Here’s why…

There’s a myth that you can become successful online by writing and marketing an eBook. Writers spend months filling their eBooks with valuable information, getting the layout and eCover just right, and even hiring eBook mentors/coaches to walk them through the process.

Even three years ago when you could sell an eBook on ClickBank easily for 47 to 97 bucks, you still had to sell many copies to do well with it. Because of the recession, some bad eBooks that have been sold, and tech like the Kindle, the price of eBooks has dropped like a rock.

In fact, many Amazon negative customer reviews are based upon publishers charging the same price for a Kindle edition as a paperback. Customers feel they’re being cheated paying the same for digital as dead tree (print) editions.

Use eBooks to build your credibility as an expert. Use eBooks as a front end product driving your customers into a profitable sales funnel of higher-priced goods and services on the back end.

But avoid building your online business based on an eBook as your primary source of revenue.

To your online success!

-Mike the Internet attorney

P.S. Part of protecting yourself when publishing an eBook or a PDF special report is to have the right legal disclaimers and disclosures in the documents so you can protect what you own and reduce your chances of getting in trouble with the government. To learn how to do this, go to affiliatedisclaimers.com.

Her mistake?

Lying to the government about how much money she earned.

In addition to the Federal Trade Commission, Internet entrepreneurs have to worry about dealing with the IRS when making false earnings claims. Your Web lawyer can explain specific dangers and details but here’s a general overview.

For example, if you tell your customers on your website that they will earn X using your product based upon your experience, those earnings numbers better be real. Puffing them up to make the product look more effective simply gives the tax collectors something to point to as evidence of what you are earning using the product yourself.

If you say, “Earn $XXXXX in 30 Days,” it will be reasonable for the IRS to assume you are actually earning that yourself. Guess who has the burden of proving that is not true if you get a tax audit and are asked about it?

It’s hard to have any credibility on this issue when the defense is you lied to make extra sales. Admitting Internet fraud to avoid tax fraud prosecution is not an attractive option. If you’ve committed Internet fraud, you may need a criminal defense lawyer in addition to a Web lawyer.

When in doubt, under-promise, over-deliver, and have your customers be thrilled because of it.

To your online success!

-Mike the Web lawyer

P.S. One of the most effective ways to communicate credibly with your customers is using a reputable autoresponder service like aWeber. I’ve been using their services for years and highly recommend the company.

One of the most common questions I get asked as a Web lawyer these days from Internet business owners is “How can I guarantee that I won’t get sued?”

The sad fact of the matter is that you really can’t…and anyone (Web lawyer or not) who claims that they can sell you such a guarantee is lying to you out of greed or ignorance.

Here’s why…

You can reduce your legal risks by taking certain steps and using the right website legal documents but there are so many international, federal, state, and local laws and regulations out there that potentially apply to your website that it is simply impossible to eliminate all risks.

For example, if you set up a site that sold illegal drugs, the best website “Privacy Policy” and “Terms and Conditions of Use” ever drafted wouldn’t protect you from the law.

Instead of looking for fake guarantees of risk elimination, play your cards right by reducing your legal risks instead.

To your online success!

-Mike the Web lawyer

P.S. If you can’t afford to invest in customized website legal documents prepared by a Web lawyer, you can still reduce your risks by using Website Legal Forms Generator software.

From a criminal standpoint, there’s a presumption of innocence. From a civil legal standpoint, neither a government agency nor a private civil suit has determined any liability.

Some of the smaller gurus are trying to clone the ‘cartel,’ i.e. they’re forming alliances with competitors and trying to do the same things the big marketers have been accused of doing. This really isn’t new. About two years ago, one of these “small” gurus was happily telling anyone who would listen about his plans to do this under the inaccurate label of a “mastermind.”

The good news is that how this will play out is irrelevant to your own success in selling goods and services online. You don’t need your Internet lawyer to tell you that your success depends upon you.

The key lesson to take from this is to plan ahead instead of operating your Internet business off-the-cuff.

For example, my companies have products under development that will roll out every few months through mid-2012. They’re marked on a schedule and there is a time table for launching each.

To qualify:

1. Each product must deliver value to customers. When you buy, I want to know I’ve put you in a better position than you would have been otherwise.
2. Each product must serve an existing market. In other words, I know that you and/or other Internet entrepreneurs want products like these to help protect yourself and build your business.

Put together some tests of your own for product development and create your own launch schedule with time tables. Revise based upon changing market demands.

To your online success!

-Mike the Internet lawyer

P.S. One of the ways to protect yourself when your affiliates promote is to have them become customers first. Prospective affiliates who won’t invest in your products are more likely to misrepresent them to the public in order to earn a dishonest commission. Click here to check out Internet Attorney Association products that are part of an affiliate program.

Many of the bloggers have made little or no money and consider their blogs to be hobbies instead of businesses. That makes hiring a Web lawyer or tax attorney to fight the government difficult.

Why is this issue important to you?

With the U.S. federal government being insolvent (liabilities exceed assets) and many state (including California, New York, and Illinois) and local governments in the same capsized boat, the Internet looks like a fat pig to roast for new taxes to feed the public sector.

Be sure you’re complying with applicable laws when running your blogs and websites in general.

