Response to Ghost Ad

If marketing through ghost ads is a lie, then why are we listen to lairs like Matt Larson, Carol Stinson, and Greg Murphy. They built their buyers list using them. So if it's dishonest and makes you a liar, then quit taking advice from those who liars!
Come on! Seriously, all this is just excuses based on fear. Just do it and get over yourself! Position yourself as a professional and a leader. Quit worrying about the losers that get upset about your method of finding interested cash buyers and learn negotiating skills.
Take control and build your business! there will come a day that those who get offended by your ads on craigslist will be calling you wanting deals, because they can't find them for themselves. Why do you think they answered you ad anyway?
Don't sweat the small stuff and good luck to you!

As for me I will learn from Matt, Carol, and Greg!

If you want to build your buisness, make deals, and follow the people who are lying by using ghost adds, go right ahead!!! Id rather NEVER make a deal than go that route. Thats the trouble in this world, and it starts right at the top with the heads of our country, and trickles down to something that seems so innocent as a ghost add. People think nothing about being dishonest, and thats one of the reasons we are in such a mess. Think about how different the world would be if people never lied...!!

Mike, what is your opinion of running a ghost ad, using a property that you recently closed on? Do you think that would be ethical? What about advertising that you can find cheap properties, but in the ad, don't advertise a certain property? The ghost ad kinda of troubled me too. How can you advertise a property that you never had anything to do with? People can and will find out these things. My biggest fear is making a bad reputation for myself because I made a mistake and then be given the cold shoulder by other investors.

RENinja't

That's the great thing about this country! FREEDOM of choice! You can make a choice that is right for you and I can make a choice that is right for me. I made the choice to follow successful people, who by the way, are people of integrity and who are giving their all to help people every day. Thank God I have that choice! Criticism from you doesn't affect me in any way. Best wishes to you and your journey!

I will still follow Matt, Carol, and Greg and yes, even the Success Academy, RBBP and Dean! They teach ghost ads!!!!!! Reinvent the wheel if you want. How is that working for you?

I advertised a fixer-upper and got the exact same response from a retired couple looking for a house to fix up. I told them it was gone and asked if I could call them if I had another one. I managed to get a phone number but they were very upset that I would not give an address. I think ghost ads featuring properties you have personally handled already are probably OK, but not a good idea before you get started. What do you think?

i LIKE YOUR STYLE MIKE

Thankyou bud39! There are Many of us on this site that will never run ghost adds and/or advertise something we dont have just for the sake of $$$. Just because certain people on this site promote this (including the success acd.), and some are very successful using them, doesnt EVER justify being dishonest. Why do some people have such a hard time with honesty?? Success doesnt come from the amount of $$$ one makes, it comes from charactor, integrity, honesty, and being ethical, BE A REAL MAN... ReNinja, there are many HONEST ways to word your add, and youll get great results! As you stated above, just tell them what you can do for them,and yes definitly include some info on properties youve had success in the past with. . The truth is simple, just be honest and direct. It gets complicated when you have lie to some potential investor about some property you never had. Take the term ghost add right out of your vocabulary and throw it in the trash where it belongs,in the long run youll never regret taking the HONEST approach.

Thankyou bud39! There are Many of us on this site that will never run ghost adds and/or advertise something we dont have just for the sake of $$$. Just because certain people on this site promote this (including the success acd.), and some are very successful using them, doesnt EVER justify being dishonest. Why do some people have such a hard time with honesty?? Success doesnt come from the amount of $$$ one makes, it comes from charactor, integrity, honesty, and being ethical, BE A REAL MAN... ReNinja, there are many HONEST ways to word your add, and youll get great results! As you stated above, just tell them what you can do for them,and yes definitly include some info on properties youve had success in the past with. . The truth is simple, just be honest and direct. It gets complicated when you have lie to some potential investor about some property you never had. Take the term ghost add right out of your vocabulary and throw it in the trash where it belongs,in the long run youll never regret taking the HONEST approach.

I agree Mike with what u r saying about ghost ad's I don't feel comfortable posting GHOST AD'S but that's all you keep saying is that they Are lies & there are many other method's But you don't suggest any other Idea's how does that help us newbie's when you don't have any suggestion's. No offense all I"m saying is if your going to put this method down & not give any suggestion's to help or point us in the right direction HOW does that really help us that DON'T want to post GHOST AD'S.

