Is This Program a Rip Off?

I’m just going to warn you up front: this blog post will be unlike what you’re used to reading here. And I’m not sorry – it’s way past due. This post is not on my marketing calendar – nor does it “fit in” with our current discussion of how you can take a vacation without your business falling apart. Except it does kinda fit because too many businesses are creating passive income so they can live “on vacation” forever.

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For weeks now I’ve been knee deep in several forums, reading about how business coaches are disappointing their clients. These former students are speaking up and saying “this is a rip off” and “they are selling a dream, not the tools to accomplish it.”

And these are coaches who you would recognize – those with big names, popular followings and self proclaimed authentic businesses whose audiences seem to be speaking up (albeit anonymously) and calling bullshit.

I’m not going to link to the forum.

I’m not going to name names.

But if you’ve been let down, ripped off, fooled, or taken advantage of by a coach then keep reading. This is for you.

Why read these forums in the first place?

While I’m not going to quote directly from or link to comments, I will say that there’s a reason they exist and it’s because bloggers and business owners are banning negativity. These so called “non disparagement clauses” for programs is overstepping from preventing libel and disparagement to all out censorship.

The only reviews they’ll allow are from affiliates and overwhelmingly positive.

The only feedback they’ll accept are flattering and full of praise.

Entrepreneurs who want to stay in the flow of positive self worship need to understand the difference between abuse and opinions. If you can’t hear, address and stand up to legitimate criticisms of your programs then maybe you shouldn’t be in the public eye. Entrepreneurship requires a tough skin, not a tough legal disclaimer preventing people from telling you the truth.

Why is “no negativity” so dangerous?

Well, duh, if we’re going to prevent people from giving their opinion then the words “controlling” and “manipulative” come to mind. This is the reason why Yelp is under fire – paying to hide negative reviews is abusing the system so why should we condone businesses eliminating similar criticisms entirely?

Not to mention if no one is allowed to tell you about weaknesses in your program then you’re going to be deluded into believing that there are none.

In addition to preventing their students, current or past, from sharing true reviews, coaches and teachers are almost universally accused of recycling content and providing little original value then packaging this as “what worked for me” and “putting my spin on it.”

How can people charge so much for unoriginal content?

Well, in some cases they lie, but most of the time they promise to provide a unique outlook or delivery that sets them apart from all the other teachers out there.

Some basic courses like this are needed, especially for beginners who don’t know what they don’t know yet.

However, you can make up your own terms, change the look and even the format but when it comes down to it a marketing pie is a marketing pie. And the audience is becoming wiser and less willing to spend thousands of dollars for basic content.

The world is changing from one where facts and knowledge are sold to one of selling inspiration.

The problem, as I’ve said for years now, is that inspiration without implementation, without action, is just a dream. Content is just the starting point, or should be, for education and growth. After all, you can know everything about the internal combustion engine but if you never put your hands on one then it’s unlikely to help you become a qualified mechanic.

Two things need to happen in the teaching realm: business owners need to be clear about the content they’re teaching so students who have already been there, done that can say “pass”, AND when you’re shopping for support, take personal responsibility for understanding what kind of content is being offered and if it fits your unique needs.

What should be offered instead?

Honestly, the real problem I see here is that an obsession with “passive income” has resulted in overpriced programs that don’t deliver support. And for the most part these programs promise “community” and “inspiration” and “networking” but very little in terms of “action you can take to grow your business and improve your life.”

Listen, Hollywood isn’t producing movies with 1980s CGI for a reason. Car companies are continually pushing the envelope (hello Tesla!) and improving features and safety standards. No one wants to buy an iPhone Gen 1 anymore and there’s a reason Apple doesn’t sell them. But the industries that refuse to innovate and keep up are going down.

Blockbuster. Sears. Yellow Pages. Programs that don’t update content.

B.S. Programs: Whose responsibility is it?

While it is my sincere desire that fellow business owners, coaches, teachers and marketers will see this post and change (hint: if you’re reading this and your feelings get hurt, it’s for you.), I’m not banking on it. Because as long as someone is paying and no one is complaining, per their own terms and conditions, then they’ll continue to believe everything is okay.

So it’s up to the consumer to stop believing someone else can exercise for us. It sounds ridiculous right? You wouldn’t trust a personal trainer who says “pay me and I’ll work out for you.” and yet every day we’re believing those who promise “buy my program and it will just happen.”

There’s a damn big difference between teaching and implementation.

Someone can teach you what to cook for healthy dinners, but they’re not signing on to go shopping, cook, serve you and do the dishes.

Someone can inspire you to dream up a new product, but they’re not going to do the research, raise the funding, test the product and market it for you.

And someone can even teach you about how important it is to blog, but not show you step by step how to get started so you actually have a blog of your own.

We have to be clear about what we sell and what we’re buying.

Yes, it’s cheaper to work with a coach than an implementation team. Wanna know why? Because the implementation team is going to do more work.

Yes, it’s cheaper to buy The Atkins Diet than it is to hire a nutritionist and personal chef – for the same reason.

That “rip off” program? Maybe the marketing was unclear, but maybe we need to stop buying shortcuts and invest in the businesses that are willing to earn active income. By working with clients and providing real value.

Because for every person who felt “ripped off”, there was another member who got great value. We shouldn’t silence these voices, because understanding and investing in what your business needs most is how you’re going to grow.

/endrant