Update:Kate Buck has released a brand new course called Social Media Manager Pro <--affiliate link. I got an advance look at the course and will have a review up shortly. — Bill
Ever wish you could get paid to hang out on Twitter and Facebook? We’ve all seen Tweets and emails promising us we can. I think most of them are probably written by people whose idea of making money with social media is to write a book on how to make money with social media.
Do you know how a lot of sales letters, online and offline, start out with a headline that says something like, “Almost Homeless Man Goes From Broke to Six-Figures a Year…”? I’ve seen a lot of variations on that one over the years.
A few days ago, I got a similar email from Ryan Deiss and in this case, the part of the broke person was played by a familiar name, Kate Buck. I recognized Kate’s name from Twitter, she’s a highly paid, well-known social media expert in Austin and we’d connected a while back. But it was only last weekend when Kate dropped by Unseminar 8, that I realized she’d actually been out to my house helping my ex organize her studio/office.
Kate told me she’d lost her job in customer service and agreed to drive an hour each way from Austin to help Lisa because she really needed the work. Fortunately for Kate, it didn’t work out.
She told me shortly after that, she got her first gig as a social media manager. Her job was to keep up with a local client’s social media accounts. She got somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 an hour to sit around in her PJ’s and play on Twitter and Facebook. Not a bad gig. Fast-forward a year and a half and Kate was bringing in over $10k a month after expenses working with multiple clients and with a team made up of her girlfriends.
Our mutual friend Ryan Deiss found out what Kate was up to and asked her if she’d be willing to do an interview for his subscribers. That interview made it obvious that there were a whole lot of people willing to buy a course on how to do what she does.
The Price Makes This One a No-Brainer
When Kate and Ryan did a call to announce the course and I heard what they were including, I wanted it. I’m already doing social media consulting but I knew Kate’s pricing and client acquisition strategies would be worth whatever they sold the course for. Plus, even though I’ve got a lot of experience with social media, I knew I’d pick up some useful tips.
I expected the price to be somewhere between $197 to $497, two price points Ryan has often used in the past. I don’t mean to sound like a cliche but I was blown away when I heard they were selling this for only $97. [Note: The price for Let’s Get Social 2 is now two payments of $97, which I still think is very reasonable.]
The email offer showed up in my in-box at something like 3 AM and after watching the video sales letter, I think I may have been the first person to order it.
What You Get
The course is served up online in a membership site and contains six basic training modules, a resource section, four coaching calls and a guest interview. When you purchase, you also get a free month in Kate’s coaching program which then costs something like $29 a month. Since the first month was free, I gave it a shot. There were also upsells to get a custom Twitter background and other graphics you could use to set up a site for your new business and they ranged from simple custom graphics to putting it all together for you. The samples looked good and the prices were reasonable but I already had that covered so I passed.
The 6 Training Modules Are:
- Introduction
- Branding You
- Service Offerings
- Doing the Work
- Finding Clients
- Nuts & Bolts
Each training module consists of one or more videos along with the same presentation in a downloadable audio (.mp3) file, a PDF handout which contains the powerpoint slides Kate uses in the presentation along with a space to take notes while you watch. You’ll obviously want to watch some of the videos where she’s showing how to do things online but for topics like Finding Clients, I just listened to several of them while driving from Dallas to Austin.
As for the nuts & bolts, I’ve been doing and teaching social media for quite a while and Kate taught me some new tricks.
Resource Section Catering to the Complete Newbie
The resource section includes links to all the tools and reference sites Kate refers to in the training modules and long with 25 additional short videos on WordPress, Uploading custom backgrounds and setting up Paypal to take orders on your website. She assumes you have zero experience and shows you, step-by-step how to do even the most basic of tasks like signing up for a new PayPal account. However, she breaks the videos into chunks so you can skip videos on the things you already know how to do.
Kate Answers Your Questions
As I write this, Kate has already done one of the four coaching calls and the recording is up on the site. There’s a space there to type in your own question so Kate can cover it on the next call. I haven’t listened to the first call yet but if it’s anything like the training modules, it’ll be solid info.
Kate also includes sample forms including client contracts, invoices and questionnaires that you can edit and personalize with your name and logo, etc.
My primary interest was in client acquisition, pricing and how to recruit and train people to handle some of the daily chores for you. Kate didn’t disappoint. She gives you clear suggestions on how much to charge, how to be flexible in both pricing and services offered and how to make sure you get paid in advance. After going through the whole course, I couldn’t find anything Kate had left out. And I’m sure if someone else does, she’ll add it or cover it on the Q&A calls.
She also shows you what tasks you can automate and which you can’t. And she’s leads you down a path so you can easily bring in an assistant (or multiple assistants) if and when you grow to that point without missing a beat. And that’s no small matter because if you choose to do so, you can quickly get more clients than you can handle.
