Something To Chew On While You Suffer
Thursday, 7:55pm
Reno, NV
Waitin’ for the guaifenesin to kick in…
Howdy…
I seriously want to hear from you on this.
It’s kinda driving me nuts.
Here’s the situation: Just around a year ago, my partner Stan and I hoisted the curtain on the Marketing Rebel Radio Rant Coaching Club.
The format is simple and elegant. There is a feisty Forum where members can post ANY question they have, on any subject they believe we (the grizzled pro’s) might have an answer (or insight) to.
And twice a month, Stan and I record a call answering and offering insight on all those questions. It’s a mini-seminar, delivered in the balls-to-the-wall conversational style you would expect from successful guys who’ve been around the block a few times.
But hold on.
There’s more. (I know, I know — this is starting to sound like a pitch. But you’ve got to know the background before I ask you the question that’s been frying my brain.)
On that same Forum, members can also post any Website or piece of copy they want critiqued. Other members weigh in (including a host of other pro writers I’ve allowed or bribed to be in the club)…
… and then, twice a month, I gather up all these submissions and give detailed critiques of them on video. Which we then post, so you can see what I’m critiquing, while listening to my ravings.
But wait.
There’s even more.
I also frequently dip into my Million-Dollar Rolodex, and coerce the most notorious and famous experts in there to submit to grueling interviews. All done by me, personally.
But wait.
There’s even more. (Don’t interrupt — I’m on a roll here.)
Every month (while the series lasts), you get another video installment of an intense workshop (called the “Copywriting Crash Course”) I delivered to a select group of people prior to a large seminar given by my colleague Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero last year. (She tricked me into doing this incredibly detailed 8-hour workshop… but the resulting video is so damn good, we chopped it up into “chapters”, so one killer lesson is presented each month.) (For free.) (But only to Radio Rant members — outsiders must purchase the DVDs of this “Copywriting Crash Course” for big bucks.) (And yes, I’ve long ago forgiven Lorrie for tricking me into that 8-hour workshop. In fact, I now openly thank her for pushing me to do it.) (No one can stay mad at Lorrie for long, anyway.)
But wait… etc.
It’s a dizzy menu, I know. Yet, there are still other goodies available to members, too. Like the months-long “Search Engine Optimization Challenge” — a reality-show type contest where a handful of victims used cutting-edge SEO tactics (under the watchful eye of an expert we found) to get maximum ranking for their websites. (Members got to see what worked, what drove marketers to tears, and what was bullshit.)
There is also a brand-new “bulletin board” on the Forum to post jobs, or to post your qualifications for taking jobs. (Members have been casually hooking up since the beginning, and we’re making it easier.)
And — until I stopped publishing in December — each Rant newsletter was posted, in full. (The last four issues are still up for perusal.) (This is, in fact, the only way non-subscribers can see those final issues right now.)
And, gosh, I’m almost positive I’m forgetting a few other goodies available in this amazing coaching club.
But you get the idea.
Everything is included… and members pay only a paltry $69 each month for total, unrestricted access to every corner of the club.
Wait, that’s a lie.
The first month is free. With no obligation to continue. (If you do choose to stay on, the $69 monthly fee kicks in after your free month.)
Now, I’ve been very surprised that this almost embarrassingly-generous deal hasn’t dented demand for the PRIVATE video critiques I still offer… even though those private critiques go for $699. (Nor has the in-depth Q&A style of the twice-monthly audio shows hurt sales of our private consultations. One-on-one with me goes for $1,450, and if you want Stan and I to double-team your problem, it’s $2,450 for the hour.)
And…
That’s enough background.
It’s a killer program. It’s a success — I’m not griping about membership.
No, actually I AM griping about membership.
And I want some input from the good people who read this blog.
Answer me this: Why in the world hasn’t every small biz owner and entrepreneur within earshot JUMPED on the opportunity the Radio Rant coaching club offers?
I’m serious.
We have a very healthy membership, don’t get me wrong. And, unlike other coaching clubs we know about, once people climb aboard, they tend to stay. (Because, you know, once you find out this is NOT “too good to be true”… and all that info and insight and personal advice really is available… well… you’d have to be a little whack to leave.)
But geez Louise…
I want to hear from other copywriters, marketers, and entrepreneurs (at any level, from rookie to veteran).
Is there something we’re doing that SCARES people who might otherwise consider this club?
I am constantly hounded with pleas for mentorships, private coaching, and the like. People want to get up close and personal with me, to learn everything I have to teach them.
And guess what?
That’s WHY we created this damn coaching club. I cannot possibly mentor everyone one-on-one. I don’t WANT to. I actually LOVE this form of teaching, to groups.
