The video I told you about yesterday has been getting a lot of controversy.
First, across the Internet people on one side are praising the content from the latest video…
I’ll quote…
- 10 specific things you can put on your site TODAY
to activate the notorious "Lemming Principle".– How to use the "magic logo" you can use that brought in $2,108.00
in extra sales …and where you can get this "magic logo" without
paying.- The "scary" message you can use that brought in 20% more money in a recent
split test.– A tested and proven way to get INSTANT CREDIBILITY with your prospects.
(I can’t believe I never thought of this.)- A weird case study where a pimp (yes, a *pimp*) increased conversion.
- Proof that one page sales letters can take over Yahoo …even if they have no "real" content.
- How Hollywood uses sneaky tricks to get in Google …without doing SEO or having any content at all. (Think "Will Smith".)
- An inside look on how you can use Wordtracker the RIGHT way to get REAL keywords that buyers are searching for.
– Rock-solid proof that the crazy results in these videos are REAL."
Ok, on the other hand, critics are saying…
"What are these guys up to?
Why are they giving so much of their secrets away?
Can they really be making that much money from just search engine traffic… or what?"
When I started getting questions by email and on this blog, I thought I’d do a quick video on the Brad and Andy video controversy.
Click here to watch MY video (it will take you to Brad and Andy’s video)
- Craig
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Craig
While I accept the figures from Andy and Brad as being real and very realistic, for a number of reasons. The hype and blog comments raise some issues.
Like a large number of the so called “gurus” you miss the points made by people such as Joe.
A site that sells $500,000 per month does not make $500,000. There are costs. In the case of sites such as Brad’s there is the cost of buying the actual mechandise. While not a big factor in selling ebooks and info products, it is a big factor in selling hard goods. Costs include purchasing the gooods, clerical help, office and warehouse rental etc etc.
Bringing in $$$ from sales and selling $xxx is not the same as making or earning $x.
Also to claim that someone who does a product launch that sells $1,200,000 in 12 hours is making $100,000 per hour shows a lack of understanding of some very basic principles. What happened to the 12 months of planning and development that preceded the launch? What happens to the costs of hosting, copywriting etc etc.? If it took 12 months of intensive effort by 3 people then logically it is $1,200,000 as a result of 12 months and 12 hours total DIVIDED by 3 . BUT then you have the amount that is paid out to Affiliates who helped to sell the $1,200,000. Even if you Forget about the Affiliates time and effort that is way beyond the 12 hours, you cannot forget about the amount paid out. If the payout is 60% and 70% of the sales were done by Affiliates, then what the developers actually sold themselves at retail is a far cry from $1,200,000. What is even more obvious is that their earnings is a far cry from $1,200,000 in 12 hours.
It is time that IM marketers got beyond the hype and grow into being real businesses with real business practices and acceptable bookkeeping etc.
Sales and Revenue are not the same as Earnings or Profit. Sales and Income are not even the same thing.
George
I really appreciated your take on it Craig. I feel that an ebook from Bill Gates would also focus on straightforward strategy and tactics and would receive the same dual response.
I watched the video earlier tody. I hardly registered the dollar amounts as I find I don’t think in dollars ( being from the UK) but was glad to get some good ideas.
I was particularly impressed with the fact that they sent out a report once I had booked up for the next one. Good customer service.
I want to believe there is a lot of money to be made!!! No problem for me!!
George,
I have an economics background and appreciate your distinctions. Yes, it’s clear the figures from these sites are gross… and that product launches that bring in X dollars in X period of time are different from actual monthly sales volume over time.
However, the point I was making was that people are balking at the gross figures themselves… unlike you, and questioning whether such revenue is possible.
My point was to highlight my personal knowledge of the guys behind the video and to point out other situations where potentially unimaginable numbers have already been generated.
