Marketing Tips Report
Helping real people create wealth and
freedom with Internet businesses since 1996 |  | | | July 16, 2009 Issue #234 | Seven Signs that "Great Opportunity" is Really a Scam
The Internet Marketing Center Team
 The Internet is bursting with excellent opportunities to make money.
... Unfortunately, it's also teeming with unscrupulous scammers who seek to get rich by scamming honest people out of their hard-earned money.
Today we want to help you SAVE 1000s of dollars by making sure you can recognize a scam when you see one!
One of the most popular scams out there is the "business in a box" hoax. If you are currently in the process of looking for a business idea, chances are you will come across this kind of scam.
The "business in a box" pitch looks something like this:
Wow, sounds like a sweet deal. Or does it?
Think about it... If a company is selling you an opportunity to sell their product, chances are they've sold the exact same opportunity to thousands of other people.
(After all, why would they limit their profits by selling the rights to that product only to you?)
That means you have to compete against thousands of other people who are selling the exact same product, with the same website, using the exact same marketing strategies you are!
Do you want be contending with that many IDENTICAL competitors? (Nope!)
Not only that -- if the product really was that hot, why isn't the company selling it itself, instead of merely selling the opportunity to sell it?
... Because they know they're not going to make much money that way, that's why.
To make sure that YOU don't get sucked in by this kind of scam, we're going to show you how to filter the REAL money-making opportunities from all the B.S. out there, with our handy "Scam Detector Check List."
Whenever you come across a possible business opportunity, simply consult this handy checklist. It'll help you discover if it is a real opportunity -- or a real waste of money.
You know you're dealing with a scam IF:
#1. The company can't prove a successful track record
 If you've never heard of the company before -- and they can't offer solid proof they've got a successful track record -- then how can you trust them to help YOU make money?
Be skeptical. Ask questions. If they say they're a successful company, ask for proof!
#2. You can't talk to a company representative in person
 Before you make a significant investment in a business opportunity, give the vendors a call. Talk to them in person. Ask them hard questions.
If they don't make it easy for you to talk to them in person, then don't do business with them!
#3. Former customers have lousy things to say about the product
 A little bit of research goes a long way. Try typing "the name of the program + scam" or "the name of the program + customer review" into Google and see what results you get.
If the majority of the results are from former customers saying the product is a scam or a waste of money, then whatever you do, don't make the same mistake THEY did!
#4. 1000s of other people are selling the EXACT same thing
 If your "business in a box" package includes a product for you to sell, do a search on the name of the product in Google and go through the results. How many people are selling the exact same product? Say hello to your competition!
(And how many of them are using the exact same website the company is trying to get YOU to buy?)
If a lot of people are selling that product -- and you can't see any way to offer a unique selling proposition that makes your offer stand out from the crowd -- then quite frankly, you're going to find it extremely difficult to make any money at all.
#5. They can't show you legitimate testimonials from recent customers
 If you are making a significant investment in a business opportunity, the company you are purchasing from should be willing to put you in contact with other successful customers. We get this request all of the time, and have numerous successful customers who are happy to give us a personal reference at a moment's notice.
(If you'd like to take a look at how we use those testimonials on our salesletters, please look at our sales page for our best-selling course,
Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet.
Look for testimonials that names, photographs, and URLs, if possible. The more information that proves the testimonial giver is a real person, the better.
If the testimonial has a URL, go to that person's website and check it out. Does it look like the website of someone who's making good money? Look for the contact info on the site and then email that person to ask him or her directly about the product you're thinking about buying.
If the person says yes, it really is a good deal, and is still experiencing good results with that product, then chances are it's the real deal.
However, be on the watch for DATED testimonials. If people were able to make money using this package four years ago -- but the profits have long since dried up -- then the product's not going to do you much good now, is it?
#6. The company is charging YOU money to sell THEIR products
 If a company is making a product that millions of people are going to want to buy, why wouldn't they simply sell it themselves -- instead of making other people pay for the opportunity to sell it for them?
The truth is, companies like this KNOW their "affiliates" aren't going to generate any sales. That's why they need to get your money up front!
Take it from someone who has been running a highly successful affiliate program for years. If someone wants to become an IMC affiliate and sell our products for us, we'd never make them pay. Why should they? They're doing us a favor!
#7. The company makes outrageous income claims without backing them up with proof
 If a company says their product will have you earning tens of thousands of dollars within a matter of weeks, BE SKEPTICAL. There is no magic bullet on the Internet that can promise a five-figure income in 30 days or less.
The truth is, building a profitable business takes TIME. Sure, you can have a profitable business in less than a month... but you'll probably have to wait a few more months before the money really starts pouring in.
So whenever you see outrageous income claims, ask yourself -- where's the proof?
Look for testimonials that back up these claims. If someone claims to have made incredible money from using this system, track them down via their URL and ask them if it's really true.
And be sure to listen to your "inner radar" to determine whether the person is genuine or not.
Above all, do your research and ask lots of questions. If you follow these guidelines, chances are you will make the right decisions and pursue the right opportunities.
When it comes to online success, there is no magic pill. If you want to start a real business on the Internet you need to be prepared to put in the time and effort to build it.
... Of course, there IS one complete business-building system that DOES deliver on all its promises.
BeBiz, our unbeatable "point-and-click" business creator, provides you with a suite of tools that all work together, plus step-by-step video tutorials that show you what to do. It walks you through all the steps you need to take to achieve a fully automated website that generates prospects and cash in just a matter of weeks.
