| I hadn't seen Dave in almost 20 years. He was my | | | | buys. An information user is very practical about his |
| dentist when we moved to Boca Raton in the early | | | | purchases. He buys information for specific, pragmatic |
| 1980s. He continued to take care of K and the kids | | | | purposes. He uses the information he buys to achieve |
| after we moved to Delray Beach 10 years later, but I | | | | specific goals - to start or grow a business, to learn a |
| opted for dental care closer to home. | | | | new language, to improve his negotiating skills. |
| Dave contacted me when he discovered that I was | | | | An information junkie is happiest at the moment he is |
| the man behind the "Michael Masterson" pen name. | | | | buying the information. His enthusiasm soon wanes, |
| He'd been receiving ETR for a while and liking it. One | | | | however. Within hours or days of receiving it, the |
| day, he went to the website and saw my photo. "I | | | | information junkie is on to other things. The new |
| know that guy!" he thought. So he got my e-mail | | | | product goes up on the shelf with the old products. |
| address from K. "How about lunch?" he wrote. "I've | | | | He's excited about the next new one. |
| got a bunch of things I need to ask you." | | | | An information user makes progress. See him reading |
| Several weeks later, we were eating chopped chicken | | | | a book about nutrition, and there's a very good chance |
| salads at City Oyster on Atlantic Avenue. Dave | | | | (if he likes the book) that his eating habits will change in |
| seemed nervous. It was as if he was intimidated by | | | | the immediate future. The information junkie, in contrast, |
| the Michael Masterson persona. I did my best to | | | | may have 26 books about nutrition in his living room. |
| assure him I was the same person who used to wince | | | | He may have even read them all - while he was lying |
| in pain when he cleaned my teeth. We talked a bit | | | | on the couch eating potato chips. |
| about family news, but it was clear he had something | | | | An information user is someone who consumes |
| else on his mind. | | | | information to profit from it. If he invests $100 in learning |
| On his mind was a decision he was trying to make: | | | | about some subject, he expects to see a substantial |
| Should he spend $100,000 on the highest level of an | | | | return on that investment - perhaps a thousand dollars' |
| Internet marketing program he had been looking at? | | | | worth of value, material or spiritual. An information |
| "I've been studying their stuff," he told me. "It's really | | | | junkie consumes information like drugs or candy bars. It |
| good. But I'm not sure it makes sense for me to invest | | | | gives him an immediate rush and then nothing |
| that kind of money." | | | | afterward. That's why he needs to buy more. |
| "A hundred grand is a lot of money," I said. I felt like | | | | The information user has long-term expectations when |
| Sam Spade talking to Gutman about the price of the | | | | it comes to knowledge. He believes the knowledge he |
| Maltese Falcon. | | | | acquires now will compound over time as he learns |
| "But you get an awful lot for your money," Dave | | | | more and is in a better position to leverage what he |
| explained. "They do all the technical stuff for you, | | | | has learned for greater benefit. The information junkie |
| which I'm not very good at. All I'd have to do is come | | | | is in it for the here-and-now. He doesn't believe in |
| up with the ideas." | | | | saving. He's always on to the next hot thing. |
| "Well," I said, practicing my best Sam Spade drawl, | | | | What about you? Are you an information junkie? Take |
| "what ideas do you have?" | | | | this test and see... |
| In fact, Dave didn't have a single one. "All I know is that | | | | 1. In the past year, I've purchased more than 12 books |
| I am in the wrong business," he said. "I took this | | | | that I haven't read. (If your answer is Yes, give yourself |
| self-test online - and I found out I'm in the worst | | | | 2 points.) |
| business in the world for me." | | | | 2. In the past year, I've purchased: |
| At nearly 50 years of age, Dave had just concluded | | | | - Only information products that I have used. (Yes = 1 |
| that his entire career had been a waste. "I wanted to | | | | point) |
| be a dentist since I was eight years old," he told me. "If | | | | - Between 1 and 3 $100 information products that I |
| I had known then what a bad business it was for me, I | | | | haven't used. (Yes = 2 points) |
| would have done something else." | | | | - Between 3 and 5 $100 information products that I |
| "Like what?" I asked. | | | | haven't used. (Yes = 3 points) |
