New School Marketing by Kim Klaver

To get noticed...

2009-07-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

If they don't sit up and take notice, your business is sunk.

So here's what it takes: you gotta be different.

What have you tried in your NM business that's different from the usual?

Yes, different doesn't guarantee success. But doing the same as everyone else guarantees you won't be noticed. Who wants to be like an airline where no one cares which one they fly, so long as they get there?

Use comments below. You don't need a password...or anything else. Just tell what you have done, successful or not, that is different from the same old same old in your business.

P.S. These folks bared all to get people's attention...

Blink Twice If You Like Me

2009-07-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

I see fireflies often when I run in the evening. They always make me smile, but I never realized what was going on...

When you see them in the evening, they're different species that are all rising into the air at the same time. The fireflies in the air are all males. Each species of firefly has their own blinking pattern. And that's how they find their match-mates

"Down in the grass, females are sitting and observing. They look for flash patterns of males of their own species, and sometimes they respond with a single flash of their own, always at a precise interval after the male’s."

“Most people don’t realize there’s this call and response going on.”

Way more complex that I'd have guessed. Wonderful piece right here. Reminded me of the challenges we have as buyers and sellers, trying to find each others' best matched blinking patterns. Hehe.

Since they judge a book by its cover...

2009-07-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

how about different covers? You know, for the same email. Uh, book.

A cover with the half dressed girl appeals to A, but a half naked boxer with a gun appeals to B.

Same book inside.

You can do the same with email messages: If you have a good message, send one with subject line A; wait a few days, and send all those who did NOT open the first email, the same message inside. But this time, with a DIFFERENT subject line.

You can do this RIGHT NOW.

That's just one of about a dozen clever email tips two extremely, no - wildly successful marketers offer. I just got them, totally fun and helpful. Not $1997 or $497. Under $99 even. HERE.

One Minute 'Why Don't They Buy' Movie

2009-06-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

Last week I did a live webinar for a neat company. So for you, I took one point and made a little one minute movie...And yes, I know the last link (to my blog) on the last image doesn't work yet. Sigh.

Click HERE for the QuickTime One Minute Movie:
Why Don't They Buy?

YouTube version:

Time wastes too fast...and the pursuit of happiness

2009-06-26T22:48:00.000-07:00

May I introduce you to Thomas Jefferson?

Two favorite shots...

His living room...

And the full-of-life Dolley Madison's take on life when her niece was all tangled up in trivialities...

Prepare to be delighted and inspired.

How to sell to the choir

2009-06-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

It's easier to sell religious stuff to the choir than to the heathen...

"No thanks."

That's what Lulu's friend told her about her organic skin care products. Certified organic, even.

How could anyone say NO to certified organic skin care products, thought Lulu. Doesn't every woman know that regular skin care products are made of chemicals and toxins that go directly into your skin? Over time, they take their toll on how you look...

Yes, they often hype good-sounding popular herb on the label, but very little of that is in the product. Read the ingredients...you'll see.

Back to Lulu and her friend. The friend is sticking with Ponds for $6. Not Lulu's which is 3 times more.

Lulu's friend is an organic skin care heathen. Even after hearing all the reasons, she passed. Lulu got over it. She realized that:

-Certified organic skin care products are a specialty item.
-Specialty products come with specialty prices.
-Specialty priced stuff requires people with shared values to buy them.

Lulu decided right then to market only to her choir - someone who:

really cares about her skin and thinks she can do something about it.
realizes that what you put on your skin will make a big difference in how it looks over the years.
realizes chemicals and toxins are not good for your skin over the long term.
appreciates that certified organic skin care products do not have the harmful ingredients the other stuff has.

That's her 'religion' and she's sticking to it.

(Lulu also noticed that her well-intentioned attempts at "educating" her friend came across as nagging. So she let go and saved the relationship.)

Remember: If your product is specialty, it will likely be specialty priced. So you need to ask for folks who share the value which is the basis for the product's design and price.

People are different. Live with it.

Isn't it easier to sell religious stuff to the choir than to the heathen? What's your religion?

#1 question to ask your customers

2009-06-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

This one's is the basis of an entire book (The Ultimate Question, by Fred Reichheld ):

"How likely are you to recommend (Name of Product) to a colleague or friend?" And then ask them to provide a number between zero and ten.

