Separating the crooks from the good guys?

Discussion in 'General Marketing' started by texasag90, Dec 20, 2007.

  1. #1
    Hello;

    I am new to monetizing internet content. My goal is to add value and profit from that. My goal ia also specifically to avoid "tricking the system" to get ad revenue, clicks, etc.

    So, I am trying to understand how to learn about SEO and Marketing, etc. The problem is that there is so much "get rick quick" stuff out there, I am not sure who is for real and who is just trying to make money off of me. :eek:

    Any words of wisdom on "who can be trusted." It seems like everyone with advice is also selling something....

    Thoughts appreciated.
     
    texasag90, Dec 20, 2007 IP
  2. Perry Rose

    Perry Rose Peon

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    #2
    Perry Rose, Dec 20, 2007 IP
  3. contentedge

    contentedge Active Member

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    #3
    Go to Johnchow.com and sign up for his free ebook. He doesn't have any catch, anything to sell. Just plain old ebook. It's as good a primer as any for starters.

    PS: And no; I'm not associated with John in anyway. I started off with that stuff, so I thought I'd recommend it to you. :)
     
    contentedge, Dec 20, 2007 IP
  4. cbogey88

    cbogey88 Peon

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    #4
    You're right. There are a lot of bad apples out there trying to take advantage of people. It's not uncommon. Before buying any product, I would make sure it either has a guarantee, or is a low priced membership service you can try out for a month, then if you don't like it, either be out a month, or get your money back.

    I wouldn't buy any IM ebooks over $80 and that's pushing it.
     
    cbogey88, Dec 20, 2007 IP
  5. tonybogs

    tonybogs Peon

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    #5
    Check the person out first...

    You can ask here on DP if anyone has used the product or service and if so get an unbiased opinion (usually)

    I also like to email the person directly to ask them to "firm up" some of their claims. Usually the scammers wil respond with some waffle further trying to push their product. It doesn't usually take long to sort the genuine from the scammers.

    Hope this helps :)
     
    tonybogs, Dec 20, 2007 IP
  6. texasag90

    texasag90 Peon

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    #6
    Tony;

    Thanks for the reply. Actually, maybe you can be a test case. I read your ad copy -- it looks really compellling for eBooks, and the price is right. Even a money back guarentee. You sound like a nice guy, too.

    So, how can I tell the difference between you (a nice guy with a good product) and the "get rich quick" guys that are putting out eBooks with junk in them? Testimonals on your site sound great (and are probably real), but how can I tell the real ones on your site from the fake ones?

    Tell you what -- How about a test? Give me a reasonable answer to the above, and I will buy your eBook, follow it to the letter, and post the results here. What do you think?
     
    texasag90, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  7. The Emirates Gallastico

    The Emirates Gallastico Banned

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    #7
    Anyone with a decent enough product with have enough reviews (with 'proof', like say a link to the reviewers website) to fully convince a prospective buyer it would be worth it. :)
     
    The Emirates Gallastico, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  8. Raithe

    Raithe Well-Known Member

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    #8
    Don't buy a single ebook, don't buy a single product.

    Information is free. Read digitalpoint and related blogs for all the tips you need. Avoid *nearly* any domain that ends in ?r=158125 or any other affiliate link, unless you trust the person referring you.
     
    Raithe, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  9. joebert

    joebert Well-Known Member

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    #9
    Eventually you'll instinctively know the ones you can trust because by the time they ask for money you already feel like you owe it to them.
     
    joebert, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  10. tonybogs

    tonybogs Peon

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    #10
    Hi texasg90,

    Thanks for the response and the kind words. I will be sure to show my wife your post to remind her I'm a nice guy next time she yells at me :)

    To answer your questions, there is really no 100% way to tell if someone is a crook or genuine, the best advice I can give is do your research. If anyone is ever feeling uncertain about my product I am happy to have them email me with any questions. If a customer emails me I very rarely try to force the product on them, I will simply try to help them the best way I can (without giving everything away of course). I think this is a big difference, a few scammers do nothing but try to push the product, a more genuine seller takes a different approach. Their goal is usually to help people progress and at the same time provide a little income for themselves.

    As for my testimonials. I have provided a link to Wysdom which were the first people I didn't know to purchase the product. Many of my customers are newbies so I do not paste their URLs (as they don't have one). As for the others they sell similar products to myself so I'd rather not leak the traffic while the product is in soft launch. In general I try to paste the best testimonials and not the ones that I can prove the best, that approach has worked much better for me in the past.

    As for the test, if you feel like the product will be a good investment for you I welcome you testing it out, no obligation to you of course. I will stand by my guarantee as well. :)

    Thanks Again
     
    tonybogs, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  11. sudarshannus

    sudarshannus Peon

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    #11
    ok here is how you seperate...First check how he talks with you....then see if he has good samples and past works...see if he is knowledgable and has good reputation....this will help you out
     
    sudarshannus, Dec 21, 2007 IP
  12. texasag90

    texasag90 Peon

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    #12
    Tony -- now I am a little confused. I checked this out, and it looks to me like you are reselling Mike Benkovich's ebook. Is that correct?
     
    texasag90, Dec 22, 2007 IP
  13. Perry Rose

    Perry Rose Peon

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    #13
    Oh yeah, thanks to everybody else.

    Sincerely,
    Mark
     
    Perry Rose, Dec 22, 2007 IP
  14. tonybogs

    tonybogs Peon

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    #14
    Hi Mark,

    Actually, my name is Mike Benkovich :)

    Tony is my childhood nickname.
     
    tonybogs, Dec 22, 2007 IP
  15. Hagen

    Hagen Peon

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    #15
    This is a good rule of thumb. Most of the "real deal" guys I've seen will provide you with so much value in their FREE stuff, that by the time the offer comes up, they already have credibility.

    A great example of this is Bob Bly (copywriting and direct marketing). When you go to his website, he offers you 4 free reports for signing up for his newsletter, plus he's got tons of free articles you can read, all without having to purchase anything. With the legit guys, there's more of a "try before you buy" dynamic going on.

    Best of luck!
     
    Hagen, Dec 23, 2007 IP
  16. texasag90

    texasag90 Peon

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    #16
    Purchased as promised.
     
    texasag90, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  17. sweetlouise

    sweetlouise Well-Known Member

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    #17
    only trust people who can prove their work and have good refferences, always check out feedback others have left.
     
    sweetlouise, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  18. John Guanzon

    John Guanzon Peon

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    #18
    As stated above, check the person out... Google them, find out what others say about them, etc. As a rule of thumb I actually very rarely buy from someone I don't know about or a trusted friend does not introduce to me or recommend to me. Also those who have something to share will often times give you a lot of quality up front first before they ever ask for anything in return.
     
    John Guanzon, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  19. vartov

    vartov Peon

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    #19
    Mark you are right, many people out there are trying to make money selling the first product they find. There is too much crap and if you don't want to be ripped off you need to do some research before buying from someone.

    Also, pay attention to the most common problem many newbies are facing, it is information overload. I suggest you pick a couple of people that you trust and study and follow them.

    Thanks,
    PV Reymond
     
    vartov, Dec 26, 2007 IP
  20. fasttrack

    fasttrack Banned

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    #20
    well if you are looking for a solid honest way to make money it is unique content, good seo, and ad placement and that is about it :)
     
    fasttrack, Dec 26, 2007 IP