If It Looks and Smells Like a Turd…
I should be sat eating a nice ham and egg sandwich now, but instead I’m on here thinking how best I can communicate what I’ve just seen.
I’m not an irrational angry kind of guy, but I’ve just seen a video that made me think to myself “What a couple of *****”
It’s a recorded phone call between two Internet Marketing syndicate members and was recorded in the build up to the launch of a product called “Video Boss”.
The recording includes more heavy breathing than 2 asthmatics making a porno, but the content goes a long way to exposing what these guys really think of their customers (you and I) so stick with it. There’s also a hilarious comment in there about some magic mushrooms (coz drugz iz well cool lolzpmslrofl!!), so at least they are putting all those immoral earnings to good use.
If you want to see what sort of snakes that are behind these massive launches, there you go, might make you think twice about buying anything from them next time?
And I know I may get a few angry unsubscribes for “ratting out” these guys, but come on, how can anyone with any kind of moral compass not feel just a little bit pissed off with the way these people conduct themselves. If you have a blog or a mailing list with any kind of following, would your readers appreciate it if you let them into the kind of crap that’s been going on lately?
I can’t go without quoting the original source, if you’ve never come across the SaltyDroid site before, have a read through, it’ll take you a while but it’s a real eye opener, which side of the fence are you on?
Original Video Source: Strong language warning
http://saltydroid.info/syndicate-shit-storm/
Update: The Salty Droid website is getting hammered by traffic (as you can imagine!) since this video was posted, so getting a connection to it may be a bit hit and miss, but if you keep trying you should eventually get on
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Great to see the video.What can i say other than remove them from my lists and never deal with them.The fastest way to stop these guys is to cut their money supply but not buying the products and letting every on else, know to do the same.
Great video Dan, Thanks.
To hell with those guys! Who do they think they are that they can pillage the hard won loyalty of the infant internet?
Ships, business and now the web – there has always been pirates and always will be.
Thank you for flying their flag for them.
Have a grand day, Dan.
Barry
What else is new? Stompernet was the biggest scam ever and the rats still live in their sewers. Expecting a rat to wear a tuxedo and dine in a five star joint is kinda like expecting a monkey to behave like a swan.
The crap they peddle is a just reward to the idiots that buy into that smarmy spin.
PT Barnum said it right 140 years ago. There’s a sucker born every minute.
What can I say? How about, DITTO?
Well, I suspected something like this was going on with some of these folks, now I know for sure. Really makes you wonder if ANYBODY in the IM world is real and gives a s… about their subscribers or is everybody just money hungry?
All of these guys are now and forever removed from my inbox and banished to the spam filter.
Hi Dan, thanks for sharing this with us.
It’s always good to see peoples true colours and what they really think of the people that helped them get to where they are today.
I won’t entertain people like that and hope that with the release of this many more will dump them.
It’ll be interesting to see if you do get any angry unsubscribes, as I think the only people to do that would be the ones that follow the same methods.
Thanks again Dan,
Barry
I believe it’s worth doing some research on and being VERY choosy about which marketers to follow in your IM life as this really highlights the scum and low lifes in this industry whose only goal is to prey on and fleece ‘noobs’ and the trusting public whilst delivering either total crap or very little that’s new or ground-breaking. There is no magic bullet.
This is by no means an isolated incident; John Thornhill has just updated his blog today as well with an excellent rant on other common sharp marketing practices that are becoming more and more prevalent.
We have to be careful and remind ourselves frequently that not all marketers are our friends or believe in helping others succeed first so they can achieve greater success themselves down the line.
Personally, I’ve come to trust a small group of people who over time have shown themselves to be ethical marketers based around the Dan (of course!), John Thornhill, Dan Sumner, Dave Nicholson crowd plus Mark Ling of Affilorama and Matt Carter in Australia and that’s about it.
Really not a fan of any the big guns like Mike Filsaime and those of his ilk who are constantly trying to sell you something (that’s usually rubbish), get you on another list or make you pay extra for stuff that was free, i.e. his new affiliate payment scheme PayPeopleOnline or whatever it is over at PayDotCom. Now you have to pay extra to even pay your affiliates. What a crock.
Long and short of it, like any relationship….taking time before choosing a partner isn’t a bad idea.
