The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing: The Controversy

By marketing merge

Was the '7 Lies of Network Marketing' Too Hard on the 'Old School' MLM Leadership?

The networking marketing industry and some high-income uplines are ticked off at Ann Sieg for her recent books.

Sieg is now famous for her books, The Renegade Network Marketer and The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing.

Many feel she's made a tremendous contribution, but others are down right mad.

Are they upset because they feel their incomes are threatened as people move to the new 'Attraction' model of network marketing, which is completely unfamilar territory for them?

Ann Sieg proposes to ditch the hotel meetings and names lists and to learn how to start attracting their prospects to them to build their MLM.

Less people will go to the old-school upline's trainings on 'how to prospect friends and family' ... and less people are buying their CD's on 'how to develop the belief system' necessary to do so.

Many of the growing leaders in their downlines, who once spent hundreds or thousands of dollars per year on old-school tools, are now seeking Internet Attraction Marketing Training instead.

Ann Sieg of 'The 7 Great Lies'

Should They Be Mad?

Is Their Reaction Warrented?

Did Ann Sieg cross the line somehow?

Was it unfair to criticize old-school MLM tactics?

Is it unethical in some way to highlight the negative side of old-school MLM to promote her Renegade e-book and its solutions with the new model?

We'll talk about this here in a 'discussion series' over the next several weeks.

Let us know how you feel by leaving your comments below.

Click here if you're not familiar with Sieg's report, The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing.

Control-based Leadership Vs. Empowering Leadership...

There is a movement underway right now that is being headed up by some of the highest paid uplines around... they want to silence Ann Sieg... they are trying to influence the big networking companies to threaten to take away your associate position if you promote Ann Sieg's materials (and other materials that don't praise them) on your blog or web site...

This is highly unlikely as it violates 1st amendment rights and is reminiscent of Nazi Germany ...

Regardless, the hostility of this 'angry crusade' highlights the painful reality some uplines are experiencing as they watch times change. Their position as the 'guru' is slipping away.

I spent several hours today engaged in an eye-opening email exchange with one of the 'frightened uplines' who is in the $50,000+ per month range (or was). I don't think he works much anymore, but he does do an occasional 'training' where he gets pretty worked up... teaching why we should 'make' people buy our products even if they don't want to because they need it (he really teaches this... I was at his training last summer).

His Beef with Ann Sieg...

His argument is that Ann Sieg focuses too much on the negatives of the 'old school' model when she's sharing how people can Attract Prospects to Them instead.

Now I have known this wealthy upline for quite a long time. I attended his 'trainings' and purchased many of his CDs and tapes over the course of 12 years... teaching the old model of 'chase 'em down' marketing.

What I find interesting about his argument is that he, more than anyone I personally know, used a similar "negative-marketing" stragegy to motivate us to buy his stuff, and to sell our company's products.

Negative marketing isn't uncommon. Most (if not all) industries use it as a part of their strategy.

If you're with a network marketing company, chances are you have seen plenty of negative marketing in your company's DVD's, CDs and at your events.

Negative Vs. Positively Charged Marketing...

As you go down the path of Internet attraction marketing (using the Internet to attract prospects into your business) you'll discover that some marketers use 'negatively charged' messages while others choose to focus their marketing on a 'positive message.'

Famous motivational speaker, Tony Robbins, shared an observation about human behavior that helps us understand why marketers do this.

He talked about the two things that drive human behavior in every decision we make... he called this 'pain vs. pleasure.'

Robbins made a strong case for the Pain Vs. Pleasure Theory...

Robbins said that every action a person takes (from eating a 2nd peice of cake, to smoking, or buying a car) can be explained by whether or not the person perceives the action or decision will cause pain or give pleasure.

People avoid pain and do what is pleasurable.... it's pretty straight-forward, but it's important to hold this in the front of your mind when you're marketing something... even if that includes "how to get your kids to brush their teeth and go to bed without a fuss."

Avoiding Pain is the Stronger Drive...

What's interesting is that avoiding pain is a stronger drive in human behavior than wanting more pleasure.

