Online Business Expert Jim Edwards Interviews FTC (Federal Trade Commission) Official to Clarify New Internet Marketing, Blogging and Affiliate Advertising Guidelines

The FTC recently provided an online, in-depth interview examining the Internet applications of recent changes / additions to the FTC Act with Jim Edwards of Guaranteed Response Marketing, LLC. The expanded interpretation of the regulations went into effect December 1, so every marketer and advertiser conducting business online will benefit from seeing this interview, not only to ensure compliance, but to eliminate rampant confusion about the changes. The Jim Edwards FTC Interview can be viewed in its entirety at: http://www.igottatellyou.com/blog/ftc-change-interview/

Richard Cleland, assistant director of the FTC advertising practices division, specializing in health claims and health product marketing, participated in this extensive interview. Cleland first refers to the regulation: “The original FTC act ‘prohibits deceptive and unfair acts or practices in commerce and misleading advertising of drugs, foods, cosmetics devices and services,’ and these prohibitions apply online and offline.” The additional guidelines provide expanded interpretation on how these prohibitions apply to online marketers, bloggers and affiliates. With the dramatic increase in the number of bloggers and affiliates promoting and selling products online in recent years, “The Internet makes everyone a national advertiser — an international advertiser,” stresses Cleland.

The interview includes real life examples of online advertising and the requirements regarding affiliate disclosures and testimonials, on which Cleland comments whether they comply or violate the spirit of the regulations. Disclosure of compensated affiliates must be clearly stated on any website. According to Cleland, “Transparency is the spirit of the regulation.”

Edwards says, “Rich Cleland helps unveil the mystery and misconceptions about online advertising … Every single Internet marketer, blogger or affiliate should watch and listen to the webinar and learn how the industry can work with the regulators to ensure standards are upheld.”

The issue of affiliate marketing is broader than endorsements and raises additional concerns. Edwards describes recent fraudulent activities as “socially engineered.” The ‘Mommy blogs’ inadvertently prompted the attention of the FTC to online endorsements, as thousands of bloggers were reviewing and recommending products and services while not disclosing their affiliations “Many of these blogs were complete shams with fake posts and fake responses, ruining the whole honesty and transparency of social media,” Edwards notes. “If you are receiving free merchandise (and expect to receive more in the future) and the author is giving a positive review of the product, then, yes that blogger would be subject to the regulation. It’s about consumer protection,” Cleland asserts in the interview.

Regarding testimonials, Cleland states “The requirement here is to disclose what the generally expected results are in the depicted circumstances.” The days are long gone for customer testimonials citing “results may vary” or “results not typical.” According to Cleland, the FTC aims to protect consumer sovereignty and prevent damage to any consumer physically, financially or mentally. The FTC discourages an affiliate from making unsubstantiated representations about a product, especially in instances when the consumer’s health or finances may be at risk.

Though some bloggers may claim they have a First Amendment right to say what they want under the guise of “social media,” Cleland asserts that they “do not have a First Amendment right to mislead in a commercial context.” The FTC does not have authority to exact civil monetary penalties for violations of these guidelines. They can, however, conduct an investigation when fraudulent activity is suspected, which could result in severe legal consequences.

The Jim Edwards FTC Interview can be viewed in its entirety at: http://www.igottatellyou.com/blog/ftc-change-interview/For questions about the recent changes, contact the FTC via email at endorsements@ftc.gov.

Les Brown is a top motivational speaker, speech coach, and best-selling author whose passion is empowering people to have a larger vision for their lives. Les has been helping people reach their full potential for the last 40 years. Edwards, an Internet entrepreneur, motivational speaker and life mentor, joins Brown for this live, free, one-time-only webinar event to share the secrets of what it takes to live dreams now — not tomorrow, not next week, not next year.

Les Brown and Jim Edwards will teach exactly what “The Plan” is to “Live Your Dreams Now.” The program will explore:

 Six vital stages that must be undertaken for “The Plan” to work.
 The most important practical step in bringing dreams into reality (and how Les does it every single day and has inspired millions to do the same).
 How to “fail your way to success” (and why failure is actually a shortcut in the success process, IF you know how to use it the right way)
 Why “fake it ’til you make it” is the kiss of death when it comes to changing your life (and, NO, despite what other self-improvement gurus tell you, it’s NOT the way to make positive changes)
 How to harness the “one-two punch” of success for faster, longer-lasting results in your life (even if you’ve failed before, this one piece of insider information can change everything for you)

This webinar is absolutely free (except for the normal long distance phone charges), but participants must register to secure a spot and receive the required phone number, PIN, and access URL. Only 1,000 lines are available, so participants should register here immediately: http://www.webinarking.com/liveyourdreams/

About Jim Edwards: http://www.ebookfire.com/aboutus.shtml
Meet Les Brown: http://lesbrown.com/english/meet_lesbrown.html

Media Contact:  Priscilla Caldwell

757-870-6222; Priscilla.caldwell@cox.net

Tired of New Year’s Resolutions that Fizzle in the First Quarter?

