I disagree completely with your comments.

"As a product owner you know that the money is in having your own products, not having a big list. "

Really? News to me...

I've had my own products dating back to 2000, I only REALLY started making money when I started to concentrate on building my list.

It was then that I could promote MY OWN products or OTHERS...the key was that list and having a good relationship with it. Like Robert said, it's like your baby...

"if you refuse to promote other people's products, why would anyone promote for you"

Cause they'll make money! If the offer is good and it converts people will promote it!!!

WIIFM? $$$

"Now I don't promote many products myself, but I do promote those things that I think will be of most benefit to my subscribers"

This is interesting cause I feel Robert does as well. You won't see him promoting the huge launch today, but you will see him promoting less expensive, USEFUL products like Wordpress Magnet (My Product) and 7 Minute Articles (Jason Fladlien's Product).

By the way Robert and I both met Jason an Internet Marketing seminar...if you haven't been to one and actually MET the people you talk to online, you're really missing out (on a friendship and a lot of cash!!!).

And I'm spent...

You seem to have missed the great big WIIFM here. As a product owner you know that the money is in having your own products, not having a big list. (Although it helps.) And just think of all those product owners out there who *would* promote for you, but *won't* because they know you'll never reciprocate.

Now I don't promote many products myself, but I do promote those things that I think will be of most benefit to my subscribers. If I make some money out of it too, then that's great.

And you never actually *lose* your subscribers because you promote other stuff you think is good, they'll thank you for it. Subscribers are like love. Something you can give without losing.

A very wise man once told me that if you block the flow or try to resist it, you're hindering your life and your business.

All the best,

-Frank Haywood

Don't you Twitter?

Have a nice weekend.

Your products are very good - I've bought some. I used to play with the stockmarket and earned some money but got out because it can be very random!

I don't know any other way to contact you but you may be interested that I have a splendid HTML course which I am sure many many of your list members would be interested in.
Its on special offer at the moment for $15 but I was selling it ofr much more.

Can you email me and we can talk business?

cheers
Tony

Treat 'em mean. Keep 'em keen!

Warmly,

Malcolm

One more thing about the list, what I call the "reverse list". For example, you are on my reverse list. I signed up for you posts (both through e-mail and rss) and I have you in an "exclusive" group of people I call my mentor group (with the likes of people like Don Lok and Perry Marshall).

When my products are ready, but before I market them, I send free copies to those in my reverse list I think might be interested in them. Who knows? I might get an endorsement or even a testimonial that carries some real weight.

The fact is mailing lists are gold in so many ways!

- David T. McKee
http://www.mckeecopywriting.com
http://www.celticcrosseng.com

(attention PETA... Just Kidding!))

Willie

It's been awhile, thought I'd add my .02 (or is that 2.0 ) lol

I'm commenting because it was just this weekend on a mastermind call with a friend, and in talking with my admin asst. and I was talking about this very thing, and how I'm so tired of being abused by this guru and that guru..just because they have my email it seems they're ok to offer me everything because they are obligated by their other buddy guru's to scratch back.
I guess when you have 50,000 or even 100,000 perhaps losing a few thousand isn't a big deal?

To those of us however, who are building relationships with our list members, to those of us who don't believe the money's in the list..but in the POCKETS of the PEOPLE on our list, and to those of us who respect those things, the last thing we would ever want to do is give away that trust to some one time promotion.

It's that respect, and the quality of information and products that you've brought forward Robert that has kept me reading your stuff..and buying your scripts. you show me value and respect, and that has taught me so much more than all the bunches of rehashed e-books and reports gathering dust on my hdd..

Thanks for that!

Tim

(working on the blackhat.php message as per your email - hope to have it done up here in a day or two)