I got an interesting and somewhat amusing email from a customer yesterday that I thought was worth sharing. On one hand this person’s observation is dead-on. On the other hand, I think he read, somewhat incorrectly, into my true motivation for giving away the “Self-Liquidating Offers” report over at:
http://www.wholesaletrafficsystem.com
Here’s the entire email correspondence so you can get the full story:
Hey Ryan,
I enjoyed your report on Wholesale Traffic and “Self-Liquidating Offers” and plan to use it in my own business.
I also had a good laugh at all the reciprocity you were obviously trying to convey in the report (overboard a little for some of us sharper pencils, haha). It wouldn’t surprise me if Frank Kern is somehow behind your copy and some of the launch.
-[Name Withheld]
Here’s my reply:
Hey [Name Withheld],
Frank Kern and I are good buddies and there’s no doubt I’ve learned a ton from him. His Mass Control stuff is nothing short of brilliant.
But in truth, there’s nothing really covert about the content and special reports I’m giving away. In fact, I’m trying to be as transparent as possible.
Yes, obviously I do intend to sell something but I sincerely hope that people get good value from the free stuff I’m putting out there.
The bigger thing I’m trying to achieve with the free stuff has nothing to do with reciprocity, and it has everything to do with belief.
The fact is, I’ll buy anything under the sun about marketing and business-building because I KNOW I can use it to make money. I know that, because I believe in myself.
Most people believe that the stuff we “gurus” are teaching works, but what they don’t believe is that they can do it. By giving away a lot of good content, hopefully people will start implementing some of it and if they achieve a little bit of success they’ll be more inclined to give me more money.
That’s why I can say with all sincerity that I want people to succeed.
Not only is it the honest-to-God truth…it’s also more profitable for me in the long-run.
So, enjoy all the free stuff, and know that there are no super-secret Jedi mind-tricks being played on you other than me just trying to make you a little more successful.
-Ryan
There are some good lessons to be learned here:
For starters, it is possible to be both caring, sincere and capitalistic. The two are NOT mutually exclusive (despite what social liberals and bitter know-it-alls would like us all to believe).
Secondly, with so much hype (especially in this insane market) transparency is everything. That’s why I started this blog! I used to enjoy just being somewhat “underground” and doing my thing, but in recent years it’s become more and more important to PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.
So, as uncomfortable as it may make you feel, let your customers and subscribers see you. Let them know you’re a real person and above all else let them know that you do honestly care about them. Your wall
April 15th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. .
Jason Rakowski
April 15th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Hi Ryan
For me this says everything about you as a person and businessman.
“Secondly, with so much hype (especially in this insane market) transparency is everything”
Sometimes people just try and read into everthing and miss the bleeding obvious.
Thanks for Sharing
Best Wishes
Paul Conway
Newbie
April 15th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Ryan, you couldn’t be more spot on with those last two paras.
I entered the IM arena thinking I had to be full of the ’sales hype’ like a lot of the so-called marketing ‘gurus’ that you see every day.
Couldn’t be more wrong (and neither could they, but let’s hope they don’t catch on!). The only way to make sales is to offer quality and value and tell it like it is.
Yes, there has to be marketing speak on sales pages because you have to engage the emotions of the buyer. But in reports, even if they’re free, you have to give valuable information if the prospective buyer is going to trust you.
Honesty really is the best policy!
April 15th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Dear Ryan,
I resemble that fellow’s remarks.I liken the world wide web “Gurus”to the Fuller Brush man.He gives me a little gift and I am supposed to buy his brush.
That was how I felt when I first started on the web.I felt like that because I was venturing out into unfamiliar ground.FEAR always holds ALL of us back.Just recently I have been trying to do some research to get a website up from scratch.I wouldn’t be doing that if I hadn’t received thousands of emails and reports from you,Jimmy Brown,Russel Brubson,Liz Tomey,Roz Garland,etc…
All of you “Gurus”have helped me to get over the www fear factor enough to actually try something on my own.Please don’t stop sending out your sales and info pages.
Thank-you for all your services.Whether I decide to buy or not is up to me.I can’t blame my credit card bills on anyone but myself.
Yours truly,
Ron McGregor
April 15th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Ryan, this is the problem in marketing to marketers… “Oh no, free stuff! It must mean a secret launch is coming…damn that Frank Kern!”
The more we move the free line, the weaker the herd becomes. I predict a PLF-MC backlash in 2009…no one will give a thing away for free…you’ll have to pay 20 bucks just to opt in to an ezine…blogs will go pay per view…we’ll have prospects filling out applications before they will be allowed to buy something…completely the opposite of the “love the, give them tons of love and free stuff, and then slide in the paid product” situation we all find ourselves in.
OR…maybe we’ll all start using freeline-plf-ms tactics in non-marketing niches and make out like bandits.
Ryan, you are the man…keep leading the herd wisely!
April 15th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I hope you’re wrong, David, but there’s a lot of wisdom on what you said. One thing’s for certain…we ARE doing this in other markets and it IS working like a dream.