Any help would be greatly appreciated if you can point us in the right direction.

I know there has got to be other way's just need a little help finding them.

That's why when they call, you simply tell them that is how I market to find investors. That's pretty honest! It's done in every other arena in advertising. Never had an issue yet? You can be an honest man without having to convince other that you are! Seems like there's a separate issue there somewhere.

Some stuff is old worn out marketing strategies that have been taught by gurus for 20 years. Nothing new here. Just easier to sell programs if you make the marketing sound easy! Ghost ads that lie about a property that you do not or never did own proves one thing. You do not have the capability to actually get a REAL DEAL under contract. You are a ROOKIE! Every real investor/buyer has heard the old I sold that one, can I call you with my next one, what is your criteria script. We laugh and say call me when you have a real deal.
Believe me, you come off a lot better when you advertise what you are TRYING to do. I think all new investors should run ads for sure. Just not ones for properties they never owned.

HERE IS A THOUGHT! Get a property under contract yourself and advertise it. You will get REAL buyers, not other newbees answering a ghost ad!!

Michael Mangham
MD Home Acquisitions LLC

Michael Mangham, I totally agree with, but discouraging new investors from using a tool that is recommended by top leaders, SA, and Dean himself is not something I agree with. As long as we are on Dean's site (forum) we should encourage other with what they teach or say nothing at all. Otherwise, start your own empire like Dean and teach your methods of investing. That is real honesty and character! Don't you think?

Btw, how did those deals turn out?

Keep your add short and simple for example, (and this can be modified many different ways). "If your an investor/buyer looking for great deals on houses 30 to 50 percent below FMV, please call xxx xxx xxxx, and you wont be disappointed! Thankyou for your time, and i look foward to talking to you soon..."

I have read all of Dean's books. I am also a Success Academy graduate that got my 5 deal refund. Dean and the SA are the real deal. They provide all the training you need to make a business out if REI! However, no one, no guru, no graduate can be right on their stuff ALL the time. Markets and therefore marketing changes! Dean's stuff must never be questioned or go some where else type of kool-aid drinking should be allowed on anyone's forum!! I'm not going anywhere and I will continue to post my OPINIONS here. You are free to try whatever strategy you like. I will guarantee you one thing, the people you mentioned above DO NOT run ghost ads now(ones with fake properties)!!! WHY??? Like I said, they have real properties for sale!!
I believe in advertising your new business 100%. Every one should do it! I have found that most replies on newbee ghost ads come from other neebees that want to try and lock up your property then search for a buyer they don't have.
Now when you have a REAL property under contract that you control, then you will add real cash buyers to your list and screen the wannabees out!! No need for a script to pre qualify buyers. I was taught to use a script (so was EVERYONE else) If they say they are a buyer, I add them to my list, I send all my buyers (even the newbees)my properties. When they call, THEN I pre qualify with a non refundable earnest money check requirement if they say they want to put my property under contract. I don't go out looking for a property for a specific buyer. WHY? 99% of my REAL CASH buyers just want a good deal in an area with low DOM or actual cash flow over $500 a month. I know others look for specific properties for that specific buyer, but I don't do it that way. I have tons of buyers that I shoot my properties out to. If they don't like it they can just wait on the next wholesale deal I put out.
I acquired properties WHILE I was building my buyers list. I was taught by Dean and the SA to get buyers first. I KNOW my way works better. It is just much harder to do. I always say, what good does 50,000 buyers do you when you have NO IDEA how to find and evaluate a wholesale deal or how to present that deal to your buyers!!
So, as you see, I do things like I was taught (the majority) and I do some my own way. I know my ways are not wrong because I have the checks to prove it. Some are not like what I read or was taught. That does not mean they don't work better in the real world after training time is over!!

Good luck with your investing!
Michael Mangham
MD Home Acquisitions LLC

Michael Mangham well put, and thankyou for all your helpful HONEST information, spoken like a true DG superstar...

