Why I Had No Interest In Niche Blueprint
Many have asked why I did not recommend the new product Niche Blueprint as so many others were doing. To be honest, that was what first raised the red flag for me - every "top" marketer on the planet was recommending this course. And I no longer trust anything that the bulk majority of the "gurus" recommend. Why?
Usually, when you see this, the information contained within the product is at the point where it is almost no longer effective. Don't get me wrong, I am positive there is some great information contained inside the product that would benefit anyone, but is that information now worth $497? As I did not purchase it, I cannot honestly answer that.
I am sure the high commission rate is one thing that fueled the onslaught of recommendations and bonuses. But when you see this happen, here are a few things that you need to take into consideration:
- Most of the "gurus" do not say anything to the effect about how the product "helped" their business. The emails contained nothing other than what the product is along with possibly what you could learn from the course, then a list of bonuses if you bought through them. This is NOT what I want to hear. What I want to know is how they used it (without giving away inside info) and what it helped add to their bottom line. In other words, did the information make them any money?I don't need to see the proof, just tell me something (again without giving away details) that only someone who has seen or read it would know and what it added to their business. Anything to make me believe they have actually read, seen or used and tested the material. Not one email I received about Niche Blueprint contained anything to that respect. This raises HUGE red flags for me as I have to wonder if any of them really know.
- Next, take into consideration the fact that if they read the material and the information was still as effective as the sales letter said, most of these marketers would not be recommending it. Why? Because the bulk majority of them employ teams of people to exploit the heck out of whatever is truly working at the time. If there really was info out there, as the sales letter said, that when implemented could make it very easy to earn into the six or seven-figure range, these marketers would not be so quick to pass the info along. They would work the information for themselves until it gets to the point that it is not as effective as it once was. This is the point that people like you and I begin to hear about it - while there is still money to be made, but it is not as easy as it was when it was first implemented.
- Which brings me to my last point - saturation. Look at how many marketers were promoting it. Yes, there are millions of niches, but each of them have thousands of people on their mailing lists. How many copies were sold before they closed their doors? We may not know the answer to that, but I would bet that at some point, the markets will be flooded with the sites and marketing tactics this course teaches you and the information will soon no longer be effective for anyone. You also need to look at the fact that if the creators are earning the kind of money they say they are, why on earth would they go to the trouble to create the product, offer support and share the information for what would be to them - pocket change. Why would they be willing to share it at all?
Is it worth the $497 price tag? I have no idea and I doubt I will be finding out anytime soon. I am positive there is valuable information on the inside or it would not be able to carry this price tag. The question is, how long will it be effective? In a nutshell, this is why I had no interest in the product.
I'm going to be honest with you, the best tactics and information that I continue to use, are still effective to this day and that I'm willing to share with others have come from virtually unknown sources. And if you ever see a recommendation from me, you can be rest assured that I use it, have tested it for myself and I will tell you how it helped my business.
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Sunshine (3 comments.) | Jan 14, 2009 | Reply
How true you are. If a person can truly afford to purchase this and they’ve already gotten their feet wet and have earned at least some steady affiliate commissions via adsense, clickbank ,ebay, squidoo or amazon, etc. for the last 6 months then by all means they should go for it.
But for the masses of people who are searching for coins under seat cushions, there are far better lower priced products that will teach them the fundamentals of what these higher priced products teach for rank beginners.
Melissa | Jan 14, 2009 | Reply
Exactly. I’ve been at this for several years and do very well, but I hate to see promos like this because it captivates those who are new into believing this is something they need or they will not succeed. Which is completely untrue.
You are right. Everyone needs to learn to crawl before they can walk. Once they have mastered that, they will be off and running in no time and will have the ability to invest back into their business if they choose.
Mira from alopecia areata (1 comments.) | Jan 17, 2009 | Reply
I have often wondered about this point. If the method they are pushing is so good, why are they no using it themselves to make money out of irt rather than looking to make commissions off my buying the product. Love the way you set it out in black and white.
Miras last blog post..Cranial Prosthesis
Melissa | Jan 17, 2009 | Reply
That’s exactly why I always ask people to stop and think for a minute before they buy something. Don’t just fall for a sexy sales page.
