YTB nail in the coffin

My first post questioned the legality of YTB (read it here). But months later there appears to be no movement against them... but now their lifeblood may be cut off... per this article Royal Caribbean International "will terminate relationships with multi-level marketers (MLM's) which provide travel agency credentials and identity cards to consumers for the purpose of becoming would-be 'travel agents.'"

YTB is not named, but it's obvious they are one of the primary targets. When I was being recruited to YTB one of the main benefits being pushed was my ability to travel cheaply since I would be considered a "travel agent". That felt fishy to me since I clearly was not a travel agent, and had no intention of becoming one, but since I like to travel, it is what got me to look into the business. I stopped looking once I saw that the primary way YTB'ers make their money is by selling the travel agent web sites... NOT from selling travel. My understanding of MLM laws is that you can NOT sell web sites as your primary business no matter what you call them.... so my personal belief is that it's a matter of time before the FTC tries to shut them down.

Now though, if you're a YTB travel agent, the travel industry may shut you down. Certainly that should be a major concern if anyone else follows in Royal Caribbean's foot steps. According to the Travel Daily News article, Marriot "and other major players" are participating in a new designation program that travel agents will have to meet to get cheaper travel. Having been on the Scam.com forum recently this has been developing over time, and the "benefit" of cheap travel to "fake" travel agents has already started to disappear.

So... whether YTB is able to continue without legal trouble from the FTC may not matter much longer if new recruits dry up when they learn they can't actually save on their personal travel. This will be especially bad if YTB is banned completely, even those who meet the criteria of the industry. My prediction... pain for YTB.

Now I call you a liar

I give up... Brad Morse is pushing his eBook again... another "update" email that ONLY talks about this Saturday's "special training" but only if you buy the $67 eBook "GetGoogleAdsFree" from Brad himself. He lists four things the training will include... and #4 is (get this) how you can get Google AdWords for free.

Here's a quote from the email:

"Number 4 above is the big one. You will learn how to get all your Google ads for free, how to make thousands just for getting free ads and how you can start making this money at no cost to you."

Please.... stop it, now you're flat out lying. He can NOT teach you how to get your ads for free. What he can explain to you is how you have to take out your credit card, buy thousands of dollars in Google AdWords trying to earn thousands of dollars from selling advertising. That is hard work, and requires money. It is NOT free!!!! Yet there he is in the above quote saying it is... all so he can get his greedy hands on your $67.

What am I missing? Is this not a blatant lie?

An E4L.biz prediction

I began writing the previous post (below) about GetGoogleAdwordsFree prior to seeing yesterday's E4L "update" email. I thought giving away the so-called "secrets" of the slimy misleading eBook was important... since anyone promoting slime is probably slime themselves. So after reading the E4L "update" email I was inspired to finish up the previous post... and now... I just have to share a prediction that all the E4L faithful can throw in my face in just a few short days if I'm wrong.

MY PREDICTION:

E4L will NOT have it's "grand opening" prior to Brad's "special training". In fact, the "grand opening" is probably weeks away (that's of course if it ever occurs).

This isn't a tough prediction to make... as some of the E4L'ers who read the "update" email are smart enough to realize Brad didn't actually promise the Grand Opening at all... at least not any time soon. But others of you will only have seen the "positive" side and think he did promise it, and miss what the "update" really is and isn't.

Let me explain... a "member update" email was sent yesterday with the "exciting" news that "we should have the website up by the end of the week or aleast the early part of next week."

Within this update, for the umpteenth time, Brad finds a new way to try to convince members to buy the GetGoogleAdsFree eBook for $67 from HIS affiliate link where he'll pocket $45 per sale. This clever pitch to buy the eBook dangles a tantalizing carrot in front of members.... Brad will be conducting an "exciting training" in which you're going to learn how to make "1,000 to 4,000 dollars in your first 30 days". Wow - that's certainly worth $67 - right???

