Why do "secrets" work? Suspending disbelief.

[tcv]

Hey folks,

I just finished reading the book. I encountered a large deal of resistance on the muse sections and I'd like to talk about some of that.

Mr. Ferriss held other entrepreneurs up as examples. I probably paid closer attention to the "information" products since I think that's where I might like to go. One example was Carlton Sheets.

Speaking a little broadly here, I am honestly perplexed as to why products such as Mr. Sheets' sold at all. Indeed, I have many mental flags that, if I see them, immediately become "scams" in my mind. Here are some of them:

1. "Secrets ..."
2. Infomercials that run overnight.
3. Words to the effect of "so easy a child could do it"
4. "easy payments"
5. "anyone can do it."
6. The host surrounded by very expensive items.
7. Referrals that reference a first name only.
8. No way to contact referrals.
9. "lifetime guarantee"
10. "the best"

(Yes, I live a very cynical life.)

But every single time I read a book like Mr. Ferriss', they ultimately say these methods work. People respond to "secrets" and "the tips you need." People are mesmerized if the host is surrounded by Bentleys and CRJs. People believe that "lifetime" means their lifetime and not "life" as the manufacturer defines it. I once read about a call center that ran surveys after the calls. They found that if the agent repeated the word "outstanding" during the call, more people answered "outstanding" on the survey.

I mean, seriously, WTF?

This is probably my largest barrier to entry into any of this. If Carlton Sheets' information, as an example, didn't help everyone as he said it would, doesn't that make it a scam? Doesn't that mean he harmed people? How can I say, "this will work for you," if it doesn't work for everyone? I expect the truth with a Capital T and have sometimes gotten myself in trouble over it. I know the folks aren't lying, per se ... well, maybe they are. The problem is: I can't tell. In Sheet's example: Was he successful selling a lie? Is that vitamin supplement _really_ better than the others? How does one tell anything anymore.

Has anyone else out encountered this type of mental resistance? Did you get over it? How?

Cheers,

Mike Whalen

[storm33229]

Hey folks,

I just finished reading the book. I encountered a large deal of resistance on the muse sections and I'd like to talk about some of that.

Mr. Ferriss held other entrepreneurs up as examples. I probably paid closer attention to the "information" products since I think that's where I might like to go. One example was Carlton Sheets.

Speaking a little broadly here, I am honestly perplexed as to why products such as Mr. Sheets' sold at all. Indeed, I have many mental flags that, if I see them, immediately become "scams" in my mind. Here are some of them:

1. "Secrets ..."
2. Infomercials that run overnight.
3. Words to the effect of "so easy a child could do it"
4. "easy payments"
5. "anyone can do it."
6. The host surrounded by very expensive items.
7. Referrals that reference a first name only.
8. No way to contact referrals.
9. "lifetime guarantee"
10. "the best"

(Yes, I live a very cynical life.)

But every single time I read a book like Mr. Ferriss', they ultimately say these methods work. People respond to "secrets" and "the tips you need." People are mesmerized if the host is surrounded by Bentleys and CRJs. People believe that "lifetime" means their lifetime and not "life" as the manufacturer defines it. I once read about a call center that ran surveys after the calls. They found that if the agent repeated the word "outstanding" during the call, more people answered "outstanding" on the survey.

I mean, seriously, WTF?

This is probably my largest barrier to entry into any of this. I expect the truth with a Capital T and have sometimes gotten myself in trouble over it. I know the folks aren't lying, per se ... well, maybe they are. The problem is: I can't tell. In Sheet's example: Was he successful selling a lie? Is that vitamin supplement _really_ better than the others? How does one tell anything anymore.

Has anyone else out encountered this type of mental resistance? Did you get over it? How?

Cheers,

Mike Whalen
1. It doesn't really matter if he's lying about his own success, the truth is that his methods do work.
2. In marketing you need to tell people that they'll be happy with whatever it is you're selling.

What mental barrier? Do you or don't you want to generate some income to take care of some expenses so that you in turn work less and enjoy life more? That's the only question you need to answer because beyond that it's all put into formulas for you.

[tcv]

If Carlton Sheets' information, as an example, didn't help everyone as he said it would, doesn't that make it a scam? Doesn't that mean he harmed people? How can I say, "this will work for you," if it doesn't work for everyone?

[JFrenzel]

This may be true. And as far as pursuing your own muse. I think everyone is too caught up in a product. There are other ideas out there. Focus on the moon not the finger pointing at the moon.


Cheers

Jose

[Dan]

Hi Mike,

There are some very good points you raise - I to feel rather un-comfy with such products, and would also steers clear of dealing in them.

If you look at sites selling such products, I think the majority tend to be in the "how to make a million doing nothing" category, which is a lucrative area. However, there are very many areas I can think of where one could confidently sell a genuinely useful info-product. As an example, I'm awful at DIY, so I try to avoid and get someone in! But, when I'm pushed a book that took things back to basics, explained in short paragraphs and gave me lots of pictures would be a god-send for those moments I have to do some.

Of course, another avenue is that it can be possible to make a lot of money from giving away information. Provide some useful information in a niche website, market and design well, and you could make the money from advertising instead.