Don’t get me wrong, there are great products out there sharing information that really does work, but these are the ones you don’t hear much about.
But if any of you got to read the sales page for Niche Blueprint, you would find it extremely hard to believe they would be willing to share this information.
It was talking about small niche sites easily earning $10,000, $20,000 $40,000 and more a month (that’s each, not combined). Now honestly, if you were earning that kind of money, would you sit down and create an elaborate product along with tons of videos for it and then sell the info for $497? And then offer support, free updates and probably pay affiliates 50% or so of the take?
Come on, if you earned that kind of money, it wouldn’t be worth your time. Even if the product was limited to 500 people and it sold out, let’s do the math.
That would mean the product brought in $248,500. If you paid half to affiliates, then as the creator you earned about $124,250.
Nice chunk of change, but think about it. If you could honestly easily get one niche site to earn $20,000 a month (average per the sales page), it would only take building 7 sites to earn the $124,250.
Now, why on earth would you go to that much trouble to create and sell a product, deal with hundreds of people, etc., etc. when all you had to do to earn the same money was build 7 sites?
Uh uh, I don’t buy it. This tells me a few things – Either they do not reveal absolutely everything or the information is on it’s way out. And there is enough good information contained on the inside to earn you your money back.
Unless someone can prove me otherwise……:-)
Ann from Ann Arbor Michigan Website Promotion (1 comments.) | Jan 29, 2009 | Reply
There are enough gullible fools out there who will buy it and so it will make money, only for the people who are offering it, not the other way round.
James from UK Deals (1 comments.) | Jan 30, 2009 | Reply
$497!! No way. At the end of the day niche marketing is pretty easy – you focus on a very small target after doing some research, optimise your site like crazy and get it out there.
Jamess last blog post..Warner Leisure Homes | Holiday Deals
Melissa | Feb 1, 2009 | Reply
Exactly. I just hate to see it happen. I don’t like for people to be taken advantage of. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very legit products out there. It’s finding the needle in the haystack that proves to be the hard part. I could just see right through this one from the get go.
James from reverse phone number search (3 comments.) | Feb 3, 2009 | Reply
It still amazes me that people would pay that much for a course that is not personally taught to them. Your absolutely right when you talk about the thousands of people these “gurus” mass email the product to for each other. They all do it for each other in their “circle” of friends.
What really gets me though if somebody came to your door at your home and said they had the secret to make millions and they’d sell it to you for $400.00 dollars you’d probably laugh at them and ask them why? If your able to make millions yourself, what are you doing here at my door telling me you’ll let me know how for $400.00. It just doesn’t make sense. But online it happens everyday.
Melissa | Feb 3, 2009 | Reply
I don’t think I could have said it more perfect. Honestly, for every 100 products that come out, there will be one that is a true gem. But it will be that one which you will most likely never hear about.
And I agree 100% with your second paragraph. If I were making millions, there is no way I’d go to all this trouble for $400 a product. (Less when you pay commissions) I’d have to be “retiring” and willing to give up the info or something to even consider it. That’s what leads me to believe the info contained inside is well on its way out. The fact that the so called “gurus” are mass emailing about it tells me that much. If the info did what it said on the can, there is no way they would be emailing their lists about it for commission money nor would they sell it for $400. They’d keep it to themselves and exploit the heck out of it.
seo from Duct Cleaning NYC (1 comments.) | Feb 4, 2009 | Reply
hi
good article thanks for sharing this information
Gary from Fantasy Art Prints (1 comments.) | Feb 9, 2009 | Reply
Hello Melissa. I am really glad that I found your site.. Thanks so much for the helpful information.
West Vancouver wedding video (1 comments.) | Feb 13, 2009 | Reply
It certainly would take quite some time to read all those blogs. It’s an impressive list of blog of information.
AdrianP from puppy training tips (4 comments.) | Feb 13, 2009 | Reply
Honestly, I am beginning to think that a lot or maybe even the majority of these so called Internet Marketers/Gurus or whatever have not really sat down and developed actual sites on any niche. Their niche is “internet marketing” or “how to make money online” and that is about it. I would like to get advice from somebody who has their own 20 or 30 niche websites. Not someone who says “here this is how you do it”, but doesn’t have one real niche website to their name.