Is There a Market for Social Media Managers?
Scroll through posts on Monster.com or search “social media manager” and see what results show up.
A lot of local businesses have been spending a fortune every month advertising in the Yellow Pages and the newspaper and it’s just not working any more. I don’t know about you but I tossed the Yellow Pages years ago and I’m not in the minority here. So these businesses are used to spending money on advertising and most know enough to realize they need to be on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and that they should have a blog. The problem is they either don’t know how, don’t have the time or both. That’s where you come in.
What I really like about this is you can jump in for very little money. You need a website (which as I mentioned earlier Kate can setup for you for a reasonable fee), business cards, a phone and some basic skills. And you can get through this course in a few days and land your first client pretty quickly.
I love the idea of this for the would-be internet or affiliate marketer that’s struggling to make money because you can’t get traffic or can’t seem to get a project off the ground because there’s so much to learn and do.
Click Here to check out Kate and Ryan’s video that will give you the rest of the story. Note: that’s my affiliate link.
This seems like a great opportunity for any unemployed “social butterflys” out there Bill!
Glad you mentioned that most if not all of it can be outsourced too…:-)
And it brings up another idea that I think there may be a budding market for: Outsourcing Project Managers!
Mtn Jim
Absolutely, Jim. Kate has about 6-7 friends working with her part-time. At this point, she’s mostly just the point of contact for the clients.
Just ordered the course myself. Could certainly use the money while I work on launching my big dream!
Great Juli! It looks like a great way for anyone to build a foundation while they work on building out their other projects.
Nice review.
Ryan and Kate have tapped into a hot topic with Let’s Get Social and released it at a very fair price.
Thanks, Paul! I was pleasantly surprised by the price and as I continue to go through the course, am quite impressed by the material.
you rock, Bill! thanks for taking the time to check out my course- and for taking even more time to post about it here.
much appreciated š
kbj
Hey, Kate! Thanks for dropping by. Glad to write the review and to take the course. Great stuff!
Hey Guys, I am planning to buy the course myself. I want to help small businesses with their IM and social media tasks and makes some decent cash. Then with the skills I learned I can build my own information product business using social media for traffic generation. Cool huh.
Very cool, James. Let me know how it’s going.
I know FaceBook is changing right now on allot of things. Have you updated this course since it was published?
Larry
Hi Larry,
Kate just did an update on the course. I haven’t seen it yet but do know that it is current.
Bill
Hi Larry – yes, I updated the course in March to reflect the new Facebook changes.
It would be highly helpful if reviews of this mention what Social Networks are included. Facebook and Twitter only? LinkedIn? StumbleUpon? Anything else?
Hi Gail,
As Kate has just released 2.0, I’ll be writing an update in a few days. Kate definitely talks about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as well as some of the secondary sites in the original course but I’ll check to see what new services she’s covering.
Thanks for your comment!
Bill
I am VERY interested in this as I have a natural knack for social media & networking. I would LOVE to learn more about this course!
Hello Bill,
My name is Ryan and i am from Philippines, i got this email from Ryan Deiss about let’s get social and i am really interested to do this, but before i do, i would like to know if this works in my country? And about getting a client is it Worldwide? Do i need to be fluent in english in this kind of job?
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
If you want to work with clients in English speaking countries then, yes, you’d need to be fluent in English. But there are opportunities everywhere.
I just paid for this course. It is a good idea, but for the price, Kate moves very fast in her training videos, the videos are poor quality, and she just quickly covers things when teaching you how to set up a wordpress site.
I am on module two, and have been very frustrated with this course since the introduction! I hope Kate takes more time explaining things in future updates, etc.
I give it 3 out of 5 so far. If you are ready to be frustrated and confused, this course will do that to you!
Scott, my experience was different from yours. I didn’t have any problem following the videos. But you’re only on the second module so hopefully you got a little further in the course and saw things flowed smoother. And setting up a WordPress site isn’t part of social media management so I wasn’t looking for Kate to explain that to me. There are a number of videos, including on WordPress itself to explain that.
Hi Scott,
Thank you very much for your feedback. I am sorry that you feel the course moves too fast. Unfortunately, it is not a WordPress training, so I do quickly move through just the basics of that, so we can get on to other important social media applications.
I recommend watching the entire course once through, simply taking notes. Then watch it through a 2nd time, stopping to apply the techniques. You have unlimited access to the training, so don’t feel like you can’t go back as much as you need to. Some of this stuff is highly technical.
(this is a good all around, e-learning approach.)
best of luck!
