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If you’re reading this post, chances are, you found it from:
How I can make $385,293 in 3 Measly Minutes
over at my Personal Development blog. If not, please do click above, read the article, and then return here.
Back?
Excellent!
Let me now tell you a small story…and intrigue you by revealing some secrets you’ve already learned.
You see, this morning I received Alex Sysoef’s excellent newsletter. The main focus was upon the art of headlines, to wit:
….In all my communications I take a pride in presenting information I personally test, verify and present in an easy to follow format. I believe that in providing a true value and not some regurgitated hearsay.
In this short email I want to present you with a link to a post on my blog, which proves beyond any doubt what is the most important part of your blog….MORE….
It’s a super read - I do encourage you to swing on by it and really understand the points he makes. Alex is one of my favorite Web 2.0 developers; the man is utterly brilliant when it comes to utilizing Web 2.0 components in one’s blog to build up the profitability.
Anywhos, the main focus dealt with hypey headlines.
So I decided to see just how far I could push the envelope and compel my readers to shun their "little voice" that was probably screaming in their ear, this is a SCAM!
Hence my How I can make $385,293 in 3 Measly Minutes post.
Let’s now go over it point by point so you can see just how I manipulated your emotions…and how you can arm yourself with that knowledge to prevent being scammed in the future.
Take a look at the first blurb:
It’s soooo easy, you can do it yourself in the comfort of your very own home! Yes indeed, if you can:
Spare the 3 measly minutes required to take your dreams to the next level and rejoice in dreaming about your soon-to-be-a-reality beach-front mansion, complete with bronzed beach boys flexing their deltoids at your every whim (or for you manly men out there, stocked full of perky beach bunnies whose, ahem, attributes defy gravity)!
First, I talk about "the comfort of your own home." Immediately, what did you think?
If I were a betting woman, I’d say:
Ooooo, comfort! Home! I don’t have to exert myself much!
Those words were used in a calculated fashon - I wanted to start lulling your defenses down down down.
Next, notice:
"Spare the 3 measly minutes required to take your dreams to the next level and rejoice in dreaming about your soon-to-be-a-reality"
I don’t know about you, but my dreams, once engaged, take ‘way less than 3 minutes…heck, I can fantasize about what I DON’T have for hours and hours!
That was the purpose of that sentence.
Let’s now tackle:
I will show you concrete and tangible PROOF that your desires are NOT outside of your reach!
Indeed, don’t you think you deserve the opportunity to revel in complete and total financial freedom?
I sure talk a great show, don’t I? I am promising that I will SHOW you…but you’ll notice, there wasn’t anything at all remotely that resembled "concrete and tangible PROOF" in that posting.
And of course I deserve the opportunity for complete financial freedom…what I am, as a reader, going to think instead? "Golly no, I don’t deserve anything useful in my life!"
Again…instead of writing outright lies in my copy, I’m allowing you to let your mind run wild with future possibilities. After all (and stay with me here, this is important):
I’m not responsible for the way you choose to think!
Scamsters LIVE by this particular creed. They really do! They sow the seeds of "selling the dream" and count on your emotions (NOT your logic) to compel you to start actually considering spending the money.
My next selling-the-dream sentence was:
Can you imagine how wondrous life will be once you are privy to my closely-held money-making secrets that deliver to me untold realms of the exciting jet-setting life?
See? I’m not doing anything except compelling you to IMAGINE how life could be. And see that "closely-held money-making secrets" phrase? "Closely-held" implies "not many people know about it! Jeepers self, I’ll be special because I’ll be one of the few people who DOOOOOO!"
And "…deliver to me untold realms of the exciting jet-setting life?" That sentence really has no meaning now, does it?
Think about it.
"Untold realms of the exciting jet-setting life?"
But it sure sounds exciting, doesn’t it? 
After writing that, I realized I had to soon awaken my kids to get them ready for the day, so I was ready to start closing the post. Now was the time I had to thoroughly silence your little voice and get your emotions hot and heavy! Hence:
Now, let me ask you just what would such a treasure-trove of how-to knowledge would be worth to you? Forget about laying out your typical small business investment of $50K! No indeed; instead, because I want this secret information to help as many aspiring entrepreneurs as possible, I’m going to slash off 45K (that’s 45 Thousand Dollars, think of what you can do with those savings!) and allow you to gain the secret access to this material for ONLY $4,995.00.
The above is so absurd it defies common sense (which is good, because that was my goal!). I started throwing out numbers like "50K" and phrases like "small business investment", thus thoroughly comparing apples and trumpet-playing cement blocks.
While a small business investment MIGHT cost in the 10s of thousands, when you go that route, you’re dealing with brick and mortar companies, lawyers, rent, etc.
You’re NOT considering buying a dream.
See the difference?
I came up with those numbers after reading a negative review of Amway Motivational Organizations: Behind the Smoke and Mirrors. To wit:
…Let’s go further. Let’s say a person fails in this business. After five full years, the person didn’t make one red cent- I mean nothin’, didn’t sponsor anyone, didn’t sell one product- but spent $1,000 per month on ‘the system’(way, way more than a person would spend) Guess what my math loving friends? That’s $60K. Businesses start up for a whole lot more than that - and they fail. They fail with quarter million dollar loans attached to primary residences, people. There are bigger risks out there than not selling enough toothpaste and laundry soap! Nobody comes and takes away your house and car because you didn’t sponsor enough people. You quit. You walk away. You move on!….
Can you believe the comparison? (If you’re currently being scammed by MLMs, btw, do yourself a favor and visit the MLM Survivors Club - absolutely superb de-programming information can be found there).
But people buy it. Sigh.
Anywhos, back to my copy. Notice this selection:
I’m going to slash off 45K (that’s 45 Thousand Dollars, think of what you can do with those savings!)
See? You’re thinking that you’re SAVING 45K when in reality:
YOU will put ME in the position to STEAL $5,000 from you.
Not good for you at all, eh?
And finally, I close with the self-affirming message:
YES Barbara! I want to live a life completely free of financial worries! I WANT to spend my life lounging on white sand beaches with nary a care in the world!
I want to CLICK HERE and make my dreams come true!
You are getting sleepy….sleepy….you want to get something for nothing….nothing……
See what I mean? Read my How I can make $385,293 in 3 Measly Minutes post again, but this time, be alert to all the marketing tricks I employed to side-step your common sense and engage your emotional responses instead.
Scary, isn’t it?
I think so.
Want more resources about how to avoid falling into the trap of buying the dream? Consider:
- Deceit on Parade: What the Newbie Quixtar Recruit Should Know
- How to analyze a blog product marketing offer
- Let’s Blow Away The Smoke And Uncover The Mirrors, Shall We?
- NU SKIN ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT ITS WHISTLEBLOWER
- Real World Businesses and the Make Money SCAM!
- The Amway Scam
Remember, it’s your responsibility as a consumer to research as much as possible before you commit any sort of money to any sort of enterprise! You should take advantage of targeted niche forums and see what others write about a product or opportunity and you should tap into your own social network for commentary and experiences and the like. Trust me…your pocketbook will thank you for it.
Enjoy!
Barbara Ling
ps - want to know what I think is a great way to make money online, especially if you already have a vibrant site or blog? Walk your way over here!
and here are examples of popular Make Money items as well:
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A Guide to Make Money on Ebay Without Selling Anything!
Mining Gold from EBay - Make money from home!!
Popularity: 66% [?]
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