[NOTE: The author assumes the customers are just regular customers, NOT network marketers earning money on their own purchases, nor prospective sales people for the product.]

They've used the information - from the scores they - get to suggest who might be likely to refer and who won't (again not for money, but because they like the product):

Promoters (score 9-10) are loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth.
Passives (score 7-8) are satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to competitive offerings.
Detractors (score 0-6) are unhappy customers who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative word-of-mouth.

Very cool. Check it out more of this approach here.

Let me know if any of you try this and what your findings are.

Is talent overrated?

2009-06-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

This story has been told many times...

"Sylvester Stallone was rejected as an actor by every Hollywood studio. The script he wrote for Rocky was also summarily rejected by all but one – and they agreed to buy it for a flat fee; Stallone, broke at the time, refused to sell it unless he could star in the movie and receive customary compensation. He made the rounds again and again. He persisted until he finally got his way.

"There must be thousands of better actors and thousands of better script writers who were working as waiters then and are still working as waiters now. The difference is not talent. In my 30 years’ business experience, I’ve found talent to be the most overrated of all things, less likely to lead to success than most things.

"By comparison, staying stuck like super-glue to an objective; acquiring the needed know-how at any cost; ignoring others’ criticism; refusing to take no for a permanent answer, fighting, scrapping, studying, figuring out one more piece then one more piece; these behaviors are behind the true stories of the rich and famous..." Notes from Dan Kennedy.

What's your take? Does stick-to-it-tiveness trump talent? And if so, why do we have such a hard time sticking like glue to an objective and acquiring the needed know-how at any cost?

If you want more...

2009-06-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

"If you want more, make yourself more valuable." Dan Kennedy

Self-criticism: dangerous to your success?

2009-06-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

Do these thoughts ever run through your mind? From the Wall St. Journal today...(PDF here in case)

"A physician starts playing a harsh mental tape in her head every time a new patient calls: What if I make the wrong diagnosis? I'm a terrible doctor. How did I get into medical school?

"An executive loses his job and despite 25 productive years, he tells himself: I'm a loser. I can't provide for my family, and I'll never be able to again.

"An eminent scholar is offered a top post in the Obama administration and his first reaction is: They must have made a mistake.

"If these real-life examples sound familiar, you may have a caustic commentary running in your head, too. Psychologists say many of their patients are plagued by a harsh Inner Critic -- including some extremely successful people who think it's the secret to their success."
"An Inner Critic can indeed roust you out of bed in the morning, get you on the treadmill (literally and figuratively) and spur you to finish that book or symphony or invention.
"But the desire to achieve can get hijacked by harsh judgment and unrelenting fear. "There's a healthy version and an unhealthy version," says Daniel F. Seidman, a clinical psychologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. In some cases, he says, "people may achieve a lot, but they are totally miserable about it." MORE here. (PDF here in case)

How about you? Time to silence that carping inner critic?

Confession

2009-06-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

It's almost Sunday, so here we go.

I have promoted Frank Kern's intensive and life-changing marketing program to my readers. Why did I do that, when I've written on my blog, that the chances of your succeeding with anything gurus market, are small? (Mostly because it's so hard to find the right people who are active buyers for what you're selling.)

Two things you should know.

1) Frank's sale numbers are small, too.

Just before he opened yesterday, he wrote that he had about 36,000 people opting in to his site for this, i.e. entering their email to receive more info. Four hours into the sale, he said he'd already taken in $500,000 - half a million dollars. Sounds like a lot and it IS. However...

$500,000 means about 250 folks bought it during that time, including some of you - @ $1997. (Yes, payments available.) That is less than 1 percent of the 36,000 people looking. Remember that. Nearly ALL of the people on his list are just lookers, too.)

I am not a "looker" when I see what I want. What he teaches - how to find, bond and maintain relationships with people who are looking for what you market - are forever principles. OK that brings me to:

2. Frank's stuff does not depend on the latest system, Google policy, or hot niche.

Confession. Because of the constant hoopla regarding other Internet marketing approaches, like PPC (Pay Per Click) or CPA (Cost Per Action), I bought 7-8 of the most marketed of those programs over the past 9-12 months. I had my programmer learn them and test them. Almost full time.

PPC and CPA are a kind of affiliate marketing online, where you begin running say, Google ads, and creating landing pages and blogs for the products. If you make a sale through one of your sites (or their affiliate site) you earn part of the sale price of what you sold.

A few folks, after years of intense effort (at PPC and CPA), have done very well. But not us. Here were my results after 9 months almost full time effort of my programmer (who enjoys marketing online):

Good: We got a lot of experience learning how to do this stuff. Hundreds of hours.
Bummer: No income. I can live with that however. Nothing like this is quick. But here's what I'd rather not live with:

1) the specific rules of the game change constantly (Google changes their PPC rules almost every month) so your carefully planned ad campaigns work one day and not the next. The CPA networks inactivate campaigns they offered weekly - AFTER we'd built sites for them - with no notice. So all the work we'd done was suddenly useless.
2) what we learned technically, has very little application in a people business. Except of course to sell it to others. :(

That's why, after all the effort and money spent on the PPC and CPA Internet Marketing "systems" I turned back to marketing basics - marketing something that adds to my life, and finding, bonding and offering what I have to people of like mind.

And that's what Frank teaches better than anyone I've come across, so far. Despite his self-conscious little weirdnesses and his Jesus-like long hair.

P.S. A couple of folks asked me if I get paid in case someone buys Frank's program through my link. Of course! I became an affiliate of his after I fell in love with his stuff a year or so ago. So like anyone who makes a sale, they pay me. (If the sale sticks, just like in NM.) In the past six months, I have passed on most all promotions I've been offered. Not because they won't help SOMEone, but because almost no one but Frank teach marketing principles that coincide with my own. It's for people who love what they sell, and who want to seek out people of like mind.

False headlines

2009-06-09T15:26:00.000-07:00

Some people, in a desperate attempt to get us to open their email, use outright lies.

Got one today from a person I've worked with before. The SUBJECT was:

You Made a Sale

So of course, I opened it with happy anticipation...

But the email said:

"That is what you will see flooding your email box
at the end of this month.

"Go here to see what GURU Mark says about this upcoming
brand new mega launch..."

I emailed the sender right back, asking why he'd had to tell me a lie to get me to open his email.

His quick reply:

"Sorry Kim....

"Just a tactic we use to make sure the emails get opened."

So that's what it's come to. Outright lying as a tactic among online 'friends' to get us to open emails. This is the second time someone's done that to me of late. I got off both lists.

Am I wrong to have this reaction?

P.S. This was not a network marketer. He's an affiliate launch sales manager. That means he promotes launches of certain online programs to folks he hopes will market the program for him.

Silent Evidence

2009-05-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

There's a fallacy in the way we perceive events, says Black Swan author N. Taleb.

Take the story of the shipwrecked worshipers.

2,000 years ago, someone showed a philosopher a tablet with pictures of some folks who had prayed, then survived a shipwreck.

The inference was that praying protects you from drowning.

The philosopher then asked: Where are the pictures of the worshipers who prayed, then drowned?

Silent evidence, in this case - the other worshipers who prayed but drowned - conceals the randomness of events, Taleb writes.

As humans, we seek to explain why some people survive (or succeed), by coming up with - and selling - reasons why they did so. Naturally they suggest you can, too, if you buy and do what they're selling.

For example, take any of the thousands of "10 proven rules for success" programs or books in the you-name-it-business, from marketing to acting to stock brokering.

They're often based on someone who made it following those 10 (or whatever) rules.

But they all omit the silent evidence - those who did the very things described. For a sustained period of time. Only they did NOT make it.

Success may be much more random than the gurus and recruiters would have you believe. But it's easier to blame the people ("they're losers, not committed..." etc.) than to acknowledge we might be reading too much into individual (and few) success stories.

P.S. In any creative venture - from your movie to your own business - belief that it's going to turn out well seems absolutely necessary, simply to begin. But even with belief and tremendous effort, often it does NOT turn out well. Most movies, like businesses, fail too. And not for lack of belief and sustained effort and big infusions of money.

That's why it's so important to love your thing, so that at least you'll have gotten some thrills and enjoyment from the experience. At least then your lack of success won't eat at you until the stress of it makes you a wreck.