We want to emphasize that BeBiz is NOT a business in a box.
Our wizard-driven business creator will help you identify a hungry niche, develop your own unique product, and then create your own professionally designed website that is set up to take credit card payments AND collect email addresses so you can start marketing to prospective buyers right away!
We're not going to lie and tell you that you will be making tens of thousands of dollars in a month's time... because only a very few experience that kind of phenomenal success right off the bat.
But we can say this: If you follow the step-by-step process that the BeBiz business creator will walk you through, you CAN have a website that will be making a profit by Labor Day -- click here to discover how.
Just remember, when you're thinking about buying into an "online cash machine" opportunity, use your common sense. Because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
| | | Where to Find Information You Can Trust
The Internet Marketing Center Team
 One of the best things you can do for yourself as an entrepreneur is to soak up as much information as you can about Internet marketing, making money online, and building your business.
The #1 thing that separates "entrepreneurs" from "employees" is that entrepreneurs constantly challenge themselves to move forward. They work hard to stay on top of their industry, keeping tabs on the market, their customers, the search engines, new tricks, and old tried-and-true tactics...
...it's a LOT of information!
Not only is it a lot to keep track of, it can be tough to sort out the truly valuable information from all the self-serving hype. The Internet is swarming with people who are more interested in getting your money than in helping you make money... and some of them are awfully slick.
They'll tell you everything you want to hear, and it all sounds so good -- up until you notice that nothing they suggest brings you sales or puts money in your pocket.
So we decided to put together a list of all of the resources that the Internet Marketing Center offers. You can count on our resources to give you accurate information that you want and need.
Free Resources:
- The Marketing Tips Report: As a subscriber you probably know that this newsletter is packed with the latest information and covers everything from tips on how to write compelling salescopy to revealing the fastest and easiest way to start making money on the Internet.
The archive is free to subscribers and goes all the way back to 1998! (We've been doing this "make money on the Internet" thing for a while now.)
- Bidding Frenzy, the eBay Tips Newsletter: Covers tons of eBay-specific information. It covers topics like how to apply Internet marketing principles to your eBay-based business, and keeps you up-to-date on the latest policy changes (and there are always new policy changes!).
You can also learn practical information, like how to take the best photo of your product, and how to use video in your listings.
- Our comprehensive glossary: All industries have their own specialized vocabulary, or jargon, and online business is no different. Not entirely sure what "bandwidth" is? Or the "first fold?" The glossary is where to find out.
- Our YouTube channel: We regularly create and upload videos to YouTube. Some people find it easier to grasp certain concepts if they can hear them, or if they can watch them (we all learn differently, and we don't want to leave anyone behind).
Be sure to subscribe to the channel, so you know as soon as we post new videos! Just click the yellow "Subscribe" button above the video.
- Our Blog: Our blog content is always fresh and relevant, and we do our best to address any questions and feedback we receive. We cover a wide range of topics, and get a lot of inspiration from the comments and questions that our readers leave. Puzzled about something? Try asking!
- Our Twitter stream: We tweet the latest thing we've discovered, ask questions, and even just shoot the breeze with our followers. Just want to drop by and say hi? Tweet us!
If you'd like more specific, in-depth information, you can get it from our paid resources:
- Internet Entrepreneur Club: A powerful online business-building resource center staffed by our team of helpful, experienced experts.
Members get: Direct email access to our team of experts; access to the private members-only articles, recordings, and videos; monthly online tele-seminars; weekly Q & A calls; a monthly newsletter… there's more, but this isn't a sales pitch!
- Search Marketing Lab: Private members-only site where members get personal coaching from our search engine marketing specialists.
Members get: Access to our search marketing experts; access to our members-only premium SEO library of instruction and articles; advanced videos on SEO, PPC, and link-building; and the Search Marketing Lab Report, a detailed monthly online newsletter with all the latest search strategies and major search engine updates.
- Secrets To Their Success: Monthly online newsletter in which entrepreneurs who are leaders in the field of online business unveil the tricks, techniques, and insights that made them successful.
See real-life examples of solid business models and proven Internet marketing principles — as well as brilliant original tactics — and apply them to your own business. So there you have it! The complete list of resources from a source you can trust. If you read something online and you're not sure if it's true or not… try cross-checking it against our information before you act on it.
If you have any questions about any of our offerings, please send us a message! We're always delighted to hear from you.
| | | Recent News from Our Blog
Speaking of useful information you can trust, here are our latest blog articles. Check them out to see how we can help you grow your business bigger, better, and faster!
July 15th: Easy Tip to Drive More Action-Primed Visitors to Your Site -- Here's a quick and easy trick that'll help your listing stand out from your competitors in Google's search results, so you can drive more action-ready visitors to your site.
July 7th: Build Your Opt-in List Fast with This Powerful Technique -- Having a responsive opt-in list is one of the keys to real online success. Discover an easy technique that will help you quickly build a large list of people who will be happy to receive mail from you.
July 3rd: eBay Video Tip #7: Driving Traffic to Your eBay Store -- In this video, eBay expert Carson Clark tells you how to get more targeted visitors headed to your eBay store with traffic-building tips.
If you've never considered eBay selling as a great way to make money, now's the time to check it out! eBay can also help you ramp up sales for your existing business, too.
| | Do you have a question or comment for the team?
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