It’s why I offer small, intimate seminars and workshops… instead of the arena-sized events other guru’s like to host. I like to teach, I like to interact, and I know from EXPERIENCE that watching me critique and help other people get their act together actually is the BEST WAY for you to learn what I have to share.
That’s right. It’s the same classroom style that has been the norm for advanced learning since Socrates.
And yet…
…so many good folks who SHOULD jump head-first into this opportunity…
…dither and make excuses for not joining up.
I don’t get it.
The first month is FREE. No obligation.
And you actually get access to everything already posted (which right now includes FIVE other audio shows and FIVE other video critique shows) (as well as interviews with major dudes like Mike Filsaime, Jim Edwards and PR wizard Paul Hartunian)… in addition to the free ongoing month of shows and stuff scheduled to be recorded and released.
And $69 a month after that?
Are you kidding me?
The members I talk with are ecstatic about this club. People who should be a member (who I’ve privately urged to join) are blown-away by what is offered… but still can’t seem to get by their own Procrastination Bug.
But for all my years of “getting inside people’s heads”, I find myself baffled that perfect candidates for this program are balking.
It’s driving me nuts.
The club is well-stocked with members. But there’s room for more.
And I thought SURE that by now, I’d have more questions posted and more stuff submitted for critiques than we could handle each month. But it’s like people are SHY or something.
Please.
Give me some insight here.
Are there so many other coaching options out there, that people are just jaded? Bored? (I friggin’ guarantee you will NEVER be bored in MY club, dude.)
Or just oblivious to the opportunity?
I’m not asking you to join. The best members are always the people who self-select themselves as participants, and don’t need a shove or extra incentive. The lure of personal mentoring and advice from me (and Stan) (and the occasional expert guest) (and the other “A” List copywriters who lurk and comment, like my pal David Deutsch) is enough.
But I do want to hear from you.
Oh, hell…
…if you insist on sampling the club for yourself, here’s the link to get your free month. Everything’s explained — there’s no obligation, no risk, no weirdness. Just sign up, and sample the wonderfulness that is the Radio Rant coaching club.
Here’s the link:
http://www.carltoncoaching.com/carltonradiorant.html
Again — you don’t have to dive in to have an opinion.
I’m asking for your input about coaching regardless.
I mean… apparently, this club only attracts a certain type of entrepreneur business beast, anyway. I really, really, really enjoy the folks in the club right now — most of them self-selected as being open to my teaching style, and eager to feast on the specific kinds of insight and advice we share.
Still, the goodies offered are (you’d think) relevant to everyone in business.
The economy is going sideways, the Web is going crazy with new tech (which offers both exciting opportunity AND get-wrenching risks), the global markets are opening wide (and swallowing some biz whole, while rewarding others hip enough to hit the right buttons), and yadda yadda yadda.
You’d think a resource like this — grizzled veterans, successful and respected and sought-after (for huge fees, too) sharing insight in a learning environment tailored for fast absorption (at a ridiculous bargain monthly fee, too) — would be the first stop for anyone aching to get ahead.
The club is a success, please don’t get the wrong idea.
I’m just shocked it’s not tweaking more people’s sweet spots. I’m not stumped very often, and I’m thinking I’m just too close to this to see something obvious.
It’s not like hordes of entrepreneurs and small biz owners don’t NEED this kind of resource. They’re suffering — really suffering — with crushing competition, a lack of confidence in their biz model, advertising that clearly sucks (and needs pro help), and on and on.
You got any input?
I wanna hear it. Click on the comments section here, and rant away.
You’re even welcome to bitch if you think this sounded too much like a pitch. (I’ll stand on my years-long record of delivering a good, informative blog crammed with free advice.)
The truth is, Stan and I just had our, like, fifth long phone call about why certain people we KNOW would benefit haven’t come aboard… and I thought I’d just lay it out there in the blog-o-sphere.
Coaching, good. Not for everyone. Perfect for many.
What’s causing the traffic jam?
Thanks.
Stay frosty,
John Carlton
www.carltoncoaching.com
P.S. Thanks again to everyone who kicked in with advice on beating this cold I’ve been laid out with.
P.P.S. One last thing — if you DO decide (and, again, I’m not pushing you) to try the coaching club for a free month… there’s still time to submit questions or copy for the next show.
How’s that for turnaround?
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I thought your program was great. The time I was a member I really enjoyed the audios you and Stan released. The forum seemed to just be getting started but there were some very helpful people on board.
I didn’t have any copy to be critiqued at that time nor had the time to spend on the forum so I couldn’t justify the $70/mo fee. That’s the only reason I canceled.
