Do people really buy into this stuff?

by Eduard
37 replies
In the past few weeks I’ve been reading a lot of sales pages, to get an idea of how others try to sell their information products online.

One thing I’ve noticed on many sales pages is over-the-top promises. In fact, I’ve noticed so many of them, and so out there, that it shocked me.

For example, in the dating niche, which is kind of related to my own niche, I’ve read many promises like:

- You’ll learn a secret technique that you can use to approach any woman and get her interested in you immediately, without any chance of rejection.
- You’ll discover a powerful and simple trick that will make a man hopelessly fall in love with you and never think of another woman again.

C’mon! Anybody with half a brain and some real life experience knows such magic fail-proof techniques do no exist. Or at least I used to think anybody knows...

So all of this got me wondering:

Does this stuff really work? Do people really buy into such over-the-top promises? Do many marketers make such bold claims in their copy because they work and it makes them lots of money or because they’re desperate / ignorant/ something else?
#buy #people #stuff
  • Profile picture of the author Cee
    They could be using Jedi mind control.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert M Gouge
    People in most niches are looking for quick-fix, guaranteed methods. So many marketers, even though they know that no such thing actually exists, offer it to their potential customers.

    Ethical? Depends on who you ask.
    Effective? Yes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
    I was actually having a convo with a friend this evening about this kind of thing... I believe that while making false claims is effective (in terms of sales, but not in credability), it's the lazy-man option and doesn't require any *real* marketing skills.

    Originally Posted by High Horsepower View Post

    Official Double Your Dating | David DeAngelo's Double Your Dating

    Yes they do. David DeAngelo (guy in the video above) othewise known as Eban Pagan claims to do $25-30 Million per year in the dating niche. I think he's a member here.
    But Eban is the real deal - most are making false claims.
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    • Profile picture of the author High Horsepower
      Originally Posted by Mick Meaney View Post

      But Eban is the real deal - most are making false claims.
      Says who? He uses an alias from the first word in his video so you believe anything he says?
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Mick Meaney View Post

      I was actually having a convo with a friend this evening about this kind of thing... I believe that while making false claims is effective (in terms of sales, but not in credability), it's the lazy-man option and doesn't require any *real* marketing skills.


      But Eban is the real deal - most are making false claims.
      There needs to be at least a bit of 'sizzle' (i.e. the juicy benefits/results/effects) to sell the steak, and without some of that sizzle it is going to be difficult to get people interested in your product. Watch the late night infomercials on TV and read the direct sales letters you receive in the mail, every copywriter worth his salt will focus some attention on the sizzle.

      Even Eben makes some bold claims about anyone being able to basically pick up any woman he wants in a bar with his 'Double Your Dating' course, but we all know that just doesn't happen in real life.
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      • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
        Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

        There needs to be at least a bit of 'sizzle' (i.e. the juicy benefits/results/effects) to sell the steak, and without some of that sizzle it is going to be difficult to get people interested in your product. Watch the late night infomercials on TV and read the direct sales letters you receive in the mail, every copywriter worth his salt will focus some attention on the sizzle.

        Even Eben makes some bold claims about anyone being able to basically pick up any woman he wants in a bar with his 'Double Your Dating' course, but we all know that just doesn't happen in real life.
        Completely agree with you Paulie... it's the outright lying that I have issues with.. for example, WSO sellers who claim to make 5-6 figures a month (anyone can make those claims), yet ask for freebies via PM, saying they can't afford to buy one of my offers. We've all experienced that.
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  • Profile picture of the author jt808
    My understanding is that any claims have to backed up with solid proof that the average person does experience that result, otherwise it is against FTC rules to do make those claims.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Meaney
    Originally Posted by High Horsepower View Post

    Says who? He uses an alias from the first word in his video so you believe anything he says?
    Using pen names is a smart move in my book.
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    • Profile picture of the author High Horsepower
      Originally Posted by Mick Meaney View Post

      Using pen names is a smart move in my book.
      Tell that to Donald Trump!
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      • Profile picture of the author Cee
        Originally Posted by High Horsepower View Post

        Tell that to Donald Trump!

