Frank Kern’s Mass Control Reviewed
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Edition #151
I was hoping to dodge this product entirely, without writing anything about it. However, the hype surrounding the launch of Frank Kern’s Mass Control has turned into such a deafening roar in the internet marketing world that I now feel the need to address it for the many of you who are deciding whether to invest in it tomorrow.
First let me tell you that this is not a “leech” review designed to pull in affiliate commissions for myself (not that there would be anything wrong with that).
I am not an affiliate for Mass Control, and there are no affiliate links in this review. All I would need to do is use an affiliate link and it would result in a 5-figure commission check, but I’ve decided to give you a straight up review instead.
I should also mention that I have not seen the Mass Control course itself, as it’s not out yet. My opinion is based on the videos and other material that Frank has released about the course, combined with my knowledge of how it all works.
So here we go…
To start off with, I will say that I believe Frank Kern to be the “real deal”. He really has orchestrated several very profitable product launches, and he has developed his own unique style of internet marketing that is highly effective.
In addition to having the numbers to back up his claims, he also comes across as a very sincere individual. There is a lesson to be learned right there, and it’s something I learned 9 years ago when I first got into sales and marketing…
People will buy from you if they perceive you to be sincere. Of course the most important ingredient to being a sincere sales person is truly believing in what you’re selling. But I think there is also an “X factor” beyond that, and it is a quality that is possessed by most successful face-to-face sales people.
It’s hard to put my finger on it, but it’s basically a combination of being personable, believable, and having a bit of charm. Some people have it, and some people don’t. A nice thing about the internet is that you don’t have to have it. You can have the personality of a door knob, and still be a successful internet marketer.
BUT… not on video. If you’re going to star in a video campaign to sell a product, then you must possess that offline “X factor” to be effective. That’s why guys like Frank Kern and Andy Jenkins are so good at making those type of videos. They’ve got it.
And there’s nothing wrong with that. If you’ve got the talent, you should use it. I just wanted to mention it because it’s something on the very surface-level that I observed.
Now, to dig a little deeper… the most important thing to be aware of (and I’ll explain why in a moment) is that Frank is USING Mass Control to sell Mass Control. In fact, not only is he using it, but I believe he is exemplifying his own techniques to the extreme because he wants to practice what he’s preaching (because he knows it works).
Of course it’s no secret that he’s using his methods. In fact, one of Frank’s videos is titled “Mass Control EXPOSED – How I Use Mass Control In The Actual Mass Control Sales Letter”
But why is it important to be aware that he’s USING Mass Control on us? No, it’s not because I’m afraid we’re being brainwashed.
It’s important because it gives you a good opportunity to learn something AND gives you insight into the course to help you determine if it’s something you want to invest in.
In other words, he’s going to teach you how to do what he’s doing right now.
It’s easy to see that a foundational block of the Mass Control method is providing LOTS of good content. In fact, there’s an interesting graphic on the “Mafia report” that shows how Mass Control uses multiple forms of media to gain instant trust.
You can read the Mafia Report here: www.masscontrolsite.com/mafia.php
By the way, the Mafia Report is really a sales letter in disguise, but it provides a lot of great information. I saved a copy of it to my hard drive (you can do the same by going to “File… Save As…”).
By the way, Frank is an insanely good copywriter. But again, you can’t fault him for that. I openly attribute much of my online success to my natural writing ability. It’s just something to keep in mind.
Most of the content that Frank has released about the program has been through videos. I’ve watched most of the videos, and I have to say they are excellent. You can find them on his blog. Actually I don’t like the navigation on his blog, so I’m going to lay it all out for you right here. Here are the ones he’s released so far:
List Getting Video Part 1
List Getting Video Part 2 (includes a downloadable basic squeeze page template)
The 90-Minute Whistleblower Video
Is This Mind Control?
