Why I don't promote the big launches.
July 20, 2007
If you're like me, you're on a few marketers' lists, and your inbox fills up fast with emails promoting the same product(s) when a big launch happens in the world of Internet Marketing. But if you've been on my list for any amount of time, you may have noticed that I don't promote most of these "big" launches. I wanted to tell you why.
One primary reason is that I know I wouldn't personally use any of those products. I don't mean they aren't of value to some people, just not to me.
If the product is software, as a programmer I usually feel I can do a better job if I create the application myself. This allows me to customize it for my own use, add features I want, etc. There are a few exceptions where I feel the software is truly stellar and can be used "as-is", but I usually don't feel that way.
Most of the informational products I see being promoted are just rehashes of the same-ol'-same-ol'. I'm not interested in promoting a product that teaches people what everyone already knows, or can find out for free just by doing a few searches online. Sometimes a product compiles so much information into one place, or presents it in such a good way, that it is actually worth having. But it's rarely done so well that it's worth paying for if you can find it for free elsewhere.
Another reason I don't promote most of the big launches is that I haven't taken the time to use and properly review the product.
I will never promote something that I have not personally used and found beneficial, so you won't get emails from me about these products. Unfortunately, it seems that many marketers don't mind promoting things they've never really used or reviewed for quality. Short term, you might make some money from this practice, but long term it's a bad idea.
Even if you ignore the ethical considerations of promoting something you've never used (and I don't think you should ignore them), if your contacts buy a product on the power of your recommendation and find out the product is junk, will they trust your next recommendation? Likely they will not.
So you weaken your credibility with your list if you promote products you haven't used or reviewed properly. Eventually your list will stop listening to you at all, and will be a worthless commodity.
Finally, I am usually very busy working on my own projects and products, and simply don't have time to look into what's being offered by everyone else and present it to my list. More and more I'm learning toward creating desktop software and web-based services that serve the needs of the general webmaster community — not just internet marketers.
The obvious reason for doing this is that a much larger group of people will find the products useful. For example, my Instant Article Wizard software, while very useful for internet marketers, is of use to anybody who owns and operates a commercial web site. And my latest project, 3WayLinks.net, is also useful to anyone who wants their web site to rank well in Google.
It just makes sense for you to focus on what you're good at. For me, that's producing powerful, easy to use software that helps the entire webmaster community.
I really think there are some lessons to be extracted here:
- Don't promote a product that you could do a better job on yourself.
If it's an informational product, and you feel you could write it better, create it yourself and promote that to your list. They'll appreciate having a better quality product, and you'll get to keep 100% of the revenue instead of just the affiliate commission.
- Don't promote products you've never used or don't think are top-notch.
Short term, this unethical practice will earn you some money, but long term you're only hurting the value of your list.
- Focus your time on what you're good at — it will pay better.
If you're good at affiliate marketing and promoting other people's products, that's fine, but if your talents could better be used in creating your own useful tools and products, that will make you more money in the long run. If you're just promoting what everybody else is, what sets you apart as being different–and better–then they are? Why should people stay on your list at all?
I'd love to know what you think. Please post your comments below.
Comments
37 Responses to “Why I don't promote the big launches.”
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Jonathan Leger has been earning his living online full-time since the fall of 2004. He regularly posts advice about search engine optimization (his current passion), AdSense and Internet Marketing. 
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Jonathan,
Very valid points! I think that you must think in terms of long term versus short term, if you want to truly make working on the internet a real business.
Your approach of a more global mind-set is also key to expanding the frontiers of your businesses.
Credibility is one of the most precious assets on the internet today.
Word can travel fast is someone is trying to pull a fast one on others….
Couldn't agree with you more on the points of your post.
Jack Blankenship, RN, LNC
Dear Jonathan -
I want to thank you for steering clear of the "big hype", as there is SO much of this today. Also, thank you for the products that you create & "share" with us… making our work online a bit easier.
Now… maybe someday, I'll take up programing so I can make use of all of these ideas that constantly swim around my head
Hi Jonathan!
An excellent post, thank you.
You may just be the only highly ethical marketer left on the Internet. You are a very good example and I really hope others follow your lead
By the way, your new program 3WayLinks.net is totally awesome.
Phil
Jonathan, I have noticed this about you. And I often asked myself why this is the case with you. You answered my question.
