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Frank Kern is one of my favorite characters in the MMO scene. This is partly because he’s technically very sharp, partly because he’s funny as hell, but mostly because he plays the game and the metagame openly.
He’ll tell you exactly what he does to sell his stuff…
…then you buy it.
And be happy you bought it.
Here’s a recent email from Mr Kern. This came out closely following the whole FTC brouhaha:
Warning #1: The results in this new video are NOT typical, but they are still cool.
Warning #2: You have to opt in to watch it (the horror!).
Warning #3: If you buy something as a result of watching this, I’ll get paid money and I will almost certainly squander it on shiny things (or candy, or something equally stupid).
With that said, this is an awesome video about a NEW and exciting way to make some serious dinero.
Here is my cleverly disguised affiliate link: http://www.productlaunchformula.com/plmdr.php?1715
Talk soon,
Frank
As usual, here’s my disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Frank Kern, but if I were I would certainly recommend you pay attention to his salesmanship. And buy his stuff.
In the end, it looks the like new FTC rules are going benefit everyone. People in business are in business to (Surprise!) make money. Everyone knows this at some level, so having a government regulation to that effect renders disclaimers innocuous for sales. Think about the ingredients list on the side of a typical sugary cereal box. Long as my left arm. Doesn’t seem to affect sales in the least.
It’s been about two weeks since the big FTC ruling blowup. What do you think?
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{ 5 comments }
On the one hand, I get why they made the rule. On the other hand, I think it’s a big can of worms. First, most of the people I read endorse things because they have actually used them and believe them – if something sucks, they say so. So if they sell me on buying something, I think it’s perfectly fair for them to get a cut. Secondly, I wonder how this could/should be spread to other instances or industries. Why just bloggers and online affiliates?
Susan´s last blog ..Don’t Build Your PPC On a Foundation of Poo
I think the whole blowup has been greatly exaggerated for the most part. Most reputable bloggers/content marketers already disclose affiliate links. The trial and free products might not always be mentioned, but typically are.
Regarding the “typical results,” as long as you aren’t claiming anything monetary, there shouldn’t be any problems. If you say “it will teach you YYYYYY” or “provide you with the ability to do XXXXX” you should be in the clear.
Did you read/watch the part from the Marketing for Smart People panel that discussed this very topic?
Blake @ Props Blog Rewiews´s last blog ..BWE09: Problogger, Copyblogger, and Chris Brogan Hang Out In Their Underwear
@Susan – That’s a very good question, and leads to the scenario where grocers would be required to affirm they actually ate all the products they offered for sale. Somewhere, a middle ground will be found.
@Blake – I have yet to watch the video. It’s high on my list of things to do.
Dr Wordpress!´s last blog ..7 Ways To Evaluate Blog Post Quality — Tuning your BS detector
If people get offended that I might make some money if they buy something from me or someone I recommend, then they probably aren’t the customers I want.
It’s a good screening mechanism, really.
Sean´s last blog ..This Post Is Too Personal For A Title
@Sean – I really like how Frank lays it out bluntly: “Buy my sh*t.”
The way some people act online, they ought to be offended at the grocery store: “What! Food grows for free, from the ground, from seeds! How dare you suggest I pay for food! Scumbag!”
Dr Wordpress!´s last blog ..WordPress Architecture – The Building Blocks of Web Publishing
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