Mass Control PREVIEW
FAQ (mainly if you’re interested in buying the course)
Mass Control EXPOSED
He also includes several case studies:
Case Study 1 (Includes PDF)
Case Study 2 (Includes audio recording)
Case Study 3 (video with my friend Michael Koenigs)
Case Study 4 (Audio interview with Gauher Chaudhry)
Case Study 5 (Audio interview with a non-guru)
Case Study 6 (a post from the Warrior Forum)
Are you seeing how Frank has included many different forms of media as he “builds his case”? I’ve already learned a lot just from watching him roll out this launch, and I will definitely be implementing some of his techniques in the future.
So what about the content of the Mass Control course? Is it legit?
I must say… the mere name Mass Control makes be a bit queezy. After all, nobody wants a bunch of hyped up marketers controlling the minds of the masses. Oh wait, they already do. Ever heard of TV? LOL
But seriously, it is the part of marketing that makes many of us morally conscious folks uneasy. As I’ve mentioned in the past, there’s a fine line between salesmanship and manipulation and I think we all draw our own lines.
If you know me, you know I strive to do business with integrity. At the same time, I understand that tactics such as urgency and scarcity are fundamental components of successful online marketing. I use those tactics and I teach them.
So when it comes to Mass Control, I have no problems with it fundamentally. Like most things, it could be used for good or evil purposes.
Basically… if you have a philosophical problem with SELLING then you should not get this course.
It’s interesting that a lot of what Frank talks about in his videos stems back to offline sales principles that I learned many years ago through various sales training.
As far as the validity and usefulness of the content of the course, I expect that it will be excellent. He has gleaned much of his online marketing theory from Jeff Walker’s Product Launch Formula, which has proven itself over the past few years.
I too have gleaned a lot of online techniques from Product Launch Formula, as well as Mike Filsaime’s Butterfly Marketing techniques.
Similarly, I feel that I have gleaned a lot from the Mass Control methods already. So much so, that I personally don’t feel the need to sit through the course.
But I’m in a different place than most people. In the past year and a half, I’ve had seven 6-figure product launches, and several smaller launches. I can already see ways to implement some Mass Control methods to take my product launches to the next level.
I’ve also been in this business long enough to distinguish the real techniques from the fluff, so it’s easy for me to watch Frank’s videos and discern which techniques will work for MY business.
One more note, in case you’re wondering how Frank turned this into the biggest launch of the season. It’s all about relationships, money, and prizes.
If you want to have a spectacular product launch, the best way I know how is to get a bunch of partners (affiliates) to promote it. And the best way to get partners on board is to build relationships with successful marketers. If you’re new to this business, the best way to accomplish this is probably to go to an internet marketing seminar.
Second, once you’ve got those relationships established you need to motivate them to promote by offering generous commissions. And if you’re doing a short-term launch you should consider bribing your affiliates with prizes to get them into a competitive mode. I’ve seen the prizes that Frank is offering, and it’s no wonder everyone and their grandmother is promoting this thing.
Again, I only point this out so that you can learn and copy his techniques.
Conclusion:
If you’re a “newbie” marketer, it really depends on your personal aptitude and attitude. If you’re a quick learner, and you’re 100% committed to becoming an internet marketer (and you’re not afraid of sales tactics) then this could be a good course for you.
If you’re an intermediate marketer with no smash hits yet (you know some stuff but you haven’t made a lot of money yet), this is a good course for you. However, if you already own Product Launch Formula or Butterfly Marketing, then you might be just as well off saving your money and going back to study those courses. Why? Because either of those courses contain enough information for you to have a successful product launch. Continuing to cram your brain with more information is not going to make you a successful marketer.
If you’re an expert marketer, then you can make your own decision. You’ll know that a $2k investment is a small price to pay for this kind of education. A few little lessons learned could boost your income 1%, which more than pays for the course. At the same time, you know that time is your greatest asset and you might be better off investing your time into what is already working for you… without being distracted by a new course.
Bottom line, I think the course will be a good investment for those who buy it and take it seriously.
For those who want to buy the course but can’t afford it: Take heart, because Frank has already given you much of it for free. You should watch the videos and read every scrap of material he’s released. HOWEVER, to get the meat of the course for free (as I feel I have), you need to do more than just watch and read. You need to synthesize what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. Beyond looking for nuggets in the videos themselves, you need to be analyzing the methodology behind the product launch.
