What Can We Learn from ‘The Next Internet Millionaire’ Show?

Aug 30, 2007
8 Comments

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An affiliate sales/make-money online nuclear weapon has detonated in the form of an internet reality show. The bomb dropped last August 15th.

The Next Internet Millionaire is like The Apprentice, but with Joel Comm instead of the Trumpster. Contestants who want to make money online are given a series of challenges, and the final winner will be an apprentice for Joel Comm.

By doing this in the form of an episodic show, they have created what is probably the most brilliant infomercial ever devised to sell their own products and services, and those of the show’s sponsors. My mouth is agape at the audacity and genius of it.

But… is it worth watching?

Absolutely! If you blog and/or try to make money online, you will be completely captivated by the show, which is very well put-together with high production values.

Will you learn how get rich online by watching the show?

No. You will learn something, but the first episode I saw was very carefully edited so that you never got anything but teaser information. They want you to buy their programs and products, of course! So they tease you with the promise of the “juicy” secrets in the form of an entertaining show.

I learned some good tips, like:

  • don’t begin the day with email and IM clients open, because before you know it, you’ve wasted the most productive hours of the day being unproductive.
  • I also learned a bit about targeting your audience demographics as opposed to relying on general online demographics.
  • Putting someone in charge of something doesn’t mean anything. Natural leaders will still lead, and natural followers will still follow.

But he main thing I learned was that this method for reaching people with the idea of making money online is bloody brilliant.
It’s old (tv show) and it’s new (internet marketing/sales) at the same time.

UPDATE: I’ve been sitting on this post in draft form for a bit, because I wanted to see the second episode and confirm my original feelings that this show was worth watching. I can happily say that the second show is great and it’s even about blogging!

  • I watched the first two episodes, and really enjoyed them - kinda a good twist on The Apprentice. I know that I won't get rich because of watching it, but I can still learn from it.
  • Michael Martine
    Greg, it's great that you bring some experience with Joel's products to this discussion. I find it interesting that the ebook had more info than the printed book. There may be a lot of factors for this: printing and book costs, and the differences in audience (I don't think I would ever buy a printed book on something like this--I would actually trust ebooks more).

    Regardless, your opinion on Joel's move from the "real thing" to the "sales thing" is probably on the money.
  • I have purchased Joel Comm's books in the past the Adsense eBook is great, he then promoted the printed version and I bought it, it was not as good as the eBook, he left some info out and I felt ripped off. My mistake? Perhaps, but Joel Comm has grown from a genuine guy to a bit of a hypester, IMO.

    I know he makes a lot of money online and obviously has succeeded where many have failed. Color me a bit wary and careful.
  • Michael Martine
    Ken, good point. Sure we can stumble around making all the same beginning mistakes that everyone else has made... or we can learn from the master and get started on the right foot. This is exactly the same idea I present to people interested in my blog coaching services: personal attention and information from an experienced person that dramatically shortens your learning curve.
  • That's the beauty of it, just like reading blog, you read and you will never succeed if you don't do anything about it. Next action, you either get your hand dirty or ask someone to do it. Either way, you might order his product and service so that you can quickly learn it. The worst thing happen is NOTHING happen and our reader don't take any action.

    Joel is making the right move. Seeing is even better than reading.
  • Michael Martine
    Gonna have to disagree with you, Becky! :D There is always something to learn from anything. Even people who try to keep information to themselves give themselves away in some ways. Sometimes, it's subtle, like a "tell" in poker. Sometimes it's what they don't say. I really did learn some things, which I already listed above.

    And there is nothing in the show about ordering products. You could do that on the website if you want, sure, and as I said, the show really is one big commercial for these products and services. But I don't recall a direct push to order.

    If I'm not remembering correctly, somebody please correct me. But anyways, thanks for commenting! :D
  • I saw the first one online and I thought it was a waste of time. I don't think you will learn anything from the show, maybe just how to order their products,

    Becky
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