In an email today, Mike Filsaime, the guy who co-created Launch Tree writes:
“A lot of you may not have a product, so you’re
waiting to start online – you may think that the
Launch Tree is not for you…WRONG.We’re going to get on the phone with you for
4 weeks and teach you EXACTLY how to build
your own products in just 3 days or less…”
So now here’s Launch Tree:
- A “not easy to install on your computer and get working program“ – by their own admission;
- Requires you already have “A GOOD FLOW OF NEW CUSTOMERS IN ORDER TO USE IT” say Kern and Reese’s emails about it. They’re promoting it and offer to show you – if you buy through them – how to get a bunch of customers immediately in their one-day online workshop.
- Requires you have an information product ready to sell online. Since the creators realized today that you likely don’t have such a thing, they (Mike and Anik, Launch Tree creators) just offered you their *Instant Product Development Virtual Workshop* (they were going to charge $997 for it, they say, but you can get it free if you order LT today).
Proof #3 works? Well, gosh, big online superstar Anik did it. “10 days later, he had made $7,267!,” says today’s email. Anik’s list is in the tens of thousands. Most are buyers of the PPC Classroom.
Assume he pitched whatever he created in three days, (remember he is an online expert with years of trial and error experience) to his giant PPC Classroom list. Wouldn’t you think he would earn a lot more than “$7,267!”?
And there’s no guarantee more than 20-30% of those people would buy again next month, much less 100% as they entice you with – “That’s a monthly income of $21,801!”
And what are you going to create that people will pay for next month?
Anyone who has little experience or success so far in any of the above three areas, and think they can do 2 and 3 fast, i.e. “get customers” and “create an online product” (that people will buy), is an idiot.
There is no question that the 5,000+ people Mike says have bought so far, will do nothing more than give these boys their money. I’d guess most will never even get the program working, much less build a buying customer base, or create a really great info product.
On the other hand, if you have computer software savvy, have a strong and growing customer base, and have a super information product to market, this will be $77 (plus upsells and monthly fees) likely well-spent.
Yea, I got the same email and after reading about 1/4 of it I deleted it.
Good point Kim, I think that it has gotten a little out of hand and the Marketeers are losing some creativity in the offerings.
Make it great,
Matt
Power of Personal Development
The old rule still applies. An incredibly talented woman taught me a long time ago “no promises, no problems.” My husband took a year to learn the ins and outs of Internet marketing; studied, observed, adjusted and tied the principles to our MLM. Since we started 2 years ago our exposure online has grown, our business and sales have grown. We have not gotten rich quick, we are not even close to where we want to be but we’ve been patient and consistent. In 2 years our actual profits have double, we sell to people who want what we have and we established some loyal customers and each month we grow. We’ve done all this with only about 200-300 hits per day. No pay for click, no ads, just organic search engine optimization and great customer service. So under promise and over deliver and it will work and it is not for everyone.
These “hypers” leave as bad a taste in the mouth as the MLMer’s who talk the get rich quick and easy scheme.
Kim,
I really appreciate people like you who can provide a well-written analysis. I got pitched by at least 5 different “gurus” with lots of free stuff they were adding. Thank you so much.
Gratefully,
Nora
Whew. [Weary sigh] My experience — it all takes time, organization and perseverence to build an online presence, brand and MLM organization that is successful for its members. Months, not days.
Kate Williams, Simply-Home-Business
Most people who buy good, legitimate programs do NOTHING with them. I recently sold a blogging course. It was not expensive by any means. As a matter of fact, most people got in when I was running a $39.95 special. I was happy to make a little off it and quite a few people were VERY happy that they are now getting more customers and people joining their business. HOWEVER…that is probably 10% or less of the people who bought it.
I have stats installed on the pages of the private members area and have also talk with most of the people who bought it. A lot of the people who paid money for the course only logged in once or twice to glance around and "couldn't find time" to come back. But, where are their businesses now?
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.
SAD but true. The ones who use it prosper, they ones who do not…do not.
I've seen information that Frank Kern and John Reese sell. It's good, basic information. Not so sure about Filsaime. He just comes across as a used car salesman to me and I can't get past that.
Bottom line – if you don't know how to do something, you will have to pay someone to either do it for you or teach you how to do it. That is how the world works. I know nothing about plumbing and will gladly pay a plumber if my pipes break and are spewing water all over the house.
From what I see (and I haven't bought the program, but have gotten the emails) They seem to be laying it all out there for everyone and being honest about what's included. Read the pitch – if you don't want to pay that PLUS pay someone to teach you the other components, simply don't buy it.
They saw a need and filled it. This is what plumbers, carpenters, teachers, doctors, nurses, mlm trainers, and everyone does. Do they expect to get paid for the work they've done? Heck yes. Will they try to entice you to buy more? HECK YES. That's why I get "special deals" in the mail from Fashion Bug, Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, etc…
HOWEVER, if you buy it, USE IT. I've never seen Frank Kern promote anything that's not a good product. He doesn't use his list like that (from what I've seen).
There are so many wasted programs that are really good because people buy them and never use them. Are there bad, overprices programs out there? SURE, however, most of the time those programs don't tell you up front "the rest of the story". The way I see it is – if they are up front and honest about what is needed to make a program work, they are head and shoulders above most of the scammers out there. Am I saying this is a great program? NO – I have no way of knowing because I didn't buy it. But…I have been on Frank Kern's list for quite a while now. He doesn't promote just anything. If this course is too advanced for anyone – definitely look for something that will better suite your needs.