This explains why many marketers focus on a negative message before offering the solution... because marketers know that people are more 'moved' by their drive to avoid pain than by getting something pleasurable or rewarding.

This is why I explained to my 6-year-old what bacteria can do to her gums... and how they can make a mouth look really ugly if she doesn't brush her teeth.

But is Negative Marketing Harmful?

I don't think I harmed my daughter by getting her to start thinking about what those bacteria will do if she doesn't brush her teeth.

Because hey, if I didn't think about those bacteria I would NEVER floss. Would you floss if you didn't know your teeth might fall out if you don't?

It seems there are times to use negative marketing to motivate... but are there times marketers cross the line? I think 'yes.'

But where is that line?

In business and sales, you will find that marketers approach their strategy in one or both of these 2 ways:

1. Focusing first on a person's pain so they can then offer a solution, vs.
2. Focusing on what a person wants right away and then offering the 'best' solution.

Some people feel it is harmful to use negative marketing, and in some cases I agree with them. As with all things, there is a balance and a tact.

How Negative Marketing is Commonly Used...

The Wellness Industry

In the wellness or nutritional industry you'll often see negative marketing used on brochures, DVDs or in seminars to shock people into seeing that the modern health care system can be dangerous.

Here are just some examples of negative-focused marketing used in the Wellness industry:

• Health Care is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S
• Cancer rates are rising
• Over use of vaccination and use of antibiotics are causing permanent illness and death in children
• Showing a picture of a person's 'abused' colon to make the case for using a cleansing product
• Discussing all the toxins in the air that are harming your cells to then make the case for taking supplements
• Hormones in our food is causing pre-mature puberty in kids
• Doctors are over-prescribing medications because they get kick backs from the drug companies
• Your food is harming you... you must supplement!

You get the idea.

Now here are some examples of a positive message the Wellness industry may use in marketing:

• Feel better
• Have more energy
• Sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed
• Live a longer and healthier life
• Be lean and fit
• Have beautiful glowing skin
• Have stronger nails
• Have more endurance (sports products)
• Feel and look younger

Which List Hits You Harder?

If you look over those two lists you'll see right away WHY marketers often focus on people's pain first... or why they might focus on the negative things people would want to avoid before offering the solution.

The first list above grabs your attention and makes you think 'maybe I better do something.' Then, the solution is presented and you act!

Is this wrong to do?

Is it unethical or harmful to focus on the problems (negative aspects) first before offering a solution?

This will be the subject of our next article.

In the next article we'll be discussing a subject that has created an emotionally charged debate in the network marketing industry.

Ann Sieg and Her 'The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing' E-book

Coming Up Next...

In the next article, we'll discuss how Ann Sieg has used a "negative-focused" marketing approach much like we've seen marketers and companies do in the wellness industry, and other industries.

We'll discuss the ethics of this approach.

Is it harmful?

Where should we draw the line?

We'll also discuss why Ann Sieg has created such a controversy in the MLM industry, particularly from high income earning uplines.

Join in the discussion or let us hear your opinion. Share your comments with us below.

Become a member here at Hub Pages, and then become a fan so you can follow this discussion. You'll be notified when the next article is available.

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Quick Message After Reading Through all the Commnets Below

Well, this turned out to be quite a discussion!

I was hoping to hear from the disgruntled millionaire old-schooler who inspired me to create this Hub.

This article here was born out of an eye-opening (and jaw dropping) email dialogue that all started when I had emailed my list of contacts a video review on Sieg's Renegade (which is below).

I believe he's on my list, or someone forwarded him my email... because I received a very emotionally charged threat in response to my email and video... something about me losing my position in my company because I promoted Ann Sieg's book.

Now I took this as an absurd idea, and so I asked a question (after defusing my emotional charge) and out of curiosity more than anything I sought to understand where he was coming from.

20 or so email exchanges later I realized I was dealing with something that was not logic-based but that was at such an emotional level there was really no way to have a conversation with him.

But after a lot of threats and personal attacks I finally got 'some' concrete answers about why Ann Sieg's book is such a problem for him... and I encouraged him to write those issues down in here.

He said he would. I don't know if that will actually happen but it would be interesting.