Your program is something I will definitely sign up for again though. I dig your teaching style and hope you can critique some of my work soon.
Peace
Hi John,
I joined a month ago, but what shocked me with regard to the forum, is the lack of activity. You mention you have a healthy membership, but how come no one’s posting?
There are not many questions and a few things I have put up myself did not trigger any comments from other forum members. You did mention them in the rant, thanks for that, but I really expected others to respond too.
Maybe people are afraid. To comment on other posts while not being a guru or posting questions and being perceived as ignorant or dumb.
I had that feeling when I left some feedback on copy submitted by someone else. I commented based on the impression it gave me, but in the back of my mind was the thought: what would the experts say. I considered it, but then thought, what the heck, if he (you that is) doesn’t agree and think I am wrong, I still would have learned!
Plus, I myself would love multiple perspectives on the copy I left myself to be critiqued. So not just yours, but anybody else’s too. So if I would like it, why not do the same for someone else?
The same goes for leaving copy to be critiqued. You’re showing it all, the good and the bad. So, it takes a certain attitude. One of “no pain, no gain”.
I guess it’s human nature. Think of the 21-day challenge, all the unfinished self-help books, all the info consumed at an event, but never processed, tasks prioritised but overdue by half a year.
It just happens. It’s not about the numbers, but about the few gems. I just received a bullit from Geri Bencivenga mentioning the Pareto principle. This applies to the forum, critiques and everything else: 20% of your members/subscribers will account for 80% of the activity, the buzz.
Maybe the focus shouldn’t be on the numbers, but on the quality of each single member…You were talking about NLP in the last rant, so maybe it’s time to reframe?
Take care,
Otto
Hi John,
I loved getting your rants and always enjoyed what you had to say and most of the time I agreed with you. I would love to join your club but at the moment I cannot afford the $69.00 a month and yes I know that the first month is free but I would have to have one of the most amazing turnarounds in the history of the internet to be able to afford the first payment. I do not believe in joining something just to opt out after the free period especially when I know that I will not be able to continue. Maybe there are a lot of people like me who feel that doing that is not entirely honest.
I will tell you this when I know that I can afford to continue with your club I will most definately be joining as all the information I have had from you in the past has been invaluable.
I hope this helps answer a small part of your question.
Love and Light
Colleen The Crystal Dragon
Hey John,
I would love to sign up.
You sound like you are really over delivering
However the thing is this. I just plain don’t have the time. Over delivery is the problem on the net John.
Boy, I bet Rich Schefren never thought of that.
The positioning thing of over delivery is making me apathetic and overwhelmed.
I now read so few emails that most times my web browser is OFF
I am staggering under the weight of writing sales copy, content, videos and all the other stuff I deal with, on a daily basis. As a one man band in a third world country I need a step by step, linear approach laid out for me.
I need to know how, specifically, to do this stuff in a way that spells out the benefits, ( The WIIFM ) before I am prepared to invest a precious minute. I should be working now, but I like you.
Hey John your great, maybe you are the greatest living copy writer but I still don’t have any sound, compelling reason to sign up. Sorry.
Michael
PS I still love you, man.
PPS K.I. S. S.
[…] Something To Chew On While You Suffer? […]
[…] Something To Chew On While You Suffer? […]
I got it! It took all day but I actually got the real underlying reason why I haven’t signed up!!! Here it is – no need for you to post it, it’s for you not for the public – because you asked and I believe that you meant it.
Call me strange, but it’s real hard to differentiate between one copywriter and another … as a newbie who can’t judge, the best I can do is a process a bit like google, counting the votes that other authorities give different copywriters – and you come up really really high.
but here’s the kicker
I guess most people would disregard this one, but it’s really important to me: split-testing
As a rank amateur I’ve been AMAZED at the power of testing. With a couple of really simple tests I’ve already improved response (CTR, bounce, etc) by multiples, and all that without feeling that I’m any better at writing copy than I was before. So I really get what Claude Hopkins, and many others since he wrote Scientific Advertising, has been trying to tell us for 85 years. Testing is king.
Yet it’s not something you write about.
Even worse, when you did write about testing, it was in reference to Eben Pagan’s seminar, where you realised how little you test.
Hey, I really believe you’re one of the best, I totally get your passion for teaching, but as Claude wrote “beware the naked man who tries to sell you a shirt”.
Please, do set the record straight. I gotta believe you DO do testing, and that your skill is the result of years of systematic observations about what works and what doesn’t, backed up by objective measures of response rates. Hey, you couldn’t possibly be as popular as you are without real results. So tell us more about your own learning experiences.
