5 Major Problems With Internet Marketing Today
You’ve seen it. Right? The courses from the big Internet marketers telling you about their seven-figure system. You see countless testimonials from people who have used their course, and are now millionaires.
The websites look good; the copy on the sales page is very convincing. You’re frustrated that you haven’t seen results, so you start working out ways to afford the course.
You think about it, you may even talk it over with your spouse. You go back to the sales page, but something in your gut is gnawing at you.
Don’t get me wrong. There are many great courses, and products out there from some amazing entrepreneurs. However, there are just as many that promise results, but deliver disappointment.
In my online business journey I’ve spent over $5,000 on courses that promised big results. In the end, the courses didn’t help my business, daily hustle, and basic marketing principles did.
There are five problems in the Internet marketing world today that unfortunately many people are falling victim to. Before you buy a product or service I want you to think about these.
1. A lot of the advice only works if you have a huge audience
This is the biggest problem in Internet marketing today. There’s a ton of great advice, and systems that will only work once your online presence gets to a certain point. The reason big Internet marketers do so well is because of their affiliates.
A big online presence means they have a lot of affiliates willing to promote their products, and services when they launch them. When I attended Brendan Burchard’s Experts Academy. He told us that he gives his top affiliates Super Bowl tickets!
A lot of the information gives you a great plan, but it neglects the most important part of building an online business: building your audience. They don’t let you know how to get more traffic and email subscribers. That’s probably because they weren’t building their online businesses in a time like ours, where there’s a ton of competition.
My advice is to save your money, and focus on building traffic and your email subscribers. That’s what builds your business to the point where it can support your family.
2. The courses are designed to keep getting you to buy more
A lot of the courses from big Internet marketers are designed to up sell you on something more expensive. Remember, I went to two Brendan Burchard events, I’ve seen the backend of all of this.
You buy the $97 program, and before you can check out you’re taken to a page offering you 50% off the $2,000 program, and it’s 10 times better than the one you’re thinking about buying.
Impulse kicks in, and you don’t want to miss out on the “deal,” so you upgrade. Even if you don’t, you take the $97 program, and are left missing the valuable information you need to grow your business.
That’s how these big courses are designed. When you’re creating your own courses, and programs, run away from this model. If you give your customers unbelievable value, you won’t have to trick them into buying something else.
3. The results are often inflated
When you look at the sales pages for these courses, you see these kind of claims: “This is the system I used to generate seven-figure cash flow in the last 60 days.” Every business owner would love to make seven-figures, so you’re tempted to buy.
In the online world it’s easy to lie and a lot of people do it. They lie to impress you, and convince you that buying their stuff is a good investment. If you want to know the truth, you have to talk to current and past customers.
Do your research before you think about buying anything. Take note of these practices. For your business, go out of your way to let people see the real you and the real results your clients are getting.
4. You can’t get the personal help you need
A lot of the time these courses are all video based. You watch six videos, maybe get a PDF, and that’s it. Those videos could be the six greatest videos you’ve ever watched in your life, but as you implement, I guarantee you’ll have questions.
Those questions won’t be answered because all they offer is the videos. If you’re going to buy a program or course make sure there’s live office hours so you can get your specific questions answered.
5. The person that’s building can’t afford it
At the end of the day most of us can’t afford those expensive programs and courses. We have families, mortgages, cars, and the normal expenses of life. While I highly advocate spending money to improve yourself, and business, you have to be realistic where those dollars are spent.
A lot of time this money is spent in the frustration of our current progress. What happens is you end up hating your dream because you still don’t make progress, and now you’re in debt.
You have to be realistic about what you can afford, but more than that, what will actually help you WHERE you are. You don’t have a bunch of affiliates, you aren’t building a niche site, and you aren’t creating a membership program.
Most of us are just trying to make our first $1,000. I’ve talked to many who have made a $100, but haven’t crossed that $1,000 mark yet. If that’s you, these big courses won’t help you.
Look, I’ve been there. I was frustrated, and wanted to make progress so badly, to quit a job that sucked the life out of me. I’ve tried a lot of things, but the thing that helped me the most was the daily hustle.
That hustle involves consistently posting great content on your blog. Guest posting on sites that have a larger audience than you. Going after interviews on podcasts where you can share your story. Building your email list, connecting with your audience and creating products, and services, that help your target audience.
It just takes time. Once you hustle, your eyes are opened to the opportunities around you, and you start to go for them. That’s how I started writing for the Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Mind Body Green, and the Good Men Project.
I hustled hard enough to create these opportunities, and that’s what you have to do too.
P.S. Thank you for all those that signed up for my mini launch team. If you’re still thinking about joining, I’m closing the call for the team and the FREE four week class Friday. Sign up here
Have you ever bought a product or course that you regretted?
A version of this article was originally posted on Entrepreneur Magazine.
Photo: Flickr/ SEOPlanter
