Do you even want to stop chasing the dream?
ByHi,
There has been something that I have noticed really. It hasn’t really bothered me so much as made me curious.
Whenever any marketer does a survey of his list, the results overwhelmingly say that the majority of people are looking to use the internet in order to supplement their income. Not to replace their day-job, but just to make life a bit more comfortable.
Over the last few months, with talks of recession and tens of thousands of job-losses that may have changed slightly, but I think that you would still find that the majority of people are looking to make an extra $500-$1,000 a month.
As you are (hopefully) aware, I recently launch Project Archimedes.
The salespage described some of the figures that I have achieved through site-flipping which were way more than the $500-$1,000 figure a month. I did that not to brag, but to build credibility that my methods work.
In retrospect, I wonder whether my conversion may have increased or decreased had I targeted it towards showing how someone could earn an extra $500 a month rather than tens of thousands.
Today there are two launches which I find very interesting. (I am not participating in either of them, so please note that in no way is this a promotion.)
The first one is highlighting how a super-affiliate makes $100k a day from promoting products and also Cost-Per-Action offers. I have no doubt that it will be one of the biggest launches of the year as the marketing of it has been excellent and they have also recruited some of the biggest names in the industry. I have not seen the product, but also should imagine that it will be a great product…
As a sidenote, the marketing of it has been remarkable and really is worth of a longer case-study. To give some background, about a month ago a seminar was put on in Las Vegas where many marketers were invited (including myself). Legend goes that at the end of the day the speakers received a standing ovation. If you read the emails of the promoters, you will see how this has been turned into a legend. People love stories! Not only that, but all of those marketers who did attend the conference now feel that they owe something in return, thus they feel more obliged to promote than they usually would do. A great use of reciprocation!
But let me get to the point…
Can you really see yourself making $100k a day from the internet?
Do you realistically think that it is possible for you to do?
According to the surveys, most people who are trying to generate revenue from the internet would be happy to earn that in TEN YEARS!!!
So why are they making such a big thing about this super-affiliate being able to generate 6 figures in a day?
One reason could be that they are pitching it wrongly.
Another could be that they are only pitching to people who really do have the expertise to generate that kind of revenue.
But both of those reasons are fairly doubtful. I am almost certain that they will sell a huge amount of product and that the majority of people who purchase will be in the newbie to intermediate bracket.
The reason I see, is that when people are reading the salespage they are breaking it down in a way so that they can fathom those figures.
eg. “If he can make $100k a day, it should be easy to make $500 a day or even $30 a day.”
If that is a realistic way of thinking I am not sure, but am sure all will be revealed soon.
From what I understand, this product is about creating a successful campaign and then scaling that up multiple times which will finally get you to that figure.
If that is the case then the person who just asked themself that question may actually be correct in that they will get that knowledge.
But if that is the reason that they are purchasing, do they really need that advanced course, or would something more basic like Commission Blueprint or one of the Day Job Killer products do the job for them?
The second launch which is happening is being brought out by Eric Rockefeller and Howie Schwartz. Once again, I haven’t see the product, but do assume that it is of high quality.
The prelaunch is highlighting the fact that Howie has brought in around $56k in around 50 days.
So, we have gone down from $100k a day to around $1k a day. Quite a big drop, but doesn’t necessarily mean that this product is less effective. In fact, as a consumer I would fathom a guess that what Howie has included in the product is probably a much more attainable strategy.
Let’s just go over that again…
Even though the promises and proof of the second product are less, as a consumer I see the figures as more realistic and attainable. Apart from the huge price difference, I am at this point actually more keen to make $1k a day than $100k.
So what is going on here?
I am almost positive that the more expensive product will bring in much more revenue than the cheaper one. Although looking at it from a logical point of, more people would actually benefit from the lower one.
In all marketing, especially online and especially in the internet marketing niche people are chasing a dream. The bigger the dream, the greater excitement it brings to the prospective customer. I am guilty of this myself also. I have bought hundreds of product over the last few years, many that I have not even opened. In a way it is the purchase itself that is more exciting than the product.
Yeah…I still get a rush when I purchase a product and the big box arrives at the front door. The better presented the materials are inside it, the better I feel about my purchase.