@Chris
I’d include Tiff Dow and Mark Dulisse in there too. They’ve posted about this just recently as well. I’m just sad how many people seem to be following this path. makes it harder for the rest of us to get the credibility we’re trying to build.
Thanks for the heads up Dan.
Cheers!
Great post Dan. There really are some mega a***holes out there, who don`t give a thought to just constantly milking people.
I agree with Chris above regarding who is trustworthy and if I may add one other, it`s a guy called Geoff Shaw from New Zealand.
Last year I registered the domain http://www.GetUsRichUSuckers.com but I haven`t done anything with it as yet. The capital letters stand for GURUS and the idea was to expose a***holes like these for what they really are. There are plenty more out there and not surprisingly, plenty from the UK as well.
Thanks Dan,
John
The SaltyDroid is ‘FREE SPEECH’ place to exposed the truth about scammy Internet marketers. There are many good and honest folks out there, but some of these “gurus” prey on newbies. Buy this, buy that every week.
Thanks for posting this!
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
The products owner and gurus are also biased themselves.
At least with SaltyDroid, you get an alternative perspective!
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Omar, there are plenty of people who are not too lazy to research facts as you have suggested and I expect I’m not alone in finding your generalisations pretty offensive.
I did my research and you are heavily associated with Mike Filsaime so talk about the pot calling the kettle black; YOU are the one being very one-sided and your opinions are heavily biased towards him and his ‘associates’ because of your business dealings with him.
Understandably, you being privy to what is going on, you wish to defend him against criticism but if you think you can convince anyone else who’s been around IM for any length of time and who’s not in The Syndicate that he and his band of merry men are devoid of any wrong-doing then you are deluding yourself. I repeat from John’s excellent post on his blog today….’WE ARE NOT STUPID’
You ask ‘Did you research ow he came up with those recordings? I doubt it.’ Well yes I did and for quite a while but I didn’t find a definitive answer, did you? The way you’re talking, it appears as if you do have the answers so why not share with us in that case and give us the proof that these recordings are in any way fake? I doubt that.
Let’s talk about facts….these guys voices are very well-known in IM circles; you might be able to doctor a video with edits but you can’t edit audio to make people say something they didn’t, would you agree? These aren’t just sound bites; it’s clear they said what they said so now we know what they all think about us….what do they call us?….SHEEPLE……end of.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Hi Omar, I’ve read both sides inc. Mike’s crafted open letter to Jason Jones (aka Salty Droid) and his followers and from my own experience with Mike’s products and company, we’ll have to disagree on this. I don’t hate him mind, just haven’t been happy with the service.
I would point out though that I didn’t cite the Salty Droid in my reply but you seem to be focusing on him in yours. No, I do not know Jason or what he’s about but his is not the only site covering this issue you know so he’s not alone.
Back to the audios then which is the main thrust of this post…..are you saying outright they are fake, that it’s not Andy Jenkins and Jeff Walker saying what they said? If so, can you let us know how that’s the case?
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Hi Omar, well I’m not going to disagree with you that hate or inciting hate is totally unacceptable. I want no part of that either and I do think that the Salty Droid goes way too far with some of his venomous comments.
The mmystery remains then whether this audio is genuine or not; there is no proof either way, though one has to question the morality of the circle of so-called gurus that include felons convicted of fraud such as Vincent James and Perry Belcher and by that I am not singling out Mike Filsaime or anyone else in particular.
I simply repeat what I said in my comment, be careful who you get into bed with.
Hi Dan,
Perfect blog post!!
I just wrote a perfect answer to your blog post over on John’s blog post! 😆
The marketing tactics over the last couple of months have been really interesting and I am in complete agreement with this video for the following reasons.
I have been following quite a few marketers for the last 2 to 3 years and have been on many of the guru’s lists. Personally I should have deleted myself from these list a long time ago but have chosen to stay on their list to watch their marketing tactics.
Here is what I have noticed:
1: There is a BOYS club! No offense good guys! 🙂
2: They all strategically promote each other’s products with the same scarcity, upsell, downsell “Would You Like Fries With That” type of marketing.
3: They seem to be timing their launches so that each one has the potential to make money and they are not competing with each other.
4: They are assuming people are not staying on their lists for very long.
Re point 4. I have been receiving emails and reading blog posts lately from some of the members of this supposed syndicate and have noticed a common theme occurring.
