That’s right. You heard it here first. This year is going to be very exciting for Product Launch Managers. I’d like to share with you some thoughts and predictions I have for the upcoming year as a Product Launch Manager and why I compare it to the “Wild Wild West.”
Hold on cowboys and cowgirls, this is gonna be fun! YiiiiiiiHaaaaaa!
Once upon a time, there was a savage land full of sheriffs and deputies trying to establish law and order from thieves and bandits. In this spaghetti western, a sheriff from
“Jon. Jesus Jon…Answer the phone,” thought Jeff as he called his brother in
“Hello?”
“Jon. I need some help. You remember that formula we released a couple years back?” exclaimed Jeff.
“Yeah. Yeah. Why, what’s up?” asked Jon.
“Well, it’s even more powerful then we thought! The people that bought it…well, they’re using it to land and manage other launches. Shit. And there’s even people out there who never bought the course and are using it. You remember that pesky Ryan Deiss character out of
“Jeff. Relax man. I got an idea. I’m gonna send you my extra shotgun and make some badges. It’s time we make you the sheriff” said Jon.
“But…I don’t know how to shoot a gun! I ride my mountain bike everywhere and suck at playing the guitar. I don’t want to shoot anyone!”
“Don’t worry Jeff. I’ll shoot everyone…” said Jon. “You just make sure you’re the sheriff and give me the names of the bandits out there using our magic formula in vain. Got it?”
“Ok. I’m good. I’ll wait for the Pony Express to deliver ole’ Pa’s shotgun. In the meantime, I’m gonna round up and deputize some folk to mess with dem bandits. YiiiiiiiHaaaaa!” exclaimed Jeff.
While he was working away at his new scheme to protect his precious formula, Jeff started masterminding a way to find some more deputies out there. After Pony Expressing his buddies Frank and Mike, he put together the “Deputy Launch Blueprint.” Jeff figured he might as well conduct a 21 day launch and Pony Express his “shot across the bow” to his list of followers. Jeff wasn’t messin’ around and was ready to kick some ass.
The first telegram to arrive was titled,
“Here’s your full length telegram…learn how you can generate big Paydays with NO list, NO product and be paid to Kick Ass as my Hand Picked Personal Deputy.”
It got them cowboys and cowgirls all excited. They read the telegram and felt like they had known Jeff for a long time. Living in the Wild Wild West was tough and they wanted to kick some ass and earn a big payday. People wanted order and were happy to learn more. This is when Jeff put together a 5 day event to take place in
Jeff’s 21 day Pony Express Launch worked and from July 15th to July 19th he and his brother deputized the first round of Product Launch Managers. At the same time, the shotgun and badge that Jon had sent arrived making Jeff the official sheriff. The deputies were to take Product Launch Formula to the streets and use the power of their newly formed posse to create some law and order. The only problem was the concept was still too new for any real order to take place. For instance, I clearly remember an outlaw on the East Coast who decided to buck the system. He was a tough dude and wasn’t afraid of anything. He wanted a piece of the Jeff Walker posse and didn’t care about being a deputy. He wanted recognition. He wanted to show the Wild, Wild West that he could establish is own “law and order.” That man is still alive. He goes by “Jeffy the Kid” and talks with a funny
Well, Jeffy the Kid has done just that. Actually, while he was using the secret Product Launch Formula, the Sheriff came round again and offered to deputize some more people. He put together the “Round 2 Deputy Express for Everyone that Missed Out on Round 1Deputization Launch.” It attracted some attention. I actually heard a fellow say,
“Sally! I’m sellin’ the farm to become a Deputy! Where’s my shotgun and Papa’s civil war pistol? Sweet Jesus, I’m signing up!”
Well, it put roughly 200 more deputies on board with the possee. Jeffy the Kid actually joined but quickly saw that it wasn’t a good fit for him. He had lived too much of the life of a bandit at that point to fit in. Besides, he kinda liked being a bandit…
But like in all great Spaghetti Westerns, the good guys can learn a lot from the bad guys and vice versa. I remain a bandit because it gives me certain liberties when I land clients and conduct launches. It forces me to be more creative and resourceful. Being a bandit actually challenges me more than being a Deputy. Either way though, I recognize the need for the Sheriffs, Deputies and Bandits to work together to maintain some type of order in this very “Wild Wild Product Launch Manager West.” I plan on continuing strengthening all the relationships I’ve formed over the past 6 months whether you’re the Sheriff, Deputy or a bandit like myself.
I hope you enjoyed this article as we end 2009. As we approach 2010, I anticipate less launches from Jeff Walker. He’s either going to have to come up with a supplementary product for PLF or run another intensive 5 day live Product Launch Manager workshop. I have a feeling that his pool of new clients is either drying up or his current list of non buyers is getting sick of being sold the same thing via PLF. His JV buddies like John Carlton, Jeff Johnson, Eben Pagan, Frank Kern, etc. are also going to have to spice things up and either massively recruit new followers or try to sell new products to their lists in 2010. You can only promote and sell the same product within the same circle of JV friends so long until it becomes saturated. There are only so many bonuses and huge promises that you can bundle together to make people buy.
I think 2010 is going to demand simpler and less involved products. Courses, systems and books that are easily digestible, extremely powerful, and very practical that don’t need 3 months to finish will become available. Other “up and coming” celebrities are going to enter the Internet and Info Marketing Scene. They are going to make small promises. They are going to be brutally honest and upfront with what they can teach. Their crowds and following are going to be smaller but consist of ferociously passionate people. Claims of making a billion gazillion dollars from this launch or that are going to become less frequent. After the near collapse of the
Where do you stand? How do you think 2010 is going to be in the Internet Marketing world? I’d love to hear your comments…
May 2010 bring you peace, balance and clarity.
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|2009-12-31 06:03:42 Rick - part 2There's a lot of "inbreeding" within the IM community and I think we're seeing the state-of-the-art reach a point of equilibrium, where most people know the basics now and are in a position to make money. Instead of selling picks and shovels to the gold miners, it's time to take it up a notch and begin selling power tools, dynamite and more advanced solutions to the advanced and experts.At least that's my perspective. We owe Sheriff Jeff and the other gurus the respect they've earned in helping to shape the market into what it is today. But the reality is, they have to look at 2010 and figure out what they'll do differently to grow their businesses - just like we do.
Rick
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|2009-12-31 13:08:47 Jeff - That's the voice of experience talking...Thanks Rick:
I knew after our first telephone call that you knew you're stuff. I can't agree with you more and love the analogy of "Instead of selling picks and shovels to the gold miners, it's time to take it up a notch and begin selling power tools, dynamite and more advanced solutions to the advanced and experts." I certainly have a basement full of power tools from my career as a GC to pitch in! :) You got any dynamite?
I think you and I are onto something and am excited to collaborate with folk, like yourself, that demand more compact, less expensive and faster to implement solutions for 2010.
Let's keep leading the way my friend.
You are correct about the market for PLF, Mass Control and similar products being saturated - why else would the gurus be giving away their products to pick up monthly subscribers? (because they can no longer sell $995 to $1,995 info products - everyone who was going to pay that already has).
However, I think what's happening has a different dynamic. Every market evolves and matures, and the IM marketplace now has more "advanced" and "expert" buyers than "newbies". What worked on newbies no longer works on the experts...
And as a market matures, established vendors typically go "up market" in an effort to increase their profit with higher-end customers. This is normal to see in any market. In this case, PLM's provide a way to access both more complex launch segments and customers who don't have the time or interest to become PLMs or learn how to do it themselves via PLF.
There...