I got the same mailshot,
It concerns me that all he is doing is repeating the last opportunity that he offered last year, BUT has changed the advertising material to sound different.
He probably is selling exactly the same concept, BUT may have different products.
IF HE was genuiene, then I surpose he can do this every time he comes up with new products. I dont surpose theres a law against that. However Maybe some of his clients who paid for the idea he had last year may not be too pleased if too many are doing the same thing..
There was no further write up from the ASA that I am aware of. That was wrote along time ago in 2000.
I agree some of his latest concepts have NOT be made clear for the individual to make a decision as he only gives about 3 days to make up ones mind.
Two ways of looking at it, he does this because it is a better way to con certain TOP mail list type of potential customers who shown interest in his past products.
OR if hes in any way genuiene he MAY be doing a favour by strictly limiting his offer and being good enough to share it to a select few lucky people.. HOWEVER as you say he wants 4K for the idea.
IF the IDEAS genuiene, you do have to question how this compares to other BIZ ideas out there. MANY would cost you MUCH more than 4K.
I have studied much of the so called Mail order type biz ideas some years ago. The Concept no doubt if one has the right products is VERY good. You have little overheads and can work from home etc, NO staff required.
What MAY be a probelem is he may suggest selling some of the products at exceptionally high mark up prices. This then becomes a question of ones morallity.
Would you sell a product costing you £50 for £1000.
GREAT BUSINESS idea, BUT is it MORAL .. This is down to the individual, BUT I do KNOW MANY no doubt feel ripped of if they buy certain products for £200 or so , then later when they have become more wiser to the world realise OR believe they were conned.
I personnally however would think If he suggested selling his products at say £1000 and its costing you £50, then IF you sold it at say £150 to £200, ITS still a good return IF people are willing to pay for the products and they are in demand.
NO DOUBT his sales material does appeal to a high % of persons whos interested in BIZ ideas, OR he wouldnt have got where he is today. His Marketing does get MANY peoples interest. NO DOUBT.
Those wiser to the world MAY see right through it.
At the end of the day I dont think hes breaking any laws. Im sure he would havbe been arrested a long time ago. UNLESS thats why he moved to the USA and theres more to it.. HOWEVER hes kept his same company name.
TRUE conmen would have changed theres many times over.
As far as BIZ opportunitys goes, I think MAYBE hes one of the more honest ones IF you can call em that.
Hope this helps.
My thoughts are based on my experience and having been to one of his meetings.
I am NO WAY suggesting hes 100% genuiene.
Pete
Bluewave said:
Speaking of Manhattan Direct (and Andrew Reynolds), it seems their advertising/mail shots have come to the attention of the ASA before!
Advertising Standards Authority adjudication, 14th June, 2000
...yet he is still sending out these unverifiable claims: One I saw recently for "The Product Marketer's Cash-on-Demand Masterclass" was charging £4696.48 incl for a one-day seminar at, yes you guessed it, Heathrow.
In the blurb it said: "...I'm also going to teach something which has been averaging £29,167 per week for me...I call it my Cash-on-Demand system." And: "£21,411.29 per day...every day... that's what I averaged last year."
I call it well-dodgy advertising especially as you have to go to the seminar to gain "verifiable" evidence of how much can be made!
