eMarketWorks – Approaching its 100th Post!
I'm thinking about changing to a new theme to celebrate the 100th post at eMarketWorks.com.
What do you think?
Should I try a new theme?
Thanks for your feedback,
Ed
Archive for the ‘Ed Notes’ Category
New WordPress Theme for eMarketWorks?
Saturday, February 27th, 2010eMarketWorks – Approaching its 100th Post!
Copy Paste Systems – Poor Support
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010Copy Paste Systems featuring Paul Ponna as the "Reassuring Voice"
I've been trying out the Copy Paste System during the refund period and I've made a few discoveries.
The OTO Gauntlet – Many Times
First, the whole system is designed to sell you OTOs so when you buy in to get Copy Paste Systems, you get to run the one-time-offer gauntlet that could cost you a couple of hundred bucks if you bought it all.
But don't worry – if you pass them up the first time through, you will get emails constantly reminding you that you can still get them. Maybe they should be called MTOs – many time offers.
Support is Poor
The second thing I discovered is that you shouldn't count on quality support, especially if you are a newbie and need more than a 1-sentence reply to a question. I was working my way through the "Famous Automatic Cash Machine" – how secret could that be if it's Famous, but I digress – part of the Copy Paste website when I had some questions I wanted help with.
I sent an email with my question to support@copypastesystems.com on January 22, 2010. Then on January 25, I sent another email adding a different question. The first answer came back on January 31, that's about 9 days late, consisted of 6 words, and ignored my second question totally.
On February 2, I got another support email answering part of my second question with a nearly unintelligible reply. Soldiering on I've sent another email to support asking if they could please send me an answer I can understand and please answer the entire question.
Good Luck with That
So if you want to give the Copy Paste Systems a try, let me know how that worked. Maybe you will have better luck with support than has been my experience thus far.
Have fun,
Ed
Online Business Secrets Revealed – The Triumph of the Stupid
Monday, January 11th, 2010Are You Too Smart for Your Own Good?
Short and sweet – If you haven't read Mark Widawer's ebook The Triumph of the Stupid, DO IT NOW!
Go ahead, what are you waiting for? It's 26 pages of the best advice you are going to get about being successful in internet marketing and online business.
Cheers,
Ed
Shipping is not FREE
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009FREE Report, CD, DVD, yada, yada, yada
How many times have you seen this. It's FREE – you just pay the shipping cost. What is it about the word FREE that internet marketers don't understand?
How Stupid Are We?
My first point is this. How stupid do you have to be to know that if you pay for shipping – IT'S NOT FREE!
Here's the deal. When you pay shipping, that guarantees that the seller will make at least some small profit no matter what happens because they typically charge more for shipping than it actually costs.
But It Gets Worse … Did you really mean to sign up for a monthly subscription?
Very often in the fine print you didn't read because it was sort of a faded gray 6 point type way at the bottom it says that you agree to sign up for a $47, $67, or even $97 a month subscription to some sort of newsletter, and you will continue to be billed every month until you cancel except that they keep any money charged to your credit card before you cancel. So you end up paying that first month's bill even if you cancel immediately after you realize what has happened. So for that FREE CD the marketer makes money on the shipping and again on the first month's subscription. How's that for slick?
Is your time worthless?
Here's my second point. That FREE offer that you only have to pay shipping to get presumes that the time you spend actually listening, viewing, memorizing, note-taking, and otherwise marking your time doesn't cost anything. In other words, your time is worthless.
Alternatively, let's call your time a "sweat equity" investment because you are certainly going to use this information to make $xx thousands of dollars more in your business than you would have without this information.
Bottom Line
No way is it FREE! So before you click that BUY NOW button for that FREE product, give some thought to how much it is really going to cost you. Then you can make a thoughtful and perhaps even wise decision.
Update on Get Your First Sale Online – the Amazon.com Secret
Friday, December 11th, 2009The Great Amazon.com (Secret) Experiment
I thought I would let you know how my experiment with an Amazon.com seller account went. Hopefully I saved you $17 on that Matt Bacak thing.
How I Made $4.37 Profit in Only 1 Week!
Here’s how I made $4.37 profit. How Matt Bacak managed to pay all his bills doing this I’ll never know.
I uploaded 6 books following the instructions at Amazon. It took about a week before any sold and then I got a notification from Amazon – Do Not Ship. My first order ended up being cancelled because there were payment problems with the purchaser.
Then lightening struck and I got 2 orders on the same day.
Book One
This book, "The Irresistible Offer" by Mark Joyner, sold for $7.38 [Remember this is a used books - Condition - Very Good - Amazon provides guidelines for describing Condition to the customer] + $3.99 Shipping Allowance = $11.37 Charged to Customer.
