Let the Newbie Beware!
  Written By Raven

If it looks too easy or too good to be true, presume it is.

I am taking the high road on this one. I read board after board, with newbies complaining about being ripped off or being scammed. Turnkey sites with traffic and training courses and marketing - 4000 dollars. Sites which promise submission to search engines, all eight million of them for whatever money they're charging. Some go one step further. They promise #1 positions in all of the search engines.

Do you buy a house unseen? Or a television? Who spends thousands without doing a little research? That's a rhetorical question. No need to answer it.

Here's my theory on those who would spend this kind of money. These are the folks with stars in their eyes and the thought of easy money in their dreams. These are the ones who believe there is this huge secret to success on the dark side of the Internet street.

They are wrong; but, there isn't anyone to tell them they are wrong because they've not asked. They don't have the excuse of not knowing where to ask because so many of these sites have links to message boards and resource places. And, yet, they want me to feel sorry for them? I simply can't. Caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware. It's a simple Latin phrase and means exactly what it says. There is no one who hasn't heard the phrase at least once in their lives. For some reason, we never think it applies to us.

As a consultant, I always make the first phone call free. To retain my services is not inexpensive and it's an added cost over and above what the client's goal is. I want to make sure my potential client is comfortable when he writes me a check. I work on my answers, giving logical explanations and lessons in reality, so my client can pay me with confidence. Some times, it takes them a few months before they sign up with me, which is fine. Everyone should think things through before spending significant money.

Then, I read the boards and I see this 'outing' for the scammers. I go to the site, expecting to see blatantly deceitful business practises. What I see are words and graphics designed to lure the newbie in and part them from their money. I am reminded of consumers who buy into the 'get rich quick' mind set. They are the ones who spend forty dollars on booklets. They even go so far as to spend thousands for programs which promise 'riches beyond your wildest dreams'. Many of these 'get rich quick' scams tell the tale of a poor boy who makes it big. It's the American Dream, wrapped in apple pie, the flag and down home homilies.

There are scammers out there. Some are silver tongued devils, who sound perfectly reasonable, especially to those who are ignorant or misinformed; or worse, uninformed. Others are not so subtle. It's the slick web site which has the best chance of luring the 'innocent' into the web of lies and deceit and promises impossible to keep.

They should be 'outted', so others are warned. I don't have a problem with webmasters posting on the boards asking or outing. I have a hard time mustering up sympathy. It's not that I've never been pitched successfully. I figure, if the pitchers can pitch me, they've really got a good thing going. It's my job to sell to surfers. I kind of thought my fellow webmasters were off limits, especially since I want repeat business and good word of mouth references. My former partners were very successful at pitching me. 'Come with me. I'll make you rich.' I bought that one completely. A year later, I knew I'd been had and three years after that, we bought them out and wished them into obscurity. I can only hope karma takes care of them.

When you're very new to any kind of money making enterprise, it's essential to research. First, before you write a check for anything, check to see if someone has ventured there before. You already know there are others because you've seen the websites. Turnkey sites have their place for those who know how to use them. When a webmaster attains a certain skill level, he/she can usually look at a site in terms of marketability. Those who haven't learned how to discern a site that could sell from a site that couldn't possibly sell will soon find themselves working elsewhere. It's imperative to have a site which is designed for a target audience and has a strategic plan for getting the surfer to whip out that credit card. The site itself must be marketable, encompassing style, one which the surfer relates, giving him a hard on and almost subliminally suggesting he wants more and more. The site must have the ability to gain the surfer's attention, direction so the surfer is lead without it being too obvious or arrogant. Most importantly, a site must have a plan. There are those who create turnkey sites and they work out very well. Those who utilise them already know their target audience and are well acquainted with marketing techniques, content needs and the other subtleties necessary to make sales.

