Copy-Cat-Copywriting

That's the attitude of many Internet marketers, unfortunately.

Too many clients and customers are afraid to ask for refunds. So they pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for mediocre services and products.

For example: I paid $800 for a "course" that consisted of 3 CDs and a binder. I sent it back.

It IS possible that you can get one life-changing idea from a single conversation or seminar. But these days, so much is "out there" that you'll likely find the same idea all over the Internet.

What's worse: situations where a Big Name promises to deliver and just doesn't. For example, "Ingrid" told me about a 3 day, $3000 seminar. Four high-powered guest speakers were due to appear, so she was excited about learning. What she got were 4 high-powered sales pitches. She learned nothing.

My favorite story is about a consultant who charged thousands of dollars for services, demanding a multi-month commitment. When a client asked to leave early, the consultant added a charge of $250 for ebooks that were delivered as part of the "premium" program. Instead of saying, "I'm sorry you didn't benefit - is there anything else I can do?" the consultant chose the low road. Needless to say, sooner or later one client is going to protest.

I always recommend giving refunds cheerfully whenever someone asks. A knowledgeable customer can make your life miserable and you don't know if he has a buddy who's a lawyer or she has an in with a consumer agency.

You never know. When you offer a refund or a compensatory gift, you may build lifetime bonds with your customer. Most likely you will defuse the anger at once.