A turnkey profit machine that a struggling father used to make $150,000
Today’s Adventure in the Biz Opp Jungle:
‘In which Charlie is confused by LOUD, SHOUTY VOICEOVER MAN, looks at David Palmer’s Automatic Profits System, and offers some insider tips on getting yourself known online.’
Hi
On Wednesday, I was sent a link to the Automatic Profits System...
As per usual with this sort of thing, I clicked on the link and prepared to be dazzled.
(Note the sarcasm: I am rarely dazzled by sales promotions these days. More like FRAZZLED.)
The sales page proudly announced that I would discover...
“A Turnkey Profit Machine That A Struggling Single Father Used To Erase His Debt, Quit His Day Job, And Make $150,000 A Year At Home!”
Fair enough. Good headline right?
Gets your interest.... which is what a headline is supposed to do.
Saying that, the word “Turnkey” always makes me groan. I wonder if anyone believes that word anymore. Mind you I wonder if anyone really believes anything truly is “automatic” anymore...
Washing machines are automatic. Businesses aren’t. Unless you set up one of those dodgy premium rate lines.
But I digress...
It was 8:30am on a Thursday morning. I was staring bleary eyed, at this headline when... suddenly... someone started speaking to me in a booming American accent...
At first I thought it was the voices in my head again. Then I heard the familiar sales patter.
“The next 17 people to view this page could earn up to $150,000 or more this year working one hour a day from a home computer!” declared the voice.
Now I’m not prejudiced against American accents.
Far from it....
If that was the case, I’d have to chuck away half of my record collection. And besides, I’ve got hundreds of US readers in the Biz Opp Jungle, all of whom are marvellous individuals.
But I have to say... this voice made me laugh.
He sounded like a shouty voiceover from one of those advertorial presentations for juicers or exercise machines, which you sometimes see on daytime TV.
In my mind’s eye I could see an orange-tanned, preppy American with rows of brilliant white teeth, dyed hair and a high forehead, like a cliff made of skin.
If this WAS indeed the voice of David Palmer, the creator of the product, then I apologise. He’s clearly an entrepreneur who’s missing his vocation as presenter of America’s Most Wanted Cheeseburgers or When Hamsters Go Bad! or Police, Chase, Beat Up The Suspect!
All of these crazy thoughts distracted me from listening to his audio presentation.
So I just read the sales pitch instead.
At a glance it was an internet marketing opportunity using a combination of adwords, clickbank and websites. No problem with that. Though nothing he says makes this look different to hundreds of similar products out there.
At $49 it looks a little cheap for what it promises. But you can buy it through Paypal which protects you. (You can always automatically refund by going through Paypal, rather than to the vendor).
Anyway, that’s as far as I’ve got with it. If you’ve tried this system, or have any feedback please let me know.
Now... whether David Palmer IS or ISN’T a shouty voiceover man... he’s clearly into self-promotion...
Which brings me to the second item today...
Do you suffer one of these problems?
I know a lot of readers have one or more of these problems...
· You’ve a website that you set up a while ago... but now it’s sitting there, gathering cyber dust...getting no views, and you’re wondering what to do next.
· You’ve got a product or service that you think could make some money... maybe you paint pictures, maybe you’ve a writer with a book to sell, perhaps you do home tuition, proofreading or potter... or you make clothes, collect vintage toys, tip horses.... but you don’t have any clients or customers.
· You’re in a business – your own, or someone else’s – that makes okay money, but you want to use some clever techniques to widen your scope, get yourself known, attract new customers, or branch out.
What can you do?
Well, I’m not a media expert, or a small business guru... but I do believe a lot of the internet marketing techniques I use and teach CAN be used for almost anything... any business... any type of service or person.
They’re certainly worth trying and can be very cheap or even free to do....
So here’s how I would go about it...
How to get yourself known
A first essential... get yourself a very basic website.
To get a site built quickly and inexpensively put "website builder" into google and shop around. There are quite a few of these available, all with different templates and offers.
You won’t need to know any code, you usually pick a template and insert your details.
For my recommendation, try the website building facility on 123-reg.co.uk.You can also check out fasthosts.co.uk... or site2you.com.
On your website, you need the following: an “about you” with details of your service... a chunk of plain-speaking copy that sells your service or product.... and some contact information, including an email address and preferably a phone number.
VITAL TIP: Put a sign-up box on your homepage.... this way you can collect the email addressed of visitors you get and keep in touch with them.
ANOTHER VITAL TIP: Try and offer something for nothing in return for email addresses... a report, a sample, a riskless trial of your service. This way you can catch more of the people who visit.
To get a sign-up box and a mass-emailing facility, go to www.aweber.com and set up with them.
Send an email newsletter once a week to all your enquirers, contacts and customers - offer them news, discounts and updates. Be as chatty and personal as possible. If you’re too overtly sales-like all the time people will stop reading.
Now try and get a link to your website on as many related websites and forums as you can. If that means putting someone else’s link on your website in return, that’s fine.
Send press releases to websites, local newspapers and other sources - people may well print the story and give you coverage, include your website address. For some tips on press releases see:
I know from experience that these sorts of things can work....
I managed to get a health book I was promoting onto several local radio stations once – as a NEWS item. For all my various information publishing businesses I’ve got articles and opinion pieces running in dozens of newsletters, magazines and websites.
Okay, these strategies don’t draw in the masses like moths to a flame... you’re not going to get 100s of people per week... but every visitor counts, and once you’ve set up these strategies, you don’t have to do anything else.
Worth thinking about anyway.
For more ideas on internet marketing, selling online or other armchair enterprises, check out the latest reviews and previous issues here.
Later alligator
Charlie Wright
The Biz Opp Jungle