I am a Realtor and use my personal account to advertise my business but never know exactly what strategy to use other than to be active. If I have personal stuff, I post that, if I have Real Estate stuff, I post that. Obviously, my business is about social networking but I could use this course to 1. promote myself and my business and 2. to help others on the side. The one thing that I would want to just look at prior to paying for the course would be the actual contract signed by a client/business for Let’s Get Social services. Please let me know if that would be a possibility. Feel free to email me with specific instructions. I would also be happy to talk to someone via phone about the contract(s) if looking at a contract is not possible.
Hi David,
They probably wouldn’t show you that up front but it can’t hurt to ask. But you’d need to contact them directly for that. Click through the link above and see if there’s a phone number or contact info on the page.
Bill
I just checked Monster.com for the job title you mentioned. I found two positions in my state. Both required 4 year computer science degree and programming experience in over 4 languages. Starting salary: $38,000.00
This is in the New York Metro area. VERY DISAPPOINTING! Is it possible Ryan Deiss is hyping this product? Kate Buck hasn’t responded to one single question or Tweet. It’s got to make you wonder. Any thoughts on this, Bill?
Hi Greg,
I’m not sure how you tried to contact Kate but I’ll let her know about your concern. I haven’t seen Ryan’s sales letter for the re-launch but in the original teleseminar I listened to, Kate & Ryan weren’t talking about finding jobs, they were talking about running this as a business. That’s where the idea came about because Ryan was trying to hire Kate as an employee and discovered he couldn’t afford her. And I can definitely verify that there are companies out there looking for people to manage their social media. As for getting hired, I’m a long way from NY. I see some jobs listed on Craigslist. One 35k-45k., one $20-30 hour, one 40k, etc. without the kind of requirements you described. Here in Texas, I’ve seen jobs paying quite a bit more than that.
Personally, I’d stay independent and get multiple customers. That’s the key to making six figures doing this and Kate shows you how she did this. And I watched her do it. I first met Kate about three years ago when she was interviewing for an office manager position with my then girlfriend’s jewelry business. Fortunately, it wasn’t the right fit for Kate and shortly after that, she landed her first social media client and started building her business.
Hi Greg,
Thanks for your comment. You are correct, and we mention in our sales materials that the average salary for a social media manager hired “in-house” ranges from 30-60k. of course, the requirements for those positions vary…
i would recommend searching simplyhired.com or indeed.com for increased results.
However, as Bill mentioned, I work freelance and run my own business, so my income level is not re-determined, nor am I subject to the “requirements” as you described. The downside to that, is I’m responsible for finding and landing my own clients to keep my business afloat. THIS is what the product is about… not how to get hired in-house, although, I have students who have done that.
Additionally, I apologize if I haven’t responded to messages you’ve sent. Unfortunately you did not identify yourself, so I am unable to give this issue proper due diligence – perhaps you did not address tweets directly to me with the “@katebuckjr”? In any case, you can reach best via support (at) kbjonline (dot) com
thank you.
Kate, I am going through your course now and I think it’s fantastic, but there are 2 issues that are frustrating me.
1.The thing is I am from India and so English is not my first language, so I was wondering, is it possible that I won’t get clients or get @20/hour just because my English is not as good as some native English speakers.
2. Does the job of social media manager involves writing articles and blog posts?
Hi Bill,
I just checked out the video, and it looks like the course is TWO payments of $97, so the course is actually $194 not $97.
Hi Alun,
Thanks for your comment. I think the original course was $97 but with Let’s Get Social 2, they raised the price. I’ll make not of it in the post.
Bill
I am interested in this course, a few of the posts were somewhat negative. It’s been a few months now so what’s the update.
1. Were you able to understand the data?
2. What level of education is it understood by? High school, College or you need a bachelors in Computer science to get it?
3. Are you using it, and what has your success been?
Thanks, I hope you don’t get offended by my direct questions there is a lot of people with great stuff out there and some not so great.
I look forward to your responses.
MariaT
Hi Maria,
Thanks for your comment. I let negative comments stay on the blog, too. What you may not have noticed is that in some cases, Kate herself stopped by to respond to comments on my blog. How often do you see that happen on a regular basis? She’s good at what she does and cares about her clients and customers.
Was I able to understand the data? Yes. I’ve been proficient in social media for a while but I still learn new things from Kate. As far as level of education, I think a high school student could master the basics without difficulty. You certainly do not need a degree in computer science to be a social media manager.
As far as me using it and my level of success, I’ve been in Internet marketing for ten years and have been a consultant for quite a while so my results are going to be different than someone starting out. What I can tell you is that when I first met Kate just a few years ago, she was applying for an office manager job with a friend of mine. Fortunately for all of us, Kate didn’t take that job and instead started handling social media management for a few local businesses. Then she started hiring friends and training them so she could take on more clients. She became quite successful in a relatively short time. This course originally came from the same material she used to train those first employees. So it wasn’t theory, it was proven and tested. And she’s since updated the course to reflect changes in the industry. So, I still recommend it.
