Joe and Dean,
This week I read a blog post(http://www.chrisbrogan.com/3bd/) about selecting 3 books and really using those books over the next year to REALLY dive into. This sounds like something amazing for me since over the past 2 years, I have noticed myself rushing as fast as possible to finish and not using the book the way the author meant the book to be used. I have created some competition in my head to see how many books I can finish in a certain time.
So this blog post by Chris Brogan really intrigued me. I started thinking this would be a good commitment to take.

My 3 books would be on these topics and ideas so far:
1. A thought book:
a. The world according to Mr. Rogers
b. The Essential Rumi
c. Ask and it is given by Ester and Jerry Hicks

2. The last two books, I want to find two books that will assist me in understanding how people think to improve my presentations of my products and helping the client solve their problem. Also I want to find a book that has actions I am able to put into practice to improve the results of my business.

a. ILM 50 podcast book
b. 4 hour work week
c. Impact Equation by Chris Brogan
d. The Art of Speed Reading People
e. Influence by Robert B. Cialdini
f. The War of Art By Steven Pressfield
g. Spin Selling

Do you have any thoughts on this process or any suggestions on other books?

Thank you
Mike

JT, I get what your’re saying about bringing on friends who are there to only increase their exposure. Joe and Dean do this because the guest will reciprocate in some way, some how. The interviews are somewhat interesting conversations and entertaining. However, they do not teach you anything of real value for marketing purposes.

Yeah, they have a general nugget here and there but only to cover up the truth of their visit. The lesson here is how to use other people’s lists —which is a very valuable lesson in itself. Unfortunately you have to figure this out yourself and you waste time listening to every interview.

Sadly almost all listeners don’t even see the ploy and worse yet don’t learn the hidden lesson. The guests are thought leaders but they’re here to be promoted and later sell you $2,000 courses on whatever they teach. I avoid the friends interviews because they aren’t worth the time for marketing value…it’s just a one hour ad. The friends have incredible business, tactic and strategy insights but you have to pay big bucks to get them.

Sometimes you feel like you’re getting great value from the guests but it is another hidden lesson. “Tell them what to do, not how to do it.” You get seemingly great and free actionable advice but when you sit down and do it yourself, you are stuck. To get unstuck you have to pay the piper $1K, $2K for a product (or $20k or whatever they charge for being in their mastermind group.) Joe and Dean do this, too, with this podcast which is an ad for the ILM conferences and their own products.

The reason for the constant “free” talk is because it is a tactic. Another hidden marketing lesson. I agree, it is annoying as all hell, especially from Joe, because there is little free of importance being dispensed as ILM drags on for so many episodes. But if they say it, then people will believe it. This comes from the late and great, Gary Halbert, and still-kicking master Dan Kennedy; they instruct gurus that they have to continually remind their minions what they are providing, how great they (the gurus) are, tell them how wonderful the material is, how lucky they are, etc. This will have the minions parroting the BS to others and instill deeper commitment to their guru.

About the carpet cleaner and real estate comment. Per Kennedy, your (the student’s) job should be… how to take what is taught and find a way to apply it to your business… not find a way to dispel it. This is a very powerful statement that Kennedy makes at many of his conferences/courses. If Joe and Dean would do it here, they may not have as many people sick and tired of the cleaner and agent and restaurant examples. I’m fine with it because I accept the premise from Kennedy.

FYI- Joe and Dean are direct response guys so expecting general marketing talk is not to be expected. I like the original thought behind this podcast but it has strayed as described above.

I have paid for Joe and Dean’s (and other gurus’) products. And many times they have been worth every penny because I used them! The podcasts here are a cute method to increase their list and sell to them (listeners) but offer little in terms of making huge leaps when it comes time to implement. These podcasts are designed to convert you into a believer so you are prime to be sold to.

About the “fresh content” comment. I agree. They are not providing enough freshness. They have to keep pounding some of the main strategies and tactics so that it’ll get through the listener’s head but there also has to be fresh content along with it. Kennedy teaches this. But Joe, who learned a ton from him, enjoys blabbing the “you want a new idea when you haven’t used the old idea” dribble. It is demeaning to listeners. And it’s tiring.

I check back here often to see how things have developed but it’s only getting worse. Save your time and skip the ILM podcast. Just buy the conference material and spend the time implementing that instead of pretending that you accomplished something by listening to this podcast.

It may seem like I’m railing into the ILM podcast but in reality this is the best type of comment and review that will sell more thousand dollar ILM conference DVDs. I heavily critiqued the free BS but still heavily recommended the paid product.

I could write for hours about the hidden lessons here and lessons from these and other gurus but not many will read it or even appreciate it… and I need to get back to a wonderful old course I’m re-reading from Dean that is perfect for my current project.

holy smokes that is probably the longest post in ILM history

This podcast delivers real value and a lot of practical stuff you can implement right now.

Of course at the end of the day Joe and Dean would also recommend you premium products. Would you anyway listen to people who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk?

Joe and Dean, keep up with this excellent podcast!

I am rather surprised by the ingratitude expressed on this particular thread.

I have learned a lot from Joe and Dean’s weekly efforts … and recording a Podcast every week is no small feat!

Every Podcast contains valuable information. I would agree that some weeks … e.g. the ad clinics, case studies, checklists and ESPECIALLY this edition … are more valuable than others, but every edition has some nuggets of value from both Joe/Dean and their guests.

Are they frequently trying to sell or promote something? Sure, but that is to be expected. If you are marketing properly and effectively, YOU too should be offering something for free … along with your sales pitch.

You just have to edit what you hear/read, regardless of what it is. E.g. I am also an avid Dan Kennedy newsletter subscriber … AND a Democrat … so I tune OUT Dan’s [monthly offensive] political rantings and just focus on the marketing meat of what he says. (Dan is well-qualified to give me marketing advice, but not to indoctrinate me, politically).

The occasional slant towards real estate and carpet cleaning is also to be expected, as that’s where Joe and Dean’s foundational skills lie. However, such disparate expertise only goes to show that what is being taught will work in ANY business … IF you apply it.

Keep them coming Joe and Dean … and THANKS!