Hope that helps :)

Dan

[tcv]

If you look at sites selling such products, I think the majority tend to be in the "how to make a million doing nothing" category, which is a lucrative area.

Why do you think that's lucrative? That's partly my disbelief talking.

I'm not trying to make myself feel better so I can sell sketchy products. Rather, it's a moral dilemma I would like to resolve for myself. I ran my own computer repair shop for about four years. I had ads that promised to take technology headaches away. Did I do it all the time? Of course not. I tried damn hard, though, and that's why I wound up hating myself and my "job." I under-promised, over-delivered, and over-worked. And still, at the end, when I couldn't make something work it would really, really hurt.

So, when I think of this idea of putting out a product -- whether it's information or something else -- I fall back into this mindset of all-or-nothing. I gotta make it work for everyone. Otherwise can I really promise it's going to work for all people?

To bring it a little closer to home, the BrainQuicken site offers a heck of a lot of promises. The testimonials say it works. You can find messages on the intertubes that claim it works. You can also find people who say it doesn't. So, where's the truth? And aren't I responsible for that?

Let's say I'm in charge of BQ. My product implies it helps mental clarity. A student is desperate to pass a test and buys a $50.00 bottle at a store. (He wasn't aware of the trial.). He feels a charge and he's able to study longer. He still fails. I believe this is my fault because I told him my product would help him. And he would probably feel that my product failed him and would blame me. Who's right?

Thanks to anyone reading this far!! ;)

[nghs22]

You are thinking illogical mate. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. In your student example, BQ doesn't say "guaranteed to make you pass" but rather "guaranteed to make you study longer and with more clarity than your normally would." In that respect, BQ did its job. BQ can't make you smarter. It can make you study longer, harder, faster, etc

Relate that to the "sketchy" info products. Now let me be the first to say I get really annoyed by all the "make a million not doing shit" bs they try to feed you. People are lazy and there will be those that will ALWAYS fall for that. However, the job of the info product is to show you how to "make millions" and not make millions for you. If that was the case, everyone would be rich.

The BEST saying to protect yourself is:

"If it is too good to be true, it is."

I guess my answer your "moral dilemma" is I cannot bring myself to sell something that I don't personally believe in and have tried.

[kamakiri]

If Carlton Sheets' information, as an example, didn't help everyone as he said it would, doesn't that make it a scam? Doesn't that mean he harmed people? How can I say, "this will work for you," if it doesn't work for everyone?

When they say "this will work for you", they mean if you you do the program by the book and work at it. Anyone can make money with Nuskin, I have never tried it, but if you spend 35-40 hours a week promoting Nuskin, YOU WILL MAKE MONEY! (you will also become a born again missionary type freak who pushes away your friends and family, but that is beside my point). Carlton Sheets programs work the same way. Follow those for 40 hours a week of real work on finding those house deals, and you will make money, but really, how many people quit their job to focus on Carlton's real estate advice or network marketing.

Where most people fail is in the execution of the program. Just look at these forums and the sheer amount of people with sadly misguided notions that if you build a muse you can have the freedom Tim has. Not the case.

Success takes time, effort, and preparation. Once you get there, you can enjoy the benefits, but most people don't put in the base work. If you build an airport on a foundation made of junk, you get KIX.

By my estimate less than 1 in 100 posters here has a business plan, and not a single person has posted one. If you have an idea, post it to a BBS, and it gets some criticism, and you get defensive about it, then you really shouldn't be going into business any way. You don't have the make up for it. Tim's book is easy to read. It is entertaining, and can be finished in a week. That is only the first step. The rest is up to you. Nothing in life is free.

[Ironwulfsbane]

Honestly, a lot of info products have gotten a bad rap. Do you know what's ironic, though? Selling information on "How to make an infoproduct" is one of the more lucrative fields online.

How can they do that and still make money? The answer is pretty simple. There are a lot of dreamers in the world, but very few closers. They can sell information on how to create these products because most people just want to READ about doing it. This lets them feel like they're accomplishing a step toward their dreams, even though they're doing nothing. Sort of like wanting to lose weight on a treadmill that's not plugged in.

I think that if you ask a lot of the "Carleton Sheets" customers, you'll find that they did the first 7-9 days worth of work pretty consistently, then petered off into nothingness. This is typical of most self-help courses in any industry.

To answer your question, people buy these products because we are all equals in dreaming. The true NR are those who have learned to convert their dreams into reality through brains, braun, and a little elbow grease.

Good luck with your musings.

[badhank]

is it possible that these buzz terms dont work when u urself are not interested in a product? have u noticed what is being said about the products you do buy? is it different? perhaps you are in the %age of ppl not affected by this type of thing?

[kamakiri]

It is like people who want good bodies. How do you get a great bod? It takes work. Heading to the gym at least 3 times a week, going for morning runs, watching your diet.

Want to look like Arnie? Then you need 3 hours a day in the gym. The number of people who read about health in Men's Health is far more than the number of people who look like the guys in Men's Health.

People don't want to take the time to actually do these things. They would rather take hoodia and hope that one day they wake up looking like Cindy Crawford.