Tell us about testing. Tell us about the results you’ve got. Give us the lowdown on the simple techniques that have proved to be the foundation for your own mastery.
$69 is not a lot, that’s true. But I’ve got a lot of $69 drains at the moment and adding one more requires every bit as much of skeptical analysis as spending $828 per year does … if you see what I mean …
… unless there are one or two very direct ways that those $69s come back, every month, without fail … and I’m not seeing them.
Hey, hope this helps. Do keep doing what you’re doing, it’s great and visibly streets ahead of most of the rest of the pack. And yes, if you can set the record straight I’ll be very interested to check out your subscription.
John
John,
Based on the comments I’ve read regarding this post, I would say the problem is that you are not charging enough…
James
Hi John,
I’m going to regret this later, but you asked so nicely so here goes…
Your sales customer-support is broken!
I tried to buy your book on December with the intent of buying the entire 2k package (after reading the book) and applying to your coaching program.
However…Your shopping cart doesn’t allow people from Israel to buy stuff. Being a hard headed Israeli I immediately sent an email to your support address. After not getting a reply. I hunted down your office phone number (not easy to find on the website) and called about 10 times. even left a message with my phone number…
I never heard from you guys. At that point I just concluded that you were so busy, you and your staff couldn’t handle any more business. I eventually bought some of Clayton’s Makepeace stuff (which were very good).
Hope this helps.
Yoav
I’ve been a member of the club since damn near the beginning.
I’ve gotten advice that has provided way more value than the paltry $69/month cost.
Where else can you get personal attention from a world class copywriter/marketer
for this amount?
I have a confession to make.
As a copywriter, I’m a journeyman at best. For now.
But, I’m getting better and it’s because of the club.
I’ve had the good fortune (if you could say that) of having 2 of my projects being the subject of the video critiques.
The first left me battered, bruised and in danger of being mentally scarred for life. It was so brutal I spent days in a corner whimpering and sucking my thumb.
But it was spot on and what I needed.
After my wounded psyche somewhat healed (or being a masochist) I asked John to look at another of my projects.
This one caused me to puff out my chest and strut like a peacock because I got a “not too bad, Larry” from John. In addition, I got suggestions that have given me real measured results and profits from that copy.
If you’re looking for quantity of posts in the forum, you won’t find it.
But what’s there is pure quality.
Besides John and Stan, a couple of other not-too-bad writers stick their head in and weigh in with their comments.
Lorrie Morgan-Ferraro and John Deutch come to mind as well as some up and comers you’ve never heard of who are out in the trenches making things happen.
Having my questions answered directly by people of this caliber is almost as good as having their phone number.
I have gotten enough value from the club to be worth years of the fees. The only way I’m leaving is if they drag me out by my heels.
For anyone who is serious about improving their business the club is a no brainer.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be a member.
Larry
Finally, someone who gets it!
Good for you Mr. Foster,
James
Hi John,
as a previous insiders member, I have to say I felt pretty much abandoned when your new programs hit the street. I was paying something like $900/year (plus thousands more each year in workshops and private coaching) and waiting weeks (if not months) for feedback on pieces I sent for critique as an insider.
Sorry, but your new radio rant club didn’t seem as good (still doesn’t) as what I thought I had … but which has apparently been discontinued.
Every “guru” on the block has their own coaching club version. $69/month for Dan Kennedy; $99 for Perry Marshall; $69 for Clayton Makepiece … then there’s Jay Abraham and Joe Vitale both promoting their mentorship programs — everybody saying “your a fool if you don’t sign up … come on, it’s ONLY $69 per month.”
Well, I’m about “$69’d out” (pun intended.)
You know I’m a big fan … have devoured everything you offered … attended nearly every seminar you put on … spent tens of thousands of dollars with you.
But I like the old hard-copy version of the Rant. It was something to look forward to. More personal. Something to look forward to every month.
And, I have questions about the manner in which my Insiders membership was handled during your switch over. I don’t recall getting any announcements or accountings of where I stood. It just all seemed to end – with an offer to sign up for either your $239/month (I think) or $69/month programs.
Didn’t seem to be any real concern on your part for the years I’d been an Insider.
I look foward to learning more from you in the coming years – but you asked, and I answered.
Kip
John,
I got great service from you and your staff…even though I took you up on the one free month and then canceled.
My questions were answered by more than one member constantly (people like JMoffat and someother big name guys) and you even posted a blog about one of my questions, which was great.
I quit the club because I was a broke internet marketer at the time and saw no return for my membership. Maybe that was my fault, for not taking the right actions at the right times… or even for asking the wrong questions.