In the next article here I'll take some excerpts from that email exchange I had and try to explain his point of view, as objectively as I can (not easy) to see if anyone here thinks there may be any weight to what he was trying to say.

Why is this topic important?

I feel it's important for people in the networking industry to think about this discussion in order to communicate to your prospects and team what the real issue is when they run into someone successful in the industry who is emotionally upset by Sieg's message.

My Internet Marketing Hub

By Stylor32

Let's do this!

I have been an internet marketer for six months. Five of those months I was just wasting my time with no idea what to do. Finally, I found some direction and am now pulling big-time profits.

I am on here to exchange ideas with other internet marketers, let's help each other.

What I have learned that you can't treat internet marketing like an overnight sensation. You have to build it like you would any other business. Before you dive in, you need to research, research, research. The beauty of My Online Income System is that it gives you a specific direction. A precise, detailed 60 day plan that greatly reduces the guesswork pertaining to what your next move is.

Despite this being a great program, you must be willing to put the time in. You create your own success with how much time you put into your work. Some people just expect miracles, but you have to make them happen.

So let's get together and make things happen. Email me at seantaylor32@gmail.com with any internet marketing questions or comments.

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Internet Marketing Technique & Renegade University

By The Rat Race Rebel

Learn How To Use Good Internet Marketing Technique at Renegade University and Build Your Business Fast on a Shoestring Budget.

Recently one of my clients asked me if it was really possible for Renegade University to teach her non-tech savvy prospects to realistically compete in the competitive online network marketing industry.

The answer is a resounding YES!

The thing to keep in mind is Renegade University (and especially Renegade Professional) teaches "Internet Marketing" technique. Not Network Marketing!

I can't stress that enough. Yes, Mike Klingler (the creator of Renegade University) is a network marketer but many folks in Renegade University are not. As you'll find out when you start the tutorials in the Renegade Professional section, Mike goes to GREAT lengths to explain that just because HIS MARKETING focuses on network marketers doesn't mean yours has to or even should.

You can use Renegade University's video tutorials on internet marketing technique to promote ANYTHING.

For example... say your company sells Nutritional and Cleaning products. You could easily gear all your content around these things never mentioning MLM at all. You could draw folks to you who like the features of your products, get them to start using them and if your products are as good as mine are once people try them they'll be hooked. These folks will then want more and want it cheaper so that means signing up etc...

Or you could target House Wives who want a little extra money working from home... Or you could target Health Nuts (and I mean that in the nicest way possible being one myself) or Athletes or Baby Boomers who want to stay fit or... or... or...

Best of all pick the thing about your company that attracted you to it. Write your content about that. If it attracted you it will attract others as well.

My point is that even though many of us do focus our internet marketing on attracting network marketers you don't have to. In fact it may be better if you don't depending on your goals.

For example my MLM company sells gourmet candles and other soy products. When I am trying to attract prospects for that network marketing business I write candle and health related articles.

One example of an off the wall way to attract people is to write something seemingly unrelated and then tie it in to what you are doing. Like my Chocolate Fondue Recipes Squidoo lens. This was written for the sole purpose of getting folks to my Chocolate Scented Candles page on Soy-Candle-Business.com and it works amazingly well.

So yes there are only 20-30 good slots on Google for any given keyword on any given day. But there are literally "Billions" of keywords out there and only a few of them contain network marketing in them.

So is it really possible for Renegade University to teach her non-tech savvy prospects to realistically compete in the competitive online network marketing industry?

Yes, because what you’re really learning at Renegade University is good internet marketing technique and with that you can market ANYTHING!

How To Build An E-Mail List That Pays You Forever

By Sir Lucius

Why The List Is So Important

If you're new to Internet or Affiliate Marketing you may not be aware that the real money is in the e-mail distribution list of people interested in what you're marketing. A list allows you to build rapport with prospects, and gurus who make millions every year understand that once you have a great relationship with your customer you can sell them almost anything for any price. Building a list also gives you a lot of leverage within the Internet marketing world. You are able to follow-up with prospects, pitch new or complementary products, and even partner with other Internet marketers who will split profits with you for e-mailing your list about their product or service. If you don't ask for your website visitors opt-in email address when they visit and follow up with them or send a newsletter to them you are losing a significant volume of sales. Experts have shown that it often takes 7 or more marketing exposures before prospective customers purchase. The best part is you don't even need a large list, just people who are willing to buy. A list of 100 with 50% conversion is much better than a list of 500 with 5% conversion. Are you beginning to understand the importance of the list?

