How to be a Rich Internet Marketing Guru in 4 Simple Steps

Posted by in Affiliate Marketing, Creative Ideas, inspiration | 28 comments

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If you are willing to be slightly deceptive, and you aren’t too concerned about your reputation long term, then you too could be the next Internet marketing superstar!

Disclaimer: While there are a lot of very honest experts in the world of Internet marketing & I do my best to surround myself with the best of the best, there are also plenty of experts that established their entire career on false income claims and other ugly tactics. Many of these “gurus” are riding a wave of affiliate sales and launches. I’m trying to show you how they did it so you can recognize it when you see it…and if you lack a moral compass, I’m about to give you the blueprint for irresponsible wealth!

Here’s How to be a Rich Internet Marketing Guru in 4 Simple Steps:

Step one: Get a picture of yourself with a big paycheck from Clickbank, Google, Commission Junction etc. It’s not that hard to do if you have some investmentment money. Simply spend as much money as it takes on pay per click ads, Facebook ads, or any other various form of online advertising. Who cares if you have to spend $15,000 in order to make $5,000. All you need is the fat check and a picture of it in your hands. SHORTCUT: If you aren’t worried about the FTC tracking you down (odds are they won’t) you can just take a fuzzy picture like this one and claim that this check is six figures “fat”.

Step two: Develop a step-by-step system revealing your top-secret strategies for raking in fast cash. Actually I’ve just given you a great title for your product. That will sell like crazy I promise. Slick graphics are very important. Be sure to put in a ton of content even if it’s just “filler”. The content doesn’t have to be all that fantastic but there needs to be a lot of it. If you make the price tag high enough you’ll have plenty of JV partners jump on the promotion of your big launch.

Step three: Entice your leads by offering to “give away” some of your best content (if it’s good or not doesn’t matter) in exchange for e-mail addresses. Make sure your claims are hard to verify and deliver your content with authority. Accuracy and honesty are of course optional. The current trend is video. It’s time to build the hype.

Step four: It’s time to put your “exploit” on autopilot! Your refund rate will probably be pretty high on your launch, but there’s no need to mention that fact when you launch your SECOND product which will be the story of how you made $XXX,XXX in one day with your first info-product launch! You are also now the proud owner of a large e-mail list full of people very willing to fall for shiny objects. Be sure to exploit them by selling (as an affiliate) all the other guru launch products.

See the comments others have left, or leave your own comment by clicking the “comment” link at the top of this article.

  • http://www.CrabbyDigital.com Clif Bridegum

    Jim,
    Wow, you are spot on about what should NOT be done in the Internet Marketing world.

    I prefer the method of slowing building a strong reputation and providing great products to my customers just like you.

  • http://www.skipmcgrath.com Skip McGrath

    Well said Jim. I liked this so much I am linking my next newsletter to it. I wish the FTC could find a way to filter these guys out.

    Skip McGrath

  • Mark

    Hi Jim,

    As always, very helpful and looking out for the community.

    Quick question though — #3 … where you offer good info for an email address.

    Is that really a bad thing to do? I’m confused here? I know you’ve built a list of over 100,000 people and that’s something I’d like to emulate.

    Can you clarify this point so I understand what’s wrong with building a list via offering solid info?

    Thanks

    Mark

    [reply from Jim]: I’m glad you said something…I’ve edited the article to remove the GOOD advice I accidentally gave in step 3! Of course it’s a great idea to grow a loyal following by giving them great advice and information. I stand behind that concept fully! (i.e. listbuildingclass.com)

  • http://www.ProvenInternetSolutions.com Bob Rossignol

    Great advice once again! Your information always makes me or saves me money. The products that I do have from you are top notch. And more than that they help me make money from home.

  • Hanna Claire

    I appreciate the humor in which this was written. It is so true though which is extremely sad. I know a couple of “one hit wonders” that really struggled after that first success. I think its so important to build your reputation first.

