What are your biggest "IM" pet peeves?

by sirtom
31 replies
Hey all,

First- I tried various keywords for finding a thread on here related to this, but got nothing, so here I am.

So here's the deal: I had an idea to do something pretty funny, if nothing more than for laughs, and I was wondering...

What are your biggest internet marketing pet peeves? Or, I guess what things piss you off when it comes to marketing or online business?

A couple of mine:

1) Saying there's only X copies left of a digital product
(If you're only selling X copies, that's one thing. But X LEFT? Don't think so...)

2) When one person has 3+ products and each one claims to be the method he used to make $X,XXX his first week online.
(How many "first week online"s did you have? And you really got it exactly right on each one?)

Lol so those are a couple of mine... Anyone care to share YOUR pet peeve?

Thanks!
-Tom
#biggest #peeves #pet
  • Profile picture of the author theplugindude
    You are not going to see this again!!!

    I use this sometimes..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3685655].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    Any question in this forum that starts with a superlative:
    - the biggest...
    - the most...
    - the best...


    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3685786].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author petelta
    1 - I dislike when people steal my products. Some of the refund excuses you read as a product creator are just outrageous.

    2 - I dislike people that send me autoresponder messages but I never signed up for their list.


    Both of these are my biggest pet peeves right now. Both come with the game though.

    Travis
    Signature
    TEESPRING Student Rakes In Over $116k In Less Than 3 Months
    Niche Pro Profits - How I raked in OVER $120k in 9 months with authority niche sites...

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686269].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Icanwrite
    Interesting.. How about this 'NEVER BEFORE' - 'REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME' 'SECRET TO MAKING MONEY ONLINE' ? When, you read it, you will be surprised to find its no secret whatsoever !
    Signature
    Adventure travel blogger & outreach expert - WanderWithJo.com
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686299].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Jon Tees
    I strongly dislike “This is a one time offer by choosing to leave you will never see this offer again.” and then you see it every time you return to the site. I also don’t know if this counts but I’m bothered by misleading products that prey on people’s desperation, products that promise that anyone can make $3,000-$5,000 or more in their first 30 minutes by doing next to nothing/nothing at all it’s complete crap.
    True it may be possible for some people to accomplish this but most people won’t and in many cases the product isn’t the least bit legitimate.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686351].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    One thing that really pisses me off big time, are people that come into this forum begging for help "How can I make some money fast, Im broke and about to get thrown out of my house" and yet they have half a dozen signature links that read "I make $50,000 a month blogging, you can too, click here!"
    Signature

    BS free SEO services, training and advice - SEO Point

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686519].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author BenoitT
      Mine is when the first 15 minutes of a presentation begin with how much he made money and here is some Clickbank screenshot bla bla bla. Just shut your month if you really do it, do you really have to proove it? Obviously no.
      Signature

      Benoit Tremblay

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686546].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author TracyNeedham
      Originally Posted by ramone_johnny View Post

      One thing that really pisses me off big time, are people that come into this forum begging for help "How can I make some money fast, Im broke and about to get thrown out of my house" and yet they have half a dozen signature links that read "I make $50,000 a month blogging, you can too, click here!"
      I definitely agree!

      Also on my hit list are:

