It’s a jungle out there – choose wisely

It’s a jungle out there – choose wisely

You’ve got a lot of choices when it comes to seminars and training programs.

Some folks think that all seminars are pretty much all alike.

They’re not.

We get a lot of letters like this over the course of the year. I thought I share one with you.

What happens at other seminars…

“Dear Ken,

So in 2007, I started researching marketing in bookstores and on-line. That is when I discovered direct marketing. After a lengthy research, I narrowed down two seminars, yours and NAME WITHHELD.

…I decided to start out with NAME WITHHELD and SEMINAR NAME WITHHELD seminar. I want to be careful how I phrase this, because I’m sure NAME WITHHELD is an expert direct marketing copywriter. But I couldn’t have been more disappointed.

The first 30 – 40 minutes was about how great and successful they were, mixed in with lots of rah rah, cheerleading fluff. The next 20 – 30 minutes of their speech was a sales pitch to purchase their products (course, training, newsletter, coaching, etc.) where you could learn the real secrets of their success.

When NAME WITHHELD finally spoke on the last night, after about 30 minutes, attendees started clearing out of the room. I stayed and suffered through his accounts of how he charges $10,000 to $100,000 for a single sales letter he writes and other similar stories. It was somewhat akin to listening to a crusty, old man simultaneously relive the good old days and berate anyone who asked a thoughtful, intelligent question.

I learned far more from the free teleconference you just gave away than I did form the NAME WITHHELD conference which cost me $3,500 (seminar, flight, hotel, meals, transportation) to attend.

– Richard Rodriguez”

We thank Richard for being willing to share his experience.

Two points

1. We withheld the name of the seminar and seminar giver in question because I don’t want to be accused of attacking a competitor.

Frankly, though, I believe the world would be a better place if the “bait and switch” “pitchfest” seminar-givers would find another line of work. They’re doing a lot of harm to a lot of people.

2. We get letters like the one above all the time.

Fact of life: Starting around 2000 – 2003, the overall quality of seminars in general went into deep decline.

New people entering the business have little idea of standards and many veteran educators have embraced the “take the money and run” ethic that engulfed so much of our economy over the last ten years (Enron, WorldCom, Wall Street etc.)

There was a time – and it wasn’t that long ago – when you paid for a seminar, you got a seminar.

I’m old enough to remember those days…

…And I think those days were much, much better.

The current so-called state-of-the-art where prospects are promised the moon and then pitched to death with one random, half-baked sales pitch after another is a disgrace.

No pitching at the System Seminar

There’s nothing wrong with a speaker talking about options for future contact and involvement at the end of a solid presentation that delivers on its promise of offering real, substantial information.

But there is something very wrong with “new era” seminar presentations which are designed from the get-go to be nothing but not-so-thinly-disguised sales pitches.

Unfortunately, this has become the norm at most seminars today.

That’s why we do not allow product pitches at our seminars or seminar pitchmen on our faculty.

There is no pitching at the System Seminar because we believe…

When you pay for a seminar, you should GET a seminar!

Ken McCarthy

P.S. If your current financial situation does not permit you to attend the System, remember: there is more useful information in our free Pre-System faculty calls than there are in most paid seminars and products. Take advantage of them!

List of all the free training available from the System Seminar:

http://thesystemblog.com/welcome-to-the-system-faculty-interviews/