever form it takes. So enough with the "IM is dead!" junk, ok? I started out as a copywriter and I know all about making a bold or controversial statement to get attention and make a point. But this one is completely overdone.

3. IM isn't hard, but there's a steep learning curve. And just like any form of direct marketing, sometimes the trial and error period before hitting success is longer for some than others. But that doesn't mean IM isn't legitimate.

Paul Meyers is right: making sweeping generalizations and insulting your audience isn't the way to engage in a conversation OR sell anything, no matter how well educated you are. (I have a college degree too.)

Anyone who's reasonably intelligent and has been around IM for even a short time realizes there's a lot of junk and has to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff. There are a lot of fine people in IM who are experts at what they do AND have been around for quite a while (10+ years).

After studying IM for a while, I discovered some of these people and chose to FOCUS and follow just a handful of experts, listen and learn from them and then take ACTION -- shutting everyone else out. I was heartily SICK of the incestuous nature of IM and had to deliberately choose to ignore most of it (with a couple of exceptions) for quite a while.

Anyone can do the same. If you're confused and wants REAL, solid information, I suggest looking for the experts in your field, pick just two or three, follow them and shut everyone else out.

It's made a HUGE difference for me. I've chosen the very best people in my field to learn from and have been very happy with what I've bought and learned. And I ignore most everything else from almost everyone else.

I've been SO HAPPY with my mentors! I'm so happy to recommend them:


1. Alexandria Brown -- AliBrown.com

Her Online Success Blueprint is AWESOME. It's an online marketing plan for people with REAL businesses, not IMers selling to other IMers.


2. Carrie Wilkerson -- Barefoot-Executive.com

Carrie is warm and authentic. I love her stuff!


3. Lisa Sasevich -- LisaSasevich.com

Lisa's expertise is on speaking and irresistible offers (live presentations and teleseminars). She ROCKS at what she does: helping you make big money at what you LOVE doing by crafting irresistible offers and selling without being "sales-y."


4. Joan Stewart -- PublicityHound.com

Joan is a publicity expert and also rocks at what she does. She has a LOT of good information on getting free publicity and using the media to get your message out.


5. Sheri McConnell -- SmartWomenInstitute.com

Sheri is my most recent mentor and she's PHENOMENAL! I can't recommend her highly enough. Sheri founded and ran the National Association of Women Writers for 10 years before folding it into the Smart Women's Institute.

I've learned so much from her. She taught me how to create and run an association (her signature expertise) and she also co-published my newest book "Boost Business Online."

I didn't necessarily set out to learn only from women, it just happened that way. These ladies ROCK and have been around a LONG time. I've spent OVER $1,000 with each of them and the investment was well worth it.

So if you're looking for help, try these ladies out! (And no, they don't only offer expensive stuff. They all offer very low-cost things too so you can try them out and get started.)

I believe that any reasonably intelligent person is smart enough to sift through the junk and hype on their own to find the real gems. So calling us "clueless" and insinuating that we're dumb enough to only keep buying the junk and hype is ridiculous.

There will ALWAYS be junk and hype in ANY market. But since we live in a free market economy, there will also always be people who won't sell their souls for a quick buck. They offer solid, reputable products and services because they care about what they're doing and want to create positive change in the world by doing what they're good at and what they love to do.

It's the MY job (and YOUR job) to find those people. If I'm ONLY finding junk and hype and continuously losing money, at some point, I have to look in the mirror to find the responsible party.

So please don't insult me by calling me "clueless."

Michelle

I've unsubscribed from just about all the gurus - excepting some that actually offer useful information. I have a sneaking suspicion that many of the gurus are just people who had one great success. made a name for themselves, built a list and have been earning money ever since then - just mailing other marketers' offers. I have heard - though I can't document it - that most of these big launches end up with 50% to 60% refunds. Makes one wonder.

Ironic thread, considering the links in the OP's sig, lol.

So many bright people have already said what needed to be said in regard
to your post being a load of...well, whatever you want to call it.

So I'm just going to add this.

Shame on you for thinking we're all so stupid that we can't see through
this crap.

I'd be offended if not for the fact that I expect this sort of drivel from you.

These rants are getting very old and have a very bad smell associated
with them.

The issue about death of something. A thread about this has been talked about and as what a warrior there(can't remember the name) replied, it's better to just go on with what you're doing with passion and let this issue not affect anyone who by then will keep becoming successful while others are still mourning.

Ya I still get emails on a daily basis for just about every new product launch online. They aren't all junk, but they are all over priced and don't live up to the hype. Even the testimonials are rigged! They offer a backlink on their high ranking page for past customers to offer a testimonial on the new product and how happy they are to have found it. So its a bull---- testimonial. Internet marketing has changed. Your absolutely right. Customer satisfaction is under-rated and the products are mostly over-rated. No even keel!

But! This leaves plenty of room for true professionals to shine! Treat your customers right and be clear on what they are getting for their money. If your product/service sucks, they won't be back! So make sure its priced right, and does what you promise!

Have a seat instead, Mal. It's a long thread.

Andy: I have been leaning this way for most of the day...



And thinking, "Pride cometh before the fall."

Paul,

So, what's up with this new widget-whacker?

Anyway, you have to remember the background color of the forum is not white, so when you do the text in white, it's still visible.

But, you can do the text in a color that matches the background color, which makes it completely invisible.

Unless, of course, you go and highlight it. Or quote it.

But, other than that, completely invisible!

lol ... dag I hate that subliminal stuff. I bought the damned widget-whacker and don't now what to do with it.