How to speak so you don't sound like a seller

2009-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

As a network marketer, you are a 'practitioner of uncertainty.'

However, there are a few basic skills you must master to have even a chance at success.

Here's one: How NOT to sound like a seller.

When a network marketer introduces her product to people, the tendency is to preach, and use lots of jargon and scientific facts she herself has just learned.

This is a big fat turn-off to other people. Have you noticed?

All new people seem to sound like sellers, only they don't know it. Here are two examples from a 3 Scripts Class (the two 'worst scripts' voted by the class with fun and kindness). TURN ON AUDIO.

Worst and second worst approach script (3 mins)

Does that sound like you?

If you don't know what to say to people about your product, or how to answer "What do you do?" try this.

1. Read your own approach script or standard answer, out loud. Chances are you will hear the jargon and seller talk instantly.

2. Instead of preaching or using big words no one else understands or cares about, tell a product story without making promises. Preferably your own.

I show you how you can do #2 in the $18 book, "If My Product's So Great, How Come I Can't Sell It?" (top left, 4 down). You can also hear us live, transform seller-talk scripts into pleasant, engaging conversation. Mini 3 Scripts package here ($57)

There's also the more recent, big Kahuna Customer Enchilada package, here ($99 or $147 for CDs). Top left = MP3 and top left two down, is the CD-book package.

One thing you'll discover listening in to these: during each class, sales were made to others in class - once the new script was crafted. And sometimes, a person would want to buy a product, only to discover they were in the same company and didn't recognize it from the jargon they'd learned (!).

Learning how to talk to others about your program - in an engaging and non-preachy way - is the biggest obstacle a new person must overcome. And they don't teach it at the NM companies. Sigh.

Learning this one skill improves you chances of surviving the process more than any other. After all, if everyone runs when they hear you talk about your product or business, how long will you stay in the business?

And how satisfying will your experience be?

A Practitioner of Uncertainty

2009-05-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

Every time a big league player comes up to bat he faces random results: he might strike out. He might get a hit. 7 of ten times they get zip.

Those are the best professional ball players. Average professional players blow it 8 out of ten times.One of the best and most loved players captured the predicament in a now famous line:

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." Yogi Berra, New York Yankee catcher and coach.

"Practitioners of uncertainty," Mr. Taleb called them.

As marketers, we too, are practitioners of uncertainty. We have no clue, when we're approaching people, who will buy and who won't. Even when we're really good, there is no guarantee.

Let no recruiter or Internet guru seduce you to buy their stuff with any promise of assured income.

There is NEVER assured income when you're marketing.

Because it's not just up to you.

Thanks Kim, you say. Thanks for that uplifting news.

Now what?

Once you accept that as a marketer, you are a practitioner of uncertainty, all will be well. Because then here's what you have to do (oh uh, am I making a promise?):

Find something with financial potential, that excites you enough so you won't get tired easily of doing it over and over. You know, so you get better and better and maybe even great at it.

Then you'll enjoy the trip as well as the income rewards. After all, what if it does work?

Can I sell it?

2009-05-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

It takes these two things to make a living marketing and selling online:

1. Something to sell

2. Buyers for it (enough to make the time and effort worth your while)

That sounds really elementary, I know. Many people have something to sell, but have no idea who the buyers are or how to find them. Others hear about all these buyers of this or that type product, and wonder how they can find something to sell them too.

Let's assume you are:

1) selling something that needs introduction or demonstration. It's NOT a commodity (something you can buy at Wal-Mart or Amazon.com, say, like a book, an iPod or a DVD); and

2) you are doing direct sales or network marketing - i.e. approaching people directly in person, through email, your blog, etc. (versus having a store or site where they come without direction from you).

Can you sell it?

Maybe.

Answer these four questions about whatever you are selling:

1. Does it define you?
2. Do you have a big fat emotional connection to it?
3. Do you know it or the why of it, thoroughly?
4. Are you completely confident when you present it?

If you answer no to 1 or 2, find something else to sell. Those who might buy will see you're not really that into it and wouldn't buy from you. Who buys a really top grade tennis racquet from a person who doesn't live and love tennis?

You can learn to change 3 and 4.

That's step one - having something to sell where you can say YES to 1-4 above.

Next - how to find your buyers - assuming there are enough so you might get some.

