When I got started in real estate investing I jumped in feet first trying to learn all I possibly could. I read books, attended hundreds of meetings and conferences, I networked with hundreds of people and of course, I spent thousands of dollars on training courses.
The Art of the Upsell
But like a lot of newbie investors I also got sucked into the sales tactics of these instructors. They would say, “We want to help you learn all that you possibly can so you can reach your goals,” but what they really meant was “We will help you get to a certain point and then it’s going to cost you another $5,000 or another $10,000 before we help you anymore.”
It was the art of the upsell.
I don’t know about you, but I got so tired of being sold on everything and then being upsold on everything else. I told myself that once I gained experience to teach and help someone I wasn’t going to be the upseller. I was going to be genuine and actually help people learn without the strings.
I’ll Pay for Education But Do What You Promised
Don’t get me wrong, I am a strong proponent of paying for education. I have placed plenty of dollars toward earning a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and skills to become a note investor. However, I am not a proponent of consistently being sold. If I pay for information, then I want the information that is promised. Don’t provide me with half of the information and then tell me the other half is going to cost more money.
I found a note training and mentorship program and paid $5,000 to learn note investing. I was not disappointed because they provided exactly what they said they would. There were no upsells and whenever I had a question, needed advice or resources, they provided it.
No Bull, No Upsells, Just Pure Education
Now I am in a position to share my experiences. I never thought I would be teaching courses on note investing. I started by simply talking to friends and other investors about this asset class. Then, one day the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Investing Association asked me to talk about note investing during a discussion group. From there, I was asked if I would be willing to teach a training course. I said yes, and The Pier Harbor Group Note Investing Course was created.
There is no official tagline for the course, but I like to say that it is “no bull and no upsells, just pure education.” It is hands-on education that provides the resources and skills to allow a person to be confident enough to buy their first note.
Once you have completed the training you are not alone. You still have access to live people who will help walk you through your first note and help with any challenges you may have as you continue to acquire more notes. This is not a one-and-done, but rather a community of note investors who meet monthly to share their resources and help others learn from their challenges and mistakes.
3 Things That Will Cause People to Not Like Your Training
1. Be Insincere by Following the Marketing Tactics of Others
I’m not a salesperson. So I read the marketing books and blogs that tell you how to sell. They teach you to close the deal by asking irrefutable questions, like “do you want to earn $20K in passive income a month?” followed by showing the audience what you offer and what it would cost individually. Then you provide an absolute rock-bottom price for everything. The last thing is to put urgency on it so people will buy now!
There is nothing wrong with that but when I tried it, I found out it wasn’t me. I came off like a fake, greasy salesperson – the exact person I didn’t like listening to. People know when you are insincere and they pick up on it immediately. Plus, they have already been to 20 or 30 different events where the presenter did the exact same thing and they are tired of being sold.
2. Misrepresent Your Offerings and Provide a High Overview
If you are going to provide a high overview of your course, then say exactly that. Don’t misrepresent the information and lead people to believe you are providing them the skills and resources they need to have the success you are touting. Be honest and upfront with your audience.
3. Dangle the Carrot
Be transparent with your offerings. Some trainings have various levels, like gold or platinum, and each of those levels cost more money. I prefer the transparency of that method versus someone telling me that I will get all I need if I join the program and then once I join I have to pay more money to learn more. People won’t keep chasing the carrot.
Conclusion
There is nothing wrong with paying for education or training that will help take you to the next level. There is nothing wrong with holding training courses that help people meet their goals; however, there needs to be some sincerity. Yes, education is a business, and yes your business needs to be profitable, but it doesn’t need to be misleading in an effort to make a dollar. People respond to sincerity, honesty and genuine help. And they are willing to pay for a training that follows those principles.