Without major venture cap or being a publicly traded company, Andy and Brad are unlikely to continue doing million dollar months over and over if they are not achieving a net profit at the end of the month… so your point is well taken in terms of many marketing claims in internet marketing… and I believe this these guys are demonstrating how a real ‘hard goods’ business can thrive using solid seo and internet marketing techniques.
Craig
Jean,
I appreciate your feedback… what another lesson here is that what George, Joe and others are picking up on are objections that are not being addressed in the videos… so as marketers, perhaps Andy and Brad will address them in their process as they go forward.
Bottom line is, the bigger your claim, the more proof and objections you’ll be asked to provide to set your prospects at ease that they’re not being taken for a ride.
No doubt many in the Internet Marketing sphere (and in ‘make money’ niche in general) have a limited grasp of basic accounting, profit and loss numbers… and that leaves an uneasy feeling with those who do understand those concepts.
Answer your biggest critic’s objection and your sales message can be greatly more effective (even though you may still not sell THAT particular critic.
Craig
Craig
What a fuss eh??!!
I guess that folks might not believe that such a huge amount of money was made on the back of natural search.
Well, wake up to the real world folks: It is not only possible but happens every day. I was amazed that someone would demand proof.
Doubting Thomas I say.
Do folk not realize that Brad Fallon could be taken to the cleaners by the Govt if it was not true? He knows this and therefore would never make extravagant claims.
I also reckon that Brad Fallon did not intend to fool anyone at all , he just exposed the drama of his gross figures, and deserves congratulations.
“Show me the money?” “Where’s the beef?” “Take this guy down!”
Man that line of thought is so tragic.
Take Bill Gates: An attempt was made by the Govt to bring him down. There are lots of pointy-headed, envious bureaucrats who do not like success (unless it is their own!)
But you know what ? They failed – mostly because there was no REAL public support. Instead the public believes in the American Dream, not the Government. They may not say so out loud, but most folks in the US secretly want what Bill has, and know they live in a wonderful land where it is actually possible to create such an incredible success.
They don’t want any sourpusses destroying the system that makes it possible, nor do they want the successful destroyed either.
I do not live in the US and so have a very objective viewpoint on this.
Brad’s is a WONDERFUL success story. He is of the same ilk as Bill. We have to remember that marketing and success is all presentation, trust, relationships, energy and enthusiasm …. and THAT my friends is pure unquantifiable hell for bean counters and their like.
Gimme more of these rampant and fantastic videos. I have gained several nuggets of real information from them already – can’t wait for more.
Abundance to all!
Jonathan
Hey Jonathan, well said man… you’re right, I hadn’t thought of the ‘false claims’ angle here, but of course, after some of the enforcement that has happened to good guys like Frank Kern, I can’t imagine Brad and Andy goofing with the numbers. Like Andy said in the 3rd video, he can’t fake the Google rankings, nor can they fudge the numbers on Yahoo’s servers for their Yahoo store.
As for folks who are skeptical, I can’t blame them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had my hopes dashed over the years as I learned who was full of crap and who was giving real information… Naive and skeptical can be dangerous ways to be, but it seems only experience can pull one into a place of savvy and self confidence in evaluating opportunties.
Thanks for your very supportive comments…
Craig
Hey guys,
I live i Brookhaven GA., down the street from Brad. I say this whole thing start in his basment and can show you the Million Doller home he is building. I thought Brad was crazy with all this search stuff when i first met him. But i said what the hell and my wife and i started a site and we are up to about $500,000 a year and it is just a side gig for us. If we put the hours that into it that Brad does we could get to where he is. So to sum it up it works. You have to have a brain and use the full spectrum of marketing resources that are avlible and you have to keep with it. But yes the numbers brad says is is making are true. You dont get to speak and hang out with some of the greatest marketers on the planet by relying on a bunch of BS
Wedding Favors
Hi Craig,
These videos are great. Brad’s info is always top quality. I’ve also gained some golden nuggets of info from these guys & always look forward to more of what they can dish out.