10 Comments

Getting Sick and Tired of Newbie Training Scams?

Nov 28, 2007
by

Folks, I have been “flying under the radar” for a while now with my internet marketing coaching club and I have to say that I am getting frustrated by having to guide my coaching clients away from the “trick of the day” newbie products that are hitting the web. To avoid any lawsuits, I won’t mention any products hitting the web lately.

Yeah, in order to sell to the “newbie” market an over-hyped sales letter is a must have for anybody trying to sell their info product. Having almost a decade of internet marketing experience under my belt now, like most of the ReveNews readers, we can see through the hyped up sales letters and instantly see valuable information or hyped up crap.

Oh, I only wish I had the balls to say exactly what internet marketing products bother me so much here at ReveNews. I won’t though because I respect the ReveNews brand too much… Hmmm, perhaps I will stir the pot on one of my own blogs…

Most of the info products being pushed by some of the shadier less than white hat “trainers” are creating some overnight windfalls for folks only to see them lose it all overnight. The tendency in info products has been products that hammer away at social media while not offering suggestions on how to leverage social media for long term gain.

I know most readers here at ReveNews understand the importance of branding a domain and using traffic opportunities that arise to re-affirm brand, even affiliates should be thinking brand.

My frustration with these products really boils down to the fact, it is distracting and mis-guiding for those new to the internet, my frustration with having to constantly steer business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs back on track has prompted me to create a report to teach the proper use of social media as a mechanism for branding versus auto-generation spambot BS that some people are calling a “business model”. No, I am not selling it, it’s a complementary download to help everybody stay on track and avoid the noise that exists online in the hopes it settles things down for myself and my colleagues that offer coaching and consulting services.

To the black hat, flash in the pan info product creators, you know who you are. Stop ripping folks off! Why not teach people how to actually grow their businesses, even when loopholes in search engine algorithms exist.

If you are considering any “magic push button”, no work involved software then I highly recommend thinking twice before buying, no real business is “push button” easy. It’s going to take work to build your business. The only “Easy Button” you can buy is the novelty item that Staples sells.

In the coming weeks, I will post some methods in which you can leverage the new media to build a loyal audience and drive sales

As a side note, I am thrilled to announce that I will be speaking at a round table discussion at Affiliate Summit West about how to properly leverage social media to establish and control your brand. If you haven’t attended an Affiliate Summit in the past mark your calendars for February 24-26, whether you are a merchant or an affiliate this event is where I have made some of my best business connections.

Filed under: Next-Gen Marketing
  • http://www.fastcreative.com Dash Devron

    Thanks Colin
    You have just said what so many of us have been thinking. You mentioned you were going to stir the pot on one of your own blogs. Where can I read more?

    DD

  • http://www.1and1.com Jesse Bouman

    Good Job Colin,

    Like Dash Devron I am looking forward to reading more about this. I think you are totally right with this, it is unbelievable how many "marketers" get away with selling products or techniques that do not work or target newbies who are only looking to start an honest business.

  • http://www.jimlillig.com Jim Lillig

    Colin,

    Thank you. While you are venting about charletains, I would like to add in the so-called "super site programs or instant e-commerce ready sites" that lure newbies into thinking that affiliate or online marketing is as simple as putting up a page on the internet…there should be a special place in… (a very hot place)for these types of so-called marketers.

    The online affiliate marketing space is not an easy nut to crack and it takes time, dedication and resources. Anyone who isn't telling a newcomer this, and is giving them cookie cutter pages to promote (<a href="http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search!&q5=Internet+Speedway&quot; rel="nofollow">Internet Speedway comes to mind) is simply setting the industry on a course in reverse.

    As an affiliate manager for many years, if I see an application from one of those "I just got this page 'cause I bought into some guru's program and he gave it to me to use" type sites, I immediately deny them. These types of schemes which are the easiest for newbies to get sucked into, actually cloud up the channels with useless crap that only makes our segment look cheap and opportunistic.

    I applaud you for taking a stand. Maybe we need to start a "Newbie Beware List" that outs these types of mass marketed programs, and helps them understand that real profits come from immersing yourself in the niche you want to sell to. Now access to that list would probably be worth more than they paid to get a crappy looking, cookie cutter, links already installed web page they think is going to pay their kids college tuition.

