I wasn’t planning on doing this today, but I got sucked into a VERY compelling sales video… and the rest is history 😉
I don’t blame anyone for creating a persuasive video. I make them for my products, and I teach others to do the same. The problem is when they’re misleading (or if they’re so ambiguous that you can’t figure out what the product’s really about).
The product I am reviewing today is called One Minute Commissions, by Mike Auton. The name on the product is Rebecca Roberts, but from what I understand from the JV invitations I’ve seen, that’s basically a pen name for the actress/spokeswoman.
The product pitch made some very bold income claims, but what appealed to me the most was its apparent ease of use. It sounded exactly like the type of product that would be useful to many of my subscribers. So I went ahead and bought it for $46.00 so I could review it.
The payment processor is ClickSure, and it was my first time encountering them. It appears that they are attempting to compete with ClickBank, so I went ahead and signed up for an affiliate account too; perhaps I can report more about them later. It seems they are UK-based, and just entering the business. My credit card company called me within one minute of placing my order, to ask if it was fraudulent.
After ordering, I was taken into the upsell flow (aka One Time Offer), which is to be expected. Again, I have no problem with upsells. I do them myself, and I teach it as an effective marketing strategy. One of my recent launches contained the most aggressive upsell flow I’ve ever attempted, with multiple upsells, and it worked very well.
One Minute Commissions had a total of 5 upsell/downsell pages. My only problem with them was that the “No Thanks” link was hidden for a period of time to force you to watch part of the video on 3 of the pages. Other than that, the upsells seemed pretty typical and they did seem to be fitting with the main product (upsale for “Pro” version, etc.). I did not purchase any of the upsells.
The members area is well laid out, and easy to navigate. No problems there.
The training videos were very basic, but adequate. I had some problems playing the MP4 videos in my browser, so if you do purchase the product, I’d recommend doing a right-click and downloading the videos rather than streaming them in your browser.
The software itself (web based) is simple to use. It takes only a few minutes to employ the method, and I did not encounter any real problems while using it.
Here is a demo of me actually using this product (allow a moment for the video to load):
The software generates videos to promote ClickBank products (or Amazon products using their bonus software).
Those videos are then to be uploaded to YouTube, and traffic is to be obtained from organic Google results.
In theory, it’s a good idea. YouTube videos CAN be a great way to obtain Google rankings.
Unfortunately, the videos generated by this software are very spammy. They’re about 20 seconds long, and consist of one static image, with a random bit of background music.
This provides absolutely ZERO value to the end user, which means users of this software are basically spamming YouTube with these videos, and thus spamming Google with useless search results.
I’d be willing to bet that YouTube/Google will crack down on this practice, thus ensuring that it’s not a good long term strategy.
Therefore I do not recommend this product.
Here’s the good news…
With just a LITTLE more effort, you can use this strategy in an ethical and effective manner. Instead of using this auto-generator software, just get yourself some screen capture software (I recommend Camtasia, but there are free options like Camstudio).
Then for each product you want to promote, create a short review or commentary while you peruse the product and/or sales letter for that product. This way you’re actually providing something of value to the people who are searching for those products.
As always, you are welcome to leave your comments below.
Have a great day!
Thank you Eric for the great info.
Thanks Eric. I’m glad you reviewed that. I actually had not heard of it yet. But I have encountered similar products that do not produce the value they were supposed to produce. My guess is that the budget for software dev was quickly depleted and they wanted to ‘push’ the product out there and get it over with.
Good review.
I appreciate the honesty.
Thank you.
Thank you, Eric! This was probably the best and most honest product review I have ever read. Wasn’t planning on purchasing this, but your comments are well-heeded. Wish everyone would be as honest and loyal to subscribers as you are 😀
Eric,
It is crap like that which pretty much made me want to throw in the towel. I really feel countries that allow internet access need to have a police for or obtain jurisdiction to stop this junk.
The product you made, Traffic Mogul, along with Shawn gave me some hope, however I wasn’t down to outsource content because I was poor. Another product NOBODY talks about is ‘constant content : the google gift’ (unsure which network its on however the wso seems to have been taken down). I now write 5 articles per 45 minutes and it doesn’t feel like I did much at all, stellar product. Between that guy and you, you two can change the way business is done on here.
Kudos to calling out another POS product and thanks again for making Free Traffic Mogul. Look that other guy up, forgot his name but that’s the title
Thanks, Eric. I wish there would be more people like you who would give an honest review of all stuffs they buy, whether good or bad, not for the purpose of promoting it but more for the purpose of giving readers honest guidance.
