Copyright 2006 Christopher Robinson
Hype is a short word with an ugly intention, to get your money without giving you what is promised. Despite the Can Spam Laws that forbid using hype in sales and ad copy it still rears its ugly head beckoning the unsuspecting entrepreneur with false hopes and promises.
1. Get rich quick schemes are #1 in the hype game: these are aimed specifically at those who are brand new on the Internet and are looking for a way to make some money. These newcomers are often branded as Newbies They are unfortunately prime targets for these cheats and con artists. These opportunities usually share a few points in common:
a. Make 1000s in just 10 days without lifting a finger b.1000s are making boatloads of cash why aren't you? c. Asking for money up front d. Frequent name switching e. You can never get anybody to answer your questions or worse still there is no real contact information f. The website is often garish and unprofessional looking.
2. E-books all fluff and no stuff: You pay them your hard earned cash thinking you are truly going to get the book that will reveal the elusive secrets of making money. After all knowledge is power right? Well yes, but these e-books are not going to give you anything but a hole in your wallet!
3. Courses offering the secrets of getting rich: In reality they are just a bunch of hot air. Just like the e-books they promise the sky and give you nothing but a sour taste in your mouth.
4. Network marketing programs-in pre launch: There are new ones of these cons going around every other month it seems. Their pitch is similar to the home opportunities and their target is the same, the unsuspecting Newbie coming into the brave new world of the Internet.
5. Sales letters offering the world and only delivering a worthless product: Theoretically the Can Spam Act was meant to put the damper on these but you still see this type of poor sales copy.
6. Ads in all shapes and sizes-despite the Can Spam Act we still see these. Like the sales copy these are meant to have been eliminated and there are far less of them around because many responsible ad coops do give guidelines for ads which includes not using hype. However a few do slip by.
How to avoid falling into these traps with a few simple tactics:
Get rich quick schemes: You have heard the old cliche, if it sounds too good it probably is.This definitely applies to these hyped up opportunities. There is no such thing as easy money in business. It takes hard work and patience. It is rare to see a real profit before 3 months and if someone is making it before this time it is usually due to some smart planning that has definitely taken some time and work. Avoiding these hyped up opportunities, is simply a matter of being aware of their pitch and doing research carefully into any opportunity that will cost you money to join. E-books (so called info products) Courses offering the secrets of getting rich: These can be info books, courses or reports. The way to catch these is to read between the lines. Look at the sales letter carefully. Tone of the clues is too much hype and no real benefits. They promise all sorts of things but it just does not ring true. The real giveaway is that they do not offer a real guarantee. It is often hard to tell with these but read carefully and you will often spot the tell tale signs.
Sales letters and ads: if they have too much hype avoid whatever they are offering or at least look into it carefully.
The way to really keep yourself as safe as possible from these cons and hyped up schemes is to be careful. Never rush into an opportunity because you are desperate for money. Always pull yourself up and ask yourself if this really makes sense. When you do your research and read carefully before jumping in you will save a lot of money and disappointment. You will get burnt a few times. However remember you are not alone and with these few points you will be able to escape many of these scams. Learn from mistakes and look before you join and you will achieve the success you deserve on the Internet. |
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