Lulu hates herself

In 2007, Gallup asked thousands of US workers this question: "At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?"

"Only 32% of people said that they did...

This represents a remarkable misallocation of talent: imagine the huge overall gain to productivity that would come from reshuffling everyone into roles they are suited for! More here."

You know what the 68% do? They spend most of their time correcting their weaknesses or fitting themselves, a round peg, into a square hole.

Apply this rule to your own business. Are you doing things for which you have talent? And that you enjoy? Or are you like Lulu - trying to turn yourself into someone you aren't? Because your upline insists, or you feel you should? How much fun is that?

Add to the mix that Lulu's not making any money and we know why she's depressed.

"How much do you make?"

Who doesn't hate this one?

"What do I say to that?" asked a frantic Lulu today. Then she whispers, "because I haven't made anything yet."

I quick ask Lulu if she'd made any references to big or easy income in her pitch. Well, yes. They told her to say, "My sponsor makes over $15,000/mo, and HE used to be a tuna boat fisherman! It's easy - and you can do it part time!"

She'd also used, "Do you want to make $3,000-$6,000/mo part time?"

Unbeknownst to Lulu, talk about fast and easy money TRIGGERS the dreaded question in any other hot blooded person. E.g.

LULU
"My upline already makes $15,000/mo and he used to be a tuna boat fisherman! It's easy. Anyone can do this! You want to make some big money with me?"

JODIE
"Wow. Sounds good. How much do YOU make (already)?"

See how that works? Same if you tell others, "I help people make big income from home." It's natural for the other guy to go, great, how much are YOU making already?

No more trash talk of big money or financial freedom. Because:

1) Folks who attain big income or financial freedom are VERY rare, which is why the FTC regs forbid using big $ stories to sell the opportunity (unless it's typical), and

2) No more big or easy money talk means your own words don't trigger the "How much do you make?" question.

Capiche?

Next: How DO I sell the business then, if not with big income stories?

Affiliates: How to avoid $11,000 FTC fine

I cannot tell a lie: they're paying me.

Here's a way to tell you're getting paid for your positive statements (and avoid the risk of a fine of up to $11,000 for not disclosing payments)

Thanks to commenter Lucy in St. Thomas for this.

Harlan Kilstein, an affiliate marketer, used an affiliate link in his email, to direct readers to a (very good) program that copy-writing teacher John Carlton offers:

"The good folks at the FTC require me to disclose that I am an affiliate for the Simple Writing System and that John Carlton will compensate me if you purchase this system. I was provided a copy of this system to evaluate and it has my highest recommendation."

Lucy adds, "Fresh, honest and leaves me feeling positive about Harlan! So this might work in our favor, me thinks!"

This statement does not detract one iota from the authority and value of Harlan's good words about John's program.

Any other fun and cool ways to disclose payments for stuff you are reviewing positively, and selling? Comment below. I will include your contact information if you like.

P.S. I didn't see Harlan's email, but it looks as if he posted it at the end of whatever positive review he wrote. He could also begin his email with it, and end the above para with, "and here's why..."

What's a paid opinion worth?

A short series for network marketers and affiliate marketers on how to stay within the spirit of the new FTC regs. See here and here.

OK. Now we have to tell we are getting paid when we say nice things about a product or program.

This is tricky because we all know paid opinions are suspect. They're just not worth as much as a naked, authentic recommendation from someone who's an expert on the thing they're recommending.

How can you have authority even though your opinion is paid for? Consider -

Story. Lulu calls an old friend to have lunch and 'catch up'. Lulu looks slinky after all these years, and she raves to her friend about her weight loss product. At the end of the lunch, the friend asks Lulu where to get it. Lulu blushes a little and admits she sells it.

Oh. So that's what all the gushing was about. And the lunch, too.

Have you experienced those lunches? Did you too, feel manipulated? And that "she didn't really want to see me for me, she just wanted to sell me," etc. Yikes.