I’m not exactly a disinterested third party here. Kate and Ryan are friends and, as I said in the review, I’m an affiliate. That means if you buy through the link on this page, I get a commission. But if you’ve spent any time on this blog, you will know that a) I do not promote every new product that comes along, b) I actually buy and review the product rather than bombarding readers with promos and c) that if I find something wrong with the product, I include that in my review.
Hope that helps…
Bill
Kate, How many contracts are there and where do you file the contracts? Today is August 25, 2011, do you have a company name and address?
Hi Lawrence, you caught me in the middle of a move so I’m a little behind on comments. This isn’t Kate’s blog so you’ll probably want to direct that question to her. Kate has a company for doing social media but the address of the company producing this product with her is Infomastery, LLC | 4330 Gaines Ranch Loop, Suite 120 | Austin, TX 78735. I’m not sure if I completely understand your question about contracts.but there is a sample client agreement, invoice and a few other things like basic client checklist and menu of services.
Step by step
You will need to rewind each video multiple times.
Great resources tab subject listed
I have not made money yet, my issue not Kates
Is the $194 the whole package (no monthly fee)?
Bart
Hi Bart,
Yes, that’s the whole package. There is an option to join a monthly package with Q&A calls for a monthly fee but that’s strictly optional.
Could you let us know what the monthly fees will be for the Q & A seems like an amazing product and im am very interested but there is always that……monthly fee to get all the information you need.
Thanks,
Hi Teresa,
When I signed up, and I believe this still applies, you were offered a free monthly trial in the continuity program. After that, it was $39 a month. However, you do not have to sign up for this to get the information you need. The info is in the course. The continuity program is for Q&A calls which you can participate in live or listen to recordings. Is it a valuable resource? Yes. Are you not getting enough info if you don’t sign up? No, the course is fine on it’s own.
My suggestion is this. Take the free month and start going through the course right away. When you sign up, set a reminder in your email program or wherever you track your schedule for say 28 days from now. When you get that reminder, if you’re applying what you learned and finding the calls to be helpful, continue at $39 a month. If you’re getting clients paying $500-$2500+ per month and managing them it’s worth it to be able to access someone that’s been there and done that for $39 a month. On the other hand, if you’re not doing much with it or it’s become a someday/maybe thing, then cancel before you’re billed again.
I should also add that there are upsells for things like social media design pages for your Twitter account, FB account, etc. There were several different options and, quite frankly, I don’t remember them all. I decided not to get them. The value was there but I already had these things. And given how Ryan’s company is constantly testing new things, the offer you see now may differ from what I saw when I signed up.
Hope this helps…
Bill
Thanks Bill, your answers are so informational and it is greatly appreciated. I will be purchasing the product. Wish me luck š Im excited and hopefully I will be able to make this a part time/ full time job.
Keep up the great work
Teresa
Thanks, Theresa. Good luck with it and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. And let me know about your progress!
Hi Teresa,
I am getting ready to purchase this course. How are things going for you at
this time? I would appreciate any helpful feedback you can provide.
Thanks,
Penny
Hello, thanks for the posting. I am very interested in the course, but the part that concerns me is getting the clients. I am fairly introverted and if any part of this involves trying to sell my services over the phone or in person, it would be too difficult for me. Can you comment on that? Thank you!
Thanks for your comment. The course is more about how to package what you offer clients, how to actually do the work and how to price your services than it is the sales process but there are ways for introverts to do this type of work. I’ve got a review coming later this week of a course I’ve found that is similar but for doing SEO rather than Social Media. It’s designed for introverts. You will have to talk to clients but you learn how to attract clients rather than cold calling. So you get clients calling you asking for your services rather than the opposite. Now if that’s still intimidating, this may not be for you. Another alternative is to work with someone that likes doing sales.
Thank you, that helps me realize this probably isn’t for me then. I don’t mind talking to clients, I just am not outgoing enough to “sell”. Thanks for your reply.
Completely understand. I’m shy when it comes to that, too, but when the client is calling me asking for my help, it’s SO much easier for me. Good luck and glad I could help you make the right decision.
I’m doing my due diligence before signing up for the course. A few questions:
1. I have mobility problems. Do you know if ways to get customers in the course might include techniques that don’t include going door-to-door? I am able to go to the potential client for meetings.
2. What is the course you refered to above about getting clients for introverts?
Roberta
Hi Roberta,
The primary meat of this course is how to package your services and how to actually do the work. I know Kate answers a lot of questions in her Q&A calls. She has enough advice to guide you through getting your first 2-3 clients that does not involve door-to-door but I recommend a separate course for more on how to attract clients. The one I’m writing a review for is geared to doing SEO work but many of the techniques will work for Social Media too and all are designed for attracting clients that you then meet in person or by phone or skype. I’m also checking out a new course that’s solely on acquiring clients. It may be a few weeks before I write a review, though.