They have been apologising for sleazy marketing tactics and implying that it is other guru’s doing these tactics.
Hmmmmmm Me thinks they think me stupid.
Do they not realise I have been on their list for nearly 3 years and I have the emails, plus the saved webpage swipe file to PROVE they have been the forefathers of these sleazy marketing tactics they are now trying to say other guru’s are doing and that they are the good guys!
Hmmmmmm Sleazy car salesman tactics if you asks me. Reminds me of the mechanic that will charge a bloke $100 for a car service and charge a woman $200 for the same thing!!
I am glad there are websites like “Salty Droid”.
The difference here though is I have known of this for a while because of the actual collection of emails and website swipe files I have from over the last 3 years from the supposed “Syndicate Guru’s” and can prove that they have used the sleazy marketing tactics they are now trying to deny!
Very Interesting. Very Interesting!
Just My 2 Cents. 😎
Cheers
Jacinta 😀
I think you’re spot on there Jacinta.
If we’re to believe what’s available on the internet, it would appear that other people, including the FTC have / are gathering evidence that a cartel exists in which case it / they could be in breach of U.S. anti-trust laws and that’s pretty serious stuff.
I also heard about these timed product releases throughout the year as well; seems they never overlap another syndicate members launch and they cross-promote each members’ $2,000 (or more) product, taking it in turns. By and large they are just rehashes of earlier works or information you can find for free on the internet.
Sounds like they’re back pedalling hard now from the emails you’ve been getting about ‘other’ bad marketers; further suggestion of wrong-doing it would seem?
Well I hafta say…
I think these guys are just plain stupid to say (let alone record!) such comments…
And Omar – SaltyDroid isn’t a marketer – he’s a lawyer. And his editing skills aren’t that great. There simply is no defence for that recording.
Does Salty get all kinds of glee from blogging about what he finds? Yep. But if ANY of it were slanderous or libel, it’d be offline by now.
And there it sits…
You can like your favourite “guru” Syndicate member if you like, but don’t be blind to what goes on behind the scenes.
There ARE excellent marketers who are highly ethical – one being me (shameless I know!) and another is the legendary Tony Blake. If you ever want astonishing advice, ask him – he’ll give it to you straight.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Omar, don’t be an ass.
Just because I don’t agree with your comments and clarified that they guy is a lawyer and not a marketer (which might have been confusing to people) doesn’t give you MY opinion on this entire thing at all.
So save your snotty replies.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Yep, this is the “real me”.
I don’t mince words – never have.
Don’t act like you know me because you don’t.
You have ZERO idea of my thoughts about this whole “syndicate” mess.
Or my thoughts about Mike Filsaime or SaltyDroid.
What I DO have is an open mind.
Like I said – if something this inflammatory is still online on a lawyer’s blog, I tend to believe that it’s more than likely got some truth in it or the site would be pulled down in no time.
(I am talking about the audio here, not Filsaime)
You can believe what you want, but personally I am looking forward to hearing the unedited version of the audio. Perhaps it will clarify things for everyone… one way or another.
And yes – your snide reply to my comment will get you exactly the same respect in return.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
Omar, you need to just stop it.
Don’t reply to me.
Jeff and Andy WERE stupid for recording a conversation like that, saying the things they said, and then allowing it to get out.
Go ahead – give them a call… I’ll bet they agree.
Went back to see where I called you “blind”. Couldn’t find it. What I DID find was a sentence urging people to go ahead and like who they want, but not to be blind to what goes on behind the scenes.
Like that audio.
Go back to your first reply to me and just TRY to tell me you weren’t being snotty. Insinuating that I am somehow connected to or “follow” SaltyDroid. I see no place where my comment could be construed as saying he is a “good guy”. Or that I “follow” him.
You know what they say about “assuming”.
I’ve been in this business for MANY years and have seen many come and go… I’ve also had personal dealings with several of these top marketers. Including Mike. I own most (if not all) of the products they produce. Many of them have GIVEN me copies of their products or access to their services. Some are good, some suck.
I am respected because I’m an expert in my field, I’m extremely smart, and I speak my mind. This is business, not friendship. If something helps my business I will praise and/or promote it. If it sucks, I will certainly caution people about what’s wrong with it.
