The Part I Played In Destroying The Global Economy
After a lot of soul searching I’ve come to the conclusion that I played a part in destroying the global economy.
Yep, Freddy Mac Daddy and Fanny Mae (Quoted from @TurnerDigital) have got nothing on me.
So what have I done to be associated with such good company, have I been short selling company stocks, lending money that didn’t exist in the 1st place to people who couldn’t afford to pay it back even if they lived for another 150 years, or something far more Dick Dastardly?
Well, here it is, my public admission, in true AA style:
My Name Is Dan Thompson, and I’ve Stopped Buying Things
Not things completely, I still eat and wear clothes, I also still buy random gadgets and crap T-Shirts, but over the past 2 years the amount on Internet Marketing products I have purchased in almost 0.
I say almost 0 because I’m sure I purchased something last year, but as you can tell, it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.
So with my new “anti buy stuff” attitude, I’m slowly destroying the economy, the money I’d be giving to Marketer x for their brilliant new “How to rank 1st on Google whilst eating pizza with Cameron Diaz whilst she does Donuts on a remote air field in Southern England” is no longer going into their pocket, and in turn that money isn’t going to their local crack dealer, and that money isn’t then going into their local McDonalds….or wherever crack dealers eat nowadays, it’s a vicious circle.
If everyone was like me, imagine how much worse the economy would be.
But why have I stopped spending money in the IM niche, I used to spend money when I 1st started, so why stop now?
Well, I’ve come to this conclusion – since I’ve stopped buying all of these big launch eBooks that contain “an unmissable new secret that’s so secret I may have just made it up to sell this overpriced PDF” you’d have thought my earnings would have evaporated to nothing, I mean if I don’t use this amazing new technique then I’m clearly going to fail.
But that’s not the case, I still make as much, if not more now than I ever did when I was buying every IM product that I was offered.
Those initial products I purchased to help get me on my way were great, but there comes a time when you have to stop following instructions and think for yourself. I’ve realized that there’s only so much information you need to get started as an online marketer, so once you have that basic understanding the only thing that’s stopping you is yourself, if you have a basic understanding of how things work then get out there and put your plans into action, free yourself from the shackles of overpriced crap!
It’s like driving a car, when you first start you read up on the theory behind it all, and you then go for lessons, and eventually you take your test and are allowed out into the big bad world…..full of horse riders, cyclists and caravans……
Once you’ve done the theory and passed the test, you start to drive on your own, and if you make a mistake you learn from it and know not to do it again.
So basically what I’m getting it, is that once you’ve got the basic understanding of everything grasped, and your hosting and auto-responder in place, is it really worth buying anything else?
I can understand purchasing products and services that make your life easier – graphics, PLR articles, “make your life easier” software, and so on, but if you are a competent marketer already, do you really need any more theory guides, wouldn’t you be better going off and researching something on your own – and then you could be the one selling your “secrets” 😉
For example, last week whilst foraging through the internet, I noticed that a highly popular script in a particular niche that I’m active in has no rampant affiliates promoting it, so I can get in there and make affiliate sales on the script, and also some hosting sales on top of that – hosting is a fundamental part of the script.
And to promote this, I’m not going to use a top secret technique from an eBook, I’m going to do something that I’ve tried and tested over the years and that I know works:
1. Create website where I share my experiences of the script with the readers, and post a few “how to use it” guides
2. Drive traffic to the site via organic Google results, as I’ve shown you how to do umpteen times on this blog
3. I’ll get affiliate sales from the product, and sales from the hosting
4. Bingo, job done!
5. Total cost of project – $8 for the domain name
I haven’t actually created the site yet, so I may be setting myself up for a humiliating fall, but I’d like to bet that if we come back in 6 months time, the website will have made me at least a few thousands dollars, none of which would have been possible if I’d have still been reading my way through a badly written PDF telling me “what I must do to succeed”.
End of minor controversial blog post, I think there’s a point in there somewhere, if not, just have fun looking at my illustration of a car driving into a wall, notice how I remained un-sexist by not implying the sex of the driver.
Bye for now,
Dan
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Because I’m a nice person, here are a couple of links to some of those Google/SEO blog posts I mentioned:
https://elpassoblog.com/how-i-made-580-last-month-by-doing-nothing/
https://elpassoblog.com/how-i-dominated-google-for-resell-rights-fortune/
Hear hear, wholeheartedly 😀
You have some blog posts to write missy:
https://elpassoblog.com/1-nugget-that-not-even-the-colonel-knows-about/comment-page-1/#comment-68960
Hey Dan,
I feel the same way! Made a quality decision to stop buying IM products too and am unsubscribing big-time to all, but a trusted few folk I have personal confidence in. You are on that list!