Launch Tree: For idiots only?

2009-05-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

In an email today, Mike Filsaime, the guy who co-created Launch Tree writes:

"A lot of you may not have a product, so you're
waiting to start online - you may think that the
Launch Tree is not for you...WRONG.

We're going to get on the phone with you for
4 weeks and teach you EXACTLY how to build
your own products in just 3 days or less..."

So now here's Launch Tree:

A "not easy to install on your computer and get working program" - by their own admission;
Requires you already have "A GOOD FLOW OF NEW CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO USE IT" say Kern and Reese's emails about it. They're promoting it and offer to show you - if you buy through them - how to get a bunch of customers immediately in their one-day online workshop.
Requires you have an information product ready to sell online. Since the creators realized today that you likely don't have such a thing, they (Mike and Anik, Launch Tree creators) just offered you their *Instant Product Development Virtual Workshop* (they were going to charge $997 for it, they say, but you can get it free if you order LT today).

Proof #3 works? Well, gosh, big online superstar Anik did it. "10 days later, he had made $7,267!," says today's email. Anik's list is in the tens of thousands. Most are buyers of the PPC Classroom.

Assume he pitched whatever he created in three days, (remember he is an online expert with years of trial and error experience) to his giant PPC Classroom list. Wouldn't you think he would earn a lot more than "$7,267!"?

And there's no guarantee more than 20-30% of those people would buy again next month, much less 100% as they entice you with - "That's a monthly income of $21,801!"

And what are you going to create that people will pay for next month?

Anyone who has little experience or success so far in any of the above three areas, and think they can do 2 and 3 fast, i.e. "get customers" and "create an online product" (that people will buy), is an idiot.

There is no question that the 5,000+ people Mike says have bought so far, will do nothing more than give these boys their money. I'd guess most will never even get the program working, much less build a buying customer base, or create a really great info product.

On the other hand, if you have computer software savvy, have a strong and growing customer base, and have a super information product to market, this will be $77 (plus upsells and monthly fees) likely well-spent.

Rate your money-making guru products: Launch Tree

2009-05-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

You bought a program or product that offered you online riches.

How do you rate it now that you have it and have started using it? You know, vis a vis what attracted you to it?

1. ..........A complete failure in every way
2. ...........Barely functional - don't buy it
3........Serious flaws, proceed with caution
4............... Downsides outweigh upsides
5..... Recommended with a few reservations
6.... A solid product that has some issues
7...............Very good, but not quite great
8.........Excellent, but with room to kvetch
9................... Nearly flawless - buy it now
10........ Metaphysical product perfection

(From Wired mag)

Let's use it to rate the probability of your success with stuff you're considering buying.

E.g. Launch Tree. It's the latest Internet marketing guru product - being hotly promoted by the some of the biggest guns. It promises to make you big money while you do, of course, very little. Oh darn. Once it is set up, that is. Now they confess that part is isn't as easy as it sounds.

When promoters admit, after the 7th promotional email, that their money making program is not easy or fast to set up, you can be sure it isn't. Read: you have to be an expert, or hire one, to get it set up in any reasonable time. Much like a video distribution program I bought, then unbought. They wanted to charge me to show me how to use it. Right.

Oh, and the Tree Launch also admits that it expects you to have customers already.

That's because its income promises depend 100% on getting existing customers to buy MORE. My good friend Frank Kern, in his promo, says he and buddy John Reese will show you how to "get customers" in one day if you get it from him.

Getting customers is the greatest challenge of EVERY new business in the world. Easier said than done, as all new business people discover.

The initial cost of the program, before the upsells, is relatively cheap - $77. Of course there will be upsells and a monthly continuation fee of some kind. That comes after you've been sucked in by the juicy promises, you know, in the fine print.

Don't get me wrong. It may be a VERY good program. For people who have the time, know-how or money to set it up. And for people who already have active, buying customers, not just a list whose members unsubscribe whenever you make them an offer. And for people who realize it takes TIME to build a business and a customer list.

But of course it's being sold as quick easy money. "Only $77" too.

And there's the question: If it is NOT quick, NOT easy, and you need customers already, there are likely other obstacles that need to be overcome a newbie won't know about. Big ones. I wonder if there should be a ranking system depending on the experience and business acumen of the audience being pitched. Like movie ratings.