Great review thanks people have been pitching this all week but something keep telling me not to think about buying this your review confirmed
what I was feeling .I did not like the quality of
the first video it looked bad to me unprofessional and the girl looked to staged like you said a paid spokes person.Thanks again for all you do for us.your honesty is refreshing.
Hi Eric I really appreciate the heads-up. Cheers Janice
Really appreciate both your honest review and your suggestions about how to use videos appropriately. Your emphasis on value to the end user is ethical and effective.
Thanks!
Thanks Eric I wish more of the Guru’s like yourself would do these reviews to let the little guy know whats up thanks agian later….
Thank you for the honest review. I actually just watched the video for this product recently and I was debating on buying it. Good advice and keep it up!
I bought the software along with the platinum upsell yesterday and created and uploaded 6 videos today. Personally I agree with you about the videos appearing spammy and for that reason, I really don’t see how they could be very effective, but we shall see over the next few days and weeks. However, I do like the overall concept though and I may decide to put a little more effort like you said and create better videos myself and just use the other tools OMC provided with the platinum because like you, I think YouTube/Google will crack down on it eventually especially if they start seeing a lot of spammy videos like that come up all of a sudden.
Thank you Eric for this review. I passed on this product for the same reason you don’t recommend it.
I consider you the best Internet Marketing Mentor on the internet. I recommend you on my blog and your integrity is why. Please continue to review these products and the killer lessons.
Well done Eric.
Perhaps Sean Donahoe should watch your review.
Thanks for the review Eric. I hadn’t heard of this product, but, I’m sure it won’t be long before one of the “guru’s” decides to promote it to one or more lists I’m on.
I love CamStudio, however, I did find a product that may be better. Nowhere near the 300+ for CamStudio. Once I have time to actually take it for a spin, I’ll see about giving it a review… Ü
Keep up the straight forward talk. It’s refreshing to say the least.
I wasn’t tempted, but I am impressed with you taking the time to write a thorough review. Thanks
CHEERS 4 You ERIC ; I’m PRAYING 4 You , that you will keep doing what you doing.Txs. Elias
Hi Penny, be sure to let us know how it works for you 🙂
Thanks for the heads up. It’s rare to encounter a marketer who is willing to tell it like it is A.K.A. “The Truth”.
Talk about timely…I watched the One Minute Commissions video last night. Luckily I have a habit of waiting a day before ordering, if it still sounds good the next day I MAY order. I was just about to do that but decided to check my emails. You just saved me $46.
I imagine that using this tool on massive scale could get your Youtube account banned. I sure would never use it. It’s pure spam.
Thanks so much Eric. This is a very timely review as I was just looking at purchasing this very product yesterday! I totally agree with you, the sales video is very compelling and, even thought it was quite long, I was so fascinated with it that I watched the entire promotion. However, as you so rightly say, this is, unfortunately, a deceptive YouTube spamming product. If it actually delivered, it would have been an excellent product. Perhaps some enterprising software developer out there in Cyber World can improve on it…
Thank you again, Eric. I am enjoying this relationship and the benefits of your integrity.
Thanks Eric
I have encountered ClickSure once before when I got sucked into buying a product called Commission CHeat by Sean Miller. ClickSure was OK but the product did not generate the results it promised. It was to do with promoting YouTube views of popular videos that would ultimately be framed by CB or Amazon affiliate links, the idea people would click on those links having watched the video. Needless to say it did not work and I got the refund. However, 2 months later I got a cold call from an American company saying they were calling because I bought this product and would I like to use their SEO services. So not only a crap product but my details were sold to another company. People who come across this product or this person be warned.
Eric, thanks for reviewing this product and informing us. Keep it up
Eric, you are one of the only people I trust in this industry.
Your set of values, charitable nature and honesty is radiating in every free lesson you offer, in any piece you write.
You are the kind marketer I hope one day to become.
How pity that there aren’t more Erics in this, often merciless and harsh, IM world.
Bravo,
D. More
You were too kind. This is a worthless product that will get your account banned by YouTube.
But I’ll bet you could produce a version that actually provides value to viewers…
Just take an EzineArticle (or other article) on the topic and turn it into a video presentation. Or even just read the salesletter with some bullet points on the video.
Erick,as usual, your honesty saved my day. I keep jumping from one “Scam” to another hoping I’ll be able to make any money.
I was just thinking about giving this a try, but after what I watched, “BIG NO”.
