Earlier today I tweeted this post without completely taking the time to read all of it and the references to other posts it linked to.
Whoops.
My mistake. I skimmed (as I’m known to do at times).
Since then, I’ve come across more than a few conversations that seem to be bashing on Chris Brogan for offering a course on how to use Google+.
How do you determine if something is worth paying for?
I have pretty simple criteria…
- If it teaches me something new, that I can turn around and apply quickly, it’s worth paying for.
- If it saves me time (hours or so) that I otherwise could have spent doing something productive (by that I mean revenue producing activities), it’s worth paying for.
In this particular case, Chris Brogan (someone I trust), is offering a webinar on Google+ (a deep-dive of sorts). The network is fairly new (some 24 days old), but growing fast.
So, is it worth it to pay $47 for his course?
I’m not interested in using Google+ for business purposes. Not yet. But my approach might differ from yours. Maybe you are interested in the business application of a social network like Google+. So in that case, I’d argue yes, it’s worth it.
Sometimes, I don’t like sitting around learning something new. Not when I can pay to have someone do it for me, or “read the cliffnotes” so I can focus on other things. So when the benefits outweigh the costs, and if it satisfies my criteria above, I decide it’s worth paying for.
Do your due diligence…
In this case, I know Chris Brogan. I value his opinion on things related to social media and the application of social media to business. I trust him. Because of that, the cost outweighs the benefit (in my opinion). You might not know Chris, so in your case, the cost (and inherent risk) outweighs the benefit. That’s ok.
In the end, what matters is that you do your due diligence. Whether you’re buying Chris’ webinar or some other information product on the web.
Research things like:
- Who is the person/team offering the course?
- Do they have a good track record?
- What do past clients say about them?
- Do they have a good social presence?
What’s your criteria?
When do you decide when something is worth paying for? Whether it’s this product or any other info-product, I’m curious to hear your take… What price are you willing to pay for a webinar? An ebook? A membership forum? What other factors influence your purchasing decision?
(H/T Derek Halpern, author of Social Triggers [great newsletter by the way] for making me think about this one today)
I personally think Chris is a very smart guy, but I think this is a little disturbing. The spin sucks article says it best: “But there are still people out there claiming to have all the secrets because they claim to have introduced Twitter to the business world so
surely they understand how Google+ is going to affect your daily life.
Add to that, they’ve spent 250 hours inside the tool, learning and
using.
If that’s the case, I want their jobs because that means they’ve
spent 11 hours, every day, for the past three weeks using Google+.”
There is no way he knows it well enough yet…it’s still in BETA!!! That means the public isn’t even able to really get in yet…it’s just too soon (and too much!)
If you read Chris Brogan sales page, he promises to share “a thing or two.” He doesn’t claim to know all the answers. He simply says that he spent considerable time on Google Plus, and he has some insights to share.
To me, $47 is NOTHING. If he was trying to fleece the community, he could jack the price up and get away with it. The fact that he’s willing to sell it for $47 shows me that he’s trying to help people out, but also trying to get compensated for his time (as he should)
I don’t see it being in BETA as a deterrent. Nothing wrong with being an early adopter and getting a foot up on the “competition.”
Sure, Business Profile’s don’t even exist yet, but again, he’s offering to teach people what he’s learned thus far. Nothing wrong with getting compensated for it in the process.
Here’s my take on it. And I throw the same “disclaimer” out there…I’ve met Chris and spoke with him, I trust him and value his opinions.
The hype surrounding Google+ is almost too much to take. I myself have logged in, looked around, but there isn’t anything I love about it…yet. I’m not saying I hate it or will never use it, I’m just saying I don’t feel the need to shift any focus over to it at this point in time. My guess is that Chris will provide some valuable insight, info he’s learned from trial and error, and even set up a bit of a visionary take on what comes next. If I felt i had a compelling need to understand Google+ right this second, I’d probably join in. Again this goes back to the value and trust I place in Chris from my own interactions with him. Wuld I buy this course from John Smith? Probably not. Would I buy it from you Ricardo? Probably would under the same conditions as I would Chris. Again, that is based on what I already know about you from past experience.
The sad thing is that there will be people out there shouting they have the solution and they’ll run off with the big bucks (like the guy who RE/MAX of Texas hired to talk to us about social media who had no Facebook presence and a total of 3 followers and 12 tweets on Twitter – wonder what they paid him?). It’s going to happen, we’ve seen I before. The new status of “Google+ guru” will be touted, used, spit out, and hated within a short period of time – yet someone will collect a fat sum and laugh all the way to the bank. I would rather see the earnings going to people who are actually active and have been thought leaders beat them (the various shudders
Brogan’s such an easy target for the lazy and the envious. I don’t pay the assholes any mind. Brogan’s been using G+ intensely and he’s got an incredible background and experience to bring to bear on it. We’re talking about professional judgment, here. And yeah, that’s worth paying for.
If people don’t want to pay for a webinar, they don’t have to. They’re free to figure shit out on their own or read someone else’s blog post or whatever. Why anyone would want to make themselves look like whiny crybabies about it is beyond me. They could find a better use for their time, like… oh, I don’t know… maybe coming up with highly relevant webinar ideas and selling them.
Re: “We’re talking about professional judgment, here. And yeah, that’s worth paying for.”
Agreed!
Ultimately, you either it’s valuable to you or it isn’t. And there’s lots of people who could use a guiding hand from a trusted source. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with anyone trying to get compensated for their time or knowledge.