It’s definitely worth remembering this when you are doing any kind of marketing either online or offline. A great example is when you are selling something online, make everything including the graphics look enticing. This will both decrease refunds and also increase the chances of customer purchasing again.
Even on an Adsense page, think how you can build up that dream in order to make someone click on one of your ads. An easy example is if you are advertising dating websites…
It is yet to be seen whether anyone makes a product called “How to make $500 a month”, but the chances are doubtful because of the lack of dreaming !
Please post your comments below to let me know your thoughts…
From the people that I work with, many moms, if I can help them clear $2-3K a month they can achieve their biggest dream, which is to be home with their kids full time and still have the income they need.
In my experience, newbies who talk big about earning $50-100K per month just never get their rear in gear to do the work required. They’re just talkers. I find it far more interesting to work with realistic people who know that things start small and over time momentum happens and then they’re earning more than they ever thought they could.
I read somewhere that some large percentage of bankruptcies could have been avoided with an extra $500/month income. That’s amazing. It just doesn’t take much expertise to get to $500/month extra with an online business. What a cool thing to help people avoid that costly and devastating possibility.
Becki
I have a problem checking a box anywhere anymore because all then give you a last chance to spend another $27-$4995. on their next incediblle product that is just like everyone elses.
All the online sites want their $ share and promise great success but then continue to pump for 1 more program thaat will make you successful.
When you are looking to make $500-$1000 a month extra you can’t spend $10,000 getting there.
Besides, I want something credible and worthwhile, not a 50 page site to trick people into anothe $29.
Ben, you forgot your affiliate link…and the one you refer to is launching tomorrow, but does have a big pre-launch event tonight…
did you not go to Vegas?
Hi Ben
Thanks for the post.
I have been trying for a year to make 75.00 to 100.00 a day
blogging, my own website, and article marketing it just hasn’t happen for me yet. I think if someone had a sales page that would say the lower number that newbie would be mor interested in the produt.
Chgarles
@Becki Thanks for your comments. You are absolutely correct about the massive ’stay at home mom’ market. Thanks for pointing it out. However, in my experience though, it is the $500 month market which is the largest though which as you point out is very attainable if you are pointed in the right direction. I am very involved in Google Conquest which was reacently launched by Alex Goad and it is tremendous to see the number of people who are making their first money online in days. Referring to your email address (xxx@sendoutcards.com) I was at sendoutcards.com recently as I wanted to use their service however it was way to complicated. Is there an easy way?
@Deanna While I agree with your sentiments, there are very many product on the market which are of extremely high value and I would look at each opportunity as it comes.
@Jack Umm…wasn’t trying to give an affiliate link. Genuinely not promoting either launch. Wasn’t able to go to Vegas as had my own launch around the same time.
WOW…What a thought provoking subject. I couldnt agree more with the thought process that went into this article. Congratulations!
I guess there are two schools of thought here, each with probably as much relevance as the other. However if we take what is being said here literally, does it mean that the bigger the claimed earning potential offered as an incentive to join a particular scheme then the bigger “dreamers” will feel compelled to buy into it? Probably!
We then need to ask the big question are the majority of these dreamers “Newbies” without the neccessary skills and mindset to ever achieve what is promised. Will the product come with the neccessary training to enable people with limited knowledge to expand that knowledge?
As for the launch with the smaller claims, will this not be sufficient to attract people who are hypnotised by the product which much larger claims?. Will the other launch offering less of a daily, weekly reward be a better fit for a lot of the people chasing dreams elsewhere? What if the second product has fantastic training which needs to be compulsory to improve the skill set of a Newbie?
I think my best advise and considered opinion is for people to do their due diligence, find out what they can from people who have knowledge on these or similar products and start small. You see big dreams are easily shattered into tiny pieces when the promised land does’nt materialise, people get disillusioned and give up.
I myself am talking from experience because as a newbie a number of years ago I bought into a lot of products, many, in fact most were an utter waste of my time and money, unfortunatley. but I’m rambling now!…sorry.
I guess this industry online needs to be a little more self regulated, weed out the bad products, the scammers and help improve the image of the many hundreds of decent online proffessionals out there. On far too many occassions I see people only motivated by one thing, their own greed! What should motivate us all is the desire to help others, to remember what it was like when we started out.
