How to tell who's full of crap online
Published: Mon, 03/14/16
A while back I got this often-asked type of question:
"ive sat in on so many webinars from different people just to lurk
that my head is spinning..i would love someone to help me but
unless i have lots of $$ it doesnt seem to be an option.. and then
theres the others with new ones popping out of the woodwork
everyday- all the 'gooroos' how is anyone ever supposed to figure
out who is real and who isnt when they are sprouting like weeds on
a daily basis..and i cannot believe that every single person is
making 10 figures a day x 7 days a week selling the same stuff and
doing IM-i mean really??"
My 100%-not-to-be-questioned answer:
Assume we're ALL full of crap until proven otherwise.
Yes, even me.
(*Especially* me.)
* Don't believe someone just because they attach themselves to a
bunch of gurus and are always hanging around with them.
* Don't believe someone just because they claim to have "test" data
(data without context is completely irrelevant to you for a
multitude of reasons -- yes, others' tests serve as useful beacons
and idea-generators, but at the same time, for all you know they
are lying or withholding info, plus one lists' data isn't going to
magically translate to yours -- too many intangibles, like
positioning, list relationship, brand, offer,
message-to-market-match, and the goo-roo band marches on...)
* Don't believe someone because they shower their advertising with
"proof."
* Don't believe someone if they are always showing you their lavish
lifestyle (you'd be surprised how many people have a Mercedes in
the driveway but no food in the fridge...)
* Don't believe someone just because they take a position where
they are the ones calling out the scams and nonsense perpetuated by
gurus, goo-roos, etc. (like I do a lot).
* Don't believe someone just because they're a good copywriter or
marketer.
* Don't believe someone just because they're a "rockstar" in your
market and everyone faints like liberals at an Obama speech every
time they tweet something.
* Don't believe someone just because they're blatantly honest about
their flaws. (Called "candor" which is quite powerful in
advertising.)
* Don't believe someone just because they're so charismatic they
can charm the birds out of the trees. (Many a serial killer,
psychopath, and garden-variety con man is charming and charismatic,
after all...)
* Don't believe someone just because they have 10 pages of glowing
"performance" based testimonials (not just "golly gee whiz I really
Really REALLY like your product and stuff" testimonials).
Testimonials can (and often are) be faked and exaggerated.
* Don't believe someone just because they have no bad reviews
online, and it's all good reviews.
And so on, and so forth.
In short:
Don't believe anyone using any of the above trust-building
principles and tactics -- yes, even though I highly suggest YOU use
(*most* of) those same principles and tactics.
(I certainly do.)
After all, they can be (and are) misused by the corrupted.
So, what can you believe?
In my humble (but accurate) opinion...
Demonstration.
It's the single most powerful way to prove your case. And, it's the
single best way to prove someone isn't full of crap.
Hey, want to know if I'm full of it?
It's easy.
Take the stuff I teach (1) in these emails (2) on my podcast (3) on
my "media page" (over a dozen hours of hard audio and video
training on there, free) and (4) in the free "Email Players" pdf
you got when you subscribed to this list. (And before anyone
asks... if you foolishly lost that pdf, no I won't send it to you
again, I'm not your mother here to wipe your snot nose, you'll have
to sac up and re-optin).
Anyway, go ahead and apply the stuff I teach.
Did it work?
No?
Then don't buy anything from me.
Seriously.
Save yo bling-bling.
I don't claim to be the end-all, be-all.
Fact is, there are *many* people my stuff does NOT work for.
Particularly, people who are uptight, afraid to
(gasp!) offend anyone, incurable perfectionists, plagued with
analysis paralysis, can't make a move without permission, or who
play to not lose instead of playing to win.
They're much better off going somewhere else.
(To someone who will coddle and tolerate them, I won't.)
But, what if my stuff did work?
Well, then keep using whatever you used, and if it makes financial
sense (and you can afford the whopping $3.23 per day it costs) take
off the training wheels, subscribe to my paid subscription "Email
Players" newsletter, and implement what's in there each month.
And you know what else?
You can apply this same criteria to anyone.
Is there a guru you want to learn from but, don't know if they're
the real deal? Then apply the stuff they give away free (or buy one
of their products) and apply it.
Did it work?
Good!
If not, move on.
Bottom line:
Don't trust anyone.
Especially not someone who gives you similar information, setting
themselves up as the kings who "knight" others as being good or bad
guys. (Like I'm doing in this email, now that I think about it...)
We're ALL guilty until proven innocent.
And, even then, forever on probation.
That's the attitude I take.
And, you know what?
It's saved me lots of time and money.
Go thou and do likewise.
Then, check out:
http://www.EmailPlayers.com
Ben Settle