Melissa | Feb 13, 2009 | Reply
You are absolutely right. Their main niche is MMO and marketing to that crowd. Even if they do own niche sites, the majority of them no longer work “in the trenches” so to speak. I’ve seen a lot of bad advice from some who claimed to “use” the software or info in an ebook, when it’s obvious by an answer or two, they have not. They are very quick to recommend something, but when their followers ask them a question, they have no clue what to tell them or refer them to the person who released the product. Sad really.
Regarding the second comment (links), I will be addressing this issue in my next post. Thanks for stopping by!
I-PBX Phone System (1 comments.) | Feb 14, 2009 | Reply
It seems great. I am subscribing now. Thanks for sharing a lovely information with us.
Pallavi from I Beam (1 comments.) | Feb 18, 2009 | Reply
Really this site is very nice and thanks for sharing it.
Rockey from Vancouver videographer (1 comments.) | Feb 21, 2009 | Reply
Really it is nice article and thanks for sharing it.
Sam from SEO Consultant India (1 comments.) | Feb 21, 2009 | Reply
Thanks, That was interesting.
nice
Sams last blog post..SEO Consultant India and 5 Things They Won’t Tell Clients
AdrianP from puppy training tips (4 comments.) | Feb 25, 2009 | Reply
I have a question about your RSS Directory list. I have submitted to some of them, but one thing I am not sure about is whether to use full or partial rss feeds? Can you shed some light on that topic?
AdrianPs last blog post..How to Potty Train a Dog Using Puppy Pads
AdrianP from puppy training tips (4 comments.) | Feb 28, 2009 | Reply
Hi Melissa,
I am wondering if you can see what is going on with my comments. I was able to comment on your blog before, but now it looks like they are going into the spam folder. I don’t know why. I haven’t been spamming! Are you using Akismet?
Thanks!
AdrianPs last blog post..How to Potty Train a Dog Using Puppy Pads
Melissa | Mar 1, 2009 | Reply
Hi Adrian,
In all honesty, this comes down to a personal preference. The reason some people go with partial feeds is so that others will have to click through to their site to read the rest of the entry. Others go with partial feeds because of content scrapers. They do not want to give scrapers the ability to post their full content on their sites.
I use full-feeds myself. I just like giving people the ability to read the whole article instead of forcing them to click over to the site. When people are in a hurry, many times they will not click through and miss some great content. If you are going to use partial feeds, then you must make sure the first paragraph or two of copy is compelling enough to make them want to visit your site. The downside is that some will scrape your content.
Other than personal preference, I have not seen where using full or partial feeds makes that much difference. I hope this helps and if you have further questions, do not hesitate to ask.
Melissa | Mar 1, 2009 | Reply
Hi Adrian,
No worries. They are not going into the spam folder.
I just haven’t been able to be online to approve comments in the last couple of days so that’s why they didn’t show up. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Vance Sova from healthy diet for teenage athletes, balanced diet menu, healthy diet weight loss (1 comments.) | Mar 1, 2009 | Reply
I was also looking into the Niche Blueprint and I wholeheartedly agree with Melissa’s assessment. I don’t know much about internet marketing but I am interested in it. The amount of e-mail offers I received was suspicious.
But for me the biggest reason for not getting involved with it was the fact that the money was made the hardest way possible because one would have to personally deal with the manufacturers or wholesalers of the products involved in the niches. The authors of the Niche Blueprint were talking about establishing personal relationship with these product handlers by those who purchased the course. They would only be given the contact information to make the contact and the rest would be up to them.
I can clearly imagine the time and frustration perpetually involved in that. Having worked for a company that acted as a distributor for several manufacturers I know full well
what takes place. I am glad I took the time to investigate and for having passed on the nightmare I think it will be for those who went for it.
