Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion has become ubiquitous in the online business community. But are the principles Cialdini set forth being used in good faith Spoiler alert: in many cases, nope, not at all. In this episode, we get into part two of exploring Robert Cialidini and his code of ethics for anyone who uses his work. We examine the final four weapons of influence along with tips to protect yourself. We discuss:  Cialdini’s ethics  Authority,...

Do you know what book is one of the most used—and abused—in online business? Many celebrity entrepreneurs and top marketers cite it as influential…which makes sense given its title.   It’s Robert Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. While we have referenced this book many times on the pod, we have never actually done a deep dive to get into the nitty-gritty of it all.   In this episode, we explore Robert Cialidini and his code of ethics for anyone who uses his work. We then...

Masterminds are often sold as life-changing experiences that will help boost your business, increase revenue, and connect with like-minded people. But how often have you seen masterminds that turn out to be expensive group coaching sessions run by unqualified "experts"?  Or even worse—joined one yourself and found out too late that it’s nothing like what you were promised? In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers on something that’s become almost a rite of passage in the online...

Have you ever seen an offer on social media claiming you can make big bucks in no time at all if you sell something created by someone else? Welcome to the world of Master Resell Rights, where you allegedly can get rich from doing little to no work at all. But like everything else in online business, it’s too good to be true and the house of cards is quickly tumbling.   In this episode of Duped, we’re peeling back the curtain to expose how it all went wrong—from faceless Instagram...

If you’ve ever been duped and immediately blamed yourself for it, you’re not the only one.  Yes, we all have a level of personal responsibility, but that doesn’t negate the fact that humans are primed to fall for get rich quick schemes. So why is that?  In this episode of Duped, we’re flipping the script. Instead of talking about how to prevent getting scammed, we’re exploring why were are so damn susceptible to it.   We discuss: A brief history of get rich quick schemes. Five...

Have you ever bought something on a payment plan and quickly realized you’re unsatisfied, but there’s no way out? The fact is, not all payment plans are created equal. While they can be an excellent way to pay for something over time, the flip side is that they can also be weaponized by celebrity entrepreneurs and used to handle sales objections.  So, what risks should you, the consumer, know about before buying a course or program using a payment plan?  In this episode, we’re equipping...

Sales pages are designed to make us buy. But if the way they’re done is scammy or deceptive, should we really buy from them at all?  In part one of this two-part series on sales pages, we covered program promises, pain points, and the solution. But there’s way more you need to watch for, so in this episode, we’re digging into FAQs, bonus stacks and more. We discuss: Why long sales pages can leave you confused and worn out. How do you identify possible red flags when you read an about...

Business bundles seem to be everywhere these days, leaving everyone wondering if these are actually a good deal and they should jump on the bundle train.  Sure, they often seem like a total steal, but if the bundle doesn’t actually bring YOU any value, the fact that the price was “reasonable” is irrelevant. How can you tell if a business bundle is worth the price or if you should run away entirely?  In this episode, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about those business...

If there’s one place on the internet it’s all too easy to get tripped up and make an impulsive decision, it’s sales pages. Yes, sales pages are designed to draw you in and pique your interest, but in many cases, these pages are cross the line from persuasion to straight-up manipulation.  So how do you spot the red flags?  In part one of this two-part series on sales pages, we’re covering program promises, pain points, and the solution. We discuss: The psychology behind using long-form...

Is the state of ethical business actually improving in 2024? Are we actually making some progress? Well, it’s a good news/bad news kind of story. The good is that we’re finally starting to see more and more people reject the status quo business practices, including manipulative marketing and scammy sales practices.  The bad is that this industry is very fickle, and while it’s good to hear more discussions about ethical business, certain topics have fallen off the radar. And whether these...

In a world where we’re connected to people across the globe, it’s nearly impossible for us NOT to create parasocial relationships. If you publish content or have an audience filled with people you don’t know personally, you create parasocial relationships. And that’s totally fine The trouble starts with ensuring everyone understands that we’re in these relationships and that they can make us more vulnerable to predatory tactics.  In this episode, we’re answering the questions of what...