-Ryan
April 15th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Hey Ryan,
Thanks for the report! I enjoyed reading it very much - it certainly begs the question…will this forever change the way that listbuilding is done AND/OR is the traditional opt-in form of listbuilding on the way out? I’d much rather have a list of buyers than a huge list of potential buyers who may never pan out.
David
April 15th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Nice post Ryan,
It’s funny how people now think “free stuff…here’s come a product launch!” like it’s some big trick.
The irony is that most of the free stuff that has been given away is all about how the reader should start giving free stuff away too. It’s not some big conspiracy, it’s something that people have been in on for a while now.
The bottom line is the more value you offer, the more you can hope to get back. Smoke and mirrors will only get you to the top if you’re David Copperfield.
Craig
April 16th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Ryan, please stop giving away free stuff.
Especially when it contains actual content that can be used to make money.
And for heaven’s sake, don’t give away free software that can increase profits dramatically.
Obviously, by doing this, you are enacting some kind of evil plan. Hurting people by making them prosper, or something like that.
I don’t know what the endgame of your Evil Plan is, my friend.
But I am watching you.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Hey Ryan,
I love your stuff - your one of the few marketers I *really* pay attention to. It’s great you’re so transparent - just being honest can only do good.
Good on you that you will be selling a product - hell I want to buy it now, stuff the sales letter just get me the damn order link!!
Best,
Dave.
April 16th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Ryan,
Great stuff.
The game of life is played by one simple rule. You Have to Give to Get!
Rick
April 16th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
David was bang on. I’ve even come across some products that ask you to PAY to fill out an application before being able to buy their product. That was a joke.
I’ve only been researching and learning about IM for a couple months now, and I can relate about how easy it is to get swept up in cynicism with a lot of the guys selling products online.
I don’t know who finally jumped on the logic train that doing what’s ethically right by your customers is ALSO right for your business, but I’m glad to see this is the way business is moving.
I’m sure your customer was glad to read your response. I know I was.
And thanks for all the great content…free, and paid.
Mike
April 17th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Ryan,
The report was written very well. Being a newbie, I have so many questions, it seems that more and more the free materials bring us to buying more items. NLP maybe, no I think it is more a use of Influence and Reciprocity.
You have a real winner here. I don’t know how much you are going to charge for it, I don’t know the name of the product, I just hope that I can afford to buy it. I am finally catching on here, and I am starting to take action by putting together my first conglomeration of e-books and going to sell them.
By the way, in regards to Frank Kerns, I must say Ryan since I am such a newbie, I did not know who you were. I only clicked on your program because of the email that I got from Frank which was the video explaining this process.
Great job, I look forward to hearing more.
Scott
April 17th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Everyone talking to everyone on all the Web 2.0 sites is causing the Internet markeitng product bar to be raised. The free content is getting better and the products are getting better. If anyone puts out a crappy product now the word spreads faster than ever. Now, reputation is everything. So I agree it’s more important than ever to PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE and build a good rep.
John
April 17th, 2008 at 11:18 am
It’s okay Ryan, keep it up bud… We’re with you on this.
The free report from Mr X was highly valuable content…and that’s the key here. It’s stuff we can USE. I devoured the whole report last night and was enthralled with stuff I can tweak on upcoming sites.
Jeff’s PLF 2.0 is right on, and although we of course know what you are doing and that this is all product build up, we truly appreciate HOW you are doing it. Reciprocity is well deserved providing the free stuff is good content, and I for one am already looking forward to the product and shall certainly be able to use it if it’s detailed properly enough.
Yeh sure, this free stuff will have a backlash in 2009, I have to agree. As already here in Europe legislation has been passed to bring millions of companies in line with not using the word free or offering things free in their ads by May 2008, (encouraged by some USA rulings) but offering free content is a totally different and much more acceptable ballgame during product launches.
Bring on it Ryan, …just hurry up!…
Pete Lovick
UK
April 17th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Self liquidating offers (aka: self-funding promotions) have been around offline for ages. And they’ve been online for sometime (probably since the beginning) as well. Anyone who sells a lower priced ‘entry level’ product then stair-steps the buyer up to larger purchases is doing SLO.
The distinction made here is that this could be a better way to build our lists than the free widget model. But it’s interesting that Ryan used the free widget model to educate us about SLO.
I’m really enjoying watching Ryan work this.
What Ryan does probably better than anyone else, is illuminate the tactic and educate the rest of us about best practices…based on real testing.
And ultimately, that’s the answer here: use SLO and use the free widget in head to head testing. Track the results, determine which is superior, and put more effort/resources behind that one…but continue the other too, unless testing proves it’s worthless (which is unlikely).
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and results with us, Ryan. I’m ready to buy as soon as you roll out. It will be another arrow in the quiver.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Ryan,
It doesn’t really matter if you’re giving away ‘free stuff’ in order to ’sell stuff’ does it? Basically if the free stuff sucks than no-one will but the ‘real product’. Sales-persons since the dawn of history have given away samples of fruit, meat, cake, wine, cider, beer, cigars, hey I could go on but this is a family blog!
The fact is though that accepting a sample doesn’t oblige anyone to buy anything, it’s just harder to walk away empty handed.
