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List Building VS List Demoralization???

by Ross Petal
21 replies
Hey Warriors,

Have you ever joined/subscribed to a Guru Internet Marketer with the main goals of learning, buying quality products and building a business relationship with him? Well I did just that when I purchased a high end IM product 2 years ago. I've been on his list for that time and am always eagerly reading whatever he publishes.

However, he's gone a bit apes recently and emailing me twice a day to sell me anything that moves. The greed factor has crept in and the guy doesn't seem to realize that he is utterly demoralizing his list. I can image people jumping off the cliff with the twice a day emails, generally using the same badly worded text and really worthless crappy products. What he doesn't realize is that he is dealing with Warrior Forum members who are well clued about IM products and processes.

What would you do when a fellow IM Guru goes Apes?

1) Unsubscribe from his list even though he is considered as a Guru
2) Tell him to take the running jump off the cliff instead of demoralizing me
3) Inform me of the adverse effects it would have on his entire list
or 4) Find another Guru

I'll be interested to see what you guys would do in this situation.

Cheers
#building #demoralization #list
  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    I'd relegate them to my low-priority GMail account that
    I use to observe the e-mail marketing practices of many
    Internet Marketers.

    I only check that account a couple of times a week to
    see what to do and more importantly what NOT to do.

    You can get some valuable lessons by looking at what other
    e-mail marketers do and then decide to apply it, improve on
    it or do the complete opposite if you don't like their approach.

    If someone continues to send me e-mails that I like then
    I promote them to my real inbox by creating a forwarding
    e-mail that sends their e-mails to my priority GMail account
    that I check daily.

    If they abuse that e-mail, then I either relegate them,
    unsubscribe or cut-off the forwarding e-mail altogether.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

    Shaun
    Signature

    .

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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Hey Shaun,

      That's an impressive response and such a well organised system you have set up. I might just do that myself.

      Thanks for sharing.

      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

      I'd relegate them to my low-priority GMail account that
      I use to observe the e-mail marketing practices of many
      Internet Marketers.

      I only check that account a couple of times a week to
      see what to do and more importantly what NOT to do.

      You can get some valuable lessons by looking at what other
      e-mail marketers do and then decide to apply it, improve on
      it or do the complete opposite if you don't like their approach.

      If someone continues to send me e-mails that I like then
      I promote them to my real inbox by creating a forwarding
      e-mail that sends their e-mails to my priority GMail account
      that I check daily.

      If they abuse that e-mail, then I either relegate them,
      unsubscribe or cut-off the forwarding e-mail altogether.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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    • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
      Originally Posted by Shaun OReilly View Post

      I'd relegate them to my low-priority GMail account that
      I use to observe the e-mail marketing practices of many
      Internet Marketers.

      I only check that account a couple of times a week to
      see what to do and more importantly what NOT to do.

      You can get some valuable lessons by looking at what other
      e-mail marketers do and then decide to apply it, improve on
      it or do the complete opposite if you don't like their approach.

      If someone continues to send me e-mails that I like then
      I promote them to my real inbox by creating a forwarding
      e-mail that sends their e-mails to my priority GMail account
      that I check daily.

      If they abuse that e-mail, then I either relegate them,
      unsubscribe or cut-off the forwarding e-mail altogether.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
      You make a really interesting point. This actually begs the question: Does Gmail implement a tracking system that tracks this type of behavior which can ultimately treat email addresses like SERP results?

      If enough Gmail users demote a particular email address a "low-priority" status, does Google view that as an email address ranking signal and then start applying that ranking or something similar across the board for the sender?

      This could theoretically explain why certain emails end up in the spam folder...because Google treats email addresses like they do search results...???
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  • Profile picture of the author AlenGeorgeson
    I'd probably stay on his list, even though this kind of behavior is really disappointing. The same thing happened to me before. But who knows, maybe he will promote something very valuable or give you a great tip in the future that will completely change your business and just for that it's worth to stay subscribed.

    If it's a very successful marketer you can probably also learn from him in other areas...

    Hope that helps
    Alen
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  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    1) Unsubscribe from his list even though he is considered as a Guru

    If you have been doing this for 2 years, it's time for you to step up and be the guru. And just remember not to churn and burn your list!
    Signature
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Thanks Buddy. Your right about unsubscribing from his list. I like your positive attitude that I can become a Guru too.....sounds cool!
      Originally Posted by StreetBacon View Post

      1) Unsubscribe from his list even though he is considered as a Guru

      If you have been doing this for 2 years, it's time for you to step up and be the guru. And just remember not to churn and burn your list!
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  • Profile picture of the author michaelcorvin
    I would let them know...If it was me I would want the feedback.

    Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Hey Michael. It's good that you would prefer to have feedback but unfortunately some others are not interested in feedback and carry on bombarding with upsells/downsells and cross-sells throughout the day.

      Originally Posted by michaelcorvin View Post

      I would let them know...If it was me I would want the feedback.

      Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author WhiteDove
    Unsubscribe him for goodness sake...
    Signature

    Dianne
    WhiteDove
    War Room Member

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  • Profile picture of the author AuthorityRush
    I would guess it does. Some emails I keep just deleting and never reading now just show up in my spam box. So I think hey might be doing something.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
    Hey Chris,

    That's an interesting point you've raised about them not being rich after all if they getting that desperate.

    Originally Posted by Chris Kent View Post

    Use your gmail to create a label that also skips the Inbox. That way you won't have to see any of his stuff and you can just dip in when wanted.