Because it's not just the money one spends, it's the time and hope given to something. Something that many people realize, AFTER the time and money have been spent, they had no business buying - not yet anyway.

RATING of Launch Tree: 3: Serious flaws, proceed with caution

Sins of omission, sins of information are the big bummer flaws.

Your thoughts?

5.5 Million Views: Who really pays for your cheap stuff?

2009-05-12T00:08:00.001-07:00

Story of Stuff.

Fabulous. This could shake your values right down to your bone marrow.

Why NOT to buy the next latest gadget or other new faddish piece of clothing.

I promise you will not guess, according to this, who really pays for your ability to buy stuff so cheap. See here.

The art alone is priceless. I dare you not to cry.

The woman who couldn't say NO

2009-05-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today I met a woman who couldn't say NO (TWWCSN)...

TWWCSN wanted to please everyone so she agreed to almost anything her family asked. And her friends, too. Over the years, she went bonkers trying to please everyone. She also signed up for several of their businesses (and disappointed all of them).

Anyway, today she came to Dr. Heidi's Unstick.

"I'm totally on overwhelm!" she cried. "I can't do anything the way I want and I have no motivation anymore!"

So she did a little exercise in the Unstick tele-class. Took about 15 minutes. She connected with herself and rediscovered what really mattered to her on most. You know, what she was really passionate about.

That gave her clarity. Once she was clear about what SHE wanted most, she created and prioritized her short list. She scratched off what didn't fit her new vision.

Then a strange thing happened: her confidence magically reappeared. We all know what happens when you approach your life situations with complete confidence, yes?

As of today, TWWCSN swears she won't be TWWCSN again. She'll be chasing her own whims and dreams, consistent with HER values, not someone else's.

P.S. Today was the third session of Dr. Heidi's Unstick teleclass. Deliciously wonderful program for anyone who's lost their own path and has been chasing the whims and dreams of others. If you want your own direction back, you'll enjoy this. The audios will be ready later this week. Let me know if you'd like to notified when they're done. Email me here. Subject: Unstick.

P.P.S. As a result of going through Unstick myself, I have finally decided to redirect my own career. Hehehe.

The FTC is coming and Jeff Walker and Jeff Johnson are prepared...You?

2009-04-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

Big time Internet Marketer Jeff Johnson (see here) is promoting what looks like a fabulous seminar for someone who wants to build "an online publishing empire." Product Launch guru Jeff Walker recently launched his superb Product Launch program, which I have.

These guys report they've made millions online, especially marketing their programs. And they've helped others earn income they might never have earned.

Here's why I'm telling you. In VERY BIG PRINT at the very bottom of the sales page, both of these successful gurus put the same disclaimer (red added - KK):

"TESTIMONIAL DISCLAIMER: THE PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCED BY THE FOLLOWING USER COMMENTS AND TESTIMONIALS, ON THIS PAGE AND/OR OUR WEB SITE , IS NOT WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE. ALTHOUGH COMPANY ACCEPTS THE TESTIMONIALS IN GOOD FAITH, COMPANY HAS NOT INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED THE BUSINESS RECORDS OF ANY OF THE PROVIDERS AND THEREFORE HAS NOT VERIFIED ANY SPECIFIC FIGURES OR RESULTS QUOTED THEREIN. THESE RESULTS ARE NOT TYPICAL, AND YOUR INCOME OR RESULTS, IF ANY, WILL VARY AND THERE IS A RISK YOU WILL NOT MAKE ANY MONEY AT ALL. SOME OF THE USERS MAY, IN SOME CASES, BEEN INCENTIVIZED TO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS.

The FTC is preparing regs that will cover testimonials (bad ones might need to be added along with rosy ones), among other things.

I suspect all the Internet Marketing guru programs will have words like this - if they don't already - and while that is well and good, there's a very important part that is missing: The time, effort and money it will really take you to get results.

Not that results cannot be obtained, they can. But NOT in 24 hours or six months - UNLESS you have the same years of experience, the drive, the talent, the patience and the will the sellers had. The Internet market (and especially Google) changes almost daily and what worked even last year in say, PPC advertising (Pay Per Click), doesn't work anymore today.