  • http://davidgraceblog.blogspot.com David

    Don’t forget to invite them to your latest seminar where all the newest and most talented gurus (namely them) will gather to hear you poor out lifelong words of wisdom as you set them up to buy into your coaching classes.

  • Rich

    Thanks again Jim, Can’t even imagine how much time & money you have just saved the innocent online business entrepreneur wanna-be. Just join offlinebiz for the real deal. I did and now can find the TRUTH anytime I want. Rich

  • http://www.excelatebusiness.com Riley Jackson

    Hey Jim,

    This is hilarious but very sad. You rock!

  • http://www.martynboaden.com Martyn Boaden

    Hi Jim

    You have a nack of “telling it how it really is”.

    Always helpful and informative.

    Thanks

    Martyn Boaden

  • John Bourdeau

    Thanks Jim
    You pointed out exactly why i didnt buy any of their courses for three years until I found you and bought your training. Your #1 and highly ethical

  • http://www.plrvalues.com Ally

    This article is so right on, it is exactly how the big splashy launches are done. The sad part to me is, we all start out as newbies, and spend at least a year of our time and hundreds to thousands of dollars on this garbage before we wake up and realize we have been taken, over and over and over again. I really do not know how some of these “gurus” sleep at night. They steal from people, it is as simple as that.

  • http://hypnosisreallyworks.co.uk/ Eamon Casey

    Great article Jim and so true

    Would add that it seems obligatory to have a truly awful rags to riches story, and with the less scrupulous businesses, make it very hard for your customers to communicate with you post payment!

  • http://www.oldbooksmakemoney.com Dave Robus

    Thanks for a great post Jim.

    I have been struggling online to make even a few hundred pounds in the last couple of years. I just want to do things ethically, but I cannot seem to build a list of more than a couple of hundred names.

    Maybe I’m just too honest to be cut out for this online world.

    Dave Robus.

    [reply from Jim]: I’m not saying that DISHONESTY is required in order to succeed. I personally know of hundreds of people doing great things online. The keys to success are common though…here’s an article on that very different topic. http://www.jimcockrum.com/blog/?p=544

  • pete

    Its good to see some honest truths about making money online and especially good that the advice is top notch. I stumbled across your page and I am very glad I did. Bookmarked and ready to come back again!
    Many thanks!

  • http://myupwardspiralblog.com Lee Anne Musante

    Your words are exactly what I needed to read . . . (as a newbie) it is difficult to admit but I have lost thousands of dollars to the “big name gurus” . . . as one of your posters said, “How do they sleep at night?” . . . if only I had discovered you right out of the gate . . . oh, well, no regrets; but no more wasting my time and money with them . . . I am, starting today, using your information and techniques and judging from your reputation I have no doubt that I will meet success. I can’t wait to get started . . . Many thanks for sharing your knowledge at affordable prices!

  • Nichepazloe

    You make it sound so cheap lol.

  • http://twitter.com/GregChirinian Greg Chirinian

    That is so true . Every time I see a picture of a click bank check, I never pay attention anymore. I thought  that the FTC was going to be coming down more on these dishonest marketers after the big court cases with several companies http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/03/emptypromises.shtm  I also think  people are getting more savvy and as Jim mentioned ,probably checking how much Klout the individual has. Unfortunately some people have no scruples even in a recession.

  • Ed Twain

    Did you note that almost all the “gurus” say they have “lost a lot of dollars trying to be succesful online before finding THE SECRET”? This is the #1 technique of commercial speeching, called “identification”.

    • http://www.JimCockrum.com/ Jim Cockrum

      Great point. The next time you see that”trick”, run!

  • http://www.JimCockrum.com/ Jim Cockrum

    The SilentSalesMachine.com book is only $5. It’s packed with great ideas from my 10 years of proven success and the success of my students. It will save you a ton of wasted time and money.