      • Those stupid "Do you really want to leave this page?" pop-ups. Duh, that's why I typed a new address in the URL! ESPECIALLY annoying when I'm trying to close the window out and shut down.
      • People who make the same offer for a lower price when you try to navigate away from the page. So all of your customers who buy on the sales page are a sucker? Is that what you're trying to say here?
      • Gurus who don't update their products but keep slapping ever higher price tags on them--I'm sure people love paying hundreds of dollars for all that outdated info and broken links.
      • Coming back to a page 6 months later and seeing the same "just 9 copies left" countdown sign.
      • Frequent senders of those fake "oops" emails. Yeah buddy, I guess you just can't ever get anything right, can you? Boy that makes me want to buy from you...
      • Mailing lists that are like the roach motel--you can check in, but you can't ever truly unsubscribe
      • People who complain they NEVER read long copy. Of course, you don't. Either a) You never buy anything over $17 b) You're not the target market c) Even if you are in the target audience, you only read the parts that are relevant to you. d) If you never read long copy then how did you end up buying dozens of IM products? ESP?
      • All the fake-ish stats. Sure, it's easy to have an off the charts conversion rate or sell $100,000 worth of product in an hour when the guru and all their friends have been pounding their list about the launch for the last 3 weeks and announce that they're only opening sales for a couple hours then it'll be closed forever. You could just put a big "buy now" button up on the page and nothing else at that point and probably get the same results...
      Oh, I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting... LOL
      Signature
      Get You (& Your Offline Customers!) More Sales, More Clients & More Money! 3 Easy Systems + the special secret sauce... TESTIMONIAL T.N.T.

      Discover Easy Tweaks to Get Visitors to Buy NOW
      It's all here in The Sales Supercharger!

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686892].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
        Originally Posted by TracyNeedham View Post

        • Frequent senders of those fake "oops" emails. Yeah buddy, I guess you just can't ever get anything right, can you? Boy that makes me want to buy from you...
        Need some popcorn...

        Originally Posted by tpw View Post

        Found some!
        Signature

        Dan's content is irregularly read by handfuls of people. Join the elite few by reading his blog: dcrBlogs.com, following him on Twitter: dcrTweets.com or reading his fiction: dcrWrites.com but NOT by Clicking Here!

        Dan also writes content for hire, but you can't afford him anyway.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686928].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Dave Rodman
          Banned
          I can't stand the people that do the lazy affiliates. The type that don't bother to create any type of relationship with their list, except for when they are selling some other product.

          And to go along with that, the type that says things like "This is an advanced product, not for beginners. Unless you're the type that's willing to work really hard and apply the principles." geez.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687434].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Oh, heres another one.

    FLUFF.

    Spare me the 20 point font, waffling and double line spacing - cut the BS, and give me the damn content!
    Signature

    BS free SEO services, training and advice - SEO Point

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686567].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author imarketstuff
      Originally Posted by ramone_johnny View Post

      Oh, heres another one.

      FLUFF.

      Spare me the 20 point font, waffling and double line spacing - cut the BS, and give me the damn content!
      i'm guilty of this bullcrap, straying away from simple here is what you need... here's an example, just try it out!
      Signature
      I MARKET STUFF

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686756].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author jokarl
        Adding urgency to the offer seems to be one of the best at least. Even tho you'd think most people understand its just humbug when theres ONLY 6 left before the price goes up
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686786].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author imarketstuff
    the parasitic nature of "Internet Marketing".
    Signature
    I MARKET STUFF

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686744].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author erange
    It's proven that urgency produces better results. But as the original post stated, there is a difference between ("only selling 5 copies" vs "only having 5 copies left").

    When I look over internet marketing as a whole, it's not the 'sales' tactics that bother me...it's the dishonesty. Just be honest, work hard...and the rest of a successful business will fall into place.

    To Your Success,
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3686845].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TiffLee
    On a personal level, I can't stand people who expect high-quality article writing for anything less than $13-15 a pop.

    I understand many people who get into Internet Marketing do so because funds are tight and they need another source, but you will NEVER succeed with an attitude of wanting to get away with paying only pennies on the word.

    These type of people need to wake up and realize that, if they aren't competent enough to write, than they better damn well be willing to pay a decent wage to those of us who can.

    *Big breath out*

    That is all.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687477].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Cosmit
      You guys can bash the "gurus" all you want but they're not going to stop using "deceptive" terms on their sales copy.