Vance Sovas last blog post..Vegan Diet Plan, Vegan Weight Loss Diet
Kevin (1 comments.) | Mar 2, 2009 | Reply
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for you honesty. It is refreshing to hear. I am inspired that you are not jaded by the almighty dollar. As to really examining a product… How often does a marketer actually get to use the product? I don’t mean just look it over and kick the tires. I mean…”take it out for a test drive.” I thought about this recently with a product launch. If this product actually did what it was suppose to do, why sell it? Why not keep it and make money from it. If it was just that great, why share it? Why should you be giving these precious, moneymaking websites away? Maybe they are being humanitarian in their Internet Marketing pursuits. What do you think?
Kevins last blog post..The Mini Site Formula and the Need for SEO
Melissa | Mar 2, 2009 | Reply
Hi Kevin,
You made a very good point. I’ve been doing affiliate marketing for a long time and what you said most definitely applies to those “super” affiliates who give testimonials every other day. Just how often do they really even look at the product or read the ebook? I know for a fact that the bulk majority only skim over the material or barely use the software someone is offering. They usually only learn enough about it to give the testimonial.
The reason why is that 90% of them have their own money making systems in place that are working very well for them. Add to that the fact that most of them have already hired programmers and researchers to develop systems such as what they are promoting. When it gets right down to it, they don’t need the product. And honestly, if they sat and reviewed every little item that comes across their desk, they would have no time to earn money.
The major point with these products is that the information contained within will earn you money. Just more than likely no where near as much as what they promote on the sales page. And 90% of the time, the information is well on its way to no longer working. So you make money for a short while, but then it begins to taper off and everyone pretends to not know or understand why. In other words, they have already used the info to earn a ton of money from it. They also sell this kind of information when they have moved on to the next greatest thing. Sometimes the info they are selling is just as good as it was when they discovered it, however they may have found an even easier way to earn money so they sell this “secret” because they’re no longer using it.
Then there are others who are the real, genuine deal. They’ve found something that works and genuinely want to help others so they sell the information. Especially if they don’t feel that competition is a threat. And sometimes, it’s a person trying to make a name for themselves.
It’s very hard to determine the good from the bad in the internet marketing world. Sometimes you have to use your best judgement. Other times, you may have to go so far as to buy the product and see for yourself. But only do this if the product has a money-back guarantee. That way if you are not satisfied, you can get your money back.
I hope this helps and if you have more questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Best of luck to you!
AdrianP from puppy training tips (4 comments.) | Mar 4, 2009 | Reply
Melissa,
Thanks for the response. I guess I should not be too concerned then about my entire article showing up on a feed directory’s website then? I realize that I will get the backlink, but if the feed directory has a higher authority I would think that my article on that site would show up first.
AdrianPs last blog post..How to Potty Train a Dog Using Puppy Pads
Melissa | Mar 4, 2009 | Reply
To be honest, I’ve not noticed this as a problem for me. I am assuming you are thinking duplicate content or that visitors might not come if they can read the whole article at the feed site. I can understand that. Again, it is more a matter of personal preference. I usually find that if people like a few of the articles in the feed, they usually venture over to the site to see what else they may have missed. Or they want to determine whether or not they want to subscribe. These are the highest quality visitors you can get. Would love to hear which you decide to go with and how it works out for you.
Jeff from Tampa Movers (3 comments.) | Mar 12, 2009 | Reply
I totally agree with you on this. By the time that these products have come to the attention of the top gurus and are being marketed by them, they have most likely already lost most of their effectiveness. And if they haven’t they surely will very soon due to the large number of people who buy anything the top marketers recommend. The best approach is to go with your own research and techniques, read up on what others are doing but don’t copy them exactly.
Tina from discount Christian books (1 comments.) | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
great article! Yes, you are so right NEVER FALL FOR sexy sales pitch!
raj from American Bachelor University (1 comments.) | Mar 17, 2009 | Reply
Great post, very informative. I think a lot of people will find this very useful.
protein shakes (1 comments.) | Mar 19, 2009 | Reply
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steven from Marlboro Online Cigarette Coupons (1 comments.) | Mar 21, 2009 | Reply
Nice article, really detailed; and you have covered some really important aspects. I have been a lensmaster too. One other advantage is there, which is very crucial.
stevens last blog post..Major Cigarette Companies Offer Coupons | Marlboro Cigarette Coupons
johnathan from comforter sets (1 comments.) | Mar 29, 2009 | Reply
I don’t know! Most of those information products have a lot to say, but the real “secret” is never revealed, great post!
