Today's Adventure in the Biz Opp Jungle:
'In which Charlie uncovers an international network of conference junkies... has mixed opinions on a Pat Adams seminar... and comes across a name from the past.'
Hi,
It's weird what you can find out on the internet.
Type 'conference junkie' or 'seminar junkie' into Google, and see how many pages come up.
There must be millions of addicts out there! I didn't know it was such a widespread condition.
Some people talk about their attempts to limit themselves to 'one seminar per month', as if they were alcoholics. Others say they go to 'every conference' they're invited to.
You get them in all fields. Academia... technology... science fiction... and, yes, biz opp.
One self-help guru writes:
'There are some people who are seminar junkies. They take course after course, take notes, say they finally got it, and take another course in a couple months. They get to say they are 'working on' spirituality, personal growth, getting their act together. They get the opportunity to change, but that is not what they really want.
'They want to hold on to what they already have, be it victimhood, the comfort zone, whatever.'
It's an interesting point. Conferences can be a way of satisfying a craving for self- improvement... without having to bite the bullet and take action.
Whenever you are about to sign up for a seminar, you should ask yourself:
'Am I going to this conference to gain something useful that I will put into practice as soon as I get home... or make contacts that I will actually follow up?
...Or am I going so that I FEEL like I'm doing something useful with my time?'
Seminars can be a very expensive way to procrastinate.
Take it from a man who knows!
Talking of which...
According to one of my readers, Streetwise Publications are currently promoting a one- day conference by Pat Adams on the 21st October. (http://www.nletter.co.uk)
This guy seems to be on the up and up in the biz opp world. He's everywhere at the moment.
In his new promotion (no mystical madness this time), he promises to show you how to set up a newsletter and make money from it.
My reader says:
'This sales pitch repeats itself about three and a half times and urges us to go to the 'Celtic' somewhere or other for the conference. The hilarious thing is that they don't actually tell you where this luxurious venue is!'
He's right, too.
They only tell you it's at 'The Celtic Manor Resort'. I assume they will give people the address when they sign up.
I think they're referring to the big hotel complex in Newport, South Wales. It's about 90 miles West of London and a few miles East of Cardiff.
This is Pat doing his stuff 'live'
This conference seems to be a chance to see Pat Adams doing his stuff 'live'. The promotion flogs the same idea of 'The Key'.
It's the same basic biz op as in his other products. Namely, information publishing.
The idea is by holding a seminar, you get to interact, ask questions and see practical exercises. It's as if you had Pat's team as consultants for the day.
I honestly don't know how good this will be, as I've not met anyone who's gone to a Pat Adams seminar. As you know, some of my readers have not been too flattering about his biz opp product.
But I do know that some people do get more out of hands-on seminars than they do wit a paper product. So in principle, the idea is fine.
One reservation, though...
Setting up your own publishing company is not a 'lazy man' biz opp. It takes time and effort.
I know a lot about this type of business myself. I've sold and written a few newsletters and one-off courses in my time, and I'm certainly NOT spending my days floating in the pool like Mr Adams claims HE is.
A blast from the past
When I looked at the promotion, I was surprised to see another name along with Pat and Yvonne Adams. A certain John Gommes.
That's a blast from the past!
I actually heard John Gommes speak at a direct mail seminar about 5 years ago. He was the guy that brought newsletters to the UK in the 80s and did very well out of The Penny Share Guide.
He's a bit old guard when it comes to newsletters, I think, and I'm not sure what he's done of late, especially online, where the real pioneering happens.
But he's a genuinely experienced guy with a lot to say.
That said, he has spoken at other conferences with the likes of Vince Stanzione and Phil Gosling, so I'm not sure his appearance here is as 'exclusive' as the promotion says.
After all my waffling, the upshot is...
I'm feeling a bit dithery today, and I don't know whether to recommend this conference or not. It's hard to tell without going.
But at least I've given you some extra information to help you decide.
I'm tempted to go as an undercover agent... but I am otherwise engaged that weekend. So if you do go, then please let me know what it's like.
Cheers,
Charlie Wright
The Biz Opp Jungle