I think we are all suffering from Information Overload..BIG TIME.
Val
Yep, there’s only so much information you can take in, and it doesn’t help when a lot of the stuff that’s out there being flogged to death is a load of old nonsense 🙂
So right, Dan.
Having recently checked all the ebooks on my hard drive, all the products that I actually own, I cancelled a number of subscriptions. I realised I was buying stuff/information I already had access to. My outgoings have gone down significantly and no, I don’t feel deprived.
John
I think if everyone stepped back and did the same they’d come to the same conclusion, when you break it down the vast majority of eBooks out there are just the same basic theories with a load of elaborate fluff in there to jazz them up a bit!
Hi Dan,
Wellsaid. I wish I could say the same. I still buy but have reduced it dramatically. Anyway, I am still a nobody but if I stopped buying and concentrate on the job in hand I would probabaly be moving along in a straight line rather than being on a roundabout.
As for your car driving into a wall and not implying the sex of the driver, I think we all knew who you were implying.Am I right.
Don’t forget the D9 league, if nothing else this is something I look forward to.
Thanks again Dan.
Donald
I’ll get the D9 league done this week, and as for the driving comment, my lips are sealed 😉
I agree with you 100%, Dan, and I have also stopped buying IM products.
There comes a time when all aspiring marketers (I hate the term ‘newbie’) have to stop learning and start earning.
I guess it’s all about moving out of our comfort zones and actually dipping our toes in the water.
I’ve also found that once you build yourself a bit of a list and start promoting products as an affiliate you can get a lot of the new launch stuff for free!
hehe, very true. You know you’ve made it when people start sending you free stuff 🙂
Hi Dan
Thanks for another great post.
And yeah i have missed your emails.
I stopped buying IM products a while ago, unless I believes its going to teach me something I actually need to know.
I do still by the odd script and maybe what i call loyalty purchaces from people like John Thornhill ( guaranteed good quality ), But i might buy Frank Haywoods new Multiple income streams blog theme later while its on pre-launch.
Keep up the good work Dan…
Paul Hanna.
Great post Dan – although I’m not sure you’ve done yourself any favours with the incestuous bunch of marketers who spend their lives promoting each others latest shiny objects by revealing that they’re all on crack!
It’s taken me a long time to choose which exit to take off the roundabout that Donald refers to above, but since I unsubscribed from numerous lists and learned to ignore the ‘if you don’t by this within the next ten minutes your business will be dead in the water’ hype, and took action on what I already know, I’ve actually earned a miniscule amount of affiliate commission and got an equally miniscule number of people on my list. We might be talking miniscule here, but it’s more than I’ve ever had before and this is just the beginning 🙂
Keep up the good work Dan – and be sure to keep off the crack 😉
Lynn
PS I’ll ignore the fact that by pointing out that you had refrained from implying the sex of your driver you certainly did imply the sex. Shame on you!
I didn’t say they were all hooked on crack……just some of them, hehe 😉
I liked Donalds roundabout analogy as well, I think it’s a great way of explaining just how it feels when first starting out, I can assure you that once you manage to get off it, you’ll feel much better. (The roundabout….not the other thing)
And shame on you for all coming to your own conclusions regarding the driver of the car, for all you know it could have been a bear
Well, Dan, you certainly hit it right in the heart of the matter. I am busy with two launches in the next few weeks and discovered that I don’t have time to read the IM crap that floods my email box every morning. So, I am unsubscribing from most of them…not yours, Sweets,of course.
I quit buying most offers a year ago and I agree with your estimation of the duplication of rehashed stuff. I do have a few marketers I will keep, though, because they don’t bury me in emails that are dupes of several others I get.
The most interesting thing that’s happened is some of those I quit subscribing to came back to me with inquiries about ghostwriting. Who knew? I should have done it years ago. Makes me laugh.
Keep up the good work. I love your irreverent attitude.
Pat
lol, that’s an innovative way to get new Ghost Writing clients – you should turn it into an eBook 😉
Not going to write that anytime soon, but I will keep it in my alleged mind as my little secret for success. OH Wow! That would be a good ebook, if all the crap in my inbox means anything.
