If you are working on your Legend Platform then you will want this special report

Here's the example were using for tonight's call: Jim Katsoulis' Legend Platform

Jim Katsoulis is tonight's special guest and you can see his amazing product here.

To listen to my call tonight with me getting dropped off and calling back as a participant, or me with Dave Navarro, you must have your bridge # (938### [check your email for last three digits]) from my emails inviting you to listen...PLEASE NOTE: after you enter your info, the top of the page has a confusing form asking for members to sign in...scroll down the page and you'll see the two recordings, then click on the play buttons. Thank you.

1. To listen past conference calls online, go to the following link:
   http://freeconferencing.liveoffice.com/free-conferencing-recording.html
2. Enter your information along with the bridge number and this logs you in and takes you to the page with the recordings...just scroll down and look on the left (please ignore the blanks asking for phone number here)
   
3. Click on play button > to listen
   

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http://greatinternetmarketing.com/backofroom.htm

THE POWER OF NEGATIVE PUBLICITY

You are a reader. In an attention economy, I can make a living if I hold enough eyeballs. I'm hoping you're a writer that will write about me and bring more eyeballs here. Thank you.

It is in my higher interest to be entertaining. I had to remind myself that negative publicity is very entertaining.

Ever read CrapAuthors.com? These jokesters take pride in their ability to destroy a book and its author. Last year I had the dubious distinction of being a featured author on CrapAuthors (see link). Of course this happened about the same time I was being slammed on an Internet board where I had been the subject of a feature interview two months earlier (RINF.com). I was scared. RINF was scared and they changed the intro to my featured article to distance themselves from me.

I had heard the adage "no publicity is bad publicity." But, my confidence stumbled as I read comments on boards like:
"...makes a great gift for someone you dislike."
"I would use this book as toilette paper...but I'm afraid my ass would give me hemorrhoids in protest."
"...the literary equivalent to nails on a chalkboard..."

My sales had been steadily rising but these words would surely grind everything to a halt. I had heard the adage "no publicity is bad publicity." But, I didn't truly know it would work for me.

A couple days ago I made a goof and sent an email to my entire list that was meant for a list of 60. I addressed about 4,000 people as "Dear Non-Buyers" Woops. Not only was this rude to folks who had just invested in Think Two Products Ahead, it was a notweworthy error that made a few online marketing boards. To those authors...THANK YOU!

I was scandalous.

The title of this essay let’s you know what happened…my sales went up. I mean way up. I had been averaging selling 20 books a week. I sold 300 books the week the Crap Author review went up, more than any other promotional stunt I had yet to pull off.

Here’s how I handled this media event—I fought back. When somebody made a vacuous criticism of my book, I asked my detractors to elaborate their perspectives. If I didn’t hear back, I’d spell-out their inaccuracies.

I used the opportunity to email other authors and explain what was happening to me,--In the following three weeks, I was invited to contribute essays to two books that were published this year.

In replying to readers, I learned that harsh criticism encouraged my fans on those forums to step forward and plead my case. Readers would plead my case when I kept my replies short and SWEET. The testamonials of these fans outweighed the criticism of my detractors.

I made mistakes. I learned to take the high ground. When somebody sassed me and I was sassy back, my quote haunted me from site to site. Google is a powerful tool allowing me to indentify possible target audiences. However, Google also allows spurned readers to locate where I'm currently posting.

Allow me to recap, by being the focus of extreme scrutiny, my immediate sales went up and I’ve secured future exposure. Not bad. Publicity is good. Bad publicity may be even better. But the important lesson is to stand up tall when there is a media event going on. In hindsight, the smartest thing I did was to recognize and call out a media event. I went around emailing folks about my media event which helped sustain, validate and actually increase my media event.

In an attention economy, readers are gold, regardless of what they are reading about you.

What is iT?

http://greylodge.org/gpc/?p=558

Poker Without Cards was downloaded over 300,000 times, but less than 500 copies sold.

I created a buzz, but no list and no money. I was spreading The Bucky Virus, a virus that Google suggests died. I could worn you, This Is Not A Game.

Lesson 1) Avoid negativity.
Lesson 2) Careful of labels.
Lesson 3) Cheeky doesn't play in email.

I really wasn't thinking. I wrote an email that I'm now catching a ton of well deserved excrement. I sent an email to folks who hadn't purchased Think Two Products Ahead saying "Dear Non-Buyers" with a subject of $0 Book, First 100...

I wasn't giving away Think Two Products Ahead. I was promoting my first novel.
http://greylodge.org/gpc/?p=558

What we project is what gets reflected to us. I received some nasty emails. All of which I replied to with apologies.

I'm surprised people were so upset.

Some friend shot me an email directly with "What were you thinking?" I owe them thank you notes.

One person suggested I write about what we can learn from the pornography. I'd like to honor that request herein...
I'm not above taking lessons from wherever I can. The porn industry drives new technology platforms like VCRs, DVDs and this is happening right now with PSP. If I were launching a new technolgy platform...I'd align myself with the major porn players to make sure my platform played their smut.

You see, I'm in this for the money. Unfortunately, my head wasn't on straight and I goofed. I'm sorry. I wish I HADN'T BEEN a downer. Folks took offense to being called a non-buyer, going on at length at what they bought from other folks.

WOW! I hit a nerve. Houston, we have a problem.

Consider this fact and then read Bill's quote from 13 years ago: *Media Week reported that in 2004, 99.9% of complaints about TV, other than the Super Bowl, came from one source. Meidaweek.com, December, 2004

The truth is, the majority of people are very reasonable. They don't write letters when something offends them on TV. `Cause reasonable people know that IT'S JUST F -kIN' TELEVISION! And not only that, reasonable people HAVE A LIFE!'[note: 'kin' above is for fragile standards] -Bill Hicks 1993 Quoted from Love All The People

I'm wrestling with my negative optism.

I want to make more money. I like money. I'm a money magnet. I can be sarcastic or rich but its tough to be both.

Peace be with us all.

Thank you for your considerations.

Ben