Building a list isn't difficult at all once you understand how to work smarter, not harder. In the next section I will explain the key to building a great list and the tools that enable you to build one fast. Before I continue, let me first say that you should abosultely make sure you are picking the right niche. You don't want to waste time with a niche that doesn't buy, because you'll end up frustrated and quitting a business that can forever change you and your family's lives for the better. I will highlight exactly how you can check your niche to find out if its filled with buyers in a future hub. But for now, let's concentrate on list building.

The Key Is Great Content

People will gladly give you their e-mail address if you provide valuable, useful, or helpful content. All you need to do is set-up an opt-in page with a link to an eBook, audio interview, or video. Then give it away and watch it turn into a list building machine. It really is that simple and easy. You can set-up an opt-in page in minutes, manage your list through Aweber (more on this later) and I'll explain how to create free content in the section below.

Fast Content Creation

You don't have to be an expert in your niche in order to create useful content that you can give away to build a list. One of the best ways to create an eBook, report, or other freebie is to visit a forum in your niche then create an account, introduce yourself, and ask, "What is the single most important question you have on X?" What you're doing is getting your market to tell you what content to create. Another approach is to read the message boards and find what the most common questions or concerns are. You can also post a survey telling them you are creating a product or putting together a report on "X" and you want to know what question or issue they would like addressed.

Another way to find content is to check the sales letter page of your competition or the affiliate program you've joined and look at the list of bulleted benefits the product or service claims. Turn those claims into questions by adding, "how" or "where" and voila, you've just found the major concerns of your market that can be addressed in your freebie.

Now that you have the topics you need to address, how do you get the answers?

The simple way is to head to eLance.com or Guru.com and hire an expert to write a report for you answering these questions. You shouldn't have to spend more than $250 for a simple report, and if you find that amount too high you can try finding an expert on Amazon.com. Authors might be willing to conduct a short audio interview with you answering these questions if you offer to let them plug their book or website and mention that the interview will be distributed virally all over the Internet. You can then elect to have the interview transcribed (again, hire someone on eLance.com or Guru.com) or post the audio up on your website using a service like AudioAcrobat.

Granted you do not want to create an entire product, just answer enough questions and concerns so that the information is useful, but incomplete. In order for the reader to get the complete answer he or she should purchase whatever it is you're promoting. You won't always be able to do this, just remember that if you give away all your secrets about "X" there is no incentive for your reader to buy whatever it is you're promoting.

Finding & Approaching Experts

Should you attempt to approach experts by not hiring them through eLance or Guru.com, then you should keep the followoing things in mind. To find experts try search engines, online bookstores, and forums. Create a list of experts based on the size of their list, overall respect in the industry, and star power. The key to approaching experts is to be respectful and not assume that they will actually want to help you. The two things they ask themselves when you contact them is 1) "why me?" and 2) "What's in it for me?"

The key to answering these concerns is to be genuine in your letter, or phone call to the expert. You want to be sincere in why you chose to ask them for help, and then offer them something (money, publicity, leads, website traffic, etc.) in exchange for lending their time and expertise. Do not use a "cut-and-paste" e-mail, customized it for your expert. Do not be overly assumptive and assume they need you, the truth is YOU NEED THEM. If you can, call the expert, it's much more personal and will help you stand out from the dozens of request they may get each week. If that fails try a WHOIS lookup at www.godaddy.com and find the mailing address for their website and send a handwritten letter. You may have to build rapport first before you can ask the expert for help, so be prepared to send an initial e-mail that is simply complimenting the expert on their work or impact on the industry. If they respond, use that as an opening about you the freebie you're creating to hand out.