While that picture you run on my replies might look like me when I am a cup of coffee low, I have a real one I can tolerate and will upload it as soon as I find where I left it in my archives.
I got a new computer when my motherboard died and my life has been hell since. If I can’t figure out how to upload it after I find it, I will whine in your direction. Count on it!
Pat
Hi Dan, another post full of excellent advice.
I visit Randy’s blog quite a bit and he’s forever saying about only buy it if you’re going to use it now and i’ve taken his advice.
It is time to do it for ourselves, once you’ve dipped you toe in the water do you sit on the side and watch or get in and have a splash? I’m all for splashing myself, even if i have to wear arm bands and a silly rubber ring.
Love the picture Dan but stick with the computers mate.
Barry
*sigh* still nobody appreciates my art, you sound just like my art teacher at school. I once made a circular ball of clay and then dug a hole in the middle of it and told him it was a cave, he didn’t share my artistic impression of the project
Well, Dan, I certainly hope you’re proud of yourself. My brokerage account sits woefully and firmly in the red and it’s all your fault!
What a strange concept. Actually taking acquired, evergreen, basic information and applying it. Looking at current situations, seeing potential opportunity, evaluating, analyzing and seizing it.
Obviously this is some kind of subversive tactic.
You will be singularly responsible for the sudden demise of the internet as an untold volume of unsold and undistributed e-products backs up causing critical imbalance thereby bringing the web to its virtual knees.
Warm regards,
Elmer
I destroyed the Economy, the Internet, and next on my list……THE WORLD muwhahahahahahaha
/evil
Don’t worry about destroying the economy Dan, with all the stuff I buy online it will be ok, I just can’t help myself.
This message will self destruct before the mrs sees it.
regards Blute
A man after my own heart, I just bought this:
http://www.gadgetshop.com/ViewAll/Animatronic-Elvis/EPN409680
….And I don’t even like Elvis!
Hi Dan, it’s like a disease once you get it you’re on information overload. They best way to learn after you have some sort of knowledge is to jump right in. If you are going to crash and hit the wall, good. Hitting the wall is good because it’s the best way to learn more and cure yourself of information overload. Terry Conti
Hi Dan,
Had to giggle with this post. I had images of the amount of money I have made many people in the last 2 years since trying to learn this stuff. 😳
I got angry with myself earlier in the year and made myself a promise that I would only buy if I absolutely without a doubt needed it or it was software that was needed for business.
Since making that decision in February I have been able to buy a car instead! Who Knew! I finally have my own wheels after 3 years! My last car blew up just after my bubba was born and she turned 3 in April!
Talk about saving money!
The last few months I have been focusing more on actually learning from what I already have access to and since doing that I have learned double the amount as I have been less side tracked from all those bells and shiny whistles.
Cheers
Jacinta 😀
P.S I am sorry I crashed the car!!! 😛
I wish you didn’t put that PS, I was ready to write a smarmy car crash joke but you beat me to it 🙂
Hi Dan, don’t just blame yourself, I think Mr. Brown and co have had some small input into the global collapse, as long as you still buy food and T shirts we should all survive, I hope Mr. Osborn is not reading this…. I agree with all of the other comments about just applying what you already know. I really have stopped buying because you really never have time to really apply what you have learned from one product before leaping to buy another. Also some of them are real crap.
Keep rocking!
Rob
Hey Dan
Your posts always make me laugh!
I think people keep on learning and learning and learning, when they really should stand on their own two feet and go for it!
No time like the present to take a leaf out of your book and do the same as you.
Will keep my beady eye on ya, and watch out for your progress.
Sally 🙂
Hi Dan,
I agree with all the points that you’ve made above. It’s all too easy to be distracted and sucked in by the promises of quick & easy riches, and just get into a perpetual cycle of buying the next great thing…which is then superceded by the next great thing, which is then superceded by…well, you get the point.
I haven’t bought any online information products for ages – as you’ve said above, once you have the basic knowledge in place, then it’s a case of using it and applying it and finding out what works & what doesn’t. There are no short cuts and there is no guaranteed formula for success – but that doesn’t sound like a dream to sell!
Hard work and persistence are what’s needed – and there isn’t much glamour to sell in that.
Nikki
PS – as far as the economy goes, I’m single-handedly keeping the shops in Bristol going! *sigh* I can’t resist.
Thank you Dan. How true and a sigh of relief..