These same turnkey pay sites, in the hands of newbies, are dangerous. The person who has just entered this business doesn't know if they're marketable for the niche being pushed. He/she doesn't know if these sites will sell. They know nothing about your target audience and have no sales experience on the Internet. They've never bought an intangible before, such as a website design. And, they have no idea how to get traffic or from where it comes. In short, these babes in the woods know nothing about nothing; yet, the check book is out and ready to sign over hard cash to a complete stranger whose face is a stranger and rep is unknown. When things go horribly wrong, suddenly the resource sites and boards are filled with the 'victim' crying out for justice.

Maybe I was born without the 'flight of fantasy' gene; but, if something looks too easy, it's probably not probable. If something looks too good, it most likely isn't good at all. When a turnkey website promises everything from site design to content to traffic to search engine placement, where is that practical whisper which warns the new webmaster of danger ahead. If it were this easy, wouldn't everyone be rich? Or is that the prevailing thoughts to those outside the adult industry? Everyone who conducts business on the Internet is wealthy. That sentiment probably explains why there are so many queries about how much money the veterans are making and how soon the money started rolling in.

These cannot be people who came from a business background. Those of us who either studied economics or have waded into the deep waters of commerce absolutely know there is no easy way before venturing into website creation. If this is true and there is an 'employee' mind set running amok amongst new webmasters, then sympathy doesn't apply here, either. When buying a television, we research products. There are plenty of consumer guides, readily available, to warn of the poorly constructed products or give enough information as to warrant questions before whipping out that credit card. Are we so easily duped?

While I find it very difficult to believe there are so many who foolishly believe in 'easy riches', it must be so. There are entire Internet businesses based on consumer greed and ignorance. Books and websites and pamphlets and the so-called 'get rich quick' courses run rampant. Do a search in Google. Type in 'get rich quick'. There are pages of investigative sites from all over the world. The question then begs to be asked. Why don't people conduct a search on the Internet for answers, before plunking down thousands?

I caution everyone.

If it looks too good to be true, it is.
If it looks too easy, it is not probable.

If someone makes promises, ask questions. Get referrals. Don't give money until you research.

One of my concerns is the newbie not knowing whom to ask about whether or not these scammy businesses are on the up and up. I know I spent the first three years of my life, sans resource sites, message boards and conferences. My ex partners thought they were a waste of time, of no value. At the time, they were my mentors. I stupidly did not question the obvious.

Mentioned in one of the threads was a list of resource sites, located on this one particular turnkey 'promise you the universe' site. Reading that tidbit gave me pause. I find it difficult to recognise those who have been burned as the 'victim'. On these boards, there's always someone with an opinion. There are articles written. Tutorials. There are people who moderate and are there strictly to help the newbie. There are regular posters, with scads of experiences. And, we all have our 'burned' stories to tell. I was asked on Cozy Campus why our button was on the site that scammed them. Didn't we have higher values than that?

My answer is this. If you saw a bunch of resource sites listed, why didn't you check us out first? Before you spent thousands.

As I've said, there are places who sell turnkey sites which are nicely designed and eminently marketable. But, one has to know what a marketable design is, in order to make a thoughtful purchase.

No one has the secret because there isn't one.

There are those who came to the Internet, already armed with plenty of cash. With those kinds of resources, these entrepreneurs can and do make money beget more money. Those of us who started with a wing and a prayer work many hours to get where we are today. The burnt hand has taught us well how not to waste money. With time, we have become skeptical when presented with schemes and plans.

I believe that's the point. With every endeavour, the impulsive buy is rarely beneficial. Although that's considered successful marketing for our surfers, it is usually disastrous when webmasters attempt to purchase without thinking.

The moral to this is simple. Don't open your wallet, until you research. Find the resource sites and message boards and ask questions. Go to your local library and read about economics and standard business practises. Learn that this industry not unlike any other business venture. There are no secrets, other than hard work and creativity and wise spending.

Most importantly, remember this. If you do get burned, which you surely will, at some point, learn from it and move on. Expending energy by placing yourself in 'victim mode' is draining and non productive.