I’m not sure.
In any case, it’s good to see you asking for feedback like this and showing me you WANT to improve your services.
I still love your stuff. I still love writing ads. And I look forward to a personal bootcamp this year.
Matt H
Time.
Time is a premium and I’m currently working projects with a ‘Just In Time’ JIT fashion. I have a problem – I find the solution or find someone to fix it for me. Things aren’t going smoothly enough for me to invest significant amount of time learning things that will benefit me in the future. I post on an active forum and get an answer within an hour. Free.
John
Like other posters my reason is that there are only so many $69 a month subscriptions I can afford.
Also, on the copywriting front I’ve fallen under the clutches of Dr Kilstein and his NLP Copywriting courses, which you are familiar with.
So, it’s not that I doubt the worth of your Coaching Club, I’m sure it’s excellent but I can’t be in everything.
Duncan
Dear John,
Um…I don’t know where the “Comments” section IS on your blog. Stupid me–I can’t find the “Comments” link, nor any comments to add to at the bottom of the long, long page.
So, I’ll reply here.
It’s the videos and teleconferences that people don’t want.
It’s all about TIME.
I don’t have time to READ all the excellent advice I’ve accumulated–and I am a good skimmer and fast reader. The only way to read entrepreneurial advice is to skip over the repeated introductions and the endless testimonials, and hunt for the kernel of useful information embedded in each lesson.
So WHY would someone who can barely find time to skim the text lessons want to watch videos? That is a HUGE waste of time, because you can’t skim through talking heads–you can’t tell what they’re saying on Fast Forward.
You can’t highlight the good parts of a video so you can find them quickly.
You can’t read a video at your own speed–you can only listen at the pace of the speaker.
You can’t pull two or three especially useful pages out of a video and put them up on the bulletin board. If you want that, you have to BLOODY SIT THERE AND REWIND AND REPLAY AND TAKE NOTES! And then type up those notes and post them! Who in the world has the time?
Frankly, I am shocked at this sudden proliferation of videos from you and all the other entrepreneurial mavens. I love my FlipVideo, too, but it’s not going to make me inflict videos on my students, for the very reasons listed above.
Are the videos for people who can’t read? What are people who can’t read doing trying to make a living in the world’s biggest text medium, the Internet? How do you write a video SCRIPT if you can’t read? Do they really think you guys just turn on the camera and wing it, and that they can do the same?
Videos do have a place in capturing seminars and workshops, but even those need to be EDITED down to the really useful material. But videos in place of textbooks? That’s absurd!
So there you have my two-fifths of a nickel. To summarize:
Busy people don’t want the clunkiness of videos. They don’t want ephemeral teleseminars, either. The phone is for making appointments, or getting one specific answer to one specific question. For real solid learning, people want the efficiency and physical ease of use of TEXT.
Well, you asked!
Jean
Wow!
Without looking at the site yet (that is, based solely on what is here), 3 things jump out:
1. A lot of folks want a turn-key system in which everything is done for them (call these “fill in the blankers”).
2. Still others who are willing to dive in for themselves want a step-by-step curriculum style program: the color-coded seven DVD box set that, once completed, will enable you to… (call these willing to buy a DIY kit “kitters”).
3. For all those left standing, consider that our friend North of the border has had a decent forum for several years that doesn’t cost folks a nickel.
just my $.02
truth be told, i’m heading over the site now wallet-out/CC in hand; I thought that you only did big-ticket coaching
I was a member of the forum for 7 (maybe 8) months before deciding to take a break in December. I DO plan on going back in a couple months. I personally just needed a breather from a lot of stuff.
While John talks of grizzled veterans, he doesn’t clarify the number of how many actually come on reguarily.
However, between John, David D & Stan, I don’t see any “advanced” question that could possible go by them. JMo can answer any internet question, which is brilliant. Lorrie & Harlan rarely came on, but when they did, I think they made strong posts. Other than them, I can’t remember other so-called “grizzled vets” who came on.
That said… John & David can handle and give ANY reader actionable stuff to use, and they do. Monthly.
When John says he’s TRULY there for you for ANY question, he ain’t lying. He chimes in with gold for your questions daily. You will not find that in other forums. Not on the consistency John provides.
Some other thoughts:
1) John canned the monthly Rant which was, the #1 reason I joined in the first place. He then claimed he didn’t stop it… it was just now being posted on a blog. Well, that isn’t a newsletter. That’s a BLOG. The timeless lessons you included in the Rant John, were what made it special. It was a one on one connection. Blogs aren’t.
I can understand not physically mailing it out, but at least post them as forum exclusive PDFs we can download once a month. I LOVED waiting to get it, printing it out and going to read it in a quiet corner.