The clients are out there. I’ve had $500 a month clients and $2500 a month clients and that’s in addition to consulting fees. What I’ve noticed recently is that many of the IM ‘gurus’ are creating courses on how to do this. The challenge I have with some of those courses is that these gurus aren’t in the social media consulting or SEO consulting business, they’re primarily info marketers. Kate was approached by Ryan Deiss to create a course after she’d already successfully built her SM management business. The same is true for the other course I referred to with the SEO slant.
I live in a small town where there are more small business then anything. I looked online to see if any companies were looking for social media managers in my area only to find they were only 2 and required a 4 year degree. So, my question is can I really find clients that will trust someone they never meet in person to run their social media? I am asking because I am not scared of sales and I by no means am scared to talk to people but if I am going to spend 197.00 of our already tight budget then Iād like to know if I am willing to work then even a country girl in a small town can dig her way out the financial rut that so many are in. I will be putting off bills to pay for the course so before I do that Id like to know a little more about my risk.
Hi Lydia,
Thanks for your comment. I certainly think there are opportunities in the small town you described but as a service provider, not necessarily as an employee. However, I do not advocate spending money you don’t have on a course like this. Not that the course is not worth the money because it is. But starting a business will require at least some start-up money for things like business cards, a basic website, etc. While it is possible to get some of these things for free until you can afford to pay for better items, it’s putting yourself under an awful lot of pressure. One alternative would be to go to a small town business owner that you already know and ask them if they would be willing to pay the $197 for training, perhaps in exchange for part of your first month. Now you may say you don’t know a business owner that fits the bill but think of the business owners you already do business with. Your doctor, dentist, real estate agent or landlord if you live in an apartment, chiropractor, hairdresser, plumber or insurance agent might be a good place to start. Beyond that, there’s local restaurants, shops, etc. that you visit regularly.
That way, you would not incur any more debt and you’d have your first customer.
The information is GOOD, and worth the first $97 READ ON
I wish it had been organized into a more useful order.
The videos are cheap screen capture that most the time is difficult to make out, (that is you cant see what is being typed or where the pointer is going). Again the info on them is good… worth about $47 as I can get it all for free on YouTube.
The up-sellā of the branding templates for Twitter, Facebook & WordPress blog and the client management software… well that was a WASTE of $97
I built my own… and I’ll never use the software.
The sales page indicated getting your first clients in a few days. DIDN’T happen… it was months before I received my first and only client so far. But I’m still working at it.
I probably won’t ever purchase another Ryan Deiss product without doing a ton of research!
Thanks for your comment, Hope. I’m a little puzzled by some of what you said, though. Cheap screen captures? I don’t understand. In fact, there’s really only one company making paid screen capture software and that’s Techsmith’s Camtasia which is what Kate used. I’m wondering if you’re aware there’s a button on each video in the bottom right-hand corner that allows you to view the videos in full screen. The majority of the videos are showing powerpoint slides which are also given to you in the form of a downloadable PDF handout which fairly clearly shows each slide. Displaying typing details can be tough because there’s a certain amount of compression involved in taking a recording of an entire screen and then fitting it inside a browser window. Usually, maximizing the screen helps but if there’s something you can’t make out even in full screen mode, ask Kate and I’m sure she’ll clarify it. You can file a support ticket from within the course.
I’m not sure exactly what criteria you’re using to put a $47 value vs a $97 value. If, as you’re suggesting, there are videos on YouTube that show you how to do some of the techniques, you’d still need to figure out what to look for and spend time finding them through trial and error. How long would that take? How much is your time worth?
Personally, when it comes to information that can earn me thousands of dollars (or more), I’d rather start with a good course and then do research or buy other courses to expand my knowledge once I have paying clients. I didn’t review the upsell because I didn’t buy the templates as I already had templates in place for my accounts. Since you did order them and didn’t use them, why didn’t you just ask for a refund on the templates?
Congratulations on getting your first client! As for taking longer to get there than the sales letter implied, everyone is different and I don’t know your circumstances (how many businesses you’re calling on, where and how you’re getting leads, etc.). I’ve had clients pay me four figures a month to handle their social media so I know it’s possible and I know others that have done the same. I also know that Kate did it because I’ve seen it. One method I’ve seen work well when starting out is to simply put up a post on your Facebook page to your friends telling them you’re looking for a couple of clients that need help with their social media. Once you get that first client or two, you can get testimonials and, hopefully, referrals from them.
As for doing research, well, that’s why I write these reviews and include comments like yours so people can get multiple opinions.
Good luck!
Where can I buy the course without having to watch the video again?
Also, is there a monthly site that provides on-going training to keep up with changes?