I know only ever promote products and opportunities that have an educational element built into it. This is what I believe differenciates the get rich quick schemes from the get rich definitely schemes. I believe in abundance and the sharing of wealth, not the ethos of some, which appears to get rich themselves, without a thought for the people who they are relieving of thier hard earned cash.
Take care folks,
Wishing You All That You Wish For Yourselves
Phillip LLewellyn
http://www.myspace.com/phillipllewellyn
http://www.makingmoneyonsteroids.com
Helping the Newbie and “little guys” get riche by being more knowledgable every day.
As a so called newbie to internet marketing, that has spent quite a few hundreds of pounds on systems and programmes, I seem to be going nowhere fast. There always seems to be a vital piece of information missing from the package which leaves me wondering where do I go from here. Can anyone out there recommend with their hand on their heart a system or programme, that won’t cost me an arm and a leg, where I can earn $1000 dollars a month. Thank you
I don’t want to chase the dream, I want the dream to become a reality. In my journey, I have discovered that I need a money base to support the growth stage. Something I alway ran out of and thus the day job supported the online dream that didn’t produce. However, I’m still trying.
Wise people have pointed out that the media is the message.
over 95% of new Internet businesses fail.
I think maybe the 95% are algorithms and analytics, but don’t know it. The internet gurus are fascinating how they massage the statistical masses into segmented lists. I’m here, writing this as a result of being on a list! This all tells me, again, to move from mere thinking, into Awareness. So, Now, I’m going for a walk by the lake. Blessings to All.
Norm A.
I have to agree with Chas about the missing pieces and DeAnna about the upsells. You kind of feel cheated by the buying the product you bought in the first place. I’m hitting the delete button more often than not before I even open those marketing emails. I am not part of somebodies “herd”, I am an individual looking for value and a product that does what it says.
Freedom is in Solitude, which leads to Awareness, which leads to Perspectives of Limitless Universe. There, it’s Apparent: Existence is Benevolence and Benevolence is Existence.
Life is Magnificent, and So Are You!
Enjoy Your Awareness, analytics, algorithms, gurus and 95%’ers, and try not to ‘think’ too much! BE Happy, Make Money and Have Fun! Blessings to All!
Ben
What you’re saying is absolutely correct and I think most newbie marketers would be happy with even an extra couple of hundred dollars a month but unfortunately I think the human greed factor kicks in. If the lesser figures were advertised in the sales material, it just wouldn’t sell. It all comes down to the ‘big promise’ from a copywriting point of view, which is a shame because as we all know, it’s easier to make $500 a month than $100,000 a day, no matter how easy they say it is.
I feel that the IM field is full of sharks, especially the big boys because they’re ultimately goal is to promote high ticket items to people who’ll never follow through with the stuff while they’ve got a hole in their a**e! What other business would generate so many riches for so few as a result of the failure of so many?!
That said, I feel hype sells and if a product is good then it deserves hype to get it out to the people, but as we all know it’s not always good.
Perhaps the answer is to promote a ‘make $500 a month’ product with as much hype as possible, but as yet I haven’t seen one. Hmmm…there’s a thought.
Jeff Cowtan
http://www.milliondollarmaybe.com
Hi Ben,
Thanks for the down to earth approach to things,I’m sure
the majority of people are wised
up to to the various claims of
financial fortunes to be made overnight….sorry you have got
the sniffles there try;
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/default.htm….sorry no
old granny remedies..whisky works for me….take care
Personally, I’m tired of these so called guru’s making these outrageous claims. Only one product has given me the ability to start generating income. The thing is people get stuck into checking out every new product that comes along, then they give up and move onto the next. If you are on a guru’s mailing list then most likely your wallet is doomed. If someone reads this, buy one product and stick with it. Stop buying this and that until you find you need the information being sold. I got caught in this circle and broke myself out of it. Now I study and fine tune what I know, make sure it works, and then seek anything else I may need to help me in my goals. One day soon, I’ll be free. Let no guru tell you how EASY this business is. If it was, then everyone would be an affiliate marketer. It takes a special breed to be one. Nice post and great insight.
[...] and his and about two others (out of about 500!!!) are the only emails I ever read. Anyway, this blog post is all about how the majority of new internet marketers only want to make a few hundred dollars [...]