Halbert’s newsletter never ever ever felt like a blog, even though it was posted online. Your Rant had the same feeling. Your blog doesn’t. Not even close.
2) The critiques are a crap-shoot. If you’ve got a website that is absolute crap, John can send you in the right direction. If you have a non-traditional business and submit plain manuscript (to focus on what’s being said) John can either be dead on… or wandering in the dark.
This isn’t a fault of his own, it’s more the fact he doesn’t have access to know a random industry inside out. If there’s copy problems, he solves them instantly. If there’s strategy problems, since he might not know the industry, it becomes a crap-shoot.
3) The Lorrie Seminar DVDs were pretty good.
4) The interviews have fallen to standard “I’m an internet marketer, making my first product” status where it’s just Q & A. John’s Scuttlebutt Series (the BEST audio on the planet hands down) seemed more like actual conversations you were getting to listen in on, with a topic being discussed behind closed doors. If John could capture that Scuttlebutt series aura again, I wouldn’t even think about paying $69 every month. I would deliver pizzas if I had to to afford it.
All of that said, I will be back.
Simply to have access to ask John questions as they arise. No other REAL “guru” has a program, this affordable, where anyone can ask any question and get an actionable response.
-Kyle
Hey John,
Here’s one big reason that I think people aren’t jumping on the “public critiques”: THEY’RE PUBLIC!
Personally, I would rather pay and have a PRIVATE critique…
1. I don’t want other marketers to see my sales letter for
the most part.
2. I don’t want the other marketers (especially those in my market)
to hear and see your critiques. I feel they could use those against
me.
However: I think you’ve overdelivered and I’ll be joining soon.
John M.
P.S. Here’s another thing that I haven’t heard too many people say, but personally I DON’T have time for video and audio anymore. IT’S TOO SLOW! I prefer reading because I can photo read/speed read/scan and jump to the important parts. I’m even doing this with video: I’ll
drag the viewer control around every minute or 2 to see if there’s anything that’s relevant.
Hi John (and Hi STan)
love your blog! In fact it really is the only one I read.
I get ton or great information from it.
However, I have never joined any of your programs, not because
i don’t think you are great, but actualy unclear.
I didn’t know until today that the RadioRant involved all of that.
However, it still does not interest me, the forum part.
I love LOVe critiques of other sites and I love interviews, but based on pitch, it seems it is $69 for a forum. Sorry – not a big fan of forums.
But if it was a monthly crituque of copy and you recorded it – with a interview that you send out – then yea! Love it.
You and Stan Rock!
oh and FYI: whenever I hear you say “Stay Frosty” I think of snow, and since I am currently in Marco Island, FL 90 miles from Key west it is very challenging to think of snow…so….stay Sizzelin!
Heather ann Dueease
PS.HI OTTO! loved your rant!
John,
First: Truth be told, it does sound a little too good to be true.
Why would John Carlton want to help me? Especially when he has numerous higher paying gigs with people I would assume to far more advanced in marketing than I?
Will I actually get John Carlton or someone else that’s “just as good”? To many times I’ve seen other marketing gurus use their name to sell a program, but then that’s all you see from them.
Second: I’m not in John’s league. Am I going to be embarrassed because I can’t relate or keep up and will I fit into his click of friends.
Or if this is so remedial so that the slower than average Joe can get it, will I really get anything out of it?
Third: The first month free is great and should relieve all fears, but it doesn’t.
From your site:
After your free trial, your monthly fee kicks in automatically. No muss, no fuss… and you can leave anytime. Just let us know. We’ll cancel your credit card and you won’t be charged again.
How do I just let you know – will I have a confrontation with someone who will twist my arm to try and keep me in the group? Will they refuse to cancel my credit card? (You’ve probably seen these things before.)
Am I going to end up paying $69.00 a month for something I won’t use because of my own laziness?
Am I going to get taken by slick talking salesman?
Forth: You are marketing to people who I would presume have seen top-notch marketing from several people. (Dan Kennedy, Gary Halbert, and in my case Michael Jans.) It’s bound to be harder, but not impossible, to sway someone who studies the greatest marketing available.
Fifth: Many people can’t take someone criticizing them. Especially if you might be expecting me to write copy at your stellar level.
One last thing if I hesitate to “think it over”, it’s a dead deal. And that’s exactly what I did the first time I heard about this deal… I thought about it… and thought about… and then I didn’t.
Peace,
Frank
Heather. there may be a misunderstanding.
There are video critiques of whomever submits a request. Maybe yours if you want.
There are also interviews recorded and made available.