A waiter in a provincial city in southern Turkey did a neat thing a few weeks ago. As I swept into the restaurant with my family he removed a ‘reserved’ sign from a brilliant table and placed us in it.
The next day when it was pouring with rain and we were stranded in the city waiting for our car to be repaired guess where we spent the afternoon.
It doesn’t cost much to be open hearted, and to my mind it’s also profitable.
BRAY
April 17th, 2008 at 11:26 am
I enjoyed the report. It was useful finding out that I should not have pages and pages of words in my google campaign. One thing I’m needing to know is should you have words in [ ] and the same word in ” “. I have this on one campaign. At a live seminar last week someone told me I should not be doing this but I get the [ ] at a cheaper price.
Most of us who take the free stuff can work out where the hype is and sort out the nuggets of information we need. Surely the plan is that we sometime soon make some dosh and become a paying customer. I would love to go to some of the events I see advertised and for the moment grateful to be kept in the loop.
I’m convinced that here in the UK some of the supermarkets have lines of products in their cheap range that are identical to their expensive range but in different wrapping. They just want to hang on to us as customers so that in the good times we will spend our money there too. It’s the same principal and I’m fine with it.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Great Stuff Ryan,
I’ve been an Internet marketer for 3 years now and dealing with Google has always been the biggest frustration, and one that a lot of the “gurus” don’t address as much as I would like.
You did say something very important in this post that I agree with and preach to everyone.
“Buy every product on marketing that you can get your hands on.”
Don’t put yourself in the poor-house doing it, but you’ll find nuggets in just about everything that you buy. There is no “magic bullet” program or guru, and you should always be expanding your knowledge if you want to have a thriving online business.
I attended Eben’s Altitude program last year $10,000…it was worth every dime.
I also bought Mass Control from Frank, Stompernet, and Armand Moran’s product, and several others.
All told, I’ve spend around $30,000 on education in 2007. But I got it back twenty times over because I used what I learned. The biggest lesson I’ve learned in marketing and especially Internet marketing is the real secret to building a successful business is not the product, or the timing, or the price-point necessarily… it’s where you spend your educational dollars and what you do with that education.
Launches are great, I’ve done several since learning from Eben and Frank. I’ll be looking forward to yours and what your product can do for me and my business.
David
April 17th, 2008 at 11:49 am
It’s great to get these kinds of responses that you can turn around to the positive. Not everyone would be able to see things from that frame of mind though.
I read the report, it was great! Can’t wait to see what other stuff you give away.
Traffic is something I’ve always struggled with, so I’m going to keep an eye out for more of your stuff.
Thanks
Matt Warren
April 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Ryan,
Thanks for the excellent vid and SLO heads up.
And your respondent gets an A for recognizing reciprocity in action but an F for only seeing through their limited lens of “tactic”.
It happens so often… To me, it reveals a mindset still stuck in the mentality of throwing out a net and pulling in unwilling fish.
The concepts of reciprocity as demonstrated in Mass Control and Jeff’s PLF just to name the two most recent examples - when done properly, make the fish jump in the boat and bring their friends too.
Glad I joined your list,
Brian McLeod
LoudMac Creative, Inc.
Miami, Florida
twitter.com/loudmac
April 17th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Awesome material Ryan. I never share “free reports” but yours I did. That’s a new one for me.
As far as moving the free line concerned. If you really think about it - free drives everything. It doesn’t matter if it’s marketing, copy, branding, reviews, or free info in the form of the website. Free drives profits.
For every person that is worried about the next product launch. 10 more are eagerly awaiting it. Free will never go away because if it does - so will the profits. People don’t buy or invest in things they don’t understand or already have value inside. The best sales letter and copy “teaches” the prospect as they read. It gives them a little bit of a look inside to show them how and what you teach.
Frank Kern - has merely moved the sales copy into a formula of different sections. In reality it’s one big sales copy.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I still trust you Deiss! (It’s been about 5 years of GOOD stuff, so I guess you’re o.k.!)
I do agree 100% with Ledoux. Probably due to Mass Control more than anything, the IM marketplace is “numbing” themselves to the “free line”, anything free is starting to set off internal alarms…”Oh no, he’s goimg to try to sell me something! I better not read further!…”
And even other free stuff that is directed at the IM marketplace, like Giveaways, are losing appeal. I used to be like a digital vacuum at these things, sucking down everything in site! Now when I get an email promoting one, I feel vaguely annoyed and delete the email. I think “free” has come to subconciously mean “no value whatsoever” to many IM’ers, even though many of the BEST products I’ve rec’d in the last year have been absolutely free! (Comment Kahuna and Self Liquidating Offers to name a couple)
April 17th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Great Post and great report. How true it is. If they would only believe and do what you say the results would be astounding. And yes the more we help them succeed the more we all. It’s the law of giving. Give and it shall be given back to you pressed down shaken together running over shall others give unto you. As we equip them to succeed they have more to give themselves. The laws of abundance are always at work so thank you for giving out free content. I have been banging my own head trying to help others ant because I did not understand how to do this I wasted tones of money and almost bankrupted myself. Now that business is picking back up I now can afford to hire people, purchase more learning materials and grow a business that helps more and more people. See it works…I become a powerful force to help profit others when you helped me profit. Think I’ll buy from you NOW! You Bet Ya! As a matter of fact, I would love to pay you to be in my back pocket so I can pull you out any time I need you! Can I write the check now? I don’t care how big it is because It will come back 100 fold I am sure! Thanks again! Roger, CEO Tri-Vision Global, Launching You To Xtreme Success!