Same goes for unethical marketers using dishonest business practices.
Do me a huge favour and don’t bother to reply. It only hurts the cause that you seek to defend when you behave that way.
Lisa is right :: I’m not that good a video editor … I just work hard. In fact :: I was trying to parody Andy’s exact style … so I was using Keynote for the first time.
Hey Omar :: sounds like you know a lot about me. Do tell. I know all about this Jason Jones person too. Not that interesting really. I served in the military … got some degrees … yada yada yada … my website is helping people. Nice to not meet you.
Just so everyone knows … I will be posting the full audio once my server situation is stabilized. If you can stand to sit though the whole 90 min … you will be even more horrified.
It doesn’t have to be like this. I’m sure of it.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
@Omar Martin ::
You can see my site :: I can see yours.
I think I remember you. You did a launch video for affilliatedotcon with your wife … y’all were sitting on a couch right? It came out after the big Syndicate story came out.
That video made me a very sad panda.
I can tell from your site that you don’t make money online Omar.
Get out while you can.
… and when leaving comments that amount to testimonials for organizations with whom you have financial ties … you really should disclose that at the beginning of your comment … for your legal safety.
**Comment removed due to request from the author**
@Omar ::
I’ll have my fake secretary Debbie beep your pager at high noon.
Bloody hell, Dan, I leave you alone in the office for 5 minutes, yes, just 5 minutes, and now look what you’ve done! LOL!
You knew the risks when you joined up with a renegade like me missy, LOL 😉
I did indeed, but I didn’t expect to be waking up with a horses head in my bed quite so soon 😮
Wow, just opened this post, Dan what have you caused lol. Its
so compulsive reading its causing me to miss the xfactor lol.
Don’t forget to vote Wagner!
Wagner lives just up the road from me in Snetter Land Dudley so hes definitely got my vote lol.
I notice that in all the skirmishing between Omar and various others here, he does not ONCE directly address the issue of whether SaltyDroid can be sued because the video/ voices on it are fake. But he pretty much avers that the voices have been sexed up.
Surely, the guys named on the video would be suing SaltyDroid for everything including his nuts if the video and the voices on it were sexed up?
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve asked for outright denials that the audio is genuine, proof that it is fake but so far Omar has not been forthcoming with either, only his opinion that the audio was / could have been stitched together by the Droid.
Man, he is a very clever and convincing guy if he has done that and more fool me if it’s proved to be fake…..let’s see
I’m sure it’s real.
If it wasn’t, lawsuits would be flying and denials would be hot and loud.
Instead? Silence.
Omar is an affiliate of a guy. Period.
He has no “inside knowledge”.
What he seems to have is a personal relationship with one or more of the people who are getting put under this spotlight.
By arguing the way he did (was just reading back in amazement) he actually HURTS their cause by not addressing the issues at hand.
Whatever.
Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Thanks for this video/audio link Dan, I can’t say I’m shocked or surprised, because I’m not. The exposure was very amusing though. 😆 I shall be visiting the Salty Droid in a few weeks, when the traffic has settled down.
John
Damn Dan…I go on vacation (holiday to you Brits)and come home to the most interesting hornet’s nest I’ve ever read online…makes me think I should go on another holiday.
You did wake up the sleeping IM crowd, I must say, including me. For years I’ve been put off by sleazy marketing and crap “gotta have or die” offers and didn’t know what to do about it except unsubscribe, which I do constantly.
Now I am doing my own “thing” my way and have a business partner that believes in most of the same ethics I do. A lot of the stress and need to rush to publish is gone. We will get it done…our way!
We both consider you and Paula two of the most ethical Internet marketers online today. You’ve never failed to fix the problems I cause myself or to enlighten me when I am so confused that I make whatever I am doing worse.
There’s several others I trust, but, for the most part, I don’t.
I have to say, Paula, that you should remember that, the minute you leave the office, Dan will play. He’s proven that statement many times. Makes me laugh.
Pat
Hi Dan, well there you go, I tried to view the video from both locations and it has been removed from you tube due to the terms of service violation. What ever it was goes to show that if you don’t do things right you get your #$@! kicked in.
Terry Conti
Looks like the Tube have taken it down, I’ll keep an eye on it and if it gets re-added I’ll update this post with the new video URL.