The forum is one more thing that’s just more icing on the cake.
There’s no requirement to participate but it’s more enjoyable to see others’ questions and the responses.
Alan, I can’t speak for John, but this would be my answer to your questions.
Why would John help you?
I imagine there are altruistic reasons but financial probably plays a part.
The real John Carlton posts on the forum in response to questions. Maybe not each and everyone but most.
Others do, too. But it isn’t just a place that has John’s name with underlings doing the work.
Maybe the word critiques bothers you. Another term could be review with suggestions.
Trust me, I don’t write copy at any more than a basic level yet.
But the opportunity to have someone make suggestions to improve is a great way to get better.
I’m not in John’s clique of friends and I feel quite welcome there.
John,
I’ve bought all of your products. I went through them when I bought them and review them when writing copy.
The coaching club doesn’t stand out as anything special to me. When I saw the first pitch for it, I thought “Oh look, another guru has a coaching club. I bet he says it’s the only thing that I need to be rich/thinner/happier/healther” I’m simply jaded.
But I have your stuff, it’s great. It’s helped me make a TON of money. Then I saw it was mostly video. Just like previous posters said about video, I think it’s much too slow of a media for me. If I’m uninterested in the current topic, there’s no new paragraph or chapter to skip down to. There’s no way to scan it in fast-forward and have any idea what the point is. I only have so much time to spend on education and the guru-space. I’m too busy actually doing the things you rant about. Video just slows me down.
I was a big fan of the print version of the rant too. It was one of only 3 newsletters I received each month and it was the ONLY one I ripped open and read on the spot.
I do read the blog in spurts to catch up. Thanks for that.
Mark –
Small business owner who writes his own copy.
John, I enjoy your stuff and always seem to glean some good from it, but I’m like a one legged man in an asskickin contest here.
With learning how to build an authority site, publishing on my blog, and taking care of the homefront I simply have a full plate right now.
I also have several other projects going on that I’m paying for in more ways than one.
That being said, we would probably become good friends if time and space were not a problem.
Stayin Frosty in Montana,
James
[…] Something To Chew On While You Suffer […]
Some people here must be on some serious drugs.
When I got started, there was no possibility of getting a critique from John for $69.
Hell no.
I paid $1200 twice to have John rip me apart.
And that was after buying his courses…
and videos….
and anything else he sold.
I taped the calls and studied the transcripts.
It was all I needed.
I just can’t believe the value that John is offering here.
You are in a deep deep coma if you don’t take advantage of this deal.
Go for it.
Peace.
Harlan
Here’s an idea for all you “video marketers” reading this:
Include a table of contents for each video… like this:
For the first 2 minutes and thirty seconds I discuss Richard Gere and his role as a “Gerbiler”… and I give you specific action steps as to how YOU can gerbil too.
At 2:31 I go into a funny discussion about the role of LSD in Ozzie Osbourne’s onstage antics, and what you absolutely MUST bring to Ozzfest this year.
At 4:22 I knock your socks off with a screen-cam video of me making a mindmap on sleep deprivation and meeting women using bubble dot us.
And from 6:59 to to 8:09, I annoy you with my thoughts on internet performance anxiety as relates to cybersex.
Give it a shot ballers!
Hedgehog
Hi Heather,
I am glad you liked the rant.
As you like video critiques, this might be a good source for you:
http://peterstonecopy.typepad.com/
I am not sure if you know about it already, but there are loads of camtasia video critiques.
From the land of beer and chocolate,
Otto
PS: That’s Belgium 😉
Well, part of it could be plain old traffic? I only saw the pitch once. And I subscribed to nearly everyone’s free advertising stuff who has a name in copy or marketing. For example compared with the total package… I can’t count the times how often some newesletter hit me on that one.
The other thing: It might be the layout. I remember, when I first read the pitch, I just glanced over the testimonials and thought something like “wow, he some of every area of the industry… haha, even Gary is there” … “uhm, you should study this pitch, you can learn from this” and then I just clicked the window away.
So, I didn’t even read the pitch. Part of this could have been because subconsciously I thought it will be too expensive for my pocket anyway. When I can afford it I will buy your pricier packages anyway…
I simply cannot believe what I am reading in some of these posts. “It’s about TIME”? “I’m $69d out”? “You’re not charging enough”? – I have been a member since nearly day 1. The incredible opportunity to have ANY access to John for $69/month caused me to rearrange my priorities as far as who I subscribe to. I unsubscribed from a couple of lists to make the time, and I cancelled my subscription to Dan Kennedy to come up with the money.