      "Generate $25,394.42/Mo On Complete Autopilot at a Push of a Button, 100% Guaranteed!"

      vs

      "Earn $2,300/Mo After Years of Hard Work & Dedication"


      Even though they subconsciously KNOW they won't make a single cent, they think with their feelings and want to see those large numbers and promises of beach houses and Lamborghinis. They want to be told that they can make a gazillion dollars so "Even if I make 1/10th I'll be good"

      People want hype.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687577].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Linda_C
    Originally Posted by sirtom View Post

    Anyone care to share YOUR pet peeve?
    1) People who say what it's NOT, but neglect to say what it IS.

    ie; it's not linkbuilding, it's not SEO, it's not PPC... etc, but fail to say what it IS

    2) Verbal fluff -- 29 minutes of video for 5 minutes of content.

    write a script for cripes sakes. time is money folks

    3) The continued long copy vs short copy debate

    Being the "target market" isn't what determines if people read copy. Neither is length. (It's not how big - it's how you use it?) Lousy copy doesn't get read, long or short. Good copy gets read, long or short. I can think of lots of times I *am* the target market, but the copy is a turn off so I go looking for someone with the same thing, but less hype.
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .

    Err.... that's a start, but I better stop because I could go on, and on. lol
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687699].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Mike Grant
    Fake scarcity
    Super long sales letters
    Video only sales letters that do not allow you to skip forward in the video
    5 emails over the course of a week from a product creator promoting an affiliate offer
    etc.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687707].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
    Bold-Faced lying about earnings potential...
    Signature
    Do Your Copywriting Skills Suck?

    Let Us Help You Develop Your Writing Skills!

    Submit Guest Posts With [ TheBitBot.Com ]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687892].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Rob Howard
    Threads on the WF that encourage more bitching and moaning instead of posting something useful, helpful, and uplifting.

    Rob
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687959].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Mike Grant
      Originally Posted by ccmusicman View Post

      Threads on the WF that encourage more bitching and moaning instead of posting something useful, helpful, and uplifting.

      Rob
      This thread SHOULD be quite helpful to a lot of marketers.

      You're seeing lists of things that people hate that marketers do. How is that not useful nor helpful?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687993].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Rob Howard
        Originally Posted by Mike Grant View Post

        This thread SHOULD be quite helpful to a lot of marketers.

        You're seeing lists of things that people hate that marketers do. How is that not useful nor helpful?
        No - you are seeing a list of things MARKETERS hate about MARKETING.

        We see this stuff every single day.

        The buying public at large doesn't.

        We hate long form sales pages - because we see it EVERYDAY, etc.

        We have no idea what IM pet peeves the buying public has. This question would be better asked to a general audience of non-IM people.

        THAT would provide much more better info.

        I see this as an excuse to bitch more about the IM niche. Because, you know, we don't get enough of it here at the WF.


        Finally, 90% of the stuff listed in this thread is common sense - don't lie on your sales pages about this and that, don't lie in your emails...etc.

        Don't see any lessons here. Oh yes - except one - people prefer negative over positive.

        Rob
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3688019].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Mike Grant
          Originally Posted by ccmusicman View Post

          No - you are seeing a list of things MARKETERS hate about MARKETING.

          We see this stuff every single day.

          The buying public at large doesn't.

          We hate long form sales pages - because we see it EVERYDAY, etc.

          We have no idea what IM pet peeves the buying public has. This question would be better asked to a general audience of non-IM people.

          THAT would provide much more better info.

          I see this as an excuse to bitch more about the IM niche. Because, you know, we don't get enough of it here at the WF.


          Finally, 90% of the stuff listed in this thread is common sense - don't lie on your sales pages about this and that, don't lie in your emails...etc.

          Don't see any lessons here. Oh yes - except one - people prefer negative over positive.

          Rob
          I'm not a traditional IMer. I gave my list. Not everyone on this forum is an IMer.

          If 90% of the stuff listed is common sense, why is it so prevalent in IM? There's a reason the lists are sometimes repeated, and that's because the things on the list continue to happen. Common sense is not universal.