Easy Video Creation

The future of the Internet is video. Just listen to the stats on the video to the right. Video is extremely easy to create, especially if you're using a service like TrafficGeyser. You can also create video through CamStudio, which is free, and programs like Microsoft PowerPoint (PC) or Apple Keynote (Mac). I've personally created videos in less than 1 hour using CamStudio and PowerPoint. Should you need background music I recommend MusicBakery.com. For the purpose of creating an opt-in list, you'll almost certaintly want to have it hosted on the opt-in page which is possible with a service like AudioAcrobat. However, TrafficGeyser allows you can create the video with their service and then have any one of the popular video sites such as YouTube or Blip.tv host it for free. It's very simple to paste the embed script from these sites into your opt-in page, and you also have added benefit of TrafficGeyser's distribution to the dozens of other video sites, which will allow your page to rank higer in Google.

By using video as your content, you'll do a much better job of engaging your audience and getting them to opt-in into your list. You should be certain that your video contains valuable content. A great example of how to use video effectively is over at http://www.masscontrolsite.com/blog. Keep in mind that he runs a multi-million dollar business and has the money for the fancy sound effects and music, but you get the basic idea of how much more engaging a video can be compared to an audio interview or eBook. At the end of the day, as long as your content is valuable, your users won't mind if they have to read it rather than watch it. Just know your toughest competitors are probably creating video.

Aweber Overview

Earlier in the Hub I mentioned you should use Aweber as your auto-responder. This service automates and makes list management easy:

• Visitors request information from you via email or through your web site, and it is automatically delivered to them within seconds automatically
• The name and e-mail address of each subscriber is automatically added to your AWeber database, saving you endless hours of data entry!
• Personalized follow up letters are automatically sent to each of your subscribers at regular, predetermined intervals, building trust and rapport between you and your subscribers!
• You spend more time with your family, since AWeber is doing so much of your work!
• Your efficient AWeber follow up account converts subscribers into customers without intervention from you!
• Save time, reduce stress, build customer loyalty, increase conversion ratios, and make more money!

Your free alternative to Aweber would be Feedburner or FeedBlitz; however, as this article points out these are not very good alternatives.

Nuture Your List

Your list is a living, breathing thing. You have to treat it well in order to reap the full benefits. If your list recognizes you as an authority AND a friend, then anything you recommend they will buy because they trust and respect your opinion. Remember that the relationship you have with your list is your most important asset, and every e-mail you send either helps or hurts your reputation. Don't pitch them bad products or services that you feel won't really help them. Would you recommend a crappy car to your best friend?

Likewise, don't spam them with useless information just to stay on their radar. Always provide them with useful content anytime you send something out. This can be as simple as a link to a YouTube video you found or an article you have written, "How To Make Money Online With No List, No Product, and No Website". If you're having trouble finding useful content or need an idea of what is considered useful I would suggest subscribing to the e-mail lists of StomperNet, Frank Kern, Ryan Deiss, Armand Morin, Eben Pagan, Jeff Walker, and other gurus. They are the best at what they do and really understand how to work a list. One thing you'll notice is that they actually just give away free information, no strings attached because they are investing in the list. They may not have anything to pitch for weeks or months, but they understand that in any successful relationship you have to bring something to the table, and not just take.

Dealing With Unsubscriptions & Nasty Subscribers

No matter how well you treat your list, someone will unsubscribe after you send an e-mail out or mark your message as "SPAM" because they were too lazy to hit the unsusbscribe button and deal with the unsubscribe confirmation page. There is nothing you can do about this because it is the nature of the beast. You should be gaining more subscribers then you are losing, if that is not the case then your content is not valuable and probably considered spam by those on your list. Go back and create better content!

Don't be put off by angry e-mails either. If you have 1000 people on a list and 5 people send you an angry letter after you send out an offer, that doesn't mean your list is mad at you. It means 5 people out of 1000 are upset. Let them go, the four or five-figure check you get was worth it. Don't waste your time with people who are being nasty. Get them out of your life and move on. They'll never purchase anything, and in the meantime you're missing out on customers who do buy and enjoy your content and offers.