I appreciate this point about you and thank you for not spamming my inbox when a product launches. That practice gets rather annoying to me from the other marketers. And it is obvious that many times they know nothing about the product they are promoting–just like you said. It is also obvious that this is just an attempt to make profits for the short-term–again like you mentioned–and that the product recommended will not provide any real lasting value.
Again, thank you.
Regards,
Bradley G. Smith
Jonathan,
This is exactly why- you are one of the few people that I have not removed my name from their list. After almost 2 years of the constant bombardment and new products- and the confusion I went through as a new "publisher/business person" on the web- I have chosen the few resources that I have found to be most helpful. Thanks for upholding your integrity and for producing great products.
Ellie Kierson
Hey Jonathan,
I think you're right on the money. I have purchased so many products over the years and unfortunately most of them have been pure junk. And I wouldn't dare promote most of them. There were a few that were good and I promoted those.
I also don't think you have to be in the clique to make money.
Ruth
If only more Marketers followed this advice Jonathan!
But since you're a programmer why not build an email filter that only allows one email offer on a big product launch and deletes all the others?
alex
Jonathan,
I commend you for your honesty. You are so right about some marketers recommending every new product that hits the market. My mailbox is full of them. LOL! I also feel the need to actually review a product before I can recommend it since some products do not always live up to their hype. I can not believe how many products are being launched lately that are full of problems and do not have a very responsive help desk to complicate matters. Thanks for being real Jonathan!
Ted
Jon, I agree with most of the points, though I don't think you'd program or code each application you use and make it better - how about OS you use?
Thanks.
Marian
Jonathon,
Excellent perspective on this topic. You can almost always see it coming, then they try and out "bounus" everyone, often telling you that thier bonus is worth more than the actual product. (that in itself should raise all kinds of flags) It looks like a few of the IM community is very incestous. You see the same "testimonials" on every one of their products, etc.
I suppose most new arrivals don't pickup on that, but anyone who's been online and interested in selling online has seen most of them.
Yet, I don't think it will stop anytime soon.
Thanks for you insight, and keep up the good work.
Peace
Denny
Jonathan,
I couldn't have said it better myself! I'm so tired of the "let's jump on the bandwagon" big launch promotions and the subsequent "don't buy so and so" until you see the bonuses I'm offering most of which I already own. Thanks for not conforming!
Maxine
A breath of fresh air, Jon. Thanks.
1. I'd welcome if a filter like what Alex suggests can be built.
2. Imagine buying a product for $300 and being redirected to another sales page as an unannounced OTO. Short term view can kill your senses some times.
3. Who will institute a minimum acceptable Code of Conduct for marketers? Some people sell very questionable products expecting not everybody bothering to ask for refunds. Can these not be stopped?
I'm the same way. I can't recommend something if I haven't used it.
I have a mix of e-commerce sites and information sites so my customers are a blend of interests.
My list only hears from me if I have a money saving coupon to send or if I've found some cool piece of software / service or Information product that works good.
By the way, thanks for creating the 3 way links system. My new e-commerce site is less than 5 months old and I am #1, #2 and #5 in Google for the keywords I listed with you! This site doesn't even have page rank yet.
It's been a busy little store!
Keep up the good work and super business ethics.
Debbie
Song Enterprises Inc
Hi Jon,
This is one of the reasons I enjoy reading your blog entries Jon.
Because each time you post you write thought-provoking, intelligent and common-sense articles that are often a little reminder to folk not to get sucked in by hype.
About 6 months ago I made a decision to un-subscribe from a mass of "gurus" mailing lists, because I was getting pretty fed up with exactly as you say, the same-ol'-same-ol' stories, and as soon as a new product comes out, they all hype it up and spit it out. It reminds me of "Donkey" on the Shrek films, jumping up and down saying, Ooh pick me!, Please pick me!
Now for the remaining few who I do trust I apply some basic "quick scan" rules:-
1. If its about a "seminar", delete it. I won't be able to afford it or get to it anyway.
2. If its about an online phone webinar, delete it. Its bound to be at some ridiculous USA time which I in the UK would have to be up until 3am to listen to and even then won't be awake enough to take it in.
3. If its about a video course or MP3 audio, delete it. I know I just won't be able to find a "spare" 30 minutes or hour to listen to something which is only an intro designed to make me buy, and that by the time its finished, I'll likely think, hmm I knew all that already.