Running a ghost adv is just plain good business, its not lying about anything, some of you our being really over zealous here, concerning this issue, I have very good success using them, Its just makes for good business sense, to get your name and phone number out there. Remember marketing is the key, bandit signs are illegal also, but I still use them, because its marking, and that brings in the leads, so I can earn money.It create a win/win for everyone.

Like I said in the previous post, i agree with you. Our opinion on what advice to give on this particular issue and these forums differ. My choice! I choose to support what is being taught in Dean's books, SA, RBBP (including mentors, and Dean Graziosi. I personally don't use ghost ads any more. I ran one ad when I first got started, got 2 cash buyers that I still use today. I prefer to find investors by calling for rent ads and from cash sales in the last 90 days. It works for me.

I never said Matt, Carol, and Greg still use ghost ads, but they did in the beginning. As you say, they have no need for that now. You're spending a lot of effort to convince me of your success with your methods. Not to be disrespectful, but I could care less about that. I wish you the best of success, I was only saying that since we are participating in a forum by Dean Graziosi, we should support what he and his leaders teach and not appose it. It creates uncertainty and confusion for new DGr's. My OPINION!

However, I certainly am not trying to tell you what to do. Having said that, I still support and recommend running ghost ads if that is all you know to do as a beginner. Sorry, but my position on that will never change. best wishes to you. I see no need and no benefit to continue to beat a dead horse. teach what you will. I am moving on!

Why are you on Deans Web site then? He is the one telling everybody to do it. I'm not trying to start a key board jockey match here, but I don't understand why you would want to be apart of this site if you think he is a liar.

For the record I post my adds Investors needed, or Attention investors I can find great deals, But realy to each there own.

Your trying to down people who are learning this stuff from the very persons site your on.

Thanks Frank,

Thank you for your comment! That's what I've been trying to convey without any success. It's refreshing to know that I'm not the only one supporting other leaders, the SA, and Dean Graziosi. May you be blessed always!

Les

Ok, Karen, Ruben, Susan, David, Chris, Chanchai, Stevin, Mike, Andy, Shaun, Mike S., Li, Betty, N.Y. Chris, Lisa and I should never post anything that may offer a different strategy or say they do something that works better then what the academy or Dean teaches. I don't think Dean would agree, I think he would say new and better Ideas are what we strive for!! That is why Dean has this website. To promote new ideas and Not be kool aid drinkers with a one tract mind. If we are seeing that the majority of REAL cash buyers don't like or respond well to fake property ghost adds he would want to know!! He does not do this himself and it is an older strategy anyway.
Remember, everyone is free to express their opinion and follow the strategy they like. Opinions will vary. That is a great thing.
Finally, as far as training goes, NO ONE is Better than Dean and the Success Academy.

Horse is dead!

May everyone be blessed, whether you agree with me or not!!

Michael Mangham
MD Home Acquisitions LLC

Im on this site because ive made many good friends here, and yes believe it or not, they feel the same way as i do!!! There are MANY HONEST people here that are doing great, and will never use ghost adds. Im not trying to down anyone, im trying to get it through there heads, that complete honesty is always the best policy. If anyone has a problem with that oh well tooo bad.....Its really even very hard to believe that you have to have a disscusion about being honest, and whats right , and whats wrong... If you feel its good buisness to be dishonest to your potential investors, then go for it!! I was raised quit different, and firmly believe that being honest to the people is one of the most important quailities to have in and out of buisness. So i wish everyone well and happy investing... Mike

Thanx Mike for the suggestion I do GREATLY appreciate it any more suggestions would be appreciated also. Always willing to learn and take new suggestions.

Hey David, im glad that i could be of some help, and im even more happy to see that youve chosen no to use ghost adds. Send me a PM message, and maybe we can talk some more, ill look foward to it... MIKE

I believe you have had a lot of great post on here. I also do not know you but have a lot of respect for you and Mike for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come on the site and try to help out.

That being said I simply asked a question! Nothing more nothing less.

I hope if I ever get in a pickle with a pending deal one of you would be kind enough to chime in and help me out.

And for the record, I do not use ghost adds!

Thanks Frank,

Can you please explain "yellow letters"

Thanks

Go to the search field and type in YELLOW LETTERS. All the info is right there.