Is Derek Gehl A Scam?

I was surprised to see questions around whether Derek Gehl is a scam. I can see a couple of reasons for this – there is a natural skepticism people have when high income results are associated with a product, and I believe the early marketing really focused on this. It has changed now, thankfully, because this is most definitely not a scam.

Another reason is that some people use negative marketing tactics to get your to read their review/sales pitch. They present it as though it is about to reveal some missing information – such as a Derek Gehl scam – only to be a sneaky marketing trick designed to get your attention and lead you to their affiliate link.

One of the criticisms of Derek Gehl’s products is that the affiliate program is quite lucrative, and as a consequence, many people promote it quite aggressively. Let me be upfront and say that, yes, I am an affiliate. However, I also bought the full course myself (Insider Secrets) – paying full price – years ago. I have also bought subscriptions to the IEC, which is a truly excellent product as well.

Does this mean I recommend all of Derek Gehl’s products? Actually no. I was never that impressed with the software, though many people use it. There are cheaper versions out there. And it isn’t the only course you’ll ever need. I’ve found gems in other courses on more specific things – like Web 2.0 marketing (Charles Hefflin, Jack Humphrey, Michelle MacPhearson), traffic generation (Traffic Kahuna, a number of others), and a few specialized things along the way. Marlon Saunders, for example, provides excellent dashboards for creating your own product, website graphics, and affiliate program.

But Derek Gehl’s Insider Secrets is a great all-rounder. And I believe it’s a lot better than the one originally made by Corey, as I pointed out in the Derek Gehl review. No disrespect to Corey, maybe he would have updated it in the same way.

A 2008 version has just been released, and they offer a trial version of $2.95, which is excellent value. That way you can test the waters and see if it fits your needs before outlaying a lot of money.

Easy Viral Marketing

Viral marketing is simply the act of using your own, or other people’s visitors to send you traffic, sales and referrals. The ‘tell a friend’ scripts are an example of viral marketing.

There are simpler methods of viral marketing, however. Probably the easiest is article marketing. You don’t even need a website to do this, and many people promote affiliate products this way. It is preferable to have a website, even if it’s just a simple page hosted on squidoo or hub pages. Most article directories don’t allow you to send traffic to affiliate links directly.

All you need to do is write articles and submit them to the many article directories. To learn how to do article marketing, click here.

You can submit to niche specific directories, and even some people’s websites directly. It’s a good idea to submit to as many article directories as you can. This maximizes the traffic you get back to your site.

Internet Marketing As A Sweetie

Sweetie Marketing is a term coined by marketing Mom and PR expert, Alice Seba. It is an approach to Internet marketing that will help you grow your business without stepping on anyone’s toes in the process.  It’s a more ‘ethical’ and IMHO, long term approach to building your business online.

Some ‘Sweetie’ tips:

• Start out by being honest.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of slick websites that promise big things and barely deliver.  Be honest to your potential customers by letting them know exactly what you have to offer.  And if someone comes to you for advice, be honest and let them know what you like about their product and what you would change.

 

• When you are just starting out, you will undoubtedly be asking a lot of questions.  Show your gratitude to those that help you along the way by letting them know you appreciate their kindness.  If possible, try paying that kindness back by helping that person with something they need assistance with.

 

• Helping other people will help you in the long run.  Even if you are just starting out in your home business, a day will come when someone with less experience than you will come to you and ask for help in getting started.  Perhaps they will want to know which autoresponder you recommend or advice on writing an ebook.

 

• If someone asks you a question and you know the answer to it, tell them.  Unless the answer to their question happens to be a top secret project you are working on, giving someone a bit of information isn’t going to hurt your business.  Who knows?  The person you are helping may one day become wildly successful and recommend your products to all of their customers.

 

• Building relationships and networking is essential when it comes to business success. Work to build real relationships with those you meet.  Rather than just strategizing about the benefits you will receive from the relationship, think about ways you can help that person.

 

• Some people will take your help and not give you anything in return.  Let that roll off your back.  The majority of people will respond by helping you in some way.  For example, if you meet someone who, you feel, would be a great business partner for another one of your friends, introduce the two of them.  Their joint venture could be a great success, and they will find a way to repay you.

 

• When you act in a considerate way and treat others how they should be treated, people will respect you as a person.  They will want to do business with you because they know that you will only be acting in their best efforts. They will also feel good about recommending you and your products and services to people they know.  This, of course, will further promote your business and help you achieve more success.