I content myself with knowing that I can spend my time so much more usefully by actually DOING something with my web sites and marketing rather than listening to someone telling me what to do.
I like the Nike slogan - Just Do It !
Its amazing how much you can achieve in the time it would take to watch one of those videos, and then know that I've done yet another small thing more towards building my online fortune. From small acorns, big trees grow.
Nowadays I much prefer short-sharp and to-the-point emails and ebooks which understand how valuable my limited time is and cut to the chase with no fluff.
A very interesting ebook I read recently was Rich Schefrens The Attention Age. Once again it was building hype for some new product (which I think was - yawn - yet another seminar), but I found the core message of vital importance. It was a wake up call warning about how your life can disappear, due to all the interrupting emails and phone calls and electronic alerts all calling for everyones attention every 5 or 10 minutes of everyday.
Basically it boils down to this: TURN THEM OFF OR YOU WILL GET INFORMATION OVERLOAD WHICH MAKES YOU LESS AND LESS EFFECTIVE IN YOUR JOB AND YOUR LIFE! Everything is crying for your attention.
I know since turning this all off that my productivity has increased dramtically. No interruptions means real focused concentration and, surprise surprise - actually completing tasks in one go without being distracted! Wonderful.
Reduce the frequency of your email checks from every 10 mins to once every 3 hours. Turn off any kind of on-screen alerts, they can wait until YOU CHOOSE when you want to check. Stop them being in control of you by getting in control of them. So simple, but so effective.
And don't worry about missing the latest hot news from the gurus. You can re-subscribe at any time and catch-up in one week if you want some more brow-beating!! But strangely, I've found I don't actually miss it.
Cheers
Jim
Jon,
I agree with everything you said. Too often people promote products they've never used. You will never convince me that everyone who promoted the "Rich Jerk" actually used it. It's junk.
What you said is also a reason I'm a customer of yours, and I read all your emails. I may not buy everything you recommend, but usually it has to do with me being in business for so long and owning just about everything! LOL.
I always look forward to your emails, and I know you always have something really good to say. Keep doing what you're doing. You make a huge contribution to the internet marketing community, and many of us are grateful for your work.
Sincerely,
Jinger Jarrett
Hi,
Excellent points and BTW your link in the e-mail points to a page not found.
Regards, Allen
I agree 110%, Jonathan.
On that note, check out this page on my site:
http://honestysellsbest.com/Online_Testimonials.html
Sad, but most marketers ("gurus") stoop to promoting every launch of any size without even trying the product…
Charlie
Hey John,
Just letting you know that the email you sent points to the wrong page.
You gave: http://jonleger.com/big-launches.php which leads to this page;
http://www.jonathanleger.com/big-launches/
Thought you'd like to know!
Ian
So true!
Although I'm subscribed to over 30 newsletters, yours is one of the very few that I ALWAYS read, no matter what. Exactly for the reason you stated.
I know you'll never jump on the hype bandwagon like most of the others, and I also know that whatever you write is really useful and genuinely helpful.
In not giving us the hype, you are actually giving us much more.
Thanks for giving so much!
Hi Jonathan
I agree whole heartedly, and I applaud your honesty.
I often wonder whether everyman and his dog who promote the 'next big product' have actually used it? To be honest, I don't believe it. Most of the pitches I see are the same. If you had seen and used a product, how hard would it be to write your own?
Best wishes
Charlie
Jonathan,
I agree! I used to get so many offers for the same "Next Big Thing" from all these different gurus, all of them unashamedly begging me to buy through their link by offering additional bonuses. It made me wonder if they were really doing as well as they claimed with their own businesses…
As a Christian pastor who also dabbles in Internet marketing, I find your articles to be very thought provoking, honest and filled with integrity. My guess is that your personal faith is shining through your work online.
That is refreshing to me, because I have seen the sleazy side of IM, and unfortunately many of the "gurus" are guilty of it. I don't want to paint with too broad a stroke, though, because I have also met some really wonderful people in IM. Although I've never met you, I do consider you one of those "good guys."
Keep up the good work.
Tom
Hi Jonathan,
I completely agree with you, too.
I got to trust you more than ever.
Thank you for an excellent post.
Hi Jonathan,
You have truly proved yourself as one of the few marketers I trust.
Regards,
Oland
Right on Jon, the comment about losing trust with your list is on the money. I usually opt out of any "guru's" list after the fourth or fifth "buy this" hype when I know they aren't using it and probably never even bought it themselves.