Amazon Fees: Variable Closing Fee = $1.35, Fixed Closing Fee = $0.99, Commission (minimum 15% on books) = $1.11. Total Amazon Charges: $3.45. Bubble mailer = $1.39 and Postage = $2.38 (Media rate). Total Shipping Cost = $3.77.
Net: Total Charged to Customer – Amazon Fees – Shipping = $11.37 – $3.45 – $3.77 = $4.15 Pure Profit!
Book Two
This book, "After the Affair", sold for $2.75 [Remember this is a used books - Condition - Good] + $3.99 Shipping Allowance = $6.74 Charged to Customer.
Amazon Fees: Variable Closing Fee = $1.35, Fixed Closing Fee = $0.99, Commission = $0.41. Total Amazon Charges: $2.75 [Same as the book price!]. Bubble mailer = $1.39 and Postage = $2.38 (Media rate). Total Shipping Cost = $3.77.
Net: Total Charged to Customer – Amazon Fees – Shipping = $6.74 – $2.75 – $3.77 = $0.22 Pure Profit!
So I banked $4.37 net. I would still have a ways to go to earn the $17 for the Matt Bacak course if I hadn’t asked for a refund. I commend Matt Bacak’s organization for the courtesy and promptness with which they attended to my refund request.
If this is your idea of how to Make Your First Sale Online, go for it. If nothing else, you will gain some experience and confidence. Just don’t count on paying your bills this way.
Meanwhile …
The other 4 books are still sitting in my inventory at home awaiting notice from Amazon that I should ship them.
Wait – another ship notification just came in and I stand to make $0.40 on this order so bye for now – I have to get "The Case for Christ" shipped.
All the best,
Ed
The Law of Distraction
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009The Law of Attraction
You’ve probably heard of the Law of Attraction. This is the idea that you attract what you think about. If you really want something and truly believe it’s possible, you’ll get what you want – or the idea that your thoughts determine (not influence, but determine) how your life goes. Think positive and positive things happen to you. Think negative and … OK so much for the BS.
The Law of Distraction
This law really works. If you think you are going to make big bucks in internet marketing or your home business by trying everything that comes along, you won’t. Simple, the Law of Distraction dictates that the more things you are trying to do, the more distracted you become and the less productive. You end up accomplishing nothing. Well, something – you kept yourself busy being distracted. And you aren’t going to make any money!
The Lesson
If you are constantly buying or trying the latest product launch, internet marketing ebook, home-based business opportunity, webinar, marketing course, coaching program, internet marketing scam, etc., and you have them stacked up like cord wood on your bookshelf and your computer is so full that it is about to throw up on your keyboard, you have become a victim of the Law of Distraction.
You’ll have a lot business ‘expenses’ and no business ‘income’.
I could not emphasize this too strongly because I know from experience. Try one thing, one program, one coach, and stick with that one thing until it works at least a little, or until you thoroughly understand why it doesn’t work for you.
In the process, you may find the kind of internet business that really fits you instead of squeezing yourself into a mold that doesn’t.
Order Customization – Serial One Time Offers
Thursday, September 10th, 2009The Best Copywriting Book Ever Written!
Sorting through my email, I opened a note from an internet marketer advising me that he was about to let me in on the greatest secret marketing book nobody knows about.
Well, of course I had to see that so I clicked on the link in the email and got to the website of this marketer where a video started playing. The video revealed the title and author of this greatest ever book, and this marketer explained that he cherished this book so much that he would never let this book get outside his arm’s reach.
But wait there’s more
Then he told about how he and his company had created a course based on this book, and how I really really needed to take that course so I could learn how to write mind controlling copy for ads. But you know that mind control can be dangerous in the wrong hands so you really have to take this course to learn how to use it ethically and not damage anybody’s psyche.
It’s FREE … Almost
It’s TRUE! You can get a free 7 day look at the course and can cancel anytime in 7 days and it costs you nothing and you get to keep the FREE Gifts anyway. If you don’t cancel within 7 days, you are automatically signed up on a monthly basis for the full course for a "mere" $49/month.
Order Customization – Serial Killer OTOs
When you see something like this, you know you are going to have to wade through this stuff to get what you originally wanted – your free look at the copywriting course.
Even though it says your order is not yet complete, if you cancel out at this step, you are still signed up for the free trial because you gave your credit card information before you got to this step. Clever, huh. So go ahead and check the course out and cancel if you wish.
OTOs Increase Sales
Why do marketers do this OTO stuff? Because it increases their sales. Some people will be put off by this marketing strategy, but others will like and buy the offers and thus spend more money they intended to when they set out to get the free trial. If you have money you don’t know what to do with, go ahead and buy all the OTOs.