You’re excited about signing up for a new program, and you’re just about to check out, then you decide to read the terms and conditions…but maybe they’re super long and you’re in a rush.  Fast forward three weeks later and you realize this was a terrible choice and the program is hot garbage.  So,  what now?  In this episode, we’re looking at the fine print of T&Cs, guarantees and refunds so you can save yourself this exact headache and not waste your time or money with people who...

This week we’re giving you a little teaser of what’s going on over the Duped Patreon. Our January episode offered a grab bag of topics as we dove into all the things happening in cults, documentaries, and online business. In this teaser, we discuss the current conversation about "degrowth" and our feelings on the matter.  Want to hear the rest of the conversation? Join the Patreon and you can listen to the January episode in full where we also cover: More thoughts on the Netflix Twin...

Affiliates, JVs, and Summits…oh my! These collaborations can be spectacular for sales and growing an audience, but they also have a dark side that can take advantage of business owners and ultimately lead to getting Duped In this episode, we’re diving into the HIGHLY nuanced topic of summits and JVs and decoding deceptive tactics that can leave you holding the bag.  For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped,...

Have you heard of something called neurolinguistic programming or NLP? It’s everywhere in online business, but no one seems to be able to explain what it is or why we use it. In this episode, we tackle everything from its controversial history to its widespread online influence to answer the question: are you being manipulated by NLP? And would you even know if you were? For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped,...

As 2023 comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on the year that was and make some predictions about what lies ahead in 2024. For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, join the Patreon. 

Online business sells the dream of being financially free to women from all walks of life. And that with a certain amount of money, each of us will have the power to change the world. Welcome to the fakery of financial feminism, where we’re being pushed to play bigger, but are we actually even benefiting?  For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, join the Patreon.

Truth time: Growing your audience in 2023 is hard. Yet, the web celebs who are selling you courses about how to create courses, memberships, or programs want you to believe that it is easy. No audience, no problem!  This is why we wanted to dive into the grift of audience growth on this episode of Duped. For detailed show notes and links to everything mentioned in this episode, please visit duped.online. For more Duped, including monthly bonus episodes, join the Patreon.

Duped is back! We wanted to start off this season with a state of the industry, a state of the nation, if you will, on what's going on with online business as we head towards the end of 2023.  In this episode of Duped, we’re giving you a rundown on the state of online business right now and what you should be watching for in the coming months.  Learn more at duped.online

The internet was all a buzz this past weekend with a book launch by a celebrity entrepreneur. This is a teaser with a sneak peek of the full episode we've shared on Patreon. You can join Patreon now to listen to the whole episode that's simply too spicy for the main feed. Join us here: https://www.patreon.com/duped

Have you ever thought that online business seems a lot like a MLM? Well, you’re not wrong, the crossover is very real, and it’s time we talk about it. In this episode, we’re sitting down with the author of the new book Hey, Hun - Emily Lynn Paulson.  Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content including a discussion with Maggie about her experience as part of a top achiever in a MLM. Join us at patreon.com/duped Learn more on our website at duped.online

On April 24th, Matthew McConaughey hosted an online event called The Art of Livin’. While events like these are nothing new in the online business world, what made this one different was the magnitude and scale, with 2 million people attending the event.  This exposed a whole new level of online shenanigans, had people buzzing, and caused a massive impact in the online community, so, OF COURSE, we needed to break this down and get into what all the hype was about.  Check out this teaser for...

Here's a quick sneak peek of our Patreon bonus episode on the book The Millionaire Messenger. This book is ground zero for a lot of the BS in the online business industry and we read it so you don't have to.  WANT MORE? Join the Patreon for $7 per month:  https://www.patreon.com/duped

The jig is up, and now you realize that the coach or course you signed up for is not what it seems, and you want out. You want your money back. You want them out of your life.  In this episode, we’ll look at your options if you’ve been scammed and answer the question, now what?  Want more? Join us on Patreon for bonus and behind-the-scenes content. Find us at patreon.com/duped Learn more on our website at duped.online