Here's a way to avoid this outcome (AND be in compliance with the new FTC regs):

Tell UP FRONT that you are selling it. And do it in a way that sets you up as an authority from the start. This free download shows you how to do it. (It's been downloaded over 20,000 times.) No charge and no sign up. Just download it and print it out.

Commercial. If you love this idea, and want more information on how, during conversations, emails and blogs, you can tell up front you're being paid, and establish yourself as an authority, check out the Orange book here. I wrote it after teaching classes on that very topic, twice a week for 4 years, to networkers from nearly 100 companies.

The FTC does not require this, but I will tell you anyway. I created that Orange book because I love showing peeps how to talk up their products in engaging ways and still tell up front they're selling it. Online or off.

If you buy it, I will get the money. Yes you heard that right. I WILL get the money. I can use it, too. The Orange book is on the middle (top) of the page (If My Product's So Great, How Come I Can't Sell It?)

Next: How one gent tells up front he's an affiliate for a copy-writing program he's promoting.

Wow. No more 'dramatic' testimonials says FTC

How will they sell us now? No more big (and atypical) stories of income or weight loss allowed. No more overselling success.

Just in...

"The Federal Trade Commission on Monday took steps to make product information and online reviews more accurate for consumers, regulating blogging for the first time (see here) and mandating that testimonials reflect typical results.

"The commission said advertisers featuring testimonials that claim dramatic results cannot hide behind disclaimers that the results aren't typical." See here. And here (half way down). Yikes!

Direct from the new FTC Guidelines:

"Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor." From the new FTC Guidelines here.

Is this finally the end of selling the dream using those spectacular, atypical results? Results which almost no one attains except those selling the program?

Testimonials must now represent TYPICAL results. That's not gonna be pretty. We know 95%+ of opportunity seekers (MLM, etc) lose more than they ever make. Same for Internet marketing money-making programs. The silent evidence will now rise to the top.

Big question: Will you buy that next opportunity if you knew going in, that a typical person (say 75% to be kind) doesn't make any money? Or doesn't lose 100 lbs?

If not, what WOULD make you buy into an opportunity and put in that necessary sustained effort?

The good news: this stunning change gives us the opportunity to create a whole new kind of advertising and advertising testimonial. Not based on overselling success. I'm thrilled.

Who else wants to pay a fine of up to $11,000?


P.S. Let no one misunderstand the cartoon. I love Frank's stuff. I got it, fell in love with it and I promoted it heartily. No more dramatic testimonials (because they're so rare) will be a good challenge for him, as it will for all MLM and Internet money-making promoters. Unless they can make the typical story - "no financial results in year one" appealing, I'd bet testimonial days are over for typical promoters. But of course, some of us are atypical.

UPDATE: Frank Kern just posted he's quitting big income testies: "My Mass Control sales video didn’t have any (but I did use them in pre-launch. I won’t do that any more.)"

FTC to Fine Bloggers up to $11,000 for Not Disclosing Payments

Disclosure that you're being paid for your positive comments about something must be "clear and conspicuous," no matter what form it will take. That's the story from the FTC's new regulations...right here. Rules take effect December 1, 2009.

While it's first aimed at peeps who write product reviews - people who are paid to write positive comments - the regs likely include affiliate and network marketers.

If you're writing positive comments about products, programs or opportunities, you'll have to disclose that you'll be paid if the reader buys.

Not everyone thinks this is a good idea. See here.

But Matt Cutts, who's a long-time engineer at Google and much of whose work is focused on distinguishing genuine product review blogs from fake ones (posted only to make money) writes:

"As a Google engineer who has seen the damage done by fake blogs, sock puppets, and endless scams on the internet, I’m happy to take the opposite position (of Mr. Jarvis - see here-KK): I think the FTC guidelines will make the web more useful and more trustworthy for consumers.

Consumers don’t want to be shilled and they don’t want payola; they want a web that they can trust. The FTC guidelines just say that material connections should be disclosed. From having dealt with these issues over several years, I believe that will be a good thing for the web."

I tend to agree with Matt and the FTC. You?

P.S. NEXT: Wow. No More Dramatic Testimonials, says FTC. here.