April 17th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
You’re brilliant! That’s all I can say. That’s the way to get people like you and create buzz for your upcoming product.
Wish you the best!
April 17th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
When you are transparent and not really selling is when you set apart from the IM crowd or gurus. Follow the example of giving valuable content and reciprocity should do the rest. That’s a rule , give first and without expecting something back. Then the laws will act accordingly to your favor.
Your report is very good I really liked the part about membership sites
if you want a cheap script that gets customers to your list and offers them an otto after they buy you should check http://www.7dollarsecrets.com/?e=jajadiaz@gmail.com
I think this is the missing link you need to start your self liquidating offers and handle payments through paypal if you don’t have 1shopping cart
Regards
April 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Ryan, at your level of success someone is going to criticize you for whatever you do.
If your report is free, it must be some marketing trick. If you charge for it, then you’d be gouging people, and so on.
It’s interesting how there seem to be more complaints about things like this than in niche markets.
I didn’t know Frank Kern invented the idea of a free report!
April 17th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
David makes some very interesting comments. I too hope he’s wrong but it is a very interesting line of thinking. I have seen some marketers adopt a “pay to be on my list” policy; though it usually does come after some excellent free stuff. I guess it remains to be seen, if moving the free line will continue to work in this market. My guess is yes. I think when “free stuff” is positioned properly, it’s almost impossible for us not to consume it.
I’d argue that those who think “oh no, free stuff=launch” probably aren’t buyers anyway; while the rest will use the free stuff to make a more educated decision when it comes time to purchase. This “moving the free line” is high level stuff and the ones who can pull it off will garner more attention (in my opinion).
April 18th, 2008 at 1:42 am
The fact you’re sharing this type of communication with your subscribers make you more as a real person. I think we can all genuinely feel that.
I learn a lot from you Ryan, and good to see Mr. David Ledoux here I bought his stuff in the past and learned from them too
Not to sidetrack here too much, but when David Frey sends out his free newsletters, all of his subscribers think it’s too good to be free and I think when a free publication earns that much of respect, it becomes marketers greatest compliment.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Well said Ryan,
“The bigger thing I’m trying to achieve with the free stuff has nothing to do with reciprocity, and it has everything to do with belief.
The fact is, I’ll buy anything under the sun about marketing and business-building because I KNOW I can use it to make money. I know that, because I believe in myself.”
I’m pretty new eventough I’ve been 3 yrs. “spinning my wheels” trying to make IT but with so much Info Overload sometimes I get “off track” with all the offers.
Nevertheless, like Ron stated, at the end of the day IT is ME who decides where my money goes to (nobody Forced me to Buy)and WHO cares if it’s a Precursor to a Launch, if the Product/Service is worth it then isn’t this the business were in?
To make money by providing Goods and Services to each other that will help us to become better Marketers and Businessmen?
Great Info!
April 18th, 2008 at 11:03 am
What someone needs to do, is sell something without the support of their JV partners. That is what I want to see. No more of these “systems” and “strategies”. Find a real model for making money starting out.
Don’t mention your name, don’t tell any of your JV partners, don’t use a list that was probably built from a JV partners list. Just start over and document it. Just never use the JV connection.
I am about 98% sure none of these gurus could make a decent wage. They just piggyback launch after launch on each others lists. They all become affiliates for it, wait their turn, and jump in the circle when its their turn to release “The new best system”.
Case studies are trash, because you can hand pick out of thousands of people one that might have had good results. Ask these guys to do it themselves, make money real time, use resources available to everyone. Pretend you have no friends to help you sell your magic system, start over, and start selling from scratch. If you really want to sell something, do this, and if you make money at it, you will have something no one else has to sell. A real business model.
I read the article you posted in PDF. Part of the advice given for google adwords will actually hurt peoples quality score. The way outlined is important to consider, but the inner workings of the adwords campaign is where you gain the bulk of your performance. I am not saying your flat out wrong, but there is a serious mistake mixed in to the advice that will guarantee a low quality score right off the bat.
Anyway, thats my two cents. I just think that people need to think for a minute and stop buying everything promising to change the world. But you make a good video of what I lay out above, and I will buy it from you and promote you to my list for free. Start something from scratch and in 30 days be turning a profit with no outside help, by your self, with no more than 2000.00 in expenses. Could also count the “cost” of your system and take that out of your 2k to start. Lol, really level the playing field.
April 19th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Brian,
I can help you there.
I do know of a report that actually shows you a REAL business model that you can start from scratch for snot much money AND without JV partners or existing mailing lists.
Not many people know about it and I probably shouldn’t be telling you this but you seem so sincere, so here’s where you can get it:
http://www.wholesaletrafficsystem.com/
Hope this helps & best of luck to you.
