First things first, are you on any “guru” marketers’ email lists?
Sure you are.
Everybody is.
You signed up maybe just to check out what they are doing and what methods they are using to bring new customers and maybe to even buy some stuff from them.
I actually have a completely separate email address just for receiving this sort of “quality newsletters” (they are nowhere near being quality, by the way), purely because there’s just so much stuff out there that giving them my primary email address would ruin me in days.
Anyway, there are times when I’m amazed at how certain marketing and selling methods get repeated over and over again, with yet another product launch. I mean, does this stuff still work?
So today I just want to take a page from the internet marketer’s playbook and list the main elements of a proper guru product sell.
(By the way, don’t do this! The following information is for entertainment purposes only.)
1. Information products only!
Come on, this is just basic. Who would want to waste their time on creating anything of actual value and any tangible presence. PDF products are all you need. Inception!
2. Quote an exact amount of money
For instance, if you’re selling a new “make money” product, make sure to quote an exact sum of money that you’ve made using the techniques you’re teaching inside the product. Say something like:
“Find out how I made $13,567.23 in just two days by using these underground techniques.”
The idea is that for some reason, people are supposedly more likely to believe a marketing message if it quotes a specific amount. In practice, it just looks ridiculous.
3. Use a lot of hype words
Words like “underground” as in “underground techniques.”
Or “push-button” as in “push-button solution.”
Or “blueprint” as in “your business launch blueprint.”
Or “under the radar” as in “stay under the radar of your competitors.”
The rule of thumb is: The more the better.
4. Stupid name for modules
If your guru product has some modules as part of it, which it does, then don’t forget to give these modules some really corny names, like “Traffic Avalanche” or “Product Launch Conspiracy.”
I guess the main idea is that stupid things get noticed and stick.
5. Say gurus are bad but you are cool
This is something you absolutely must do because if you don’t, your prospective customers might get the impression that you are one of the bad guys.
By addressing this, you’re breaking down their guard and getting some instant credibility.
Of course, at the same time, do exactly the same thing every guru would do – promote your stuff with false promises and a lot of hype. Distraction!
6. Make the sales video hours long
This is becoming a rule in the online business world by now…but only for crappy products. For instance, when Apple wants to sell us their new iPhone, all they say is “Here’s the new iPhone, go buy it!” And they really need nothing else because we can already imagine that the product will be awesome.
When some internet marketing guru sells a product, they need at least 30 minutes of video to convince us that the product maybe kind of isn’t crap. You tell me, is this a healthy situation?
Oh, and by the way, say that you’re going to take the video down soon … and then totally never actually take it down.
7. Promise a guarantee where people can keep the product
Why? Because your product is crap anyway so why shouldn’t anyone be able to keep it even if they ask for a refund?
Let me use my Apple example again. Can you imagine asking for a refund after buying a new iPhone and being allowed to keep the device anyway? Hell no! Simply because the device has some actual value.
8. Portray your product as being life-changing
If it’s a “make money” product then just say something like:
“Can you imagine just $2000 of additional income? This doesn’t seem like much but it can actually get your car payment and your rent handled. Imagine how great it would feel to never have to worry about your bills again.”
Remember, you’re selling a new lifestyle not just a crappy information product PDF.
9. Say that the price is low
This is quite amazing. Every time I watch a sales video, the guy says that the price he asks for his product is low. No matter what it actually is.
If it’s $100, he will compare it to the amount of money you spend on beer every month. If it’s $500, he will compare it to more traditional solutions to a given problem. If it’s $5000, he will say that the price is really nothing because of the new lifestyle you’re getting.
The rule of thumb: Put any price tag you want on your product and then say that it’s cheap anyway.
{BACK TO REALITY MARKER}
Okay, it’s time to get back to the real world. The above 9 practices are actually more common than you’d think is reasonable. Hundreds and hundreds of new marketers use these every day. Really, everyone who’s new to internet marketing gets an immediate impression that this is the way to do business.
So please, don’t jump on the bandwagon too. You’re better than this.
By the way, any idea for something else that could go as the #10 on this list?
Want to Join the Guru Clique? Here’s How to Sell a Product in 9 Steps | newInternetOrder.com