OK – I'm off my soapbox. 😉
Roxanne
Behind the scenes with these launches are contests among the top marketers. All the top names are listed in an email update I got today, along with the prize they’ve won or about to win. The prizes include MacBooks, Kindles, FlipCams…nice stuff.
It’s interesting to say the least, that there’s not one single woman internet marketer in line for one of these prizes…is it because we are more motivated by helping, rather than winning? Something to ponder:-))
Tracy
~~~
Why Pay $1000’s For Wind And Solar Power Systems When You Can Build Your Own Professional System For Less Than $200!
Tracy – I know there are not many women, but I have won stuff. It was never a reason to promote anything for me, however.
I have been a recent and happy promoter of Frank Kern’s stuff. Have introduced him to my readers quite a few times.
My issue with this promotion is that all the hard stuff is hidden and finally leaking out now. And the promises about getting customers in very little time, and creating a product people would actually buy, in three days, are beyond silly.
I’m surprised Frank and Reese have gone along with this one.
P.S. I see you’re selling the solar power thing…Do you have it? How long did it take you to set up?
You do know that the affiliate marketing violates virtually very state business opportunity law and the FTC Rule on Franchising, don’t you?
These guys, no matter what the quality of their programs, are just begging to get whacked by the next FTC biz op sweep.
Kim,
I guess it was a matter of time before the internet marketing arena would become as packed with offerings as the network marketing industry. And people being people, the same processes happen over and over. Buy this, I recommend it, you’ll make untold riches, you can be my affiliate, etc etc etc.
For me it’s overwhelm city. I realized I could never be Frank Kern or anyone like him. So I am just settling on a couple of things and working with them.
I have bought things that turned out to be too complex for me. Getting refunds can be challenging, despite their guarantees. On occasion I have been so ashamed that I didn’t have time to use the product effectively that I just let it go.
I imagine my experience is not unique.
Only one other point, in response to Roxanne’s comments that include doctors and nurses amongst those who try to get you to “buy more”. To me, the practice of medicine is much more about healing than it is about business and “making offers”. Business affects it, in that financial ends must meet so that there is a practice at all. But the utmost consideration is what the patient needs, not how much the doctor can “sell”. There are doctors who sell vitamins and various other products, and “upsell” on books, DVD’s, etc. Much is good information and nutritional supplements, etc– but the model of this kind of internet business (hurry now! we have your vitamins on special!!!) doesn’t fit well with the practice of medicine, a sacred thing. Unfortunately, the trust people give medical practitioners can be misused. However, so can the trust people give to a coach or a valued marketing person. It’s a dilemma.
Take care,
Pam
Right on Kim! Way to call it like it is, I’m so glad to see someone of influence do this and thank you for it.
Things really are getting out of hand … but at the end of the day, a person needs to use their own common sense.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is” … not always, but most often.
Thanks again, Kim for helping others open their minds.
Have a great day,
Janet Legere
When it comes to marketing online, I only trust Perry Marshall and the few people he has recommended.
The key to me is how these sales letters are written. Many of them, if not most, make it sound as if the money is quick and easy. It’s not.
Why don’t they write in their sales letter about how hard it is and how many years they put in before they starting truly being profitable? The obvious answer is, they would not sell as many products and packages.
However, they all offer guarantees, and who wants to mess with the hassles of refunds, as well as a ruined reputation, which can get around quick in the online world.
Paul
Eat Well. Live Well.
PurpleGreenPops.com
Hi Kim – as usual, you have covered very important points. My successful Network Marketing journey started 13 years ago, and my Internet Marketing journey started 6 years ago.
During 2003 I paid $6000 to learn Internet Marketing from an online male guru, and it was helpful, but not the greatest.
I then really learned a lot from a Moms Mentoring Group in 2005 – I find I learn from women much more easily.
I started learning from you also during 2006 and 2007 – and I think that for me it is much better to stick with women’s recommendations… though of course there are men with high integrity too!! – but my experience is that the top women Internet Marketers are great to learn from, and I am currently interning with one of the leading women Internet Marketers.
Her advice has been to unsubscribe from everything that is not focused on what I want to do. She even adviced me to unsubscribe from one of her offerings, for which I was paying $20 a month! — so she has that high of integrity that she does not want me wasting my money on something that she is offering, since it is not what I need right now.
Being able to FOCUS is a great asset in life and online… and I have to keep being reminded of that!
I’ve been on your mailing list for about 4 years now, Kim, and I love how you “tell it like it is”!
Diana
I agree, nice call. I signed up for the free part. It looked appealing at first, but I found that what seemed to be a place packed full of content, was actually a pretty cover to a not so interesting book.
Pam,
I think you misread my comment. I did not say that doctors and nurses try to sell you more. I said that they saw a need an filled it. I will repost the paragraph here for clarification:
"They saw a need and filled it. This is what plumbers, carpenters, teachers, doctors, nurses, mlm trainers, and everyone does. Do they expect to get paid for the work they've done? Heck yes. Will they try to entice you to buy more? HECK YES. That's why I get "special deals" in the mail from Fashion Bug, Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, etc…"See? The plumbers, carpenters, teachers, doctors, nurses and mlm trainers found a need and filled it. Fashion Bug, Target, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, etc… are the ones who try to entice you to buy more. "they" in the above bolded paragraph is referring to the marketers of these types of programs that Kim was posting about (ie: Mike Filsaime).
Have an awesome day!!
Roxanne