Ben
April 19th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Self Liquidating Offers Free Report
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for the report self liquidating offers free report.
That report has great content, easy to follow, simple to apply.
That report is alot better than some of the $47 courses I have bought.
You do not need to justify any position.
Your giving away great content period.
Because of this free report, I’m more inclined to buy your course when it comes out. Not because it was free, but based on the content. Content comes first, then the free second.
Let me know when your product is ready.
Robert Reuter “Black Belt Bob”
http://www.BookCoverOmatic.com
April 20th, 2008 at 8:11 am
i think it is truth to learn about this i am interesting/patsiri
April 21st, 2008 at 6:19 am
I’m pretty new to IM but not that new to marketing and the “prospect at the close” is a good idea in any salesman’s terms and this application of it looks good to me. Also sub-niching the niche is a nice, useful idea to get it deeper in the vertical market. And I think I forgot all about the widget until another comment reminded me of it. Talk about brainwashed! Let me know when the full deal is ready
April 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 am
Hi
Great and useful information. I think it’s useful for all. Great idea
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Ryan,
I hope you make buckets o’cash selling stuff. If your paid stuff is as good as your free stuff you can count on a bunch of that coming from me. The people in this business who fail to earn are those who don’t think they should pay to earn. Great educational products save us thousands in dollars and hours. In an ever changing Internet market, it’s impossible to stay up on everything (and still have a life), so I really appreciate those of you who take the time to find the best tips and tricks for us.
Thanks!
g
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Report was great, thanks. Also, I’m pleased to see you are following the “create controversy” part of any marketing plan. It’s genius to pick an obvious foil (usually someone attacking or being negative) and then use it to build sympathy. All the best.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Brainwash away!!!
The content you gave away was both useful and complete. That can’t be said for most of the free stuff floating around. The fact that you included the scripts as well was even better.
Brainwashing means you got me to believe something that is not true or is not in my best interest and you’ve convinced me it is. Giving me free stuff and so that I’ll be more inclined to want to buy from you is just salesmanship and everybody is selling something all the time. Whether you are trying to persuade a group of people to go to a restaurant or trying to convince people to volunteer at the local soup kitchen, you are using the same techniques and mental triggers.
One of the great benefits to the current trend in marketing (thanks to John Reese, Frank Kern, Mark Joyner, Jeff Walker, and others) is that so many smart people are sharing extremely valuable content for free - you only have to workout the details of how to use it.
I just posted a case study on my blog from a fellow marketer who had great success launching a product using nothing more than the free information shared during the Product Launch Formula promotion.
Andrew Seltz
The Go-To Guy!
http://www.GoToGuyEnterprises.com/blog/
April 24th, 2008 at 2:03 am
I love this type of positive brain wash. At last, there is someone happy to share and I am happy to learn. Perfect match.
Eric
http://www.traceyanderic.com
Collection of Tools for IM Newbies
April 25th, 2008 at 7:58 am
hello,
i love innovation and serious mindednes so lets see where we go a long as we ar on the trip to success the wagon is open for all
April 25th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
If this is Brainwashing then, clean my Brain! I am a newbie and I need all the help I can get.
Free or Paid info from someone who is in the know, who truly wants to help that is great. May you receive many (Good) Returns. More to all & Less to none
Thank You Ryan!
Tangela
April 25th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Great idea you had in releasing this. I’m certain I’ll get great value out of it - thank you for moving your “free-line.”
Creating profits for entrepreneurs is my Passion!
Bill Covert
http://www.billcovert.com
April 26th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Well I have to say I loved the article and the ebook, it’s a good read and there is some really good useful information that people CAN use. I look forward to seeing what else you guys produce… Thank you very much for being one of those that gives away great info!
Mike
http://www.Millionaire-Marketing-Methods.com/
April 27th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I agree with the fact that if you believe in yourself you can accomplish anything and nothing is impossible, and by Ryan and other seasoned internet/affiliate marketers giving away free info is great because it gives the newcomers an idea on how to become success full in a pool of sharks. Now after read the free info Ryan or any other successful person has blessed the masses with you agree with and buy the main product of his business then how has he brain washed anyone?? If you don’t agree with it then walk away it’s that simple…
April 27th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
oops alexander lol
April 27th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
I like the concept of Mass Control that Frank Kern has now embedded within all of us. And it’s obviously growing and spreading throughout the world.
I’m sure it was one of the 10 commandments …… “give and you shall receive”
It also makes everyone realize who they should be listening to.
Once we tune into who we should be listening to, then everything else drops away.
All these other people we have been listening to then becomes noise and as we continue to tune into people like FK and now Ryan … or is it Mr X, then we’ll simply opt-out of all the other crap “noise” that is wasting our valuable time.
Keep up the great work.
It is obviously making an impression.
For everyone else, this is now the way to do business.
Best Regards,
Steve
April 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Ryan,
I am pretty new to marketing but I have been learning and studying hard for the last 8 months and I am familiar with some of the tactics people are referring to, but I personally would rather buy and learn from someone honest no matter how I was given the information.