Now, the training is scheduled for this Sunday... and, as I just pointed out, the web site is going to be up "by the end of the week" or "the early part of next week". So... first, I'll predict that the "website" won't even be up before Sunday.... but what's really easy to predict is that there will be no "meaningful" web site up this week before the training - what I mean by "meaningful" is one where you can actually buy entertainment products - or any physical product for that matter.

Brad's clever "update" is very vague, and makes exciting sounding promises about the "grand opening", so why not trust him with $67 so you can get in on the training. Afterall, it's about to launch - right???

I don't think so.... while the vague language may allow the excuse-mongers (you know, the "positive outlook" people who don't realize they're actually prescribing naivety, gullibility and ignorance while beating down people who ask too many questions) Brad does NOT actually promise the "grand opening" will happen any time soon at all. He says the "website" should be up by early next week... but the "website" could simply be the mock up of the home page posted on the E4L.biz URL. He could simply trade out one 1-page graphic for another. That's certainly not a "grand opening" is it?

The "update" email then goes on to say "Then we only have to tie the databases to the website." And that, I have to assume, is the database with actual products - right? Well how the hell long is that going to take? Isn't that what everyone has been waiting for? Not trainings, not "websites", not more vague "updates". Will there or won't there be ANY products for sale on the "website"???? (oops - sorry - I'm being a negative person - asking too many questions)

He then uses fancy terms like "advanced autoresponder" to make it all sound so good... but is it impressive that he's not using a non-advanced autoresponder? What is an "advanced" one anyway? Gee, let me guess... the one that costs $49 per month, not the one that costs $9.95 per month - right???

So... another non-update from what I can tell... no "real" promise was actually made... but yet another attempt at making money off of the members by finding a new way to promote a crappy ClickBank eBook. Yikes - how can you trust this guy when he keeps doing things like this... updates that aren't meaningful and attempts at earning more money from you????

For you folks who still believe in Brad, his "vision" and E4L.biz... and you REALLY want to sit in on his training this Sunday... here's my suggestion:

Go ahead and buy GetGoogleAdsFree from Brad's affiliate link (remember, he doesn't seem to care if you already own it - you have to buy it from him to attend the training - he also doesn't say you have to have read it - he just wants proof that you bought it from him). Then, after the training, "return" the eBook back to ClickBank for a full refund on Monday. You'll get to hear all the ideas that I wrote up in the post below... realize no magic $1,000 to $4,000 in 30 days bullet was shared, and you'll get your money back.

Then... when the "grand opening" becomes the new term (before we all thought "launch" actually meant launching... but no, we were then "in launch mode"... now we'll get the "website up" and I guess will be "in grand opening mode" waiting on the "grand opening") will there then be yet another newer term to take over for "grand opening" that we suckers will assume means an actual opening of a web site that really does sell Entertainment products????

Get Google Ads Free from the Masked Guru

Well Mr. Brad Morse of E4L.biz... the guy that can't get his "dream" launched, but does have the time to promote an eBook called "Get Google Ads Free" to the suckers who signed up into his MLM... "The Masked Guru" has chosen to review this eBook. The free newsletter from The Masked Guru reviews "guru" eBook's including "The Rich Jerk", "Day Job Killer", "Site Stealer", "Ultimate Wealth Package" AND "Get Google Ads Free". The Masked Guru's service is to review the eBook's so thoroughly that you are getting the majority of the key points and ideas being promoted. His belief seems to be that most of the Guru's are just re-hashing old ideas, and their main goal is to make money off of "suckers" who don't realize it's outdated, sometimes misleading, and occasionally totally worthless information.

It took The Masked Guru all of 2 newsletter emails, or "parts" to review Get Google Ads Free - which is an insult in and of itself since The Rich Jerk got an 11 "part" review, Day Job Killer got 10 "parts" and for the ones that aren't worth reviewing, only 1 "part" for Site Stealer, and only 2 "parts" for Ultimate Wealth Package... AND for Get Google Ads Free.