        The Apprentice starring Donald Trump aka John Schmergel aka Linus Walter.
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  • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
    Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

    - You'll learn a secret technique that you can use to approach any woman and get her interested in you immediately, without any chance of rejection.
    "My name is Bond ... James Bond"
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    'If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.' Vincent Van Gogh.
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  • Profile picture of the author timpears
    Most of these people are desperate for the solution you offer, that is why they clicked on your link. Therefore, they are very susceptible to these claims. They desperately want it to be true, and as such, are very gullible. So yes it works.
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  • Profile picture of the author supernal
    People will fall for anything, even intelligent people. Some people just want to believe with all their might, some times there are mitigating circumstances that skewed an otherwise healthy perception, sometimes there's truth behind the claim. One never knows.
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    • Profile picture of the author Eduard
      So it seems deceptive marketing can work. But will it continue to work in the years to come? As more 'marketers' make OTT promises on sales pages and more online buyers get scammed, do you think they'll learn to become more cautious?
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      • Profile picture of the author NickMarks
        Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

        So it seems deceptive marketing can work. But will it continue to work in the years to come? As more 'marketers' make OTT promises on sales pages and more online buyers get scammed, do you think they'll learn to become more cautious?
        You should not use "deceptive", but there really is no problem with hype, as long as your product is good and it does what you say, you'll be fine.
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        Nick Marks is an author, speaker and was announced as the Internet Marketer Of The Year 2007 by Russell Brunson & DotComSecrets.

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  • Profile picture of the author NickMarks
    Yes, people buy hyped up products all the time. They have a problem they want fixed, so that's why they'll jump all over it.
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    Nick Marks is an author, speaker and was announced as the Internet Marketer Of The Year 2007 by Russell Brunson & DotComSecrets.

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  • Profile picture of the author nicolas simpson
    There are always potential customers..Some persons get so desperate that they don't even take the time out to really process the crap that they were just told.
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  • Profile picture of the author magnates
    Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

    In the past few weeks I’ve been reading a lot of sales pages, to get an idea of how others try to sell their information products online.

    One thing I’ve noticed on many sales pages is over-the-top promises. In fact, I’ve noticed so many of them, and so out there, that it shocked me.

    For example, in the dating niche, which is kind of related to my own niche, I’ve read many promises like:

    - You’ll learn a secret technique that you can use to approach any woman and get her interested in you immediately, without any chance of rejection.
    - You’ll discover a powerful and simple trick that will make a man hopelessly fall in love with you and never think of another woman again.

    C’mon! Anybody with half a brain and some real life experience knows such magic fail-proof techniques do no exist. Or at least I used to think anybody knows...

    So all of this got me wondering:

    Does this stuff really work? Do people really buy into such over-the-top promises? Do many marketers make such bold claims in their copy because they work and it makes them lots of money or because they’re desperate / ignorant/ something else?

    David Deangelo/ Eben Pagan is the real deal . Though the promises sounds over the top , Eben Delivers on his promises . How do I know ? I was once very hopeless with the ladies , didn't have the courage to talk a woman i fancied , Eben newsletter helped me change my mindset slowly .It was funny and witty and soon enough even without buying the course , I aproaching random strangers and I knew the best way to kiss a woman .I was completely hopeless than I am amazing now. Amazing . All i have to do is just met the person and I am almost guaranteed to get laid. Try not to do that because I want to respect the man upstairs but it is good to know that you know what to do when you meet some one special . A lot of people marvel how I could approach strangers without thinking and end up going with her but it wasn't always like this .

    Eben stuff is top notch . It is almost always the best quality information out there . One of the few people that I would purchase a $1997, $3997 or $4997 product from Eben because I know the best quality information about my problem and all i have to do implement suggestions and I would fine .

    Usually in the Im niche , it is very different there are a lot of bold promises that very few ever deliver and destroys the life of people who are hoping to get answers to our problems . It is ok to make bold promises you must deliver . If i ever met Eben I would buy him a drink.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

    Does this stuff really work? Do people really buy into such over-the-top promises? Do many marketers make such bold claims in their copy because they work and it makes them lots of money or because they're desperate / ignorant/ something else?
    Unfortunately, over the top claims appeals to the dreamers ... those who want desperately to believe that making money requires no work, no time, no skills. They bounce around from one shiny object to another and never complete any of them and then post how disillusioned they are. Big market. I don't market to dreamers.
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  • Profile picture of the author TryBPO
    Quite often, you'll find those sales pages targeting emotional niches. With the example you used, of course you know that you won't be able to make EVERY woman attracted to you...you know that, logically. Still, your heart wonders if you could make some more attracted to you...maybe one in particular. Even though you know the statement isn't true, it's written to get your heart racing and open up the possibilities and let your imagination run wild.