I am learning a lot from your report and that is really what it is all about. Being free is just icing on the cake. I seen earlier where someone had talked about starting from scratch, but we all have to do that no matter where we are now. We all had to start somewhere.
Thanks for being honest and thanks for the report. I know I will be getting a lot of use from it!
April 29th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I’m new at all this and in a highly competitive market. Real estate. I know we need to update our attitudes about on line marketing. But honestly, I have been tracking “internet marketing” for several months and my mind is all de-come- boober-ated! I don’t have a product to sell, just an old service to the consumer.
I’m learning a lot. I appreciate your content and will find a way to impliment into our market.
Your techniques should work in any market.
April 29th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Brainwash me dude. That free video just give me a lot to think about and I know I’m gonna walk away with some valuable knowledge just by getting that freebie.
Even if its just one thing that I implement into my business you’ve done a good job. Great content, great vid. I know Frank doesn’t promote crap either so there has to be something here worth taking a look at.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Thanks Ryan, for all the great insite, espescially the info on the adwords, I have been doing some of my own testing since then and you were absolutely correct, as soon as I did just what you said and I was shocked at the results of my testing on the keywords. I have been doing keywords but did not have the full understanding of all the specifics, but you cleared all that up for me, I thank you very much for your insite, I am now creating multiple accounts in google to get my desired results.. I truly look forward to reading and getting more gold nuggets from your content, You gave me an Aw Ha moment when I first read the report.. Great Job Thanks again..
May 1st, 2008 at 6:38 am
Hi Ryan
you haven’t brainwashed us at all. That’s crazy talk.
you haven’t brainwashed us at all. That’s crazy talk.
you haven’t brainwashed us at all. That’s crazy talk.
But seriously.
Here is my soul and my credit card number, where do I sign up?
The only problem wit this, is once we have 2.3 million lazy IM marketeers doing the SLO it will be a dead idea.
I wish people would learn where smart money is
But nice campaign Ryan.
Jeff and Frank must be very proud.
Peter
May 1st, 2008 at 9:24 am
I read with interest the wholesale traffic google adword traffic report, and your blog entry.. What happened to it… your blog entry… “Your wall ” is how it ends! I kept looking for the rest of the blog…
I have to form a new website for using this approach because Google hates anything that smackes of adult content even if the focus is education. Wont allow adwords.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:09 am
Ryan
The “free” stuff is already starting to work for me. The content of
the whole package must be incredable!
Thanks again.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
It is difficult for me to even conceive of people thinking that giving away samples of who and what you are — will somehow break if you do it too much.
When people talk of giving away free stuff and then “slipping a product in there” — I mean do you really think people are just so frigging dumb that they don’t know that free stuff is intended to get their attention and help them generate interest?
When I was about nine years old a brand new product came out called Mountain Dew. At least it was being launched like it was a new product with the slogan “yahoo mountain dew”. They gave us free bottles of it from a chuck wagon with a band playing beside it on a flat deck trailer. I drank a couple of the free bottles of it and took a couple more with me. I never really thought it was a great drink.
However Pepsi is still in business and still giving stuff away to get peoples attention and generate interest. Pepsi was not very large back then. Coca Cola had most of the global market share then. Pepsi got large and one of the things they’ve been doing all along is giving stuff away.
What is a bit nuts to me is how much money people were initially willing to pay for stuff just because it was sold on the internet. In fact the only reason ebooks that are short on value and long on price have sold as well as they do and for as high a price as they do is — instant gratification. Not having to fight traffic, park, shop, buy, and then if you didn’t like the product — drive again, park again, return item — represented a great value. I can have the product now, I can return it if I don’t like it, and I can do that without getting up. Also I can have it right now and be reading it in less than a minute or two.
Also the fact that I can act on my impulse to buy the exact moment that I want it most — and I can be enjoying my new product in seconds — also represents real value to me. My life is slipping by. I don’t like to waste it waiting for things that I can have. Internet buying is very empowering to people and the perceived risk (with the money back guarantees) is very low. We read a sales letter that tells us this product will empower us, we have the power to buy it and we can have the empowerment promised in the sales letter — so we buy.
Don’t be fooled by those who think that giving away stuff will break and then we’ll have to pay for everything. This kind of thing has been going on since a rather famous man (claiming to be God) said you could have eternal life — and then said “it is a free gift — you can’t even buy it if you wanted to”.
Let’s not be short sighted or trite about marketing. In the end your trail of bread crumbs will either lead to something of value that will make your customers want more — or to a box of crap that will make them hate you. In the end it is whether you deliver the goods or not.
You don’t have to give anything away for free to make money. You can sell, market, and convince, three to ten times as hard, and you will make money. Or you can take something that is insanely cheap to give away on the internet — ideas delivered digitally — use it to get attention and generate interest — and have an easier job selling your products.
Sean
May 1st, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Ryan,
The information you gave away was absolutely priceless and also gives an awesome different perspective of “How To Market”. I only have a total of 4 months in the online business arena, and with people like you I have accelerated my learning curve to a much shorter distance and I am already on my way to success.