Thanks
Hi Sean,
Unfortunately, there’s no way around watching the video. Ryan gets a LOT of complaints about that but his tests show they convert better. What I’ve done in the past is click on the link (it’s within the post above), hit mute and go grab a coffee or something. When the video finishes, the order button will be there. The monthly Q&A is contained within the Let’s Get Social site and it’s an option offered when you buy the course. Unless it’s changed, you’re offered the first month free so you can see if you think it’s a good value. If not, you can cancel at 30 days.
Thanks for the info Bill!
I was wondering are there any 2011 students who have brought Let Get Social and making real money, that you know, of.
Hi Vernon, that would be a question for Kate herself as new students don’t necessarily come back and let me know how they’re doing. I really think a LOT has to do with attitude. I have people write to tell me there are no jobs out there or jobs that require a four year degree. Yet I was just talking to a kid from Austin yesterday that got hired to handle social media for a large national company that didn’t know much about social media other than they needed to get into it. He’s getting a nice salary and a company car, benefits. etc. As far as starting your own company, it isn’t easy, you have to go get clients but it’s certainly do-able.
i am excited and will get started asap
Good for you, John!
Hi, I have no experience whatsoever in sales, I just graduated from college, I have gone through the information on this page and have watched the video which was sent to me on my email. How helpful can this product be for me solely in terms of money making??
Hi Divita,
Sorry for the late reply. Personally, I prefer to get my own clients and that’s something you can do as well but you’ll need to be willing to learn a bit more about sales. Kate discusses this to some degree in the course but the main focus is teaching you how to do the work and what she’s done to grow her business. Some people, like me, are comfortable being entrepreneurs while others prefer the stability of having a regular job even though that limits what you can do. Only you can decide which you’re more comfortable with. If you want to do social media management on your own, I’d say pick up Kate’s course and take them up on the 30 day trial of her coaching program (it’s $39 per month after your free month). Get into the course right away and take advantage of the coaching calls to ask lots of questions on how to sell clients. If you don’t feel like you’re getting those questions answered, then cancel the coaching before you have to start paying. But I imagine Kate will have the answers you need. She knows what she’s doings. You may also consider supplementing this with a good sales book on Amazon.
There are jobs out there doing social media but it might depend on where you live and how deep you’re willing to search. I’ve had commenters here swear to me there are no jobs available in, say the state of New York or telling me that the pay is poor yet I know a kid recently that got hired here in Austin, TX at a good salary plus they gave him a company car. Where did he find the job? It was on Craigslist.
If I may add a little input here about people that are afraid of sales because of being an introvert, Toastmasters may help you overcome some of that and then maybe practice your elevator speech as in Hi, my name is Sally and I am a social media manager, how can I help you reach more clients through social media marketing and then just listen to what that person has to say. Sometimes introverts are better listeners than blabbermouths.
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for the comment and the great tip. Toastmasters groups are just about everywhere and besides helping you get comfortable talking about your services in a sales situation, they can also help you get comfortable speaking in front of a group. I get a lot of business that way.
I ahve bought few time before the product,
but I skipped the Bonus.
How can I buy it now?
Hi Orest,
Thanks for your comment. I’m assuming you’re talking about the One Time Offer. I’m not sure if you can buy now. That’s part of the reason they call it a one-time offer. However, I would check with their customer service to see if they’ll let you upgrade.
Bill
hello bill doing a google search here on kate / social media.. i have read all the post . this seems like a great product . thank you for taking time out for answering / helping ppl decide. i currenly work at mcdonalds rest. and need a better income. .. 7.50 hr isnt cutting it for being a single homeowner.i have been wanting to “work from home ” for many yrs now .. but there is so much scammy things out there .. hard to trust. im doing my research still on her.. hoping not to find any” wolves in sheeps clothing” before i decide to purchase this course.. thank you for this blog its helping ;];]
Hi, I bought the letsgetsocial package and am having so much trouble with it. I have a brand new computer, and High Speed Internet, DSL. Some of the videos will play and some will not. They play 3 seconds and stop for about 6 seconds. I took my computer to the shop to have it checked out, to see if something was wrong with it. I did this twice. Nothing was wrong with it. I contacted my Internet Provider, they did all sorts of tests, nothing was wrong. I installed a new browser, Nothing changed.
I have been in contact with the Tech Support Department, and they keep saying there
is something wrong with my computer, yet I can go to Netflix and watch a video. I can go online and watch a TV program and no problem. I have had this course for two (2) full weeks and have not yet been able to watch all of the material.
Does Kate know about the problem? Does Ryan know about this problem?
I think the material, that I have been able to watch, is really good. That is not the problem, nobody seems to want to take responsibility for this problem.
I also went to the Library, they have ten (10) new computers, the videos that would not play on my computer would not play on theirs either.
