Five Ways to Spot a Real Guru

It’s April Fools Day, so what better time to discuss scammers, right?

Why is it that face-to-face contact makes people so much more trustworthy? Is it just harder to lie when you are expected to look someone in the eyes? Or is there something else to it? The world has had scammers for as long as it has had humans, but the internet has become a playground for people who may not have otherwise been able to be dishonest. One of the hardest-hit groups, when it comes to being conned, are those looking to learn about internet marketing.

There are folks who make six figures a year online who share some of their secrets. These generous (sometimes) few decided to share some of their secrets to give others the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. But how can you tell if a “guru” is the real deal or just a wannabe hoping you’ll take the bait? It isn’t an easy task, but my experiences have helped me come up with a list of ways to spot the real gold in a sea of fools.

• Is Their Free Information Helpful?
  
  The real gurus give it away. Sure, not all of it and not all of them, but you can definitely judge a guru by the free info he shares. A prime example of a genuine guru with a proven record and outstanding content is Yaro Starak. If you haven’t read Entrepreneurs Journey then go add it to your RSS reader right now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Okay, did you do it? Good.
  
  Yaro shares information in his blog for which most internet marketers would charge a premium price. You can just imagine what Yaro’s premium priced membership sites have to offer. Just in case you can’t, though, I will tell you that Yaro is the real deal. For less than a nice meal out a month, Yaro will share his road to success step-by-step. He’s honest that it takes work, doesn’t sugar-coat the difficult stuff and his lessons are clear and always original.
  
  If you aren’t convinced by his blog, check out his Blog Profits Blueprint. And, no, that isn’t some kind of affiliate link. Some guys would write a report like that, sell it for $97 and be all tapped out. Not Yaro. His paid information overdelivers. If you encounter a guru who gives you a free report that leaves you cold, I suggest your trust your inner thermometer and head to a warmer climate.
• Do They Call Their Successes by Name?
  
  Let’s start with an example on this one. You are looking at a $97 ebook about affiliate marketing. The guy who write it claims to make five figures a month from a few emails and a blog post. While this scenario is entirely plausible, it is not commonplace. So how do you know you are looking at the real thing and not just a wannabe?
  
  Before you hand over your plastic (virtually, of course), read his sales page carefully. Does his claim of having a persuasive, popular blog check out? Does he discuss specific markets or programs in which he has been particularly successful? Or maybe he is claiming to be saving all the information for the ebook. Don’t bet on it. If you want another example of a real guru, check out Zac Johnson, super affiliate. He shares information on what works for him, proves he is being paid and has built quite a blog based on teaching his craft.
• What does Google say?
  
  With the internet, you have the world at your fingertips. With Google, you have the minutiae of the world indexed at your fingertips. Any internet guru worth your money is going to be indexed. Do a search for his name or product. Right away you will know what he says and, more importantly, what is being said about him. There is no reason to be blindsided by a crap product in the information age. If people can use it to scam you out of your money, you can damn sure use it to keep your money from being wasted.
• Are the Testimonials for Real?
  
  There will always be a boatload of testimonials on any sales page. That is just the way it’s done. Social proof is an important method of gaining trust and respect. However, anyone can slap up a picture and some praise about their product or service. What you need to find out is if the testimonials are real. Don’t act surprised. For everyone who works her ass off gathering real testimonials from real people, there are probably eight or ten who just spend an evening making them up.
  
  One way of verifying the truthfulness of these testimonials is if they include URLs for the satisfied customers. These will almost never be live links (even the richest internet marketers in the world aren’t going to give customers an escape route from their funnels). Take the time to copy and paste them. This way you will know if Very Satisfied Frank from South Caroline really does make his virtual home at Electric Youth Perfume Rocks Dot Com (love you, Deborah!).
  
  If there aren’t URLs, see if there are any other clues as to the legitimacy of the testimonials. Does Rita from Wisconsin look exactly like a stock photo “businesswoman” you downloaded last week? If you are building your own testmonials, just remember to leave these clues for your own prospects. It’s best to have just a few legitimate testmonials than a bunch of fakes.
  
  On a quick side note: The best way to find real testimonials is to ask for them. I will be publishing an article soon detailing how to do that step-by-step, but a good way is to join a forum and see if you can find some folks who are willing to review your product. You give it to them (don’t ever expect money from reviewers) and they give you a review.
• Does it Sound too Good to be True?
  
  Will you be rich by this time tomorrow? If a product promises that, I can assure that you will be nothing but disappointed and irritated that you wasted your money. I know the promises aren’t usually that extreme, but if it promises to make you rich without any work on your part, then it is most likely a scam. There are ways to build solid, passive income. Build being the operative word. Any real guru will be honest about the amount of work it taks to become financially secure wtih an online business.

And there you have it. Five easy ways to spot real gurus amongst scammers who will tell you whatever you want to hear to get a buck – or a hundred. When you are faced with a convincing sales page, just remember to keep your wits about you. If your common sense is screaming at you to move along, just be sure to listen. There really are some great learning opportunities out there so be savvy so you don’t get too skeptical to believe in them.