Your Honesty is a big help for a lot of people and it is very appreciated.
I hope that other “Gurus” follow your insights and don’t scam people just for the buck. It’s so bad for a Guru to lose his reputation over a few bucks here and there.
I’m planing to send a similar massage to those who sent me promotion for this spamming software.
Thank you.May God bless you and your family.
Eric, it’s good of you to do this review.
I have used Animoto free version to do a couple of videos.
Would you say these are spammy?
They have music, all the images you want to upload and a heading and short text line.
I use a link below.
Janny
Thanks for this Eric. After talking to a few people I decided to promote this product. They told me what it was and what it does however they left out the part of what the videos consist of.
I thought it was going to be a software something like Animoto. Well hopefully people will realize the technique is great, just create your own videos.
Thanks again Eric,
Leo
I was immediately hammered with multiple e-mails to view this product and after careful examination found that it was a shoddy presentation and most instances was very slow to load. I receive many of this quick rich programs that only try to escalate sales to themselves.
The e-book to 7 Traffic Getters has been around for awhile.
Thnkx almost bought product.
Thanks Eric,
Question, if you don’t use their videos, does their product have any value? I mean, can’t I make my own videos without their product? What value do they bring if I’m making my own videos?
Yes, I hate these sales pages that promise everything and actually produce nothing… It just shows you once again that there are sharks out there who are prepared to take your cash and know damn well that the service they provide will not help anyone.
I have been following your teaching emails and this review was great.What annoys me about a site like this, is that they are very persistent when you try to vacate them.
Good Job! Thanks for the head’s up.
As usual, Eric. I find you fair and balanced. Thank you for the review.
Hi Eric,
Thanks for the review. I was thinking of buying, as the concept sounded good, but as you say, the spammy end result gives no value and may not work long term. Thanks for stopping me from wasting another $46…
Hi Eric, What a great surprise!! I used to receive your excellent newsletter many years ago and for some reason, I just stopped getting them. I am not sure if it was something I did with no intent in my gmail account, or what but I’ll definitely get your messages back to my inbox. This review is excellent. Thanks for your service to the community. It is so awful how people is still using this deceptive techniques to make money out of people. It is completely counterproductive to the whole IM community. I hate, as a youtube surfer, to find this empty, spammy little pieces of crap called videos, and even more, I hate the tinyurl type of URLs.
So taking someone else’s article and turning it into a video is ok in your opinion?
No, in my opinion it doesn’t really have much value apart from the software. You can just make your own videos and do it on your own (or outsource it).
Eric, Thank you so much for the review. We seem to get goggle slapped a lot these days, or the potential to have goggle discredit a particular method. Again, Thank you for the heads up and I always look forward to reading your emails.
Hey Eric I really appreciate you doing a review on this product I wasn’t going to buy it anyway because I am just so sick and tired of these Dumb ass fake gurus promoting garbage like this on the internet and then you have these ignorant affiliates and jv partners promoting this to their list that is why I have unsubscribe their list. Eric thanks again
Eric, thanks for an honest and refreshing review, saves time and money. Must be a first, an IM blog post without affiliate links. Great Job!
I think a long time ago, EZA didn’t have a rule about using articles in videos, so it was technically OK as long as the author bio was intact. But now you cannot use EZA for audio/video. But you could probably find some other articles which may allow you to use them for video, as long as proper credit is given. Also an option would be PLR or your own articles.
Reading part of the salesletter with some bullet points is ethical IMO, because you’re an affiliate of the product, and you’re just trying to market it on hehalf of the vendor, so most vendors won’t mind. Of course it would be best to ask their permission first.
Pawel, thanks for the link on WF 🙂
Hi Eric,
I must admit that the sales video is very appealing! However, I don’t like the hyped up software that are promoted so I give it a miss… Like you said, this is just spamming youtube and I am sure Google will hunt down quickly…
Eric
Thanks for that review. Put it on my blacklist
For what it’s worth,you just got some bonus points Eric.Not only did you choose not to promote it but you also showed everyone why you wouldn’t recommend it.Great Job!
thanks a bunch, It looked very exagerated and phony. I saw the JV Page and am sick of all the Upsells. I can see having one or two Upsells, but that many just turns me off. I’m also surprised to see well known Marketers pushing this crap. Thanks again Eric, appreciate it
That’s a superb tip. Latest panda updates would crucify(sorry Eric i know yo u are religious)and de-index your sites in the blink of an eye