Ben, I forgot to add my remedy for the snuffles – Take a small tumbler and add some whisky, honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice then add a little hot water from the kettle – Ahhhhh!!! thats better – If one doesn’t work then try several by which time you can’t remember whether you have a cold or not – Best wishes
I would like assistance or even a definition on the term “monetise” what does that mean? how do I put it to use to make money?
The reason why I wnat a business is for finanical security and to be a full-time mom. I’m not interested in being a guru or anythng like that, I just want to make a decent living, pay my bills and take a holiday once a year with my daughter.
I don’t have extra cash to pay for “take you by the hand, Step by step” BS programs.
Just the basics, I’ll figure out the rest. After all that I’ve been through I really feel that this online making money business is nothing more that BS. I’ve invested money I really couldn’t afford and I don’t have one cent back in return. So all I’m doing is giving money to other people to make a decent living, pay thier bills and learn about their wonderful holiday. I’m tired of the crap. I really don’t know why I’m still hanging on.
Hi Ben
Once again a very thought provoking article well I did notice that you stated that you were not partaking in either of these events and that you were not in Vegas, So all of your comments are I think very unbiased
thanks again
Derek Nice
Ben the big reward is going to be more attractive to people looking to make money online. However it also comes with a big price tag and will put many newbies off. The cheaper product may well sell better but the overall profit for the marketer will be less. EG sell 10 at $4997 assume 50% commission you make $2498.50, to make the same from a $47 product you need to sell over 100 items.
Hi Ben,
Thanks for the thought provoking article.
When I see $100K a day or something as outrageous, I normally just smile to myself and click away, or read on to see how they are marketing their product. I’m not saying that $100K isn’t possible, but it’s just not going to happen except for a very small percentage of expert marketers.
I perfer to see a reasonable figure associated with a product — something that is attainable, but still holds a lot of value to me, personally, because it would vastly improve my lifestyle and financial situation.
Having said that, I think the best advice for newbies is not to fall into going from one product to the next, or one MLM or network marketing program to the next. Find something that you think you can work with, and give it lots of effort, and don’t be trapped by all the information overload that exist on the wild web! Oh yes, and, also, take the time to learn some basic stuff, like how to use a website builder, some basic html, how to ftp files back and forth, and try doing a blog on Blogger, if you don’t yet know anything about how to build a website or you don’t have a hosting account. Blogger is free, and easy to use.
Anyhow, just some comments.
All the best,
Laurie
Hi Ben
A great post and a timely one for me too.
I run an eCommerce coaching and training company (as well as a range of ecommerce sites) and a number of contacts of mine asked if I would do a small weekend seminar.
I planned out the weekend’s content and started the marketing. The weekend was priced at $1000 and came with a $10,000 guarantee. The weekend was backed up by 1 yrs membership to a site containing videos, a support network and a forum.
The marketing bombed! Most people said “Well $10,000 is not really enough is it?”
When I explained what is involved in running a $200,000 eCommerce site people seemed daunted
It seems that people want to buy a dream ticket even if it sounds almost too good to be true. However, when you offer them a realistic path to a realistic 6 figure pay day but tell them what is involved people run a mile.
I guess they will always be just over broke in their jobs, while those that are bold enough to commit to take action take the profits (and I am glad I am in the latter group
Internet Marketers are getting a bad name – well some of them are. It’s amazing how many sites promise overnight wealth with no experience. They play on peoples emotions and go for the down and out that are desperate. I don’t want to be one of those.
Listen, internet marketing is a business and it can be done with integrity and caring for your customers.
I think it’s time for the 2 mile long sales page that says absolutely nothing about what’s in the product to be replaced with true info.
Anyway I do look at them for fun but not as often as I did. I’ve learned my lesson.
Education and applying what you learn is the key
@ Gloria I hear you loud and clear.
I have been gathering products and knowledge for awhile now and my outlay has definitely been paying for the big pay day headlines you see the Gurus touting.
