I just saw Internet marketer John Reese’s “Shocking Video”. When he started talking, I thought he was blowing a lot of hot air. I mean, how “shocking” is an announcement about Internet marketing really going to be? But when he revealed the surprise…

…I was actually surprised. (”Shocked” would be a tad too strong!) I was surprised because John Reese really did say the very opposite of what both he and most other “Internet marketing gurus” have been saying for years.

Now, at the end of the video John pitches his upcoming webinar. This video is in fact a sales promotion, but it’s done so well that you genuinely come away thinking that you’ve learned something. So if it’s still up by the time you’re reading this, go take a look:

==> http://www.income.com/shockingvideo.html

If the video is not still up… or you want me to reveal the surprise before you see it… read below. If you don’t want it the surprise to be spoiled…

..stop reading now!

Still with me? Okay, well I really can’t explain the surprise as well as John does in the video. In fact, when I say it, it may not sound surprising at all.

Well, here’s the thing. The “surprise” itself is not surprising… it’s what many people involved in Internet marketing have always known but not necessarily admitted. What’s surprising is that an Internet marketing guru like John Reese has come out and performed a 360 turnaround on behalf of himself and his fellow gurus.

The surprise is that: the best online business is… marketing to Internet marketers!

Now, I don’t necessarily agree about this being the “best” online business. What’s “best” for me, won’t necessarily be “best” for you. But John Reese mounts a convincing argument about why it is a great business, and debunks quite a few myths in the process.

Today, it was revealed that a high profile Internet / direct response marketing company has been  “hiding” its forced continuity program.

In other words, rather than tell people upfront that they’d be billed a certain amount of money per month on an ongoing basis until they cancel their subscription… this company has NOT been warning people, and has, instead, been billing their credit cards regardless.

It’s NOT on.

Now I’m a fan of forced continuity - it’s good for creating a regular stream of income for the company, and it’s good for the customer who doesn’t have to worry about ensuring their subscription or membership is paid up. But not obtaining the customer’s express consent before putting them onto continuity is downright illegal, unethical and BAD marketing.

I hope this particular company - and certain others that have adopted similar practices - is taking notice of the uproar on the blogs and forums about their tactics. Certain people are an inch away from filing complaints with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

But I don’t want to see this company go down. The company’s founder is a legend in direct response marketing and I’ve personally learned a lot from him. I want him to continue providing the top-notch marketing advice he’s renowned for!

And frankly, I don’t want this company to undermine the concept of continuity. The more these underhanded tactics go on, the more people will be reluctant to go on any kind of continuity billing program - even one where it is clearly explained to them, and where they can back out (without a hassle) at any time.

My husband, Simon, runs our domaining business. Thank goodness it’s a highly profitable business… because, frankly, he’s addicted to the cut and thrust of finding, analyzing, buying, parking, selling and monetizing domain names.

Being in the information marketing business, I’ve been trying to convince him to create an information product that might appeal to other Internet marketers and domainers.

He won’t do it.

When Simon’s not domaining, he’s building what promises to be a new platform for domainers to analyze and monetize domain names. Besides, he says, there are already great how-to products on domaining available (like John Motson’s Domaining Manifesto and Phil Craig and John Hostler’s Domains Into Dollars).

But I don’t give up that easily.

“Don’t you want people to get on your list so you can promote the new domaining platform to them?” I ask.

He sees my point. But he refuses to create an ebook to sell. Instead, he wants to give out the information free.

So we compromise. And you benefit. Here’s Simon’s FREE 25-page report, 7 Tips For Profitable Domaining:

==> Claim this invaluable report on domaining now.

Here’s a quick post about Chris Cobb’s new program “The Great Escape 2008″.

Basically, Chris Cobb has a plan to get you out of the “rat race” and into a successful, income-earning business with a fantastic lifestyle to boot.

Let’s face it, the New Year is coming. Is 2008 going to be yet another year where you’re slaving away in a job you hate, earning barely enough for retirement, let alone the lifestyle you want NOW?

It doesn’t have to be that way! You have choices and this is one right here:

==> The Great Escape 2008

However, in case you think The Great Escape is much like everything else you’ve seen… think again.

