Have you ever noticed how many internet marketing products carry great endorsements and testimonials from other internet marketers?

I guess it makes sense that a lot of internet marketing types are buddies, hang out together, and bounce ideas off of each other.

If you follow that logic a little further, then you might not find it odd that so many marketing products are endorsed by other marketers.

I don't have a problem with that in theory.

But here's where I think the gray area lies with a group of 'gurus' that I like to call the Marketing Rat Pack...

Here's what they do: They each give glowing testimonials and reviews for each other's products.

Let me explain...

• Guru #1 produces an ebook and then gets guru #2, #3, #4, and #5 to write testimonials for the product.

• Then guru #1 puts those testimonials up on their sales letter to help sell the product.

• In return, guru #1 also provides testimonials for the products that guru #2, #3, #4, and #5 are trying to sell... A reciprocal testimonial.

In my opinion, this is kind of like creating a product and then asking your friends and family to write testimonials for you.

It inflates the value of the product with false testimonials. Potential customers won't know all those testimonials are from your friends and family (or in this case, friends who happen to be marketing gurus), and they'll think the product must be great.

I think it's dishonest.

At the least, it's a definite gray area.

What makes it worse with the Marketing Rat Pack is that their testimonials will carry a lot more weight with a potential customer because they are supposedly "experts."

The testimonial deception is one thing, but they have even taken it further by writing articles on each other's products, endorsing products to each other's mailing lists, and writing glowing reviews for each other's products... all of which will carry a lot of weight with the unknowing customer.

It could just be a coincidence. They could only be endorsing the very best products available that just happen to belong to someone else in the Rat Pack. Maybe they aren't "buying" each other's testimonials and endorsements. I will leave that judgement up to you.

Here's the kicker...

If you read anything about creating joint ventures, you'll be taught how to do this with your own products, websites, and email lists. There's a lot of money to be made by creating your own little Rat Pack.

Let me just clarify a few things here...

First of all, there's absolutely nothing wrong with creating legitimate joint ventures for your products and services. In fact, it's a great way to combine resources and generate a lot of revenue for your business.

What I personally have a problem with is:

Individual marketers who endorse and write testimonials on anything and everything so that they can get a reciprocal testimonial.

• Marketers who endorse products that they haven't actually used.

• Marketers who write testimonials for products that are total junk.

• Marketers who are generally dishonest about their endorsements, testimonials, and joint ventures.

I've personally been approached several times to do a joint venture on a product that I felt was sub-standard and I turned them down flat. I refuse to put my name on anything that doesn't meet my standard.

Fortunately, there are a lot of other really good internet marketers that feel that way too!

Many of the good internet marketers are being more careful about how they endorse products and use testimonials. In fact, the best ones have moved away from using so many other marketers in their testimonials and now put up testimonials from "real" customers... a much better way to go in my opinion.

The point here is that you really need to watch out for yourself when you buy marketing products online. There is a lot of dirty business going on out there.

If you come across a "gray area" marketer that you'd like to bring to the attention of others, let me know with the specifics and they may end up in The Doghouse Report too.

In the meantime, remember to...

"Think outside the flock."


Chris Yates
Internet Marketing Tutor

NOTE: This page is not designed to slam or slander any business, person, or product. The information here is provided as my own opinion. You should view the evidence and supporting facts for yourself and form your own opinion.