    It's easy to point at sales pages in a rational, logical mood and talk about how silly they are. But...if you're the person seeking out that information and come across it because you were looking for something like that, they tend to speak a little louder to you, IMO. Still, I agree...over-inflated hype is crap, it sucks, and I wish it didn't work! :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Marian Berghes
    That is a little over the top, but like others have said without some level of hype you can't really sell that well.

    I had a "mentor" that tested 2 sales letters on his list, 1 with a traditional sales letter and one where he tried to be as honest as he could...he sent that message to 10k people, 5k one message 5k the other one.

    The one with hype in it had a 4.7% conversion rate and people would email him to thank him for the great product, the honest one had a 0.5% conversion rate.

    And after 1 month he contacted the people that bought and from the hype-buyers, only 50% of them had put the info in use, out of the honest-buyers, none.

    Ofc you should always test for yourself to see what your list/potential customers like.
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    • Profile picture of the author TryBPO
      Originally Posted by Marian Berghes View Post

      That is a little over the top, but like others have said without some level of hype you can't really sell that well.

      I had a "mentor" that tested 2 sales letters on his list, 1 with a traditional sales letter and one where he tried to be as honest as he could...he sent that message to 10k people, 5k one message 5k the other one.

      The one with hype in it had a 4.7% conversion rate and people would email him to thank him for the great product, the honest one had a 0.5% conversion rate.

      And after 1 month he contacted the people that bought and from the hype-buyers, only 50% of them had put the info in use, out of the honest-buyers, none.

      Ofc you should always test for yourself to see what your list/potential customers like.
      Marian,

      REALLY interesting story. Can you point me to the mentor that did that test? Is the information published online? Would like to look into that a bit more...interesting. Alternatively, if you have anything else regarding that type of test, I'd like to read that as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author sirtiman
    For dating niche, the buyer sometimes just buy for "hoping" or just some little point of the product tips or tricks. In fact a lot of single people still looking for some date for their live, that's very good action to buy dating product for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    I believe what they did if often true....however

    1. Was it a one time thing only (A list or a JV that was just lucky or by having something most people cannot have)

    2. They put in time, effort and hard work to get there. That did not happen over night.

    When I was selling WSO, I marketed 80K visitors a month (now closer to 200K visitors a month). I put in a lot of time, trial, error and testing. The facts are true, in fact over 50K for over 3 years now. I look for that constant.

    Others who market it, may have done that was there best for 1 month only (my best month was 250K a month). I dont say this to brag, I say this that they are not wrong, it may just be 1 month or something you need to put substantial effort to duplicate.

    There is no one system to success, there are lots of people. So dont buy the hype!!!! If you do,
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Vegas
      Darn it all, I hate to admit it, but they sure do.

      I'm going to put forth some goodwill and share what's really going on, so we can all learn a thing or two or three, but not four. 4th one will cost ya

      Please DON'T use this knowledge for evil, but it works for a very valid reason I'm about to share.

      (no seriously don't be evil!)

      Instead of focusing on the negative aspect let's look at the positive ways you can use this knowledge.

      --> What's really happening is that they are acting on seriously raw emotion, and not logic.

      They are not literally reading that and thinking it's totally true. By that point in the page they are already high on emotion and already imagining their own pre-existing fantasized version of that in la la land and the purchase decision is just congruence.

      As much as we'd like to think, man they are so stupid, we as a group of like minded people that love IM for all it's weirdness... have been swept up by emotional selling at some point in time, and maybe not paid literal attention to every bullet point.

      If you're like me and have bought and seen a lot of different stuff, by now you realize that marketing is a lot more than the words on the page. It's a process and a collection of emotional, logical, and psychological steps to lower objections, gain trust, generate goodwill, and make happy feelings from pain or discontent. By the bullet point stage it's usually a done deal.

      HIGHLIGHTS:

      If you want to sell and market without being a super sh1t-head do this.

      Use emotion, tell (true) stories, paint an ideal picture, get them in that feel good state, etc - but be realistic in the process. Because it's not the hype or lack of hype... it's the ability to get them in a positive state without objections, that makes the sale.

      Get them to internalize the message as if it's their own.