It’s all about what you are looking for and where you truly get it from. I LIVE for the video critiques! I don’t post – I don’t really know why. I think I’ll put my other foot in the game!
Thanks John – for making the coaching club affordable, interesting, and the most invaluable learning resource I have spent money on in the last 3 years!
[…] http://www.john-carlton.com/2008/03/06/something-to-chew-on-while-you-suffer/ internet marketing […]
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Reasons why i didn’t buy it:
1) There’s only so much you can learn about copywriting. Whoa! I know that reason will instantly trigger a “you can always get better at copywriting” response. Correct. But after reading and re-reading the classics, halberts newsletters, bencivenga bullets, kick ass copywriting secrets of a marketing rebel, advertising magic, etc, etc… you get to a point where you “get it”… and…. you can write *good-enough* copy that can make you millions of dollars. Sure, you can always improve, but at some point you need to say “well i’ve read all this stuff, i’ve learned most of it, it’s time to put it into action and make some money”. In my opinion, the 80/20 rule applies to writing copy too. 20% of your copy will have 80% of the effect on the prospects decision to purchase. The “Offer” would be most of that 20%, imo. I don’t need more tips on copywriting, i get it. It gets to a point where i can write the copy… do testing myself… and learn more from those tests… from taking ACTION.. from WRITING… instead of posting in membership forums.
2) I dont want to show other people my ads. There’s always that niggling concern that someone will knockoff my add and product. Why would i want to show other marketers my ads and products etc. It’s like being in jail and telling the other in mates where you hid your stash of gold. You don’t trust em 😉
3) Copy mentality shift. I know copy is super important. Whether it be video copy, web page copy, radio copy, whatever. But gone are the days when you needed only great copy to make a million. Lets admit we all got into DM 10 years ago cause we wanted to write a “special report” on some topic (which took all of one day to write) and then use out copy skills, and mail outs to massive lists, to move it, and make ourselves rich overnight. If you create a shit product, write a great salesletter, and sell a million dollars worth of that shitty product (or just an average product) online… it will spread like wildfire that your product is shit all over the internet. Having a great product is just as important – if not more important – then having great copy. The majority of millionaires and billionaires in the world all have great products – and shit copy. Microsoft, McDonalds, bla, bla, bla, have you seen some of these guys ads? Having a great product is super important – Gary Bencivenga further validated this opinion of mine with this newsletter: http://bencivengabullets.com/bullets.asp?id=19 “A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen”. My point: i personally spend more time on building a great product then “copy” these days. My mindset changed. I use to think that copy was EVERYTHING. That i could sell ice to eskimos. Doesnt work like that.
4) Time wasting. I’d rather be taking action, then posting critiques on forums or hearing waste of time 5 minute introductions about other internet marketers on your interviews.
5) John Carltons Aura dissapeared. John, i use to think of you as something rare and special. Something expensive. Someone who’s writings were hard to get a hold of. Someone uncontactable because he was so rich and great at writting copy. Someone who lived up on a mountain doing guru things. Someone who, when he published something, i’d rush at the chance to buy it because it would be no b.s. straight to the point. But, now, with your blog, it’s kind of like you’re publishing stuff all the time – and instead of jumping at those few things you do publish (for fear of missing the chance to get them, the rarity factor) i kinda think…”well, John is just like all these other gurus now, he publishes stuff all the time. Some of it contains gold nuggets, but lots of it is fluff and wastes my time – information overload”. It’s like, since the internet, you’ve come down from on top of the mountain and you’re hanging with everyone else (me) in the valley. That’s unappealing. God status, is what you want, in my opinion. Physcology. Think Jay Abraham. I use to put you and him in the same boat. But now you just seem more assecible.
6) Spreading yourself thin. When i think of “master copywriter” i think of you, among others. I don’t want to hear interviews with you and guys teaching other stuff. I’ll go directly to them if im interested in their stuff. All i want from you is hard hitting copy lessons from you. Not interviews with guys in other feilds. If i want to listen to Rich Schefren ill go buy his product directly. Id rather you interview other copy gurus “Makepeace, Paris Lamporis, Bencivenga, Bird, whoever, other behind the scenes copywriters. You’re a copywriter – thats what i want to learn from you. Not SEO challenges, bla, bla, bla. I already know the experts in the fields i want to know about, and i go straight to em. From you i just want copywriting, copywriting, copywriting. Nutin else.
7) Didnt want the product. All the reasons above made your offer uncompelling to me. That’s ultimately why i didnt buy.
P.S. sorry for all the spelling erros. I value my time to much to run it through a spell check.
P.P.S. i hope this helps you. It’s just what came to mind when you asked the question. Which was a brave thing for you to do.