I am like you, these hand held mentoring programs are proberly what I need but out of my range
I am prepared to do the work it is a case of who can you trust to give you the help you need.
the irony is the very existence of the internetmarketing business is direct selling
so it must work for other people as I know my wallet is lighter
Wow.. first time I have seen anybody being faulted for wanting to make an extra 500 – 1k a month.. I am a newbie, even after many years and hundreds of my hard earned dollars and I am sorry, I just haven’t found a self taught product that works for me. I do not learn by reading alone.. I am the type that needs to literally be led by the hand the first time.. After that I can rinse and repeat.. However, no one seems to want to be a true mentor. I would love to be able to sell to the 500 dollar a month market, but I am struggling to get there myself…Please, some good old fashioned mentoring would be great. Just don’t drop me like so many of the gurus after I have paid 49.00 a month or more to learn without a true teacher…
Keep bringing us more subjects Ben.. these are great…
#1) GREED SELLS: so product marketers use it.
#2) High priced training eventually becomes lower priced. IE, Traffic Tactics, Mind Control, Dan Kennedy, ……and most others.
#3) 99% of people trying to earn a living online will need to go through a learning curve of one year to three years in duration before they learn how to put all the pieces together.
#4) People should focus on making a consistent sale or income daily or weekly of any amount, rather than $100K per day and build from there. That first $100 per day milestone is the hardest money ever to be earned online.
5) Ben, you are right! Create the $500 to $2000 per month plan and you will have many followers!
very interesting Ben, really apreciate your insights. It has actually inspired me to think seriously about creating a product on how to make $500 per month… it only makes sense to give people what they want.
If more people actually take action because they find $500 per month more realistic and can relate to it, it makes sense that those same people would later raise their self expectations and move up to the next level.
Maybe what many people need is simply a ’stepping stone’ to help them see or ‘re-connect’ to the dream.
cheers
Steve Linz
Hello:
I would like to make a decent living online but I do not want to spend anymore money on some BS program with a million pieces of paper to read and video to watch. I do not have that sort of time of invest. Moreover, who said it will work out after I have spent so much time invested. They promise desparate people overnight riches and want to have pre-authorization to debit my account on a monthly basis for “$XX”. What will I be getting in return? Why set up myself for someone to go into my account as they wish? Give me something to work with where I do not have to go through the hoops. Will be cheque be mailed out to me on the 15th and 30th of each month when I work on line? I want to do something but in this economic hard times, who has money to waste? Am I send my money to someone with thousands and thousands of other people to send someone to Tahati to lay on the beach? I need to make to money now.
Cheers,
Geri
Just a comment to ADMIN SAYS about teh send out cards. Contact me at my web site and we can set up a time for you so that I can walk you through it with a gift account which i will give you to try. This is not a get rich quick but can definitely create some income as well as be a great complement with keeping in contact with your data base for other businesses. ie insurance, car sales, dentists, doctors, real estate, any kind of other business since once the name is in your data base you can send cards for birthdays, special holidays etc etc, at the click of your mouse, for as low as 1.05 per card and so much more with this system. email me today.
Hey Ben,
It’s all about the missing ingredients… That is one of the causes of failure among new internet marketers. They purchase the promise without any background knowledge or skills. It becomes a piece of a puzzle with many missing pieces.
Most Gurus sell the dream first the fear of loss second and the practicality of the product a distant third. Seldom are the prerequisite knowledge, skills and tools addressed.
The business in a box is the fools gold of the internet!
Always a pleasure to read or hear you..I’d bet that if you offered a product sell that said it would be automatically tailored to first 500$ a day in x days, then sweep into the big figures for ‘the Furure’ depending on the time and effort put in, that that would be the most believable and followed…
Unh, for the colds, make intense tisanes of thyme (the strongest antiviral and antibacterial remedy they know of–ya ya the stuff in the garden) and sage , also a strong antibacterial and great for the throat and itchies in the nose, mauve if you have it for the mucus passages, add honey and get it down you asap and as often as possible. Gargle with sea salt in warm water or if they have them over there, get one of the sterilized seawater sprays for throat and nose. When the coughs get going, drink or lunch as much pineapple stuff, minus any added sugar, that you can. This from the official doctor of the Frankfurt Opera…it’s the bromain, clears up the old yuck mucus from the inside. Propolis sprays are great to keep from getting it from atchoo around the corner desk…
Didn’t think my singing know how would come in handy here!!
and, like granma said wash your hands…
best to you,
G Sido
Ben, hype may sell but I’m under the impression that it has become less effective lately. I find claims like this 100k-a-day absolutely unrealistic and ridiculous like so many instant easy cash formulas being sold online. BTW, if all these hyped up promises were fulfilled there wouldn’t be poverty in the world…nor th present world economic crisis…
Sido:
Please urgently rename both “glsn 8enb§88.html” pages in your website to “index.html” otherwise anyone can access all files and the download page.