          It seems the only person truly being negative in this thread is you.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3688030].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author Rob Howard
            Originally Posted by Mike Grant View Post

            I'm not a traditional IMer. I gave my list. Not everyone on this forum is an IMer.

            If 90% of the stuff listed is common sense, why is it so prevalent in IM?
            Because, sadly, it works. Which is why we develop such a hatred for it.

            The stuff you listed you hate, long form sales pages and video's, etc. has been beaten to DEATH in this forum.

            Beaten to death.

            Being negative myself?

            No, just expressing my opinion, that was asked, of what I find the biggest pet-peeve of all - people bitching about the very thing that, if utilized properly, will give them financial freedom.

            Seems kinda hypocritical.

            Besides, this thread belongs in the off topic forum, at least. Hopefully some mod will move it.

            Rob
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3688055].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JSProjects
    The constant stream of "I made $10k my first week" type of products that are launched daily.

    It's not that easy folks. Stop falling for it! Create a plan and follow through. If the plan succeeds, duplicate it. Even if you've got a website that earns a few bucks a day. Duplicate what you did to get to that point. Soon enough you'll be doing just fine.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3687960].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BlueGlobeSeo
    The bajillion self-proclaimed IM experts and gurus roaming online.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3688051].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by sirtom View Post

    1) Saying there's only X copies left of a digital product
    (If you're only selling X copies, that's one thing. But X LEFT? Don't think so...)
    "I'm only selling X+Y copies, and I've sold Y copies, so there are X copies left."

    2) When one person has 3+ products and each one claims to be the method he used to make ,XXX his first week online.
    (How many "first week online"s did you have? And you really got it exactly right on each one?)
    "I used this method to make $X,XXX the first week I was using it, and I made it all online."

    You know what my pet peeve is?

    When people don't understand something, and immediately conclude that it must be a big fat lie from a scammer who is trying to cheat them.
    Signature
    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3690637].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    I hate sales letters. Period.

    My best performing sites dont even have sales letters
    Signature

    BS free SEO services, training and advice - SEO Point

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3690837].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sirtom
      Haha, I totally agree with about 95% of the things said on here..

      Originally Posted by ccmusicman View Post

      Threads on the WF that encourage more bitching and moaning instead of posting something useful, helpful, and uplifting.
      I LOLed when I read this. Dude, you're taking it WAY to seriously. Though this can be helpful and possibly even insightful to people, this was clearly and blatantly described as being for humorous reasons. But you got angry over it.

      If you're looking for "useful, helpful, and uplifting", then try the majority of the previous posts I've made in this forum:

      Uplifting: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...nal-story.html

      Useful: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...d-you-too.html

      Helpful: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...rst-100-a.html

      Helpful: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...w-5-steps.html

      ...Just saying, I'm clearly not one to bitch all the time and try to provide honest value. So when I make a post like this, with the clear intentions of a humorous direction, and give people a chance to collectively discuss things as simple as pet peeves, you really don't have to come in here getting pissed off at people for contributing.

      Originally Posted by ccmusicman View Post

      Don't see any lessons here. Oh yes - except one - people prefer negative over positive.
      Yeah we already got that from Mass Control.

      Which, getting back to the topic, that has also become a pet peeve.. Seeing 5 new emails every damn day with the subject line "Bad News" lol.

      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      "I'm only selling X+Y copies, and I've sold Y copies, so there are X copies left."

      "I used this method to make ,XXX the first week I was using it, and I made it all online."

      You know what my pet peeve is?

      When people don't understand something, and immediately conclude that it must be a big fat lie from a scammer who is trying to cheat them.
      There IS that, but you misunderstand my examples; that's not where I was going with them. It's not misunderstanding the copy, it's misleading copy that I don't like.
      Signature
      [WSO] Fitness/Weight Loss PLR Package like you've never seen before (and outlandish reviews!) - check it out here
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3703686].message }}

Trending Topics