    I do this with all of my subscriptions. I view them only when I want to, not when people want me to view them.

    btw I've noticed this trend you are talking about. Maybe these gurus aren't so rich after all if they're getting that desperate.
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  • Profile picture of the author shireen
    I'll just unsubscribe from his list, simple :-)
    Signature

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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Hey Shireen, your definitely a Guru I would subscribe to. I can image you sending quality information like the ebay ebook and then maybe sending 1 email a week. I would be happy with that but this guy is on a mission to bombard me with upsells, downsells and cross-sells and even selling outside the IM sector. God help us!

      Originally Posted by shireen View Post

      I'll just unsubscribe from his list, simple :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author jacksonlin
    Find another guru.
    Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Ross Petal View Post

    However, he's gone a bit apes recently and emailing me twice a day to sell me anything that moves. The greed factor has crept in
    Not exactly.

    Frank Kern has been talking about this a little lately.

    If you buy a high-end IM product, you fall into one of two categories.

    1. You maxed out a credit card to buy something you really couldn't afford and really can't use, because you really want to run with the big dogs.

    2. You are one of the big dogs.

    So how do you identify the people in category 2?

    They usually buy another high-end IM product within six months.

    Fail to do this, and you're identified as category 1. You don't really belong there, so the guru doesn't really give a crap about you, and you start getting hammered with offers for every damn thing under the sun.

    Now, Frank has not exactly been recommending this, so much as casually observing that most of these people buy whatever he sends them over and over again without ever unsubscribing... and he actually makes more money from them than he does from the big launches.

    This has made a lot of people sit up and say "well, I'm going to load up a cheap crap affiliate promotion autoresponder sequence that starts six months into the subscription, dammit!" - and if you've been on for longer than six months, the AR happily starts you on the sequence.

    This is actually happening on several guru lists right now, and I think it's terribly, terribly funny. Frank Kern says "I do this," and people jump to copy him. I mean, it's one thing when I do that, because I'm... well, me. But some of these names I see slobbering and bounding after Frank Kern like retarded cocker spaniels? I'd have never expected it.
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    "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
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  • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
    Hey CDarklock,

    That's some groovy explanation man! Great advice and well done for spotting the trend with copycat gurus.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cybria
    Recently I joined a list to get a free report I was interested in. And in the report the IM-er actually admitted that he "hit" his subscribers with lots of emails, and that his wife keeps him from actually emailing as much as he wants to (I thought that was kind of weird that his wife has to monitor his email habits...but yeah). Also he said that he didn't care if people unsubscribe from his list because of it because he's only interested in the people who will buy from him immediately. I really do turn my nose down at this tactic...I'd think a good IM-er would try as hard as possible NOT to look like a spammer and to build a trusting relationship with their subscribers.
    I've gotten the same email from him like six times advertising the same product. I've stayed subscribed just out of curiosity, so see how many of those emails he was actually going to send me. But I think I've had enough now and will be unsubscribing tonight.
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    - Tiff

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    • Profile picture of the author REHughes
      Hey, Ross

      I've run into the same thing lately. I have been following one particular marketer for a couple of years now. He actually uses a pen name and his real name as two different marketers, and I follow both simply for the content and also to see how much variation he uses.
      Well, recently his methods for his pen name changed tremendously as he went from 1 or 2 e-mails per week to jumping on the proverbial WSO pimp wagon!
      Now I get hit with a new WSO almost every single day, which I detest.
      And, yes, I have bought from him in the past, more than once.
      Kinda doubtful I will again, as I am soon to remove myself from both his lists.
      Just before going this route, I had noticed that he would occasionally direct me from his pen name account to his real name account, as though they were "friends", so maybe he is getting ready to fade out the pen name.

      Who knows!

      Robert
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      • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
        Hey Robert.

        Your comments are so true. Most of these Gurus don't realize that we are all clued on in here and will unsubscribe once they abuse their powers. I've got enough work to get on with and that needs to be completed instead of reading hard selling emails.

        Good Internet Marketers will add value to their list and build a solid long term relationship. By sending out emails left, right and center, they are merely ruining their reputation and an income stream. I want to offer my subscribers more value content than a pitch and treat every single one with the respect they deserve. Greed can often destroy lists.

        Cheers

        Originally Posted by REHughes View Post

        Hey, Ross

        I've run into the same thing lately. I have been following one particular marketer for a couple of years now. He actually uses a pen name and his real name as two different marketers, and I follow both simply for the content and also to see how much variation he uses.
        Well, recently his methods for his pen name changed tremendously as he went from 1 or 2 e-mails per week to jumping on the proverbial WSO pimp wagon!
        Now I get hit with a new WSO almost every single day, which I detest.
        And, yes, I have bought from him in the past, more than once.
        Kinda doubtful I will again, as I am soon to remove myself from both his lists.
        Just before going this route, I had noticed that he would occasionally direct me from his pen name account to his real name account, as though they were "friends", so maybe he is getting ready to fade out the pen name.

        Who knows!

        Robert
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Petal
      Hey Cybria,

      Thanks for sharing. It can imagine your Guru's wife starting to send emails as well. At least he's honest with the whole email thing and deserves some recognition.

      Originally Posted by Cybria View Post

      Recently I joined a list to get a free report I was interested in. And in the report the IM-er actually admitted that he "hit" his subscribers with lots of emails, and that his wife keeps him from actually emailing as much as he wants to (I thought that was kind of weird that his wife has to monitor his email habits...but yeah). Also he said that he didn't care if people unsubscribe from his list because of it because he's only interested in the people who will buy from him immediately. I really do turn my nose down at this tactic...I'd think a good IM-er would try as hard as possible NOT to look like a spammer and to build a trusting relationship with their subscribers.
      I've gotten the same email from him like six times advertising the same product. I've stayed subscribed just out of curiosity, so see how many of those emails he was actually going to send me. But I think I've had enough now and will be unsubscribing tonight.
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