I’ve just got back from 3 days at the Internet Marketing Seminar in London, set up by the guys from Rip2It - Sean Roach and Pat Lovell.
And here’s what I got from it - And what you could get from going to Internet Marketing Seminars in the future …
Sean and Pat have clearly put a lot of energy into it all, so well done to them.
I went to their event last year in Coventry (but could only go for the Friday, because I had a very close friend’s wedding in Scotland so I literally ran out on Friday night straight to the airport). Last year it was just shy of £500 to attend. This year it was £97. Being cheaper than last year, I had figured and accepted the fact that the event organisers would be making their money from the speakers/presenters making pitches for their products and selling to the attendees across the 3-day event (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).
Hence, because I understood a little of the commercial structure of seminars, I figured before I went that it would be a bit of a pitch-fest.
And I wasn’t wrong. Every speaker had a product, and clearly the magic figure for maximum profit and order take-up was around the £999 mark - or at least an instalment with an initial payment of £999. Again, I didn’t really mind this because I had accepted this right from the get-go.
Here is my list I had written for myself before I went, as to what I wanted to get out of the weekend and what expected.
1. Learn some nuggets of information that will pay for the cost of being there - about £400 all in with the ticket, hotel and bar costs (yes, Friday night was fun - the Solpadeine painkillers I took certainly saved me and got me through Saturday!)
2. To meet interesting and like minded people. Working full time on the internet can be a slightly lonely place so it is important to get out there once in a while and meet others who are doing (or trying to do) what you are doing - If only for my own sanity and socialising.
3. Network with other people on a similar level to me, to potentially Joint Venture and do business together in the future.
I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
1. Information nuggets:
I did not get a huge amount of information, which I was a little bit disappointed about. Very few of the speakers really gave much away beyond what they needed to for their sales presentation.
Some did – Tim Brocklehurst of ‘My Viral Spiral’ fame gave an informative and well-honed presentation on viral marketing and the elements of it (Viral seeds, Viral triggers, Viral Slip and Viral Motivators).
My number one favourite in terms of information was Mark Anastasi - www.mark-anastasi.com – although it was a real shame he had more to give than he had to time to tell – he had to cut the last 15 minutes down into 5! Mark – if you read this, I’d love to get hold of your PowerPoint file (subject to NDA of course).
But I certainly did get a few good tips and ideas. Just one tip saved me hours of frustration.
Actually this is a good example of why it is good to meet other people and why they can help you reframe a problem …
Prior to the seminar I had realised that because I use Outlook Calendar to remind me of what to do when, I often get distracted when checking my Calendar with the email that then suddenly come in - and get pulled in with “I’ll just answer this one - oh and that one …” and before I know it I have lost an hour (if you ever suffer from this, or from lost time to emails - listen) …
So I had spent a fair few hours researching how I could separate the software of Outlook Calendar from Outlook emails. I spent hours on it … and got nowhere. I had figured I would research it again after the seminar.
I asked Sean Roach this as part of a Q&A sessions (Questions and Answers) live in the seminar hall.
His answer?
“Work Offline: In Outlook, go to “File” -> “Work Offline”.
This stops the emails coming in - and hence they cannot distract me while I am in total-focus mode.
Doh!
So that answer alone stopped me wasting more of my valuable time. I would say that alone was probably worth the £97 cost of the admission ticket - just in my saved time.
It is also a good example of looking for the wrong thing by asking the wrong question.
Anyway, that certainly helped, so thank you Sean!
Overall, of the 3 criteria I listed above, it was the information that was a little low this year. Apparently next year they are toying with the idea of a much higher entrance ticket price, with no pitch-fest of each presenter selling products - so I would certainly be interested in that.
Personally I would suggest a ticket price of £999 plus no more than 3 products being sold and only the very best products - maybe the top-3 best sellers from this year.
Anyway, I am about to spend the next few days writing up my notes so I can consolidate everything and put the information into actionable steps. And that is what counts to me. Actionability (I got my grammar lessons from a Mr G. W. Bush).
2. Interesting like-minded people:
I certainly met many such people - and really, this is what seminars are about, beyond just the information. If you ever get the opportunity to go to seminars - jump at the chance - if only for this reason.
We had a very entertaining time of it in the bar on Friday night. It’s always very informative to meet other internet marketing of all different levels, and find out what they are doing and generally chew the cud on the state of the market etc.
You can often find out trends in peoples’ need – and therefore create products to help that need.
It is also inspiring to be around other people who are passionate and driven to provide value and make money on the internet.
For example, one guy called Alan, from Ireland, had given up an 8-generation family Butcher business to go fully online and make his fortune.
His tagline and next book will be “Butcher to Billionaire” – I love it! Good luck Alan – I genuinely hope you get there – go for it!
KEY TIP: (and this is so blindingly obvious but so often missed)
Create and offer value – the money will follow.
3. Network for potential Joint Ventures:
Again, it’s all about people. Finding out what they do and how what they do might tie-in in some way to what you do - and how you can help each other.
I met a chap for the first time, called Chris Freville and we spoke a few times about internet marketing in general etc - and it wasn’t until the Sunday that the coin suddenly dropped - that he had written the “Web 2.0 Stampede” book which I purchased, and is next on my “To read” list – by all accounts and recommendations a very good book. So there might be potential in the future for us to do business together, as he has produced some very good products which might help a growing number of people. Chris, if you get this - hi - drop me a line.
Plus a number of other people that either I could help - that they could help me – or we could both benefit.
All in all a worth while event.
Hard work and intense, but definitely worth while.
It will take me a few days to mentally process it all and come out with a strategy plan.
So if you ever get a chance to attend an Internet Marketing seminar – GO.
I’ll most likely see you there.
Please ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW. Have you ever been to I.M. Seminars? How did you find it? What do you think?
P.S. A relevant funny for you …
This was played at the seminar – to show the joys (or not) of having a job, and not working for yourself and having your own business …
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjhi_FHxY8k&NR=1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_O_5ef49N5I