    Cheers,

    Jim Lillig

  • Eric Ewe

    To chime in on the scams or coaching clubs that people are running, they have been around for a long time and it is always rearing it head in different ways and channels. Even before the net came along, we had the MLM schemes with coaches and some swear that it works (usually those at the top of the food chain).

    You can learn new things by joining a forum or forums. http://www.webmasterworld.com, or http://www.abestweb.com or forums.digitalpoint.com

    My motto "there is never a free lunch"

  • http://www.computerpooh.blogspot.com Annette

    As a newbie, I wanted to say thank you for this post.

    And please do follow through on some of the suggestions mentioned above like the "Newbie Beware List."

    It is not easy to know who to trust and where to even begin, and all the information out there can be incredibly overwhelming. I have spent a significant amount of time over the past month searching and reading, investingating good and bad practices and it is very tough. Some of us are not looking for a get rich quick scheme or a free lunch, but a way to build a legitimate business. Knowing how to do this well becomes tricky for a newbie.

    Sites like this one help a lot.

  • http://www.cumbrowski.com/ Carsten Cumbrowski

    Annette, I have a free resources site which is not my business by the way where you can find tons of information. From free to expensive. You will learn that time is equal money and that free stuff usually requires a higher investment of time while expensive stuff should reduce the time needed. That is true for services and not for "systems", please don't confuse the two.

    Forums are another good place, but also there, watch out who you listening to. Check a bit who seems to be an authority there and is respected by others and who is just a talker who only provides bad advice or also just wants to take advantage of you. Next to the already mentioned forums am I also recommending the forums and blog at 5staraffiliateprograms.com and wickedfire.com.

    Shawns AffiliateTip.com is also a good resource or affiliateclassroom.com. There are plenty more at my site at Cumbrowski.com. Don't worry, I don't sell anything. I use affiliate links if they are available, and plain links if they are not. My editorial note explains the whole purpose of the site (link at the footer on every page). I am also blogging here at ReveNews.com btw. and I can recommend Colins eBook, if you are interested in organic search (SEO).

  • http://www.constantconversation.com Colin McDougall

    Hey Annette,

    I have a free report that outlines how to establish brand utilizing social media.

    There are several folks that will teach you how to leverage social media for spamming purposes. My report outlines how to use social sites for getting known in your industry. You can get the report by clicking on my name above this comment. (Not sure if it's acceptable to mention my URL here…)

    Colin

  • http://www.cumbrowski.com/ Carsten Cumbrowski

    Colin,

    "Not sure if it's acceptable to mention my URL here"

    I don't mind and as long as it is not an affiliate link or a blatant self promotion of a product or service you are selling, it is fine as well. It has to be related to the subject of course and be helpful for the person you respond to and/or other readers of the post and comments at a later time.

    Btw. I mentioned what you do already anyway :)

    There are always people who will mind it, even in cases where you give stuff away for free (even if you do not require an email sign-up) and really really provide it for free with no string whatsoever.

    Those complaints are often from fellow marketers that only think about the next sale. I know that you are like me, we realized that in the past already. I believe in "What goes around, comes around.". There is no need to push for anything, unless you are in for the quick buck or short sighted.

    Things only work long term, if everybody wins at the end and nobody involved gets the feeling that he got the bad end of the deal.

    Hey, that was just another well meant piece of advice actually. It sounds "simple" and cheesy, but let it sound cheesy all day long, if it is right. It's not "simple" though. No work and commitment (nothing to make go around) = no rewards (nothing will come around eventually). It only sounds more simple, because it is more fun and also feels better at the end of the day. You can be yourself and act naturally. That is the only part that is actually easier, if you are doing it this way.

    Cheers!

  • http://squidoo.com/onlinenewbietraining Judy

    Colin

    Great notes about social marketing. Do you intend to review training programs. I have done some of this (for free) and hope to be doing more. Not intersted at the moment in creating my own products or reinventing the wheel as I think there are "some" valuable products out there for the new internet affiliate marketer. Not talking about software though–just step 1, step 2, etc. training.

    Keep evaluating for us.

  • http://www.tryitbuyitorfryit.com Daryl

    Colin,

    I thought your sales letter was over over-hyped so I took a shot at you on my blog but seriously would love to have you weigh in to say exactly what internet marketing products bother you so much.

    tryitbuyitorbuyit.com is a place for newbies to learn what work's, what doesn't and what just plain sucks… try it, buy it or fry it.

    If you know what sucks, your input would be awesome and a lot of newbies would be helped. Home to hear from you soon.