The blind promotion shows your list that you could care less about them, it's all about the money. Not the way to build a business. This business is the same as if you owned a store, try to sell crap to your best customers and they will never be back.
It's better to pass on a possible buck when down the road, through trust building efforts, you can make three bucks.
Keep doing what you're doing Jon, I have never even thought about opting out of your list!
Thanks,
Brian Ankner
That's one of the reasons I keep subscribed to your list
I agree with everything you said because I do *exactly* the same thing. If I remember correctly I think I promoted only 3 or 4 products (that I tested and used) to my list in the last 4 years.
Hi Jon,
I respect your integrity. So few internet marketers (in the make money niche in particular) have integrity or are very honest, it seems to be all about the money. I'm tired of every marketer hitting my email box with the standard "Don't Buy This Until…" within ours (or minutes) or each other pushing the latest $500 or $1,000 program. I've always wondered how some of them sleep at night knowing full well that some of the stuff they promote is crap and won't work. And junk products lead to refunds, which hits you in the pocket too. It stands to reason that if you push junk products, people will eventually stop trusting you.
Cynthia
Jonathan I have one thing to say about this poste, Amen and Hallelujah with a cherry on top! Please make a $7 report for all the IM gooberus out there on how to retain their list by not trying to sell every overpriced, rehashed, worthless, product that they can copy and paste lies about. We would all thank you.
Hi Jonathan,
I would have been hard put to say it better myself. Thanks for expressing my views so eloquently - and I feel this goes for a large number of the silent majority.
There is just one point extra I would like to add - everything you have said could apply to Affiliates.
It would clearly be unreasonable to require Affiliates to purchase and use every product or service they promote to qualify its "Fitness For Purpose" before making any claims or recommendations to their 'lists'.
However, what the producers or service providers SHOULD do - and be required to do by Affiliates - is to have their product or service Tested and Certified by an Independent and Authoritative Body / Organisation.
No Affiliate with any respect for his work and his lists should then go near any product or service which was not properly Certified.
WOW! - that should sort out the men from the boys!?
OK - so that is a challenge for somebody. Why not Google or Yahoo or MSN. Or perhaps they could jointly set up an Internet Consumers Association with a monthly journal reporting on Product & Service Tests undertaken in the previous months.
I really hope somebody picks-up on this.
Best wishes
Charles
Hi Jon,
I agree with your opinion, and Internet Marketing is very complex world, and need the right formula on the right time and situation. Generally I'm agree with you
Regards,
artofnet
Keep up the great work Jon. That's exactly why I take what you say seriously… If somethings got you excited then I know it's the real deal.
How refreshing to have a person I respect put down in writing what everyone ought to know.
I have many people on my lists, and I don't promote big product launch either. I am not a programer, however I prefer focus on my own line of products.
As for the tools and softwares, I will promote them only if I use them or I know that they can help my customers and readers.
Sometime, I will promote something that I didn't use just because one of my coach use it. I trust my coaches!
hello, Jonathan, I totally agree with your statements, especially about not promoting products you have not checked out personally. I have quite a few potential advertisers that change their minds when they find I will not endorse their product or progran without at least using or seeing or trying it myself. Ultimately, it is OUR names that become associated with the things we do promote or endorse and for over 8 years I have made sure MY name is only associated with the most useful or productive companies and wares.
You are dead on!! Every pint you made is as true as it gets. I think I'll be reading more on this blog.
Hi,
I got a copy of your AdSenseSEOMadeEasy report and I really pick up good information about SEO. I enjoy your live example blog, the http://felinephotos.blogspot.com/, having been visiting it once in a while, I noticed that you're not updating lately. If you allow me, I can update it for you. (Just taking my chances) (^_^)
Jonathon,
Thanks for your great tools and insight, and you have ethics..wow what a concept..lol You are one of three people that I sit up and take notice of emails and read them all the way through. The reason is simple, you know what your doing and are willing to assist others who may not be up to speed.
Thank you!!
Hi Jonathan,
Great post by the way. The page rank debate goes on, but I think the bottom line is ranking is important to anyone who is serious about getting traffic.
As you pointed out the PR is not as important as the relevance of the links. Adding links from relevant sites with good PR is essential to your own PR and traffic.
This has been the main factor for my site getting the traffic and the PR4 rank I maintain today.