Please Help Me!
Hi Donna Lee,
I just logged into my account and was able to watch the videos with no problems using Google Chrome & Firefox on three different computers. It’s possible you need to update your Adobe flash player or their could be some other issue. One thing you might try is clicking on the link below the videos that says, “Watching on a mobile device? Click Here”. That takes you to a Quicktime version of the videos. Despite the ‘mobile’ description, the videos are about the same size. If those videos play fine on your machine (and you’ll need Quicktime if you don’t already have it), then you probably have a flash issue. Netflix doesn’t run on Flash, it uses Microsoft Silverlight so the fact that you’re able to watch Netflix doesn’t apply here.
Library computers are notoriously unreliable. They get viruses uploaded on them and often aren’t upgraded properly. New PC’s right out of the box often need updates and libraries, with budget cuts and such often can’t afford good IT people. So it’s entirely possible they also don’t have current Flash updates. Go here to find them: https://www.download-free.com/flash-video-player&source=ga
I’ve had my issues with Infomastery customer service being slow but they’ve recently moved customer service in-house and have added staff. Still, it’s often difficult to diagnose a problem like this over the phone without remote desktop software and techs trained for that. And the cost of having that type of service can run $80 per service call. That makes sense for a cable company but not for a product like this.
We were ready to buy this product because we wanted it to train in-house staff with. Unfortunately the creepy Amway-salespitch video and the ask for the credit card number without giving the customer a chance to review more information about the product format, etc. convinced us that it’s a sleazy, scam-like item. Which may be unfair to the product, but that’s the way it struck us.
We suggest creating another product that small business owners can purchase to train themselves as SMMs for their own business, without the direct-sales-consultancy trimmings. Brand it more trustworthy and serious, price it just SLIGHTLY higher, and you might be surprised at the results.
Cecile, thanks for your comment. I’m not a fan of Ryan’s sales videos but he’s done very well with them in the ‘opportunity seeker’ niche which is his company’s core constituency. Ryan is a notorious tester of every detail of the sales process and he’s doing what works for him. I’m sure his approach would be quite different if he were appealing to the small business market.
You might want to check out Splash Media U (http://www.splashmediau.com/) which is designed specifically for training small biz owners (or an employee) to become their own in-house social media manager. I haven’t test-driven the course but am familiar with the company and the people doing the training know their subject well. It is, however, significantly more expensive than Let’s Get Social.
I’m feeling the same creepy Amway-salepitch mentioned about by RecoverySI. I have never impulsively done an internet or television purchase before and I’m not about to start now….however…the video genuinely piqued my curiosity. It’s interesting enough I’m currently searching thru Google trying to do some basic research so that I’m not falling prey to a pyramid scheme or some other fly-by-night scam. I want to believe! $200 on my budget is a risk I’m not likely to take.
….in need of more persuasion and reassurance.
Ryan, I don’t think this is for you. I don’t care much for Ryan Deiss sales letter videos but Kate’s content is solid and it can be applied and used. However, if $200 is going to be a stretch for you, especially when they allow you to break it into payments, then I would not advise you to purchase this or any other course on how to make money online. Why? You don’t have the money to start a new business. The cost to get into this business is relatively small but you will need business cards and a few other things to get started and it will take a little time. THere are clients out there looking for help and, in some cases, there are jobs available but it probably won’t happen overnight.
When money is so tight that $200 is feeling that risky, I would advise you to just get a 2nd job for now. When you have, say $1,000 set aside, re-visit the idea. It’s not that you’ll necessarily need $1,000 but with it, you won’t feel desperate when you’re out there trying to find clients and you will be able to even try a little advertising to get clients if you need to. And avoid the ‘how to make money online’ courses that tell you that you can make money creating ebooks and such. There was a time this was true but that’s passed and, with the exception of people that have very specialized knowledge, nobody is making money in that niche except those teaching people how to make money online. This is why I got out of that business.
Thanks Bill – I appreciate the honest feedback. I guess I should rephrased my budget. $200 isn’t a stretch for the budget, but $200 wasted on anything isn’t good business. Breaking it up into two payments is nice, but it’s not a deal-breaker. I do have liquid assets available for starting up my business that I make from my other part time business as a photographer.
The $200 is a risk, but hopefully it will turn out to be worthwhile investment. I’m just very cautious with how I spend money on information like this – when I might be able to gain the same info for free somewhere else without a loss of quality. I get that you “get what you pay for” in many circumstances, but I’ve also grown up with the internet and it’s multitude of scams. This one looks like I might actually roll the dice.
–Again, thanks for the feedback!
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for the clarification. Quite often, the information is available for free. The often overlooked cost is time. Free info can be good for a fairly narrow topic but when you’re trying to get an understanding on how to run a new business, getting free info from a variety of sources often wastes a lot of time. You can always make more money but you can’t make more time.