    • http://www.mcbikergear.com Roxriker

      At the bottom of 2 free chapter, chapter 5

  • Geobarb100

    I just received a terrific offer and the cost is only $79 for a “Five Click — We Do It All For You” program.  Well $79 is a bit more than my budget can stand right now so I click that little X at the top right hand corner of my screen. 
    Well whoopee, a little square box shows up that says
    “Please don’t go,  We have a discount for you today.  Just click the Cancel button to stay on this page.”  So I click the “Cancel” button and sure enough a page comes up offering me the product for a whopping 50 % discount for only $39.50. 

    Well I might be able to squeeze that much out of my budget even though it will mean no mid morning coffee for the next month.  So I order the product and pay with PayPal.  They send me to a site with a  “One Time Offer” that will put the frosting on the cake of the product I just bought and this one costs only a measley $197 for life.  If I don’t buy it now it will be gone for ever.   Well if I really want to make money with this I better get it.  So out comes my credit card, (I should know better… but)… and I buy.  Then after three or four more “One Time Offers” that I must have to make it work with just “One Click Of My Mouse” I finally find the download page for the original offer and it’s all nothing but JUNK.

    Does this story sound familiar?
    My advice:  If they try to hold you when you first exit their page, don’t click the “Cancel Button”.  Click the “Continue Button” which takes you to the exit. 

    Like Barnham said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.”  I might add,  ” and two Con-men born to take him” 
    Don’t let the Cons make a sucker out of you.  And don’t be a Con-man either.  What goes around comes around.

    George Wright

  • Cashtomarket

    I am making a steady income from a Jim Cockrum course and watched a HYPE video by someone who claimed to know Jim C. I have good money in the bank from my present online business AND figured out what my RISK is-$1586- from trying a NEW venture that-after the fact-has virtually Everything Jim C. said to “watch out for”above. So now, it turns out, it takes AT LEAST $1,000 MORE to Potentially(ahem) make this step by step Coached business succeed. I wish I had finished studying the $5 Silent Jim course BEFORE buying into this “once in a lifetime” sure thing, step by step building business. Conclusion, if someone is talking fast to you take the BIG CHANCE and let this Sure Thing opportunity GO. Learn so like I did with the Jim C training.

    • http://www.JimCockrum.com/ Jim Cockrum

      well said. I hope those that read your wise words take heed.

  • http://ColumbusFinancialCoach.com Derek Bliedung

    I went to Anthony Morrison seminar, a few weeks
    ago, I was not impressed over all the hype and no hard facts and I felts was
    over priced at $2000 for the Columbus, Ohio market! Compared to a similar training program
    offered by Rich Dad training at $299 and I was impressed with that training
    program. I did not buy either program because I did not have the money and Anthony
    Morrison was over priced! They called me back and wanted to speak to me about
    another offer they had for me! Well, the guy I talked to left some wise cracks
    on my voice mail. I did talk to him later and next talked to his director,
    (closer) He wanted a $1000 down payment and a $133/month for 2 years. Once
    again I just do not have the cash. And I was not impressed!! Just all hype! I
    told me that my credit card are pretty much maxed out, and I am told that
    people that just got out of school make what I making now, and your going a
    down hill spiral the rep told me!.  I am
    in the process to change my life which I told their rep! Well really professional, putting me down, because I turned you down!

    • http://www.JimCockrum.com/ Jim Cockrum

      Sorry for the bad experience! I can assure you that you’ll never be treated that way by my staff or me!

  • harlan

    This is spot on. However, in one of  your YouTube videos are endorsing a Stuart Thornhill WSO Domination that talks about linking Clickbank and WF together. In the sample chapters of silent sales machines you talk about avoiding being an affiliate for other peoples stuff. So how then does that fit in with your stragtegy?

    • http://www.JimCockrum.com/ Jim Cockrum

      This does seem to be a contradiction until you realize that I classify all “affiliate marketing” into TWO distinct categories. This article best describes the difference between the two (doing aff marketing the right way and the wrong way):
      http://www.jimcockrum.com/blog/2010/12/20/do-i-love-or-hate-affiliate-marketing/
      Also- read the other articles in the “affiliate marketing” section of my blog. You’ll get plenty other examples that help clear up my position (it’s the same position that more and more responsible marketers are adapting).