To open up his review of Get Google Ads Free he states "IMHO, this is the lamest, most misleading and downright untruthful ebook I've ever come across". WOW - and I just learned that Brad Morse of E4L is "conducting a special training call this Saturday" but ONLY those who he has verified have bought "Get Google Ads Free" from HIS AFFILIATE link will be allowed in this training. So if you've already paid $67 for what The Masked Guru calls the "most useless 'ebook' I've ever seen", and you haven't enriched Brad with another $45... you can't attend his training.

For those who want to save the $67.... and can't wait for weeks or "parts" of the other eBooks that The Masked Guru reviews first.... here's my review of his review.

First, I'd really like to skip the first 26 pages since Brad Morse says it doesn't get started until then... but one of my favorite parts is when The Masked Guru points on that the author's claim of getting $87 million in free advertising over a 16 year period is particularly stupid since Google is only a few years old, and the very first widely sold internet banner ads were sold by HotWire.com in late 1994... a mere 13 years ago. So... is the Get Google Ads Free already lying??? Clearly his claim has virtually nothing to do with Google which was founded 9 years ago and launched key word targeted ads 7 years ago.

The first 26 pages do reveal the "secret" which I've already exposed in another post... you BUY Adwords... yes - you BUY them - usually with a credit card just like everybody else. You send the clicks to a site that you have to create. You then must sell a LOT of advertising to cover the cost of yours ads, and earn yourself a profit. So... you don't get anything for free... so this is a misleading, lying piece of junk that Brad is trying to push on you. And if you are not successful in selling advertising, you can go broke very fast since Google makes everyone pay.... duh!

So, if the author of Get Google Ads Free really got $87 million in free ads, it means HE SPENT $87 million... AND then, if he profited, it meant he also SOLD MORE THAN $87 million of his own advertising. Really??? That's over $5 million per year on average every year for his 16 years... and he goes on to claim that he's paid Google (my words since he says he got the ads for free) over $12 million a year recently. Again... what you pay for, you have to sell plus more for a profit... if he really did sell more than $12 million in advertising online, then he's got a LOT of employees and a big company... trust me, I sold online advertising for a major company, and $12 million is a LOT of work to sell, manage, support, put up, etc, etc. I bet this is a minimum 5 person operation, and more likely 10 to 15 to pull off such a feat. It would also require highly paid advertising sales executives who travel to advertising agencies, and marketing directors at many, many companies. It also would require very professional sites... not crappy ones "noobs" would put up after learning this so-called get-rich quick technique.

Anyway... let's get to the section that Brad says is so good... from page 27 onward.

Page 27, according to The Masked Guru is the suggestion to write an article on a hot topic, drive traffic to it by paying for clicks via Google Adwords, and then selling ads to cover your costs. Page 28 is a claim that the author is making $2 million a year doing this. And page 29 suggests you install an Autoresponder to be able to follow up with anyone who signs up. Apparently through a bunch of these pages they have testimonials from people who swear they've used the system successfully. Unfortunately the testimonials use stock photos of people that you can find on the internet... which leads The Masked Guru to believe that they are "fake".

Page 31 suggests you create your own "get rich quick eBook". AH HAH!!!! I get it now... the only reason this eBook was created was to get rich by telling you to write your own eBook whose secret is that your readers create their own eBook too!!!

Pages 32 thru 40 are AdWords advice... which sound pretty lame since I happen to have quite a bit of AdWords experience... and what I've learned about AdWords is that the system is intuitive and easy to figure out for anyone with half a brain... you don't need a $67 eBook to learn how to use Google AdWords - especially since they have all kinds of free info on their site.

Next, recommendations to sell ads on your own newsletter to whoever subscribes to it, and then, once you think you've spammed them enough, you should try to rent or sell your subscriber list. If you love spam as much as I do, this suggestion has to make you want to puke.... but good ole Brad of E4L thinks this eBook is the be-all end-all of top-flight advice on how to get rich in 30 to 90 days.

The eBook goes on to make other simplistic suggestions like using link exchanges and posting on free classified ad sites to generate traffic (he doesn't mention that link exchanges will get you banned from Google AdSense - and that Google doesn't like "arbitrage" - the practice of buying Adwords clicks and trying to make the money back with Google AdSense).