      Yes hype will do that dangerously well, but other stuff does too (like stories, and metaphors, and real results) and does it possibly better than hype!

      Don't be skurred to show actual proof and results. Be upfront, and answer objections honestly. And by golly, promote what you actually believe in (that makes it a lot easier too!).

      But most of all treat your customers like they have two halves a brain, and you'll be lucky to get those people as customers in kind. Treat them like they don't, and those will be the ones you get.

      Got it? Good! ...bye for now! I have to go buy some beer I saw on TV that will instantly make me surrounded by hot women, and have lots of friends, even though it never explicitly said it would.

      P.S.
      I have a marketing degree but I don't really know what the hell I'm talking about. I just sell stuff online sometimes. Also, I've said too much already don't use any of this advice...
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  • Profile picture of the author numbermoja
    Ahh Sales letters. You know they sell to a percentage that really need that information and if they say the craziest things it gets people off the fence, but of course they will have a money back guarantee of which people are lazy to ask for their money back or that they are just to busy to remember by when to request their money back.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shana_Adam
    The Irony is that we all do the same its human nature. Most sales copy uses unconcious triggers - so it is really speaking to a different part of the mind that has nothing to do with logic.

    When a quick fix is offered logic and your wallet are absolutely powerless because we are all looking for anything that takes us away from pain and towards pleasure.

    Even the remotest hint that something can make your life better and your hooked.
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  • Profile picture of the author armadillo
    Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

    - You'll learn a secret technique that you can use to approach any woman and get her interested in you immediately, without any chance of rejection.
    Eduard, this specific technique is to approach said woman while waving at her with a bulging handful of $100 bills. You will have her full and undivided attention. At least for a couple minutes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fazal Mayar
    i think overhyping is a problem with a lot of marketers today but an information product can really give you knowledge to succeed. I tend to stay away from hype from the health niche though (fitness).
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  • Profile picture of the author Jon Tees
    People are desperate for a variety of different reasons usually it’s based around the fact that their lives at a certain age are not what they envisioned them to be at an earlier age. Obviously they want to change this in one or several ways. Who knows many of these claims may or may not be true and results usually vary depending on if and how the techniques/information are applied. I have personally bought and tried many of the same products that I recommend and sell to other people and most of them have worked or would work if applied properly. The claims may seem a little over the top but sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Barker
    Originally Posted by Eduard View Post

    In the past few weeks I've been reading a lot of sales pages, to get an idea of how others try to sell their information products online.

    One thing I've noticed on many sales pages is over-the-top promises. In fact, I've noticed so many of them, and so out there, that it shocked me.

    For example, in the dating niche, which is kind of related to my own niche, I've read many promises like:

    - You'll learn a secret technique that you can use to approach any woman and get her interested in you immediately, without any chance of rejection.
    - You'll discover a powerful and simple trick that will make a man hopelessly fall in love with you and never think of another woman again.

    C'mon! Anybody with half a brain and some real life experience knows such magic fail-proof techniques do no exist. Or at least I used to think anybody knows...

    So all of this got me wondering:

    Does this stuff really work? Do people really buy into such over-the-top promises? Do many marketers make such bold claims in their copy because they work and it makes them lots of money or because they're desperate / ignorant/ something else?

    I honestly think that over promising is something that will backfire later on. You might be able to persuade people now but if you are looking for long term business and partnership, this is not a way people get it.

    Be honest! Be sincere! And help your prospect get to where they want to be. Don't get a sale and then run out on them!
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    • Profile picture of the author Eduard
      Originally Posted by Jeremy Barker View Post

      I honestly think that over promising is something that will backfire later on. You might be able to persuade people now but if you are looking for long term business and partnership, this is not a way people get it.
      That's my concern as well. I don't want fast money as much as I want a sustainable long-term business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Lambency
    It's a copywriting technique that really boils down to what level the particular niche market has entered.

    For example, in the MMO niche, you could say "Make Money Online", but that's a low level copywriting concept, and is also no longer effective in today's evolved marketplace. These copywriting claims need to be expanded by introducting mechanisms so they'll become believable. "Make Money Online Using A Viral Twitter Technique"

    So the mechanism here is the viral twitter technique. It adds something to the claim, thus making it more believable.

    This is the same concept used in the dating niche. A secret technique or a powerful and simple trick are mechanisms. They add believability because there is something being presented behind the claim.

    There's a powerful psychology behind these copywriting elements.
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