There is alot of great Marketers, Networkers out there that don’t even know about themselves yet. Helping those people find themselves is what will guarantee everyones success.
Thanks for the great “Stuff”
Dirk
May 1st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I have to say that if it were not for your “BrainWashing”, I would not have purchased my first web domain and gotten it hosted just since this release began. Thanks for the missing links I have not been able to put together before and … I could resemble one of those start from scratch newbies. Just doing that has me broke, but hopefully it is enough to get myself a presence and a start and lets see just what does happen. I have spent a lot of time researching and know that I am one of those background shoppers who YOU have to lead in carefully and this release has the correct Bling to do that. This approach is one of the greatest ever, I have used it often in the past in almost any “Sales” position I have had and it even works in daily life. Transparent? Keep it honest and excellent content and it is a winner. Wish I could afford the program, but give me time and I will be there too!!!
Thanks again and keep feeding me so I can go for the real meat,
Excellent presentation and subtle exposures of the subtlies.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I like the braining washing. If you had the poor money concepts I’ve had you would need a brain washing to. But I didn’t even watch the full video. I haven’t read the report, but it’s already me making money. We are in the creativity business. Like your video pointed, “The rewards go to those who get it. Frack the rest.”
I chuckle. Some of the programs I represent charge over $25,000. Which is really small potatoes if you get 1 kernel that will boost your income by immeasurable result. I’m at the stage in my personal internet development where I’m tying up loose ends. The little I’ve gleamed so far was priceless.
It’s little things that make the difference between fortunes and failures. Fortunately we can learn and adjust.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Ryan,
Thanks a lot for gusefull info!
Mikhail
http://www.napyc.com
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:46 am
Yep good job.
i committed to reading a pitch that was about 50 pages long.
i’ve never done that before.
The long exact key phrase section does not hold water.
You know and i know that a click through rate less than 0.5% of impressions will cause the entry to be disabled.
You would need to be submitting these phrases daily and lots of them to do what you suggest.
the same holds for the “free advertising” for the guru blurb. A click through < 0.5% and the entry is history after a couple days.
Finally, you have presented some really practical ideas, but your final pitch page really says only “hurry” and “you’re going to be rich”.
What is in your offer that you have not already told us?
Suggest a bit of a rewrite here.
Thanks,
Andy
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:20 am
i love and i want to learn this type of positive, how to do? alike yours
can you tell me more and to guide my self to do?
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
Hi Ryan,
You and I are definitely like minded in this arena. When you are providing marketing services, the most important thing is to provide value to the customer. If you do that first and foremost, you will be successfull.
And, there isn’t a better way to get good customers than to show them that you are an expert up front. There is no problem with giving potential clients something of value, when you know that you bring so much more to the table than just what you have published in that e-book. Nice work!
Vi Wickam
President
Zello Partners
http://www.zello.us
Once you go Zello, forget about Yellow!
May 7th, 2008 at 4:15 am
I loved your report Ryan.
Filled with common sense advice on marketing with pay per click.
It confirmed some advice I’d received recently from an ex Google
Adwords employee.
Simple really when you think about it.
No wonder Google calls the high pay per click costs for people who don’t play the game a “dumb tax”.
I hope you do well with your course.
Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh
May 7th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
So let me get this straight:
If you GIVE away information, then that’s BAD because you are just setting us up for the sales pitch.
But if you DON’T give away information, then that’s BAD because we have to buy everything from you rich IM gurus.
Hmmmm…..
Quite the quandry….
Glad to see you resolved it by giving away information and telling the naysayers to go pound sand.
Isn’t the exact same thing as when a company sends you a sample in the mail, or gives you a sample at the grovery store, and if you like it, you’ll buy more? That Frank Kern guy may be onto something here…. LOL!
Cordially,
Rick Carter
P.S. I am selling my book called “Aggressive Pleadings For The Non-Custodial Father”
I have sold it without JV partners, and for less than $2,000 in costs (actually, $1.99 for the domain name are my total costs).
Is it breaking the bank?
Not yet.
But it can be done.
It’s just harder to do it without partnering.
May 7th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Even you expose true marketing gems & your dearly selling secrets tips.. And you are sincere-honest (sales) person.. Readers/Buyers have to deal with Trust (take a while), Complexity (it is too much for them), Verification (time consuming), Applicability (they know-how.. but not acting), etc
It’s true that “Free” become closer to “Spam” meaning..
And become even more difficult to introduce.. samples in people’s homes.. As parfume or tea-spoon samples sent to my mail..which I never bought.
It’s more likely to sell in a festival show, than going to the doors
How many can benefit from Google advertising now ? How much you will spend, until you figure out how-to produce a privileged CTR and a low-again PPC ?
Who have millions to spend on AdWords, when Google force to buy $1 , even $5 per click.. when are still only 3 sponsor ads on right side !? It’s become more a profession to do it..
In any direction you go.. as you look to stars in the night by a telescope, or to look deeply in a microscope , there is an infinite limit… As in the marketing niches.. there are just steps, of never ending possibilities ..
So IM gurus, are just “discovery people” which are debated and rewarded for them “innovations” which they actually find gradually..