Life Mentor Jim Edwards releases True Life Success Lessons Just in Time to Help Turn the New Year into a New Life

MATHEWS, Va. — Life mentor Jim Edwards announces the release of True Life Success Lessons, a 12-week training course, available just in time for 2010.  The course encompasses 12 modules of practical, proven methods to make resolutions stick instead of stray.  His True Life Success Lessons offers participants not only inspiration, but also real-world, proven steps— potentially life-changing — to improve their lot in the form of weekly online webinars spread over three months.

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As the recession drags on and the year winds down, True Life Success Lessons provides gift-givers a meaningful alternative to surprise their loved-ones with this year.  Just in time for the holidays, participants can reserve a spot for the series, which begins in January.  The program costs $147, payable in three installments of $49 each.

The 12-week series gives students an ample dose of do-it-yourself motivation and is affordable as well.  In the course, Edwards:

4   Dares people to venture out of their “mental cave” and achieve personal freedom

4   Encourages them to develop a crystal clear, emotionally charged vision of what they want

4   Gives them the strategy to effectively attain their goals faster than any other methods

By helping others to solve their problems and obtain their wishes, Jim asserts that he has been, and continues to be, richly rewarded financially and emotionally in the process.  He aims to help others to do the same.

Module topics:

Module 1- “How To Get Anything You Want”

Module 2 -”Go From Broke”

Module 3 -”Your PowerVision Movie”

Module 4 – “Removing Emotional Blocks”

Module 5 – “Self-Perception (Image) and “Right” or Inspired Action”

Module 6 – “The 7 Laws of Success: How to Apply Them In Everyday Life”

Module 7 – “Overcoming Fear and Doubt”

Module 8 – “The Power of Questions”

Module 9 – “Affirmative Thinking and Expectancy”

Module 10 – The 5-Minute Roadblock Buster Solution

Module 11 – “The Truth About Money”

Module 12 – The Power of Decision

Participants can register for the series at www.TrueLifeSuccessLessons.com.  Early registration is due by December XX.

Jim Edwards is an Internet expert, marketing entrepreneur, newspaper columnist, author, motivational speaker and elite mentor and coach.  Through his company, Guaranteed Response Marketing, he has created hundreds of products, helped thousands of people, and become financially and personally independent. www.IGottaTellYou.com

Media Contact:  Priscilla Caldwell

757-870-6222; Priscilla.caldwell@cox.net

Maverick Goes Mainstream:  Marketing Entrepreneur Jim Edwards Makes Millions on the Internet by teaching “how-to” Programs

MATHEWS, VA — Leaving the establishment in the dust, marketing wunderkind, Jim Edwards, struck gold with search engine optimization before most people even knew what the Internet was.  Now, Edwards wants to send his message to the “real world” and help them learn and leverage the Internet.  By teaching how to do just about anything online, in simple, click-by-click instructions, Edwards seeks to assist those who want to attain personal and financial freedom by successfully operating their own small businesses.

As the mobile technology has become readily available and ebooks are becoming more prevalent, Edwards seeks to reach the mainstream with his downloadable ebooks and courses on topics covering every aspect of how to work the Internet.

An intellectual and spiritual master, Edwards wants to help others solve their problems and attain their desires.  Through his work, he asserts that he has been, and continues to be, richly rewarded financially and emotionally in the process.

Step-by-Step, Click-by-Click

After years of wrangling with corporate jobs, Edwards took a chance on himself and the new world of technology and hung his own proverbial shingle in the way of a one-page Web site.  Following the age-old adage to “write what you know,” Edwards wrote and published his first “ebook” in 1997 entitled Selling Your Home Alone.  Drawing on his background in real estate and mortgage banking, Edwards revised a selling tool he had used to connect with FSBOs, (for sale by owners) as they say in the industry, and turned it into his first electronic book.  He designed a simple Web site and posted the book for sale.

That first product led him to delve deep into electronic media.  Building on what he had discovered with his first work and follow-up offering, “The TEN Dirty Little Secrets of Mortgage Financing”, Edwards wrote a step-by-step ebook about the process called How to Write & Publish Your Own eBook in as Little as 7 Days.  As Edwards mastered the Internet and its intricacies, he wrote and published books on everything he learned along the way.  A vanguard in SEO — Search Engine Optimization — Edwards was asked to speak across the country on the topic, which led him to his next work that propelled his career in informational publishing.  The result, 33 Days to Online Profits, took off in sales and an Internet star was born, as they say.

Learning and teaching became Edwards’ passion and has generated him a fortune.  Now with more than 100 products, 300 plus articles, webinars broadcast weekly, cruise seminars and now print publishing, Edwards continues to be more prolific each year.

Jim Edwards is an Internet expert, marketing entrepreneur, newspaper columnist, author, motivational speaker and elite mentor and coach.  Through his company, Guaranteed Response Marketing, he has created hundreds of products, helped thousands of people, and become financially and personally independent. www.IGottaTellYou.com