Are you getting eaten alive by on-line marketers?
By Jena Griffiths | October 18, 2012
Most of us wouldn’t survive a day in the jungle without getting bitten or stung or perhaps even eaten alive. You need to be alert to the dangers and hopefully have a guide who can see the subtle camouflage and clever trap lines.
The same applies on-line or anywhere in life actually. Survival comes from having direction, being fully aware/present and also conscious of what’s out there.
These days the Internet is overcrowded with marketers trying to sell you something. Some are honest and others aren’t.
What most marketers try to do is look for something you need and then offer you a little bit for free, a bit more for a few dollars and then, if you like what you get, progressively more and more expensive packages. This is called a profit funnel.
Profit funnels are legitimate if the inexpensive products are complete. For example, an informative book. But these days, the inexpensive products aren’t complete. Usually all they are designed to do is alert you to the fact that you need far more information. And, even worse, marketers have figured out that it’s easier to get people to buy products for thousands rather than just a book for $20 or $30.
How do they do this? By offering lots and lots of free stuff until you trust them enough to buy something for a few thousand.
Here’s an analogy.
A Marketing lesson from Africa – profit funnels 101
Here’s an example of a simple and honest “profit funnel” created by the tiny but ferocious ant lion.
Now imagine if the ant lion sprinkled sugar all around the edges of their trap.
They’d have a lot more ants wouldn’t they?
But it gets even more complex these days.
Imagine if these ant lions could work in packs, where if you were an ant half way down one funnel you ended up getting sucked down huge multiple joint venture funnels ….
Well then, you wouldn’t necessarily be in Africa anymore. You’d be on-line. Getting a nasty lesson in on-line marketing 101.
These funnels are getting more and more sophisticated, with trap doors and return loops and eight hour sugar bonanzas that keep you from wandering off instead of going where you’re supposed to- down the chute.
And the chutes are getter deeper. Most are designed so that you won’t get out without spending way more than you had ever anticipated.
What to do?
Think like an ant trying to go from a to b.
Get really clear on your goals and objectives.
Millions of people are trying to sell you stuff on-line and some products are really good.
But even good things can be harmful if they take you off your track.
The real danger is falling down several funnels at the same time.
Free stuff is the sugar that draws you into one of these funnels.
– Buy a book.
– Find a guide.
– Buy the low end product and if this is incomplete and designed only to get you to buy a really expensive product then run for your life.
– If you do buy an expensive product and then, instead of getting someone on the end of a helpline, the marketer tries to also sell you all his mates’ stuff instead of actually helping you run for your life too.
– Maybe employ a marketing professional instead of trying to turn yourself into one.
Also, take a look at the creature at the bottom of the funnel before you buy.
Most profit funnels are only able to turn you into the “ant lion” at the bottom of them.
Is that really who you’d like to be? If so, enjoy the ride.
😉
If you’re a healer or hand analyst busy building a business, see my interview with Richard Unger on building a successful healing practice.
There’s a danger of focusing too much on-line when in fact your clients are all around you.
Basically you need to get out there and do talks and participation evenings.
Find people with large circles of friends who are willing to host you in their area/town.
« Riding the horse called Yes | Home | Global meditation on interconnectedness »
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »