The document discusses different marketing strategies used by "The Rich Jerk" to sell his online business opportunity product. The Rich Jerk uses provocative language and insults to attract attention and sell the "sizzle" rather than the actual product. While the product itself is basic and available for free with search, The Rich Jerk's effective marketing strategy leads consumers to justify their purchase. Others have copied his style with similar products, and "The Free Jerk" offers the original product for free by profiting from advertising commissions. The document examines how these "Jerk" marketers employ common marketing techniques to successfully promote and sell their products online.

1. Niche Jerk

2. Here is the first rule anyone learns who is even remotely
concerned with marketing ...

3. "Sell the sizzle and not the steak."

4. In other words, an appeal to what excites the consumer
is much more effective than the properties of the
product. This is not necessarily deceptive. In many cases,
products can be so similar that the only real difference
among them is in their perception, ie- 'sizzle,' by the
public.

5. If ever anyone in cyberspace has excelled with this
principle, it's The Rich Jerk.

6. If you've done any significant cybercruising, you've
surely encountered his promotional campaign. His spiel
is impressively creative. He claims that he's rich, not
necessarily because he works harder than you, but
because he's better than you. As a result, he doesn't
really care what you think about him or whether you're
interested in buying his product. However, he makes it
very clear that it's due to his product that he can claim
his arrogant superiority over you and everyone else.

7. The Rich Jerk could be the Don Rickles of the 21st
century. He revels in spewing insults at his audience, and
the more he wallows in rudeness, the more effective his
message becomes. Some readers may not be amused by
his angle, but most recognize that he goes so over the
top with his approach that his point is made. He
purports to be so financially free that it doesn't matter
what others think of him, and therein lies the sizzle.

8. The Rich Jerk's product is a mere staple of cyberspace:
he's selling a work-at-home internet business concept.
There's nothing earth-shaking in his content. It's
basically the same as what everyone else in the genre is
selling:

9. 1) Find a product,

10. 2) Get a website,

11. 3) Promote the product,

12. 4) Reap the profits.

13. The Rich Jerk has some leads that may expedite the
process, but none of those are anything exceptional,
either. Results will vary. Few will join him in richness.

14. Still, that's not the Rich Jerk's issue. His job is selling his
product. He's doing it legally and effectively. As far as
I'm concerned, he's merely selling the cyber-equivalent
of bottled water; he's taking something you can get for
free, putting an aura around it and getting you to pay for
it. Willingly.

15. Another principle taught in marketing is that of cognitive
dissonance. Basically, this term infers that consumers
have a tendency to justify their purchase of a product by
noting its advantages to them and downplaying any
disadvantages. For example, in this case, they'd say
they've bought a step-by-step tutorial for getting into a
work-at-home business and have saved time over
anyone trying to gather all that information by
themselves, even though the task can be done for free
with a bit of search-engineering. Almost every positive
comment I've seen about The Rich Jerk's product
confirms this tendency.

16. Thus, the Rich Jerk has his bases covered. His sizzle is
alluring, his product may be obvious, but it's legitimate
and his aftermarket has afterglow.

17. Not only has the Rich Jerk seemingly done well for
himself, he's spawned a cottage industry for others.
Copycats are abounding. So far, I've already seen ads for
the Money King and The Rich Pig; more are probably on
the way. They're poor imitations, but in cyberspace,
duplication is a successful form of flattery. They might
actually profit from their near-plagiarism.

18. There is one facet of Jerkdom that is worth calling to
your attention, though, which involves the third sales
principle I'd like to mention: incentive marketing. This
involves giving a consumer something for nothing, in
some manner, in order to realize a profit.

19. Enter The Free Jerk. He's offering to give you the Rich
Jerk product, legally, in return for your simply reading
his critique of it. That's his product.

20. The Free Jerk profits because you're going to first pay for
the Rich Jerk's product, after which The Free Jerk gives
you a 100% rebate. In effect, he's 'sharing' the affiliate's
commission he receives from The Rich Jerk for your
purchase. He makes up the financial difference --- and
then some --- by directing your details, for another
commission, to major cyberspace advertisers who see
you as an 'active' cyber-consumer. Thus, he realizes a net
profit and you get what becomes a 'free' copy of the
Rich Jerk's product. You also get directed to additional
advertising, but The Free Jerk tells you in advance that
it's coming your way, so you do have a choice.

21. Thus, the Jerk industry is a niche of ironies. Sizzle is on
sale, and if you're so inclined, you can accept someone
else's sizzle in exchange for being exposed to further
sizzle in order to acquire the original sizzle for nothing
more than a bit of after-sizzle.

22. And while all this is in process, someone's making
money and everyone has the possibility of being
satisfied with their end of the deal.

23. As the consumer who catalyzes this Jerk-a-thon, perhaps
that makes you the Niche Jerk.

24. Marketing is indeed alive and well in cyberspace.

25. http://top10jobsfuturelist.com/form.php?id=632508