But How Far Do You Go To Make A Sale?
I recently threw away a weeks work as an affiliate, on a product launch by not recommending the product on launch day - what an idiot! I had Yahoo’s top two spots, and 2 places on Google’s first page and the Top 4 for Google Australia for the product title search.
My landing page invited emails from interested parties as to why I was not recommending the latest, greatest, must have program for affilliates to make money through adwords campaigns.
I was inundated with emails.
My point here is only that this is how I became friends with G.
G is the mother of three kids under 10 - one of them is about a month younger than my toddler. She and her husband both work full time and she is studying part time. They hate their jobs but they are in debt.
G is trying to make money online to get out of debt and get a life more like the one she dreams of.
Now Wait - this was a long and boring post so I sent an email to G and asked her if I could I post our email correspondence from the other day and she said yes - so here it is almost completely unedited:
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 17:28:07 -0700 (PDT)
From:G <g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G<g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Mentor?
To: ME
Hey Robyn,
I need some quick advice, I have been contacted about getting a mentor, through Shawn Casey. Do you recommend this, there is a cost for this but they guarantee profits within 3-6 months.
What do you think?
Thanks G
From: “ME>
To: G <g@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:50:31 PM
Subject: Re: Mentor?
Hi G,
Firstly don’t rush any decision, no matter how “urgent” the sales
letter, cause remember that’s what it is.
How much is it?
Who will be your mentor?
How many others will that person be mentoring?
What is the program?
Remember that $1 more than expenditure is a profit.
Get back to me,
Cheers Robyn
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 17:55:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: G <g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G <g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: ME
Hey Robyn,
Thanks for responding, well they actually called me about it.
I signed up for Shawn Casey’s free email letter and I checked that I would like some additional information on how to have a successful internet business or something. So they called me on my phone tonight and he said that I had been preapproved for a loan from HSBC bank for $4800 which would take care of the first six months, they seem to want me to make a quick decision. He said very few are excepted into the program and they want to deal with people who are serious about making money online. They didnt give me the specifics of who was doing the mentoring, they said it was one of Shawn Casey’s expert trainers and that I would be on the road to making profits within 3 months of mentoring.
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:04:19 +1000
From: ME
Reply-To: ME
Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: G<g@yahoo.com
G,
They arranged a pre-approval from HSBC for you?
$4800 for the first 6 months?
No specifics?
Quick decision?
-alarm bells are RINGING here.
Unsubscribe from that email list is my advice and if you get another
phone call tell them you’re looking into how they dare get a loan
pre-approved for you!
This is out-f***ing-rageous!
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:21:06 +1000
From: ME
Reply-To: ME
Subject: Fwd: Re: Mentor?
To:g@yahoo.com
G,
Sorry for the outburst I have calmed down…
Can you tell me who you spoke to? Have you received any related emails?
I’d have to research it but I think HSBC have one of the highest
interest rates around.
I really think it’s very bad to be marketing to you so directly, with
such intensity and urgency.
Please keep talking to me about this.
You got into internet marketing to start making money, not giving it
to people who think they can exploit your hopes and dreams.
Much Concern,
Robyn
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 18:09:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: G<g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G<g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fw: Mentor?
To: ME
Oh yeah HSBC is expensive I saw that the interest rate was 22.99 % or something to that affect.
I am so thankful for your advice and I looked up some information online and found some
information on scams involving this type of things . I am on the phone with them now !
I will get back with you.
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:22:36 +1000
From: ME
Reply-To: ME
Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: G <g@yahoo.com
Please get names and web addresses and company names and right them down!
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 18:26:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: G<g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G<g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fw: Mentor?
To: ME
I was on the phone with the admissions rep and he is supposed to close the deal. Oddly enough he sounds like the same guy ! I was listening to all of his mumbo jumbo when my baby started crying, he is supposed to call me back. He said that my program will cost $4690.00 and he was about to break that down, at the end of the conversation I am supposed to accept or decline, the man that I spoke to prior to this one said that they needed people who didnt have to talk to thier spouse.
The first rep Jerry called me from 208-356-6867 (Idaho) and he said that he wanted to see if I was prequalified to enter thier exclusive program, so he told me to go to https:// hsbc.prospering.com/terms.php and enter my student id which was XXXXXXX and password: XXXXX and he told me to fill in the missing information, little did I know that it was actually going to run my credit report. (I should have known but I am not used to this) then he told me that I have been approved up to $4800.00 and that I would be able to take advantage of the program with little to no out of pocket money. He said that I could make money using other people’s money (my credit cards0 which still is my money that I will have to pay back with intrest. He asked me what my goals were and why I wanted to achieve online and he said that he
needed me to make the following committments:
- Time - 10 hours per week
- Tuition- I could choose aggressive range (10-25K) investment , conservative, 4-8k or in the middle 9-12k just depends on how much I wanted to succeed
- Motivation and Decision making- he was really big on this one he said that he needed someone that could make a decision on this and get started right away, he kept asking if I could make this decision without my husband,
- Open minded and teachable
He said that his job was just to recommend me but that the enrollment counselor had the final say so on whether I was accepted or not and that they were very selective over who they chose to participate in these programs and that he had to recommend me to the admissions counselor who would make the final decision.
The admissions counselor just called me back and I didnt answer the phone, I am so distraught that I got myself into this, I cant tell my husband because he already dosent fully approve. I am in disbelief that after telling these people about my financial condition and motivations, hopes, and dreams that they would try to exploit and scam me! I am also concerned because my information was entered on that site. I am heading over to shawn casey’s mailing list and unsubcribing.
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 18:55:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: G<g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G <g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Mentor?