Are there a lot of scams out there? Definitely. I’m most skeptical of the people that have never sold anything online other than ‘how to make money online products’. Of the people I know that Ryan has promoted, all have had success in their own service businesses before promoting any type of info product. Kate teaches what she’s actually done. Is her course perfect? No. No course is when it comes to social media because the game is changing on an almost daily basis. But I think it’s got what you need to get started. If you disagree after going through it, just ask for a refund. And good luck!
Hey Bill! š
I want to thank you for keeping up w/all the ?’s on your blog so well, I appreciate it. I was hesitant to purchase this until I read everything that was written here.
I wanted to address the streaming issue. I also had a problem getting Kate’s first video to stream even after pausing it to let playback catch up. I was using my default browser, google chrome. I switched over to firefox to see if it would make a difference and it did – I’m on my second video, very smooth.
For anybody that’s on the fence w/regards to the value of the course – there’s a lot of meat here, it’s not a bunch of fluff. I went into this figuring at the very least I would learn how to run my own social media campaign, anything else would be gravy.
Ryan and Kate are very genuine in their desire to give you your money’s worth. In the very first module they’re making it clear – if you’re not social and don’t like talking to people, social media IS NOT for you and don’t hesitate to ask for a refund. They want people to be successful.
As of this writing it’s version 3…..AND…..there are recorded Q & A calls from June 2012 all the way back to July 2010! I only purchased this an hour ago so I’ve only had time to poke around and watch 2 video’s.
I haven’t tapped into the Members Only site yet where there are even more recorded calls. It came w/the plan – 30 days free and 29.95 a month after if you want to be a member (but you can cancel at any time if you don’t think you’ll need it). When I get a chance to check it out, I’ll post an update.
I give this 5 Stars – thank you Bill, Ryan and Kate! š
Thanks for the feedback, Pam! Good luck with it!
I’m interested on buying the course, is there a direct link to buy it so I don’t have to see the introductory video again?
Hi Israel,
Unfortunately, there isn’t. What I’d suggest is going to the site (use my affiliate link above if you like). Once you click, go watch TV for a while or read. When you come back, the video should have finished and the order button will be there.
Bill
I just finished purchasing the program and I would like to get started right away, but I was never directed to create a password. I used the password creation link provided in the email that I received and I keep getting an error when I try to create a password. Thisis the error that I received:
The following error(s) occurred:
You did not enter a value for ‘Email’.
Please press the BACK button and enter the required value(s)
My email is automatically in the box when I click on password creation. I tried to type my email again, but it does not allow me to type over. I have called customer service and they are not available at this time. I have sent an email to support also. I am worried because I just invested over $500 in this program and I would like to get started ASAP!!! I didn’t hesitate to sign up because it’s an Austin based company and I am also an Austinite!!! Please help!!!
Rosie
Great class. I took it last October, and work full time as a SMM now. If anyone would like to talk to me about it, just email me!
Glad to here it, Michele!
Hello Bill, excellent review of what I thought/hoped!! was a super programme by Kate. Interesting that you knew her too! I then realised what you do. It would be great to link in some way with someone who already has a track record reviewing products, as you do.We used to work with a major Ford dealership in Austin, which also got my attention!
For our part we are pulling together a global directory for biz owners, with which they will be able to evaluate ANY biz development type resource via actual users of the product. .within our highly trusted network. As an Arch Collaborator, I don’t need to reinvent the proverbial wheel! Hence, why not find someone with your skills & track record, to provide product reviews etc. As it was reading your review that gave me an avenue to collaborate, which I hadn’t thought of before, then it feels right to talk to you 1st, to see if there is an opportunity worth developing between us. If not, then, I will put the feelers out in the UK.
Keep up the great work. Meantime, I want to see if I can do a deal with Kate, to help her distribute her course over here.Your review makes me all the keener to do just that. Enjoy real qol. Regards Mark Layder
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment and I apologize for it sitting in the moderation cue for so long. As you probably know, there are a LOT of review sites out there. I started doing reviews over 10 years ago which was suggested to me by the late Corey Rudl.
Most review sites of Internet marketing type products are put together by affiliates hoping to earn a commission. Unfortunately, that can lead to some fairly biased reviews. One thing that’s changed in the past few years is that people are being transparent about being affiliates and now, here in the US, it’s a legal requirement.
The trick is to write honest reviews and not worry about offending the product owner. In other words, create the same kinds of reviews we see on Amazon and other sites. Sure, you still see reviews that looked like they’re written by a family member but it’s usually easy to see the true reviews.
As for Kate, try contacting her directly if you wish but Let’s Get Social is, as far as I know, an exclusive for Infomastery, Ryan Deiss’ company.