Now into the 50's... the eBook recommends paying for advertising in MAJOR newspapers and magazines like USA Today and Entrepreneur Magazine (do you know how much these cost - if you don't sell enough ads, you will go bankrupt VERY fast).

The Masked Guru says he's fallen on the floor laughing after reading the eBook's "viral marketing" idea of building a page where you send your Google Adword clicks, put a funny video on it, add a "tell a friend" email feature and give away prizes to people who use the "tell a friend" feature.

Some people like the above idea... if you've got the expertise and bandwidth to pull it off... but it's not a new idea... you see suggestions like this on all of the "guru" forum sites. And I'm going to take a guess, and assume this will be on of Brad's proudest training tidbits... what a brilliant and new idea - NOT!

Finally, the eBook's last 25 pages are how to promote Get Google Ads Free... and here's a tip that The Masked Guru doesn't mention... I bet you can get 99% of this info by clicking on the free "Affiliates" tab at the GetGoogleAdsFree.com site... so once again, no need to pay $67 for information that is freely available. For more free information start visiting anyone of the Internet Marketing forums like warriorforum.com/forum and forums.digitalpoint.com and im4newbies.com/forum

And if you want a real MLM... pick one already in business... or if you want to be someone first in on a new launch... review the business plan, research the founders, check the financials, and analyze the pay plan... of course, if they don't have any of that available.... it's either a scam, or run by an amateur, or just a plain old bad idea once you do actually research it. You know who I'm talking about :)

E4L's competition

Oh, poor E4L - why do I pick on you? Well, it's so easy. Today I introduce you to your competition. You say people would be dumb to buy entertainment products (and apparently "wellness" products) from anyone else since your prices will be the lowest. Well... you've got a LOT of competition... so you will have to price so low that you have no profits for which to pay your MLM distributors... and here's a small sampling:

Let's start with one that looks a LOT like your idea:
netmarket.com Oh boy, become a member and you get cash back and the lowest prices. AND they have a 200% Low price guarantee... so if you, E4L, can undercut them, they will undercut you back. Ever hear about gas stations doing this to each other... eventually they stop the madness after realizing that being the low price leader might sell a lot of gas, but eventually they'll go out of business without margins and profits. So the "brilliant idea" and "dream" that Brad had has already been done.

Another... shopping online with MLM behind it... mypowermall.com

But of course... there are many more competitors... those who just sell entertainment products or help you find the cheapest prices on every possible product:

shopping.com
shopper.com
shop.com
buy.com
costco.com (ouch)
circuitcity.com
buydig.com
jr.com
amazon.com (ouch again)
pcconnection.com
tigerdirect.com
macmall.com
abesofmaine.com
eBay.com (triple ouch)
lcdTVs.com
bestbuyplasma.com
electroniqueplus.com
bestbuybusiness.com
moviesunlimited.com
dvdempire.com
movies.go.com
WholesaleDVDsForLess.com
shopping.yahoo.com (this is getting ridiculous)
ColumbiaHouse.com (oh my, what about the mail order guys who are now online?)
www.deepdiscount.com
Half.com
www.YourDvdMovies.net
BigScreensForSale.com
Ebates.com
GadgetCity.com
Overstock.com
nextag.com
Shopzilla.com
walmart.com (please STOP IT - how can you compete on price with these guys?????)
dealtime.com
target.com (just another small player)


OK - I think you get the point... the list goes on and on. Not only that, but these companies hired programmers to build sites that offer online shopping... and I doubt it took them over a year to build. Hire competent programmers with experience building any of the above sites, show them your favorite site, put them in touch with your wholesalers who deliver the database feed... and sit back and wait for "real" updates... where they show you their progress, and I bet within 2 months they'd be done.

What exactly makes E4L a "dream" of an idea? The jury is still out about whether or not there is a legitimate attempt at launching their site... but for me, the verdict is in on the business concept... it's stupid... and I'm stupid for not doing a quick search earlier to discover just how many competitors E4L has... the above list is probably one-tenth of the competition... so I just don't see how consumers will get excited when E4L.biz enters this crowded market - do you?????