Conclusion

You now know what it takes to start building an e-mail list. Do you still have questions? Just ask me me in the section below, I'll also be adding a lot more to this Hub so I look forward to any and all feedback.

Jeff Paul's Shortcuts To Internet Millions. Scam?

By Keny Luger

shameless jeff paul infomercial

Jeff Paul's 3 Clicks To Cash Scam

Having gotten into internet marketing in the last year, watching Jeff Paul's informercial for his Shortcuts to Internet Millions program seemed like a joke to me.

Had I not been exposed to internet marketing, I might have bitten just for the promise of making easy money with so little work.

The truth is there are many people out there (you may be one of them) that do not have a clue how internet marketing works and I'm sure that Jeff Paul makes a tonne of money with his Shortcuts to Internet Millions program.

Ok, by now you realize that I haven't tried Jeff Paul's program...so how do I know that it is a scam?

Because I should know better! Here's why...

Wanna Learn Internet Marketing The Right Way?

The reality of internet marketing is that it can make you huge sums of money but it takes some learning and more than just 3 clicks. It is not an over night get rich system like Jeff Paul promises and takes a lot of work in the beginning. Its a real business, so to speak.

If you would like to learn internet marketing, you can sign up for a FREE 7 day course that will start you on your way to making money on the internet from home.

All you have to do is click on the link below to sign up.

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The Reality of Internet Marketing (and Why There Are No Shortcuts)

Here's why Jeff Paul's Shortcuts To Internet Millions is misleading.

There really are no shortcuts to making millions on the internet. If there was every one would already be using that system.

Sure you can make a reasonable large amount of money in a short time but without knowing the ins and outs of internet marketing then '3 clicks to cash' is highly unlikely.

Jeff makes no mention in his Shortcuts to Internet Millions infomercial of what is required to really succeed on the internet. Maybe its included in the 'package' but that doesn't give Jeff Paul the right to make false advertisement and ridicule the real internet marketers.

For example, there is a testimonial from one guy who went on a 7 day cruise after setting up his 3 clicks to cash 'business'. He came back home after 7 days and found that he had made $437,000!

What's Wrong With That Picture?

It takes more than 3 clicks to set up a real money making system. Some of the thing to consider are (If I list more than 3 that pretty much says it):

• Choosing your own unique domain name or website address. This can run you anywhere from $1 - $15. It has to be short and catchy so people remember. Omitting this step means that Jeff probably gives an address for your use which means he owns it and not you.
• Setting up webhosting - Your site has to be hosted in order for people to see the pages on your site. Again if Jeff offers this then you do not own your business.
• You have to find a market - You have to find something to promote which your site will be based solely on. Researching this alone can be very troublesome to some marketers.
• You have to develop content that is unique and persuasive - people just don't pull out their credit cards because they see what they want on a webpage.
• You have to find visitors - build it and they will come doesn't work on the internet. You cant just set up a site, leave it for 7 days and expect to make half a million dollars.
• You'll either have to be on the first page of Google or spending money to get visitors to your site.

If all of this is included in the package somehow, then Jeff Paul or any other sane marketer isn't going to charge you $39.99 - $60 to get their system.

I pay $30/month for my internet marketing training which is well worth the money as I make far more than that and get a lot of value and know enough to see right through Jeff Pauls Shortcut to Internet Millions scam infomercial.

Recommended Programs That Work

Wealthy Affiliate Internet Marketing University

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Wealthy Affiliate cannot create your success for you. You are the one who has to create your own success. Wealthy Affiliate just offers the tools and the resources which are top notched and A1 support to help you achieve your success. Success is very common at Wealthy Affiliate - in fact there's a whole forum dedicated to just success stories and many members are making upwards of $10,000 per month.

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Holly Mann's Honest Riches

This is an easy to follow program for person's who want to learn internet marketing. Holly Mann prefers to do things the honest way. No over hyped earnings...no ridiculous promises. Just her honest experiences.

Only 25 yrs old, Holly Mann will show you how she makes $12,000.00 per month. These are realistic earnings for anyone involved in internet marketing. It doesn't happen overnight and you can earn way more than this but at least Holly doesn't go the Jeff Paul route.