Anatomy of a Seminar - National Achievers Conference - Part 4

The next Speaker was Peng Joon. He looked like a young man of about 25. But as the people of Chinese origin look very young, it is difficult to estimate his correct age. He was introduced as an Internet entrepreneur who owned 500+ websites. 

Jung came up to the stage and gave his intro. He started showing his old pictures. They were pictures from his childhood, showing a scrawny boy of about 9 or 10 in a countryside farm. He said, he grew up in his father farm and he hated every minute of it. He wanted to become rich like the city kids and enjoy life. Apparently, he got a Malaysian government loan to go to study in an us University. He wasted his time in us playing games on the Internet – World of Warcraft - and flunked his exam. He was sent back to his country and the govt sent him notice to repay the 50k USD loan. He did not know what to do. But took up a job that paid 300 USD a month. He realized that with this salary, it will take a lifetime for him to clear his loan. But he did not know what else to do.

Someone told him that he can make money online. He toyed with the idea. Then, he thought he was good at playing Internet game. Why not write a book about how to win in ‘World of Warcraft’ game. So, he wrote that book and put up the ecopy for sale. Seven months passed and finally he made a sale of USD 7. Slowly, he figured out how to attract people and increase sales. Slowly traffic started building and sales increased. He then hired people to write other books for him. He sold them on his site. His business boomed. Then his showed us pictures of his prosperity. His pictures with celebrities like Richar Branson, Robert Kiyosaki, etc.

As a proof of his income, he also showed us his gmail account where there were mails showing credits for various amount each hour. Finally, he said he does not worry about money anymore. Making money is very easy and even when he sleeps, his websites make money for him.

All the while I was wondering why this guy is telling this. What is his motivation? I noted in my workbook that he is going to sell something at the end!!

Then he showed us pictures of him taking holidays at exotic places, his students speaking highly of him etc. Then he came to the point. He said I have a program for you. You pay me Rs 70000 for a 2 day program, I will create a website for you, build your product, make the first sale and give you all tools and support to sustain it. I was vindicated.

But the story did not end there. He said, at the stalls near the walls, there are volunteers who are ready to register people who are interested. And he urged all the people to take 10 minutes to walk up to the stall and speak to the volunteers. I did not budge. Some people went. Some didn't. Then he says- “All those who are wise, who know that investment in learning new things is never a waste, will go and check out the stalls”. He said, “You are not losing anything by going to the stalls. So, don't be a fool, stand up and take the first step”. In effect, he was trying to tell that those who stay back are fools. However, I still didn't move.

He kept increasing the offers. He promised bonus. He promised tones of ebooks worth of Rs 70000! So, he said the training was infact free. He promised 1 to 1 coaching. He promised to create a lifetime support group.

He kept talking, his speech cadence increased, with a sense of urgency, that we are going to lose something very significant. “Please take the first step, if not now, when will you do that? All successful people are action takers, do not think much! What would happen if you say Yes, what could happen if you say No?”

I felt he was embarrassing people who were sitting back. By now, there were only a handful of people who were still sitting in their chairs. So, he gave up on us and focused on the folks who had moved to the stalls.

He told he will give an irresistible offer to those who have taken the first step and gone near the stalls. The offer was that the first 57 people who register in the next 7 minutes will get a 50% off!!!

I kept smiling knowing what game he was playing. Under the garb of spreading knowledge, he was selling his training program. Had he really been such a successful online marketer, why was he selling his training program? He should have been focusing on growing his internet business. But since he was focusing on selling the training program, it was obvious that his training was his main business.