It's like saying: "Here's how I got my M.D. in ONE DAY. You can too." Then you read...yes, they crossed the stage one day and got their M.D. letters. And so can you...after you go through the grind, the expense, the frustrations and experimentation that they did.

It's not easy, and no, anyone can NOT do it. Does this sound familiar or what?

Going in with your eyes open is a good thing. Think of these wonderful programs as CAREER choices, NOT quickie part time money-makers. Because they are career moves. And if you are not ready, willing and able to put in career-like effort, plan on a credit card bill of $1997 next month. Or five monthly payments of $395.

Think these relatively new big fat disclaimers might help keep out the wrong folks? Those hoping for a quick change of fortunes?

P.S. Obviously the same types of FTC attention will be focused on direct marketing and network marketing advertising.

When free pizza didn't work, he charged them.

2009-04-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

Archie's job was to sell a pricey piece of business equipment. To get the potential buyers interested in "Product XP", he invited prospects to lunch. He bought everyone pizza and did his product presentation. After doing about a dozen of these, he made almost no sales.

One day he talked to a business consultant. Having nothing to lose, he decided to test a totally different approach. He put together a three day training course for the product.

Here was his next ad:

"Product XP boot camp: $1500

7 people showed up. Several months later, Fortune 500 companies were sending him their employees so he could show them how to use the system he was trying to sell (!).

Each one paid $1500.

What happened here?

He had repositioned himself as an expert offering information. Versus a salesman. (Thanks, Perry).

Can you do something similar in your business? How would you do it?

Use the comments below...

Top 40 Network Marketing Start Ups: Week 38

2009-04-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

Top 40 NM Start-Ups: Week 37.

Don't see your company? Check the Top 50 here.

The current Top 50 Network Marketing Companies represents the most highly trafficked companies online, as rated each day and updated each week by Alexa. The Top 50 are also 5 years old or more.

Next Top 40 Start-ups update: Mid June, 2009, probably.

Top 40 Start-Ups list.

Network Marketing companies with 1) the highest internet traffic as ranked by Alexa, AND 2) that are LESS than five years old as of the date of the update. That data is also obtained from Alexa for each company. We are adding more companies to this list.

Alexa, while not perfect by any means, is the most widely used tracking service for website rankings since 1996. Alexa ranks millions of websites.

Rank 1 is the highest; Rank 10 million the lowest.

NOTE: When you click on a company, you will usually get some live humans who are independent reps for that company. Those folks are all members of Network Marketing Central (NMC) or the iGaggle Network. For a company that has no NMC member yet, you will go directly to that company page.

Mona Vie 23,194
My Power Mall 57,826
Wealth Masters International 60,201
Talk Fusion 70,803 (+1)
Max International 76,534 (-1)
Agel 82,949
Vemma, Liquid Vitamins & Minerals 89,228
MXI Corp 114,511
One Group 143,835
Freedom Rocks 156,942
Xooma Worldwide 185,107
MyVideo Talk 210,573
Acai Plus 225,972
Ignite 357,367
Citizenre 520,204
IGONET 743,654
Fruta Vida International 1,028,041
Ad Calls 1,043,716
Cleure 1,256,579
The Balance Company 2,710,085
Plexus Pink International 2,925,569
Amigo Health 3,444,904
BioNovix 3,559,256
Zenza Life Scliences 4,808,684 (+2)
Get Green Organics 6,199,086
VitaLifeNetworks 6,929,456 (-2)
GBG 7,781,371
Univera Life Sciences 8,388,607
4-Ecorp (Ethos Fuel Reformulator) 8,388,607
BookWise 8,388,607

It's now the Top 40 Start ups. Comment below if we missed you, and include the company website URL. We'll check it right out and add it if appropriate. We try to be perfect, but if not, please give us the fix you think we should make.

Top 50 Network Marketing Companies Week 68

2009-04-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

Just updated today by Alexa.

Don't see your company? Check the Top Start Ups here.
The Top 50 Network Marketing Companies are ranked by Internet popularity – number of visitors to the company websites averaged over 3 months.

For the Top Start-Ups (companies less than 5 years old and with highest Alexa rank), go here.

The numbers are compiled by Alexa.com, the most widely used tracking service for website rankings since 1996. Alexa ranks millions of websites. Rank 1 is the highest; Rank 10 million the lowest. Alexa updates weekly. This week, Yahoo.com is No. 1.

