If you’ve spent any time online in the last decade, you’ve likely seen an ad that promises to teach you the “shortcut” to getting rich, losing weight, or attracting the mate of your dreams.These “free” events are nothing more than a sales pitch in disguise.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UComkllJTMHNZr4UNxCThdcw">Mike Winnet </a>, a YouTuber who exposes fraudulent marketers, has coined the phrase “contrepreneur ” to describe a con artist who makes their fortune by fooling desperate, and vulnerable people

Contrepeneurs (Aka fake Gurus) 

The first tactic that contrepreneurs will often use is to tell you a “rags to riches” backstory. For example, many people selling “get rich quick schemes” will talk about how they struggled with their own finances in the past.This is an effective marketing tactic because it builds an instant connection between the seller and their victim, and how they are the best person to help them overcome the challenge.

1. Relatable backstory

Success in the contrepreneur world is often demonstrated with expensive sports cars , mansions, private jets, and an entourage of gorgeous models.This works because of a concept called “wishful identification.These “success stories” are lies. Fake gurus have been caught renting mansions and sports cars, paying models to be in their videos, and even posing for pictures in fake private jets﻿This is so they can sell an unrealistic (and fake) dream to their victims.

2. Personal success story

Once the contrepreneur has demonstrated that they were once just like you, it’s time for a product pitch that promises extraordinary, unrealistic results.Want to quit your job and make a million dollars this month instead? Buy my product. Want to lose 50 pounds in three weeks? Pull out your credit card and the life you’ve always wanted will be yours in a matter of days or weeks.People are naturally lazy. No one wants to hear that success takes hard work over a prolonged period of time.

3. Promise extraordinary results 

When they pitch their product, contrepreneurs will dramatically inflate their product price so that they can offer what appears to be a massive discount.This is a sales tactic called “price anchoring.”The idea is to make your prospect believe that the product you are selling is worth a very high price. People naturally feel compelled to take advantage of discounts out of fear that they may have to pay more to get the same product later.

5. Heavily discounted product

The final piece of the Contrepreneur Formula is time and availability limits.Most people will wait to make a purchasing decision until something forces their hand.Putting a countdown timer on a special discount, bonus, or claiming that there are only 50 spots available in your program invokes “FOMO” or “fear of missing out.”These tactics have the power to compel someone to purchase a product they may really not need or even want so that they can avoid feeling like they missed out the "deal".

6. Time and availability limits

The Contrepreneur Formula uses a set of psychological tricks to sell scams to people who are desperate or disadvantaged.The point at which marketers and entrepreneurs cross the line into contrepreneur territory is when they start creating false success stories, promising results they cannot deliver, and dramatically inflating their product's price to offer fake discounts.In the end, contrepreneurs are geting more sophisticated by the day, so look for the signs, that you might be scammed.

Takeaways

If you’ve spent any time on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube in the last decade, you’ve likely seen an ad inviting you to sign up for a free masterclass, webinar, or training that promises to teach…

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The Contrepreneur Formula — What It Is and Why It Works So Well

In a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michael-hood-aa2912b0_what-an-honour-to-share-an-evening-with-a-activity-6475070126298406912-9jBQ">video </a>posted on LinkedIn, Buffett said,If you can't communicate, it's like winking at a girl in the dark--nothing happens. You can have all the brainpower in the world, but you have to be able to transmit it. And the transmission is communication.He added that investing in developing your communication skills -- both in writing and in-person -- "can increase your value by at least 50 percent."

Invest in improving your communication skills

The Oracle of Omaha also once said:We look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity. And if you don't have the latter, the first two will kill you.Tony Simons in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Integrity-Dividend-Leading-Power-Your/dp/047018566X?tag=wwwinccom-20">The Integrity Dividend </a>argues for integrity as the predominant characteristic that "touches every aspect of your business." When practiced in its best form, says Simons, integrity enhances the value of the business and drives profitability.

Invest in improving your leadership skills

Buffett: "You will move in the direction of the people that you associate with. So it's important to associate with people that are better than yourself."As the famous saying goes, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Make sure to associate with those further along the path who can potentially help you learn new things, grow, and advance your career.

The Contrepreneur Formula — What It Is and Why It Works So Well

Warren Buffett: Investing in Yourself Is the Best Way to Find Success. Here are 3 Smart Ways to Do It | Inc.com

Drakos Sakataros