Go check it out now:

==> The Great Escape 2008

Penthouse Media Group Inc., publisher of the well-known men’s publication, Penthouse Magazine, has acquired Various, Inc. which owns the leading adult meeting site, Adult FriendFinder, for $500 million in cash and securities.

Was this a good deal for Penthouse? Without knowing exactly what Various, Inc’s profits are - its projected 2007 revenues are $340 million - nor Penthouse’s expected return on investment (ROI) and timeframe for achieving that ROI… ONE simple calculation reveals that the FriendFinder network presents an extraordinary opportunity.

Here are the key statistics from Penthouse’s press release…

– The FriendFinder network has around 260 million free members. Pretty impressive, huh?

– The paid members number 1.2 million. Not bad…

For simplicity’s sake, let’s assume that each of the paid members is also a free member. What that means is that Various has been able to convert a whopping… 0.46% of free members into paid members! If we consider paid members to be additional to free members, the conversion rate is even lower.

So if the average conversion rate of 0.46% translates into $340 million in revenues overall… what would increasing that conversion rate to 1% mean? I don’t have enough data to know, but you can be sure that it would have a MASSIVE impact on profits.

Make no mistake. Various, Inc. appears to be a highly successful company. But with just a 0.46% conversion rate, it has been leaving a lot of money on the table. If Penthouse does nothing more than focus on increasing conversion rates across all the Various, Inc. media properties… it will have made a very good acquisition indeed.

Of course, whether Penthouse has that intention or capability, is a completely different story…

If there’s one genuine “thought leader” in the Internet marketing niche, it’s most certainly Rich Schefren.

Last year, starting with the Internet Marketing Manifesto, Rich brought out a series of reports that “told it how it is” when it comes to the chances of someone building wealth through selling on the web. Among other things, he made the distinction between “opportunist” on the lookout for the latest “get rich quick scheme” and the “entrepreneur” who genuinely wants to build a business that has and offers value. Needless to say, entrepreneurs are the ones who build lasting wealth… while opportunists end up with nothing but dreams that never get realized. Rich explains why in the Internet Marketing Manifesto and the reports that followed.

Earlier this year, Rich Schefren released the Attention Age Doctrine Part 1, and just now he’s followed it up with the Attention Age Doctrine Part 2.

==> Attention Age Doctrine Part 2

What can I say - the Attention Age Doctrine Part 2 is a must-read for anyone who wants an insight into the current trends in Internet marketing (and marketing in general). Rich has already shown exemplary foresight with his observations in previous reports. Just as convincing are the arguments he makes in the Attention Age Doctrine Part 2.

Arguments about what? Arguments about how to build a successful business FAST… despite the mounting competitive pressures you face online.

Along with Eben Pagan, who I’ve mentioned in a previous post, Rich Schefren is one of the few Internet marketing authorities - or, if you prefer “Internet marketing gurus” - who I listen to. I urge you to do the same. Get the report here:

==> Attention Age Doctrine Part 2

And let’s discuss some of it in future posts.

Here’s a “report” called: “The PETE Report: An Expose Of An Industry Gone Wrong”:

==> The PETE Report

“PETE” stands for “Pink Elephant Truth Exposed” and the report supposedly reveals a few home truths about Internet marketing that, apparently, the “gurus” don’t want you to know…

Like the fact that only 4% of Internet marketers many any substantial money from their efforts. (Read the report to find out what this figure is - you might be surprised).

I’m not sure where this figure comes from, or how statistically reliable it is, but it sounds about right.

Of course, this report is simply a prelude to selling you… yet another Internet marketing course or program. And if you look at the opt-in page, and the report itself, with all the glaring fonts and tick-boxes you’ll see that it’s just as hypey as everything else in the Internet marketing niche.

Well, if that’s what gets people to opt-in, read the report, and ultimately buy what follows, I guess that’s to be expected. (And heck, the only reason I know about it is because I joined the affiliate program!)

Still, the report doesn’t really reveal anything particularly mindblowing. If anything it skirts the true pink elephant in the room: that the main reason why so many people “fail” in Internet marketing has much, much more to do with THEM and much less to do with what the Internet marketing gurus teach or don’t teach.

As the saying goes:

“You can lead a horse to water… but you can’t make it drink.”

Here’s the report:

==> The PETE Report