Tony Lee (3 comments.) | Apr 9, 2009 | Reply
Hi Melissa,
Wow, the price tag of this (course?) product makes me a bit concerned about its validity.
I’ve never heard of this product until I read this post. Thanks for offering your thoughts on this!
Tony Lees last blog post..Wright McGill Granger Aristocrat 7 Ft. Bamboo Fly Rod
Liza from Metal Buildings (1 comments.) | May 1, 2009 | Reply
I don’t know exactly that’s why I am not asking more about it but I like to read your post.
Tom from AIM International (1 comments.) | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply
Its a shame when you cannot trust ‘respected’ professionals becuase they seem to select products based on their commission levels – surely their reputation is more important than short-term profit
Toms last blog post..Herbal Fiberbend Colon Cleanse
Danni from bird houses (1 comments.) | Jul 20, 2009 | Reply
It is refreshing to hear such honesty – I don’t know if this product really does work and I suppose never will unless I buy it – but anything with so much ‘marketing hype’ always makes me nervous
purva from emo (1 comments.) | Jul 30, 2009 | Reply
3.Hi, good quality, relevant inbound links will help customers and search engines find your business website.
Ray from Tampa Web Advertising (1 comments.) | Jul 31, 2009 | Reply
Melissa,
I do agree with you for the most part. I think part of it is that most of these courses sell “it” as being very easy to do. I think most people who buy these things start to dig into it and see the potential, but far underestimate the amount of effort they need to put into it. I have personally spent thousands of dollars on different programs and many were junk but many were good also. It’s a matter of actually doing the work and learning. Nothing is easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it. I can say that the absolute best course I have ever bought bar none was only $77. The sales letter had all the claims and I was actually very surprised that by the end of the letter it was only $77. Of course they were selling a $57 monthly back end program that I initially did not buy but probably will here shortly. My point is the course was so unbelievably thorough that I finally had the aha moment you hear about. It took me about a month to go through everything thoroughly enough to fully grasp what to do, but I can honestly say I now make money online and it is increasing every month.
But I do have disagree a bit with your analogy above. True if these guys were making $20k a month per site it does not seem to make sense to sell a program that may only net them $120k versus just building sites to get to that same number. One thing to consider, as in my post above, is that most of these programs are now selling back end continuity programs that may cost $50-100 month on a recurring basis. So yes $120k on the front side seems like it may not be worth the effort but if you end up with 500 members paying just $47 month in a member site, by my math that is $23,500 in recurring billings. Plus you have 500 people who trust you enough to pay you that fee every month which in and of itself is a buyers list that may be priceless. Those people will buy lateral products form you for years as long as they feel taken care of. At $77 month we’re talking $38.5k monthly and at $97 month (of which there are quite a few) we’re talking $48.5k a month recurring. Suddenly it seems like it might not be such a bad idea after all, no?
HalloweenQueen from babyhalloweencostumes.org (1 comments.) | Aug 8, 2009 | Reply
I’m curious if there are any current products you do recommend? I’m just getting into this and it looks like you tell it like it is.
Rachel from Instyler (1 comments.) | Nov 5, 2009 | Reply
It’s amazing how these marketing “guru’s” know how to manipulate the market. By working together with JV’s they get their launch everywhere so you can’t avoid taking a look and getting tempted.
Ana | Nov 22, 2009 | Reply
I totally agree with everything you’ve said in this post.
I recently unsubscribed to all but two mailing lists. I was getting a TON of product launch offers, all promising to be “The One”.
I realized that I just looked like a big ol’ cow ready to be milked to these guys!
M
As a result, my inbox is a much cleaner, happier place and I spend more time working than protecting my utters.
Lifeline Hangover (1 comments.) | Dec 26, 2009 | Reply
Thanks very much – your article probably saved my wallet from a lot of pain. Thanks for a very informative article.
Regards,
Hectic Lifestyles