To:ME
Oh Yeah Robyn,
The admissions counselor Jake Butikofer just left me a message to give him a call back at 1-877-634-7311 ext 5605. I dont have the last name of the first rep he referred to himself as Jerry from Shawn Casey’s office at ext 5611. I plan to call Mr. Butikofer back and leave him a message stating that I am not interested in the offer and to remove my name from thier lists. I will see if I can find the emails that I recieved and will forward them accordingly.
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:09:43 +1000
From: ME
Reply-To: ME Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: G<g@yahoo.com>
G,
I doubt very much whethar Shawn Casey has anything to do with this.
Tell the people when you call you’ll be contacting Shawn Casey with
all this information to let him know what he is being associated with.
If he is involved I hope he (**** too malicious ****).
These people disgust me.
I’m sure you have not started internet marketing with what very little
spare time you have because you are bored.
I’m certain you can’t afford $4800.
I’m certain if their course was legitimate they’d encourage you to
take your time, look at the details, ask questions, talk to your
spouse, talk to people online.
I’m certain this is a scam.
Don’t feel bad just do what ever you have to do to get these people to
understand you are not interested, you are mad and you are thinking of
screaming scam all over the net.
They’ll leave you alone.
Talk later,
Robyn
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 16:53:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: G <g@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: G <g@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: ME
Hey Robyn,
I left Mr. Butikofer a voicemail letting him know that I was not interested in his program after doing some research I decided that the program was not for me. He left me a voicemail on today in which he said he was amazed that I wouldnt be interested in a program that I knew about and what could have happened between the time he and the other rep spoke with me. He then said oh well if you arent interested then thats fine, we only want people who want to make changes to their situations and want to succeed online and then he ended by saying if you want to talk further give me a call back. I thought to myself this dosent seem like the same program where people are just dying to get in and there are only a select few out of thousands that are chosen to participate. Anyways I am becoming a lot wiser and I need to be careful of the email list I sign up to these people are out for blood !
Well I am glad that is over …. (personal stuff)
Thank you so much for all of your help Robyn 
G
Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:20:13 +1000
From: ME
Reply-To: ME Subject: Re: Mentor?
To: G<g@yahoo.com>
Oh G,
You are so welcome and I am really glad you came to the conclusions you did.
It’s tough navigating your way through this minefield - so many just
get taken advantage of and it sucks because there are opportunities
but they require work. There’s no magic formula.
Robyn
Tags: hsbc, hsbc prospering, hsbc prospering com, making money online, marketing scams, shawn casey, shawn casey mentor, shawn casey mentor program scam, shawn casey scam
Entries (RSS)
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog.
Tim Ramsey
Poor G - I remember being that naive once. Fortunately she has someone to give her good advice
thats weird because I worked with Shawn Casey and his mentors, with HSBC and everything is going great. I was able to pay back the tution before the monthly payments with HSBC even started.I guess I went in to this knowing that I had to work it, and that it wasnt a magic formula but you do have to do the work. You just need to do you research well and if you do you can find companys that really out to help( and SC really is) Sorry that it didnt work for you guys. But good luck finding something that will and when you do let me know. Thanks Jimmy
Jimmy - I’m glad that things are going great for you with this program.
One of my main issues with this Shawn Casey Mentoring Program and many more like it revolves around this: If this is a legitimate program surely people are queing up to get in and if so why the high pressure sale tactics directed at a new to marketing, struggling, wife, student and mother of three?
If its a legitimate program why is it necessary to make a decision at the end of a phone call?
If its a legitimate program why is it necessary to not discuss with your spouse?
If its a legitimate program why not disclose who the mentor will beand how many students they are currently mentoring?
If its a legitimate program why not encourage thoughtful and thorough research into it?
And why on earth push payment through an HSBC loan?
I’m sure it’s double pronged win for the “Shawn Casey Mentors”. A very tasty affiliate agreement with HSBC prospering no doubt, as well as the payment for mentoring. Talk about making money with other people’s money!
Thanks for your comments and here’s wishing you continued success!
Robyn
Hi,
many people would love to make loads of money from the net. Some people are gullible and fall for such scams as identified in this post. I have always said that people should investigate before putting any cash forward. Do searches on the net and you will be surprised to what you find.
The thing I’ve learned is that you have to spend money to make money. Sounds funny but thats the truth.
I was searching for online student loan consolidation money at google and got your post Want to Make Money Online Right? | web hosting blog in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read
Really? It must have been on about page 50!
Thanks for attempting to make it relevant to what you want it to be.
Perhaps if you come back and make some kind of valid comment about the actual post I’ll allow the link.
Cheers,
Robyn
The above article is interesting. I did not want to wait until my company laid me off before doing something, I am so thankful that there is a company that does not make false promises.The G person said that they are a high pressured sales approach and they do not make you have your spouses approval. I joined the Shawn Casey mentoring program, and got a business loan with HSBC Bank. It was the only option I had in getting in this program. I was about 100% maxed on my credit cards and had very little savings. Before I could even talk to the Senior Director The consultant sent me to do as much research as I needed, and my wife had to be on the line and know exactly what kind of program I was doing. They would not let me move forward even though I told tham it was my decision. I was able to do all the research I wanted before making any committments to the Shawn Casey mentoring program. I am working hard and doing what I said I was going to do. It has not been easy and I have had to put the effort in required to make money online, but I have. If you are looking for an easy way to make money online, good luck. G, Do your own research! The mentoring program I am doing through Shawn Casey has a gaurentee in writing, that as long as I follow through with my commitments then they will work with me at there cost until I make my investment back. If you think that making money online takes very little effort on your part then you are in the wrong business. Do something else. Get another job if you need too.