May 7th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
If it’s really true that you spent 7 mil on AdWords.. then people like you make Google rich..
You are a real player, which experienced many ways.. But even you (with good CTR & low PPC) wasted many grands when Google changed them behavior… It seems that they hit you mostly, comparing with newbies.. When Google will slap again ?
About free reports.. Even you release true marketing gems & real income secrets tricks.. as an honest (sales) person, it’s not easy for Readers or Buyers. They have to deal with Testing (try once first..), Trust (take a while), Complexity (may be too much for them), Verification (time consuming), Applicability (they know-how.. but not acting), etc. So, it’s takes a while until you build your reputation/brand.
But, if mixing real tips with deviating tricks (tell newbies to do opposite, or wasting them time) produce just frustration, even revenge.. For sure, we will harvest (sooner or later) what we seeded
“Brain washing” to make more money, can be dangerous also for Master Washer..
It’s true that “Free” meaning, become closer to “Spam”..!? However it’s hated also by the law..
Become difficult & expensive to introduce.. samples in people’s homes.. As parfume or tea-spoon samples sent to my mail.. I never ordered.. It’s more likely to sell in a festival show, and later more related products to same customers.
How many can benefit from Google advertising now ? How much we will spend, until can figure out how-to produce a privileged CTR (and a low-again PPC) ?
Who have millions to spend on AdWords, when Google force to buy $1 , even $5 per click.. when are still only 3 sponsor ads on right side !? It’s become more a profession to do it..
In any direction you look.. by a telescope, or a microscope, there is an infinite knowledge discoveries… As in marketing niches.. there are just steps of never ending possibilities ..
So IM gurus, are just controversial “discovery people” which are rewarded (or prosecuted) for them “innovations” which they actually find one-at-a-time..
Are you ready to be a speaker to a (virtual) trade show for money makers ? That will create more buzz, recognition,etc. It’s kinda start from scratch.. You and the Heard…
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:44 am
Ryan,
It appears again, that “everyone’s a critic” and only because they either resent your success or just flat can’t believe your sincerity. You’re absolutely correct to to address your critics head-on, because I’m sure they have nothing better to do than try and get a rise out of something they don’t understand.
Hah!… now for my critique… I believe what you say and you’ve gone the extra mile to help people that really understand what help means. As may others before me, we all are trying to get this “internet success thing” correct. With the amount of clutter and sales hype out there, it’s hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (better understood as separating the usefull information from the useless information)… and buddy, you’ve certainly done that!
I’m actually excited to read your stuff, even when my brain is on marketing information overload. Keep-up the good work and I look forward to more of your honest and straight-forward information.
Respectfully,
Randy
June 15th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Well, even if you are trying to brainwash us
with some Jedi mind-control tricks -
Keep Doing It! I Love the free stuff!
Best Wishes,
Carl Willoughby
http://www.HughTraceyKalimba.com
July 30th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Great Report! You just have to love the free stuff!!
Let me know when your next stuff is coming out.
-Vinnie Toughstick
August 13th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Self-liquidating offers are great. If you can get your message out there and ultimately not pay anything to do it why wouldn’t you?
Kevin
http://www.helicopterpilotcareers.com
October 15th, 2008 at 10:10 am
The hardest thing to find is a continuity item. I have been looking for one for years.
October 18th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Ryan,
You’re the real deal.
God bless,
H
October 21st, 2008 at 7:50 am
Either your learn to play
the game of life..Or you are a pawn being played!
You must give more “give” value
to get more “get” value..
For crying out loud that’s
Been since the beginning of time!
Great content shared Ryan.
Thanks for your transparency.
1-800-772-9781 X14 (24Hrs.)
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Just wanted to say, I have learned more from your free information than I have from the things I have paid big bucks for. Count on my being there tomorrow!
October 25th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Ryan & followers,
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m feeling a little brainwashed already. Next thing you know, we’ll all be at a Scientology meeting.
All I know is this: the SLO report had some great conceptual (& actual “how-to”) information that anyone can apply. It basically tells you that you can start an info business online, with a small investment and build it methodically from there.
Other than the whole 1shopping cart sequence, regarding the upsell schematic, most of the other strategies could be implemented based on what “Mr. X” tells you in the report.
Hey Ryan, can I use this report as my $17 SLO product?
Nice job dude, best…
Jim
http://twitter.com/Referral_Pro
April 21st, 2009 at 4:21 pm
I was wondering if there was a strategy like this to sell indie movies? I write and direct independent movies and I’m thinking about utilizing this style of marketing. Anybody out there have an idea for that? Any marketers out there that could help me out for a good share of the profits? I don’t know, I’m looking at PLF 2.2 but not sure if it fits what I’m trying to do. I guess I’m not sure if you can sell movies like this. Check out vegaslandmovie.com and let me know if you think your awesome Ryan Deiss brain thinks it can be done.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Hey Ryan, this is an excellent post. I was both blessed and encouraged by it. Thanks for sharing.
August 12th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hello Ryan,
It’s a great read and there is some really good useful information that people can use to get better at PPC and other traffic techniques. Thanks guy!