Is the “Internet Marketing Guru” Business Dead in 2010?
by Antone Roundy | 10 Comments | Marketing
A few weeks ago, Michel Fortin posted two predictions for the internet in 2010. The first was that "internet marketing will grow up":
Yes, the indusÂtry is going through a major shakeup.
(As an examÂple, our recent major announceÂment explainÂing the drasÂtic change in the way we teach InterÂnet marÂketÂing is a reflecÂtion, and the result, of this evolution.)
He goes on to predict that the tricks and gimmicks that are the staple of many "guru"s' teachings will become less and less effective, and that internet marketing will be increasingly driven by solid, scientifically developed marketing methods.
One of Ryan Healy's predictions for 2010 is "the death of the internet marketing guru as we know him", largely as a result of the FTC crackdown:
- No longer are you going to see IM gurus shouting from the rooftops how much they made in a year (or a minute).
- No longer will you see them using black hat (unethical) techniques to "acquire" a gazillion followers on Twitter.
- No longer will they "churn and burn" every person who comes in the door.
Between gimmicks becoming less effective and the FTC cracking down on people who falsely claim to have one that still is, expect the ranks of today's gurus to thin.
Actually, it's already happening. Some of the old guard are retiring from teaching because they're tired of it or because they're satisfied with the fortunes they've already amassed. Some have been banned from the business by the FTC, and I'm sure others are leaving voluntarily to avoid having their fortunes liquidated in exchange for forced vacations (aka. "prison").
I say good riddance. How many times have you bought some self-proclaimed guru's how-to guide, only to discover that it's nothing but the story of one lucky promotion that earned him 5 figures in a day. No proof that the "system" is repeatable (it's not). No guidance on how to adapt it to a different market (it can't be). No guidance on what to do if you don't catch the same lucky breaks (sure, you can make your own bad luck by never trying, but making your own good luck usually doesn't happen in one try like they'd have you believe).
I feel that most internet marketers are very dishonest about how you make money on the internet. There is a very small minority that are ethical. I am glad that the FTC is cracking down on them but they need to do more especially with the economy in ...Once the one-hit-wonder guru has turned his 5-figure day into a 6-figure how-to eBook, there's no stopping him. His future efforts succeed more on the coattails of his past successes than on their own merits, so he sells the blueprints for those promotions too...
But I digress.
If "bootstrap" gurus are an endangered breed, and legitimate gurus are calling it a day, are internet marketing gurus about to fade into history?
Yeah, dumb question. Of course not. We'll still need teachers. The business is just going to grow up.
Michel & Sylvie Fortin's vision for the future guru involves more accountability. At Success Chef, they're building partnerships of a sort with their students, which gives them a big vested interest in their success. I've seen similar efforts flounder before. But if they choose their participants carefully, and can succeed in keeping a group of individuals who are used to being their own bosses motivated and moving forward, it could be a huge success.
I have a different vision. I'm not arguing against the Fortins' ideals, but surely there are still a lot of people who, for any of a million legitimate reasons, don't want to get into partnerships with their teachers and other students. Maybe they already have a business and just want to learn how to market it better. Maybe they can't yet afford the time and money required to join such a partnership. Maybe they prefer independence over making more money through a partnership.
I'm not ready to reveal details yet, but I've got a big project in the works related to internet marketing gurus. No, I'm not going to proclaim myself a guru. But I have some ideas for how to find people who are ready to step into the space being vacated by the old guard. And I have some ideas for how to help students of internet marketing discover people with the knowledge, credibility, and teaching skills they desire.
It's going to be an interesting year.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Mssr Roundy, I do enjoy the way you put things across. Yes, there are "gurus" out there who will not lead hard working individuals who are seeking an alternative stream of income via Internet Marketing (IM) and there I am glad that the IM scene is growing up as controls need to be put in place to prevent the unsuspecting from being taken advantage of. It is a very good thing indeed.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:05 am
...that should be. Not lead hard working individuals down the garden path!
February 4th, 2010 at 12:09 am
2009 culminated with Freebie Overboard, Bonus Overload and then we finally started to see signs of the Semantic Web that was the future of the Web 10 years ago.
People have grown up and they are sick and tired of self-proclaimed gurus singing the same old songs with a different tune...and re-packaged bonuses as if we're all too stupid to know we're hearing the same words like a broken record with re-launches every other week.
You can get all those products and bonuses for $9.95 at that site I've listed above - just ignore all the hype and the products are all there - every guru one ever made and some still being sold. I just wish I had found them at least a year ago...oh well.
It's a great time to be a newbie - you have a better chance of success faster and less money will be lost - that's for sure! People are not stupid - they just want the joy of pretending to see something else based on hope and false promises. It's what we want to believe and that's our choice but enough is enough already. Now the truth is what we want to know - then we'll believe it - maybe if you prove it!!
April 26th, 2010 at 10:04 am
As someone who makes their living in the IM field and has done so for 16 years, I've always detested the term guru. That's not to say there aren't some really talented and quality people who have been assigned that term, but there is a far larger number who simply preyed on the individual just getting started.. and this is still all too common today. I really see no difference in the mentality of these individuals than what has gone on, on Wall Street these past few years. It's greed, pure and simple with very little in the way of ethics ever getting in the way of someone wanting to make a lot of money.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:13 pm
It is obvious that most of the self proclaimed gurus are spongers who live on the sweat of gullible minds. How do you exaggerate making six figures in a year and still expect others to pay $4.59 just to log into your film trick?
August 24th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Hey Antone,
Thank you for the article and the link. I appreciate it. Also, thanks for the recent comments on my blog.
Based on all the stuff that's happened this year, I'd say the prediction is coming true, at least to a degree. Probably will need to reassess at the end of the year. :-)
Thanks again.
Ryan
August 24th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Hey Ryan,
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
For anyone who hasn't already, I recommend checking out Ryan's blog (click his name in the comment above). You'll find an authentic voice that isn't just trying to sell you the next shiny object -- pretty refreshing these days.
October 10th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Guys like Mike Dillard are done. MLM is done online. The worst I've seen is Ferny & Ray at SEOnetworker.com Those two guys are big time crooks that ruin the online experience for most. Preying on the newbies is shameful. FTC should shut the likes of those down and send them to prison for the theft they have perpetrated. You can put Dillard and SEOnetwork.com right up there with G.W. Bush.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Sad to say that i was one of those who fell to prey by one of the self-professed "guru". I do agree that we still need teachers in this field, however, it is also important to understand the difference between gaining knowledge and reproducing any success that the "teacher" may claim. Discernment on the part of the prospective student and the hyped up, misleading marketing gimmicks of most IM courses - these are the common pitfalls.
October 14th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I feel that most internet marketers are very dishonest about how you make money on the internet. There is a very small minority that are ethical. I am glad that the FTC is cracking down on them but they need to do more especially with the economy in the shape that it is in. Convictions, jail time, and restitutions to innocent victime will be a great start! People work too hard for their money to have some scumbag internet marketer scam them out of their money!