Hey Ben,
This is for the second part of the email message about “magic cures” for the sniffles. A chiropractor friend of mine suggests putting iodine on the inside of the wrist at night before going to bed. Sounds crazy, but I used it the other night and it seemed to work.
Cheers,
Karen
Hi Ben,
I like your work. I m very much motivated and i m taking steps in the whole internet marketing craze. I have bought a couple of eBooks about all kinds of internet magic and i have been stunned by all the wondrous 5 figure earnings.I was most impressed by the Archimedes Project and i have an affiliate website of my own now as a result. But i have not earned a dime so far relative to what i have spent in either Adword campaigns or eBooks. It all sounded simple in the books and stuff until i did it myself.Maybe i need help here. I m not giving up though but i just want to say that i appreciate you guys out there making it big online. I am sure i ll too though it is just a supplementary income. I invite you guys to check out my new affiliate website and tell me what i m doing wrong because i have not earned a dime from it since creation a few weeks now.
Simon,
http://www.bestproductreviewswebsite.com/
Hi there Monney monney I cant spell it ?or Listen to this lyric from Lynard Skynnard.
Oh aint that funny , How cheap paper turns to monney,Can make a sunny day Grey
And we all Got to pay.
Iam from Sweden Yeah and the biggest news is how Us banks andhow people got to leave their job. WE have the same problem I guess all countries have that problem .But USA Dollarn Rules I cant explain but I know the hole world is depending on that .
What I want to say is We human .We need ouer dreams that is why we are a survivor and yes we can diskuss if he have 100 000 $ it is to much But if you had so much would you give the monney back and only take 250$
I had take so much I could,Then I might helped other.Like those Gurus do here on internet ,Give all a chans before we judge.But I understand why people get upset.I have been rish or wealrthy I remember one thing
When you got much monney you newer know who is your friend.Must be not so fun.They made a test on people who won much monney and it was alarming people who had been poor and suddenly get many million they where happy 1-2 month then they get depress.They cant handle it.So They had the perfect winning was lets say we dont say kronor or dollar or euro we just say when you work you have 10000 in /month if you get your fee 10000 + 20000 =30000 that was the magic number 2times you fee + yor fee then people where most happy.I hope I gave you all something to think of its so difficullt to speak about monney allwayes someone who get angry of what i wrote but at least i tryied to make eweryone pleased,thanks from east
You people need to get your sh** together and get your ass of the chair or chain it to a chair, whatever, and start making things happen. Worst thing you can do is buying a product after product and hoping this will be the winner, that this is the one that will make you earn millions. Start developing your own systems, start copying those who work their ass of to make it, and stop buying every piece of sh** that internet marketing niche has to offer. Sure, you can learn a lot, but from my experience, hardcore marketing and salesmanship always work well in any niche and any aspect of your business, or life for that matter. Start making things happen dammit!
Zelimir of course you are right. But its easier said than done. I’m subscribed to several sites and my inbox is flooded with great deals to make 10k 100K or whatever seems to be the going amount at the time. I’m slowly reducing my scribe list.
How about starting from the other end of the “k range”? A little at a time to build up slowly but surely. And yes it takes some effort and time – that goes without saying but how sweet it is when you make $5 once, twice, and more than that each day.
Ben
I think your observations are spot on. Most people do not really believe they can “make money” online.
For them $10 a day would be a miracle and a lesson.
Then they can ask themselves how many income streams of $300 a month do I want.
Easy logic and practical too
But talking about turning your computer into an ATM or “Passive Income” “Autopilot Income” etc IS effective – people buy this stuff become disillusioned and stop trying.
If a marketing expert talks about building a business that turns most people off because they have no business background and are scared and often hostile towards business.
Most beginners should probably start with ebay or “Bum Marketing”.
Both can be learned easily and can earn real money with a minimum of technical problems.
All The Best
Alex
http://www.expertlistbuilding.com
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