I don't trust self-promoting "masterclasses"

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Nightwing82
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Joined: 30 Apr 2024
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 51
Location: Oklahoma City

06 May 2024, 8:27 am

This morning, I joined an online presentation on how to get started as a child's book author. I've also seen similar seminars on becoming a digital nomad.

They start out by reassuring the audience that everyone, including you, can become successful doing whatever they are selling. They show off a bunch of people who succeeded and how awesome their lives are now. They give you a few starting tips. But it ultimately all leads to the real main event: the upsell.

Then comes he FOMO pitch: you can risk trying it on your own and facing the odds of failure, or you can give us a bunch of money and we will guarantee your success. They list out everyone product in their package, making sure to tell you what the actual value of said product is and how you're getting such a bargain. But hurry up and sign up within the next 3 days (i.e. don't take the time to carefully evaluate your decision) to get our special discount. Plus, if you sign up now, you get a special bonus valued at $99.99.

They know you're questioning if you can afford their expensive prices, but the real question is can you afford to miss out? The speaker even encouraged borrowing. Their rhetoric reminded at time of Prosperity Bible mega churches.

I question if these people actually do what they are teaching, or they make all their money from selling these courses for inflated prices.



JamesW
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

Joined: 26 Jan 2023
Gender: Male
Posts: 336

06 May 2024, 11:19 am

If this isn't a scam, they really need to learn how to present their product so that it doesn't look exactly like one.

I would run away as fast as possible in the opposite direction, screaming and waving your arms about.



MatchboxVagabond
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Mar 2023
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,730

11 May 2024, 7:24 pm

Nightwing82 wrote:
This morning, I joined an online presentation on how to get started as a child's book author. I've also seen similar seminars on becoming a digital nomad.

They start out by reassuring the audience that everyone, including you, can become successful doing whatever they are selling. They show off a bunch of people who succeeded and how awesome their lives are now. They give you a few starting tips. But it ultimately all leads to the real main event: the upsell.

Then comes he FOMO pitch: you can risk trying it on your own and facing the odds of failure, or you can give us a bunch of money and we will guarantee your success. They list out everyone product in their package, making sure to tell you what the actual value of said product is and how you're getting such a bargain. But hurry up and sign up within the next 3 days (i.e. don't take the time to carefully evaluate your decision) to get our special discount. Plus, if you sign up now, you get a special bonus valued at $99.99.

They know you're questioning if you can afford their expensive prices, but the real question is can you afford to miss out? The speaker even encouraged borrowing. Their rhetoric reminded at time of Prosperity Bible mega churches.

I question if these people actually do what they are teaching, or they make all their money from selling these courses for inflated prices.

I'm sure some people do, but realize that if it's that easy, that it's not going to pay that well. And anybody who does manage it, is probably working extremely hard/is extremely lucky.