No Thanks?
If you don’t want the OTOs, you have to scroll down to the bottom of each page and click the No Thanks links to get the original offer. Another thing to learn about marketing – the No Thanks part at the bottom is in small type and often in lighter colored text to discourage you from saying No Thanks and to encourage you to buy the OTO.
PS If you want to see the offer(s) for yourself, click Here – and follow all the steps that start with an opt-in (another marketing lesson).
PPS The best copywriting book ever written is …
Vacation’s Over – Back to work
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Victoria, BC Anniversary Trip
We had a wonderful week in Victoria in August. Unforgettable. Gotta-go-back kind of week. You should go sometime. It took us 3 days but we found the best fish and chips place on the Victoria wharf – Red Fish Blue Fish.
Had High Tea at the Empress. When was the last time you had tea and cookies and forked over $125 to do it! Well, it’s one of those things you have to do once in your life.
Back to Work
Do I really have to go back to work? I was having a great time this summer. OK, I’m back. So what’s next? The work has been piling up, lots of products and launches to review. Where to start? Dominating CB2, 30DC, 30DC Plus, Stompernet 199, Bullet Cash Method, Jim Daniels coaching. It’ll take forever. Better get started. But first I have to do my Simpleology praxis.
Procrastination is one of my favorite things to do
Did you see the joke about procrastination. My top 10 reasons to procrastinate are:
1.
Affiliate Silver Bullet – Not Recommended
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
I know it’s been a long time since I mentioned Affiliate Silver Bullet – but I hope Better Late Than Never applies here.
Here’s the previous Affiliate Silver Bullet article.
Whoever runs Affiliate Silver Bullet doesn’t seem to pay attention to the products they are selling and that is a good enough reason to avoid this program.
Reported Attack Site!
One of the products being sold as a silver bullet leads visitors to a website that Google thinks is an attack site. That by itself rules out Affiliate Silver Bullet as something you want to get involved with.
To check out the product, I followed the process to get the free email course. When the first email came, I clicked the link at the bottom of the email, something like this: Just visit adomainname.com. The web page opened in my browser and immediately changed to the Reported Attack Site! alert What’s up with that? Shoddy product management or worse.
Cry Baby?
I gave my first name and email address to one of the silver bullets to check out the customer experience. I followed the process to get the free email course. When the first email came, I clicked the link at the bottom of the email, something like this: Just visit adomainname.com. The web page opened in my browser and when it had finished loading, the sound of a baby crying played for a few seconds. What’s up with that? Shoddy product management.
It Gets Worse!
I went to the support site and made out a ticket to report the problem with the Reported Attack Site. ASB sent me an auto-response email advising me to check the faq.
"Hello Edward Rykiel,
Thank you very much for your interest in the Affiliate Silver Bullet System!
Please take a quick look at these frequently asked questions, as they will most likely cover your inquiry. If your question is not covered below, you will receive a personal response within 24 – 48 hours (usually sooner)."
No response sooner, and none within 24 hours. You would think they would want to take care of a problem like that sooner rather than later. I also reported the baby crying thing, and got the same non response.
Don’t Ruin Your Online Reputation
Especially as a newbie, you don’t want to start off by ruining your reputation by promoting not just shoddy products but actual harmful products. There are too many hidden tricks and quality issues with Affiliate Silver Bullet. Your customers should NEVER get a ‘Reported Attack Site!’ web page with a product you are marketing. END OF STORY!
Comments?
Do you have experience with Affiiliate Silver Bullet? Add your comments here.
Training Programs for Just $1… An Example
Friday, June 19th, 2009Can You Really Get a Training Program for Just $1?
How often have you seen this? Just pay a measly $1 and we’ll give you all this FREE stuff. Surely you can afford $1. You are serious about your internet business aren’t you?
What’s the Catch?
Here’s one example –
Ryan Deiss and Perry Belcher want to BRIBE you! At least they are honest about it. You have to give them credit for that. Their approach is typical of this marketing strategy. You might even want to use that strategy yourself someday.
Here’s the Catch
I Understand that I pay just $1.00 today for access to 43 Split Tests, Google Friendly Landing Pages, The Perpetual Launch Model, and Sneaky Little Email Marketing Tricks PLUS a free 30 day trial to Total Access Club.
I further understand that I will be billed $97.00 per month for continuing access to TAC if I do not cancel within the 30 day trial period.
You Decide …
If you really want the FREE stuff, spend that $1. But mark your calendar for the 27th day and CANCEL before you are charged $97. On the other hand, if you like what they have to say and you can afford $97/month, then give that a try.
Of course you will be added to their mailing list if you are not already on it. So you can expect to hear from them again after you spend that $1.