One of the biggest mistakes online entrepreneurs make is operating their businesses the wrong way from an asset protection and tax standpoint. Talk with your Web lawyer about how to avoid this deadly trap that could cost you everything.

To your online success!

-Mike the Web lawyer

Click here to view the embedded video.

What went wrong?

Did Bennett not give it his total commitment? He quit the lucrative business of pharmaceutical sales to pursue his dream as a stay-at-home entrepreneur. He racked up nearly $600,000 in debt pursuing his dream, and his wife filed for divorce this month after (because of?) all the sacrifices made. How much more could you ask from him?

Did he not believe in The Secret? Bennett marketed himself as an expert in personal growth and the Law of Attraction.

You can Escape The Rat Race if you BELIEVE  in yourself, you are serious about taking your life to another level, you are motivated, you have leadership skills and you have what it takes to be a Successful Entrepreneur. – Ellery Bennett

Maybe Bennett didn’t do enough social media like the Internet gurus recommend?

Actually, Ellery Bennett was active in social media. In addition to his blog, he had:

• Linkedin Profile
• Twitter account with almost 60,000 followers
• Facebook account with FB friends

Like others in Internet marketing, Ellery Bennett made the major mistake of believing he could fake it until he made it. As the hole got deeper, he had to choose whether to keep digging or stop.

There is more to life than online business success. As you look at Ellery Bennett’s videos and websites, you get a picture of someone who wanted nothing more than the freedom to stay at home and spend time with his wife and daughter. But in chasing the dream, it cost him everything.

Bennett should have stayed working in pharmaceutical sales or some other job with a steady income until he had built up an online business that could support himself and his family. It wasn’t a lack of belief that caused this horrible chain of events to occur. It was the wrong belief…that if you wanted something bad enough, there was a law of attraction that would guarantee you would receive the results you desired.

To your online success! (or better yet, to a happy life in the present)

-Mike

P.S. If the Internet gurus who sold Ellery Bennett on how to get rich online had an ounce of decency, they’d take the money he invested in their flopportunities and give the money to Bennett’s 10-year-old daughter. She’s going to need alot of psychological and financial support in the coming years.

Related News Stories

• Man is charged in wife’s stabbing
• West Bloomfield stabbing suspect: Wife attacked first
• W. Bloomfield man charged with murder in wife’s death
• West Bloomfield Husband Ellery Bennett Charged With Murder

Scam #1 is “Be My Partner.”

The guru spends the money for a private placement memorandum to sell securities in an Internet marketing venture. In plain English, the guru uses legal documents to cover his butt while selling you overpriced stock in a venture. Those who invest do so upon the mistaken belief that they’ll be real ‘partners’ with the guru. The company either has no chance of success or the guru keeps control so the investors have no say in how their money is spent.

Scam #2 is the “Pump and Dump.”

The guru hypes stock in his Internet company, gets a bunch of people excited, goes public with the company and sells shares at a peak. The guru cashes in through the sale and the new investors are stuck with owning stock that has little or no value.

Scam #3 is “Flying by the Seat of Your Pants.”

This guru is too cheap to even pretend to do things legally. He sells ownership in his company to investors like you without providing a private placement memorandum or meeting the securities law requirements for going public. The prices vary depending upon what he wants or thinks the investor will pay. In some instances, the guru will even sell more than 100% of the company to different investors and pocket the money for personal use.

If it sounds too good to be true, run away. If you have any doubts, talk over the investment opportunity with your Website attorney and your financial advisor before putting any money into the venture.

To your online success!

-Mike the Website attorney

P.S. A good warning sign that a guru plays fast and loose with the rules is his failure to have proper website legal documents. To get legal documents for your website, check out Website Legal Forms Generator software.

Why was Mr. Guru “mad?”

I had ‘missed’ his webinar. In fact, I had never registered for it. Because of this ‘failure’ on my part, I was apparently never going to be successful…unless I listened to the replay of the webinar.

Would you listen to a webinar replay from someone pitching it this way? What else would he misrepresent?

Your Web lawyer will tell you it’s perfectly fine to build curiosity in your business marketing with your email subject lines. However, lying for shock value crosses the line. It is unethical and in some instances flat out illegal.

A second point — Mr. Guru’s business has pretty much collapsed and he’s trying to live off of past successes. So not only did he lie about being mad at me, he was also lying in the email about his current status.

How do you regain someone’s trust after pulling such a stunt?

If Mr. Guru had asked me for advice, I’d have told him to be truthful in the subject line, focus on what worked for him in the past, and teach people how to avoid the mistakes that got him into trouble in the first place.

To your online success!

-Mike the Web lawyer

P.S. Click here now to learn more about the types of claims that can get your business in legal hot water.

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

They have finished excluding prospective jurors with valid exemptions. Being an Internet lawyer does not qualify as an exemption.

Under Texas law, I could have claimed an exemption for taking care of my kid. However, he will make it to football practice without me holding his hand.

There is always a shortage of jurors. Although it is far more profitable to bill my time this morning as an Internet lawyer than the 6 bucks I will get as a juror, there is a civic duty in addition to be an officer of the court.

So I have been sworn as a prospective juror and sit here with my fellow citizens waiting to be called to a courtroom for questioning (voir dire).

To your online success!

-Mike the Internet lawyer

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.