In the list of the Top 50 network marketing companies below, the Alexa rank appears to the right of each company. If a company has gone up or down in rank from the previous week, the change appears as a + or -. No change, no mark.

Next update: Probably mid June, 2009.

NOTE: This list includes companies that are top ranked, AND are 5 years old or more. Some companies have disappeared from this list, and are now on the Top Start-Ups list here because they're less than 5 years old. If we missed one, Comment below, we'll check into it.

NOTE 2: In most cases, when you click on one of these Top 50 companies, you will be taken to a page of an Independent Rep for that company. All such Reps are members of Network Marketing Central (NMC), a community of network marketers who believe in working together, and who subscribe to the "No promises. No Problems" mantra of NMC.

Avon 2,887
Mary Kay 12,311
Melaleuca 13,626
Quixtar 14,758
Usana 17,311
A C N 22,462 (+1)
Ytb Travel 22,833 (-1)
Take Shape for Life/Medifast 28,880
Send Out Cards 30,199
Nu Skin Enterprises 30,803 (+2)
Herbalife 30,957 (-1)
Isagenix 31,625 (-1)
Tupperware 31,767 (+1)
Pre-paid Legal 32,167 (+1)
Shaklee 32,259 (-2)
Trivita 34,975
Success University 36,539
Pampered Chef 40,220
Arbonne International 41,476
Forever Living 42,014 (+1)
FreeLife International 42,369 (-1)
Amway 61,861 (+3)
helloWorld 62,037
Tastefully Simple 62,378
Young Living 63,394 (-3)
Tahitian Noni 65,108
Liberty League 70,138
Creative Memories 72,595
VM Direct 78,927
Scent-Sations (Mia Bella Candles) 81,948 (+1)
Longaberger 82,101 (+1)
AmeriPlan 84,412 (+4)
United First Financial 85,777 (-3)
Lifewave 86,136 (+1)
Nature's Sunshine 86,326 (-1)
Primerica 87,419 (-3)
Xango 88,254
Waiora 91,929
Watkins 92,665
Nikken 100,219
Vitamark International 100,465 (+2)
4Life Research, LLC 102,429 (-1)
Mannatech 107,592 (+1)
Healthy Pet Net 109,980 (-2)
Unicity 116,201
Ecoquest International 126,126
Passion Parties 128,201
Neways 130,723
Sunrider 138,938
Youngevity 168,361

Alexa rankings of our Network Marketing group are most impressive. Our Top 50 Network Marketing Companies are in the top 10% of Alexa’s first million sites.

Most of our Top 50 are also ranked 100,000 or better (remember lower numbers are better - it's closer to #1.)

Alexa says that "Generally, Traffic Rankings of 100,000+ should be regarded as not reliable because the amount of data we receive is not statistically significant.

Conversely, the more traffic a site receives (the closer it gets to the number 1 position), the more reliable its Traffic Ranking becomes." (emphasis added) Source: Alexa.com So we're in the highest ranked group!

You can check your company ranking by going to alexa.com, and entering your company’s website address. If your company doesn’t appear in this list and you think it should, let us know by posting a friendly Comment, below.

Remember, in addition to the Alexa ranking, a company must also be 5 years old or more to be included here.

Learn about Alexa.com here. For a discussion of its limitations, see "I did a scary thing..."

NOTE: This list does not include affiliate programs. No enroller sites (although some slip in), no landing pages or distributor websites. No shopping discount programs if they are not really network marketing. We correct and update errors as we find them.

Novel way to get your self confidence back

2009-04-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is from Maira Kalman's uplifting and insightful illustrated story about her visit with U.S. Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Dress has always inspired confidence in people, but this is pretty unique. See image below.

Text above image:

"She (Justice Ginsburg) shows me her closet of robes and doily collars. Some of them come from a shop in Paris."

Text below image:

"I think I could go to Paris, buy a robe and collar and wear it while I draw in my studio (think, edit, write, you-name-it in your space-KK.) It might give me self confidence. I could throw around phrases like PRIMA FACIE or CERTIORARI. Why not?"

Amen sister. Whatever it takes to get that self-confidence, I'm doing it. I thought I'd search online first...