| "Like what you do," he said. He was smiling, but he | | | | - More than 5 $100 information products that I haven't |
| looked serious. | | | | used. (Yes = 5 points) |
| "Look," I told him. "My business is a great business - but | | | | 3. In the past year, I've purchased at least one $1,000 |
| I don't think you should conclude that your life has been | | | | information product that I didn't use. (Yes = 5 points) |
| wasted simply because you took some pop quiz that | | | | 4. I am most excited about the information that I buy: |
| was probably designed to sell you something." | | | | - When I am ordering it. (Yes = 3 points) |
| "But it was right," he insisted. "It proved something I had | | | | - When I receive it. (Yes = 2 points) |
| always known but was afraid to admit." | | | | - When I begin using it. (Yes = 1 point) |
| The waitress filled our drinks. We ate in silence for a | | | | 5. When I read a book, I feel compelled to read it from |
| while. | | | | cover to cover. (Yes = 2 points) |
| "So what I'm thinking is that, since I'm not into the | | | | 6. I generally take notes when I read something. (Yes = |
| technical stuff, this Internet marketing program would | | | | 1 point, No = 2 points) |
| be very good for me." | | | | Well... how did you score? |
| "How much time have you invested in learning about | | | | If you scored 8 or above, you are indeed an |
| Internet marketing?" I asked. | | | | information junkie. You might think the good people at |
| "About three years," he answered. | | | | ETR would like that (since they are in the business of |
| And how many information products on the subject | | | | selling information). But they don't. The people at ETR |
| have you bought in that three-year period?" I asked. | | | | know that their business will grow most strongly if they |
| Dave laughed. "I can't even count that high," he said. | | | | develop a customer base of information users rather |
| "How much money have you spent?" | | | | than junkies. That's because information users benefit |
| "Tens of thousands. Probably more." | | | | from the knowledge they buy. This means they are |
| "And yet, you haven't actually started an Internet | | | | more discriminating (which favors ETR's products, |
| marketing business," I said. | | | | since they are some of the best in the business), they |
| He nodded, then rattled off the names of every | | | | buy more products in the long run, and they request |
| Internet marketing program he'd bought - all the ones | | | | fewer refunds. |
| that I knew and dozens of others I had never heard of. | | | | If you are an information junkie, don't despair. You can |
| "That's a lot of buying," I told him. | | | | convert yourself into an information user simply by |
| "Tell me about it," he said. | | | | following two rules: |
| Dave explained that when he reads an advertising | | | | 1. When you buy an information product, set specific |
| promotion pitching a new Internet marketing product, he | | | | deadlines for reading it and implementing what you |
| is "totally taken in by it," even though he realizes he is | | | | learn. For instance, set a goal that you will take one of |
| just reading "a sales pitch." | | | | its recommended actions within 24 hours of receiving |
| "But even though I know that I'm being seduced by a | | | | the product. Then resolve to take at least one more |
| professional wordsmith, I can't stop myself from | | | | recommended action each week thereafter. |
| buying." | | | | 2. Don't buy another product until you have made |
| "I hear you," I said. "You are an information junkie." | | | | some progress with the one you previously purchased. |
| "You think?" | | | | That's all there is to it. Obey these two rules and you'll |
| "I do." | | | | not only break your addiction, you will radically improve |
| "What about you?" he said. "I read that you read a lot | | | | your life. |
| of informational books - about one every week." | | | | [Ed. Note: At ETR, we've got dozens of top-notch |
| "I do," I said, "but I'm not an information junkie. I'm an | | | | products that can help you build your wealth, create a |
| information user." | | | | business, and lead a fuller, more satisfying life. But |
| "So what's the difference?" | | | | unless you put the information in them into action, they |
| I explained that the difference is huge. An information | | | | won't do you any good. So, please, take a look at |
| junkie is addicted to the process of buying information. | | | | what we have to offer... but buy only when you are |
| Although he may delude himself into thinking otherwise, | | | | ready to put our recommendations to work. |
| he has no intention of ever using the information he | | | | |