Lastly, take Frank’s advice from the Mass Control blog…
“PLEASE DON’T MAKE AN IMPULSE DECISION.
Instead, only buy Mass Control if you’re really clear on what it’s about …and if you’re really clear on what it can do for you.
Yes. I know. You’re NEVER supposed to ask your prospects to use logic, right?
Well, I guess I’m kicked out of the “Marketing Club” because I think it’s best for both of us if you ONLY buy after you meet these conditions:
1. You’ve read the Mafia Report and you know what’s being taught in the class.
2. You’ve watched the videos on the blog. Specifically the “Mind Control” video and the “Preview” video. (And maybe the “Naked Dudes” video.)
I think those videos give you a good “feel” for what this is all about.”
I’m sure there’s some Mass Control psychology hidden in his advice too, but heh… you get the idea 
As always you can post your comments here on the blog. Let me know what you think about Mass Control, the hype surrounding it, and if you plan on buying it.
Have a great day!
Blog From Your Desktop
I am not a patient person. Perhaps you’ve picked that up by now? I’m particularly impatient first thing in the morning, which is when I do most of my blogging.
My mornings used to go something like this:
- Wake up with great entry idea that will revolutionize blogging and make us all millionaires.
- Hurry to my desk, flip open my laptop and click on the admin page for one of my blogs.
- Wait.
- Drill to the “Write” screen. Click “Write Post”.
- Wait.
- Notice that I’m now out of coffee. Run upstairs for refill.
- Return to laptop and find that I have completely lost my brilliant idea.
- Curse. A lot.
- Resign self to living modestly.
Then about four months ago my friend Slobokan at The Alligator Pit created Stuffr, a desktop blogging client that works with WordPress and MovableType as well as Tumblr TumbleLogs. No more waiting for admin pages to load. No more drilling. No more losing my great entry ideas.
Unfortunately, I haven’t actually had a great entry idea that will revolutionize blogging and make us all millionaires since starting to use Stuffr, but I rather like knowing that if I finally do get another one I’ll be able to post it immediately.
One thing to note: if your host has locked down the xmlrpc.php file (and many do for security reasons), you may have problems getting Stuffr setup at first. The solution is rather simple: go into your cPanel and rename your xmlrpc.php file. Use the new file name during the Stuffr installation and — voila! — you’re up and blogging from your desktop.
Post from: Blogging For The Money
Blog Maintenance And Pursuit of PageRank
There was a time, way back when, that I had no idea what PageRank meant. Much like my days of chastity, effortlessly slim thighs and an all-night bladder, I can barely recall that time.
Fact is, if you’re Blogging For The Money, PageRank matters. Yes, in theory PR represents Google’s opinion of your site — as they successfully argued to a federal court in San Jose, California in KinderStart.com v. Google.
In practice, that opinion seems to be based on four factors, which essentially boil down to context relevance for both incoming and outgoing links.
What does this mean for those of us blogging for the money? It means exactly what today’s Morning Must Read suggests: the race for rank never ends.
In other words, if you’re truly serious about earning money with your blog, you need to maintain your blog regularly, but that’s just the easy part.
The hard part is writing quality content. Regularly. Religiously. And that’s not nearly as easy as it sounds. Look, for instance, what a simple web search on “What is quality content?” generates: a slew of ad-riddled smarmy sites hoping to lure you into believing theirs is the best way to go (and, regardless of whether you agree, hoping to hook you into clicking on their AdSense ads).
There are only two ways to provide quality content, people: write timeless stuff and, if you can’t write something that’s timeless, write something that’s relevant right now. You’ll either catch the long tail in the long run, or the short one will whip your blog profile higher than it’s ever been.
Chase PageRank, yes. But first chase immortality through your blog.
Post from: Blogging For The Money
Blog Maintenance And Pursuit of PageRank
Update related to my call for help
Well…
I asked you to vote for the best post related to the recent contest – see the previous post- but the voting plugin was eventually abused. Digital Democracy is not an easy task online…
While there had been more than 1 posts of equal quality I had to choose 1 winner. But I really [...]
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