Well it's a cool catch phrase for one. In a nutshell , it's a funnel affiliate system with a pyramid style business model. The top tier of The Reverse Funnel System rakes it in and the bottom tiers are a ways downstream and their cuts are smaller. You move up by recruiting and getting others to buy into the business model.

You set up a web site, get people to use your web site as a portal for signing up for a membership at Global Resorts Network, a travel-based membership club. Does it provide a great travel service? I'm not sure because so far I can only locate the key phrases stamped and repeated from different mouthpieces within the system who are trying to get sign ups and therefore make money. But it's may very well be legit and offer great value. But I do have to wonder how it could be a great deal with people getting a cut five tiers down (although it's small at that lower level).

But travel is all about cutting deals. There's actually a lot I don't know about the site but trust me, there will be comments posted. But it does remind me of pyramid systems of the past where people stop you in a store to sell you on they system and not the products. In this case the advertising, that you pay for of course, does that selling part for you and they have proven ads and marketing streams that you get as a member.

They claim it's completely automated but there is still someone behind you encouraging you to take the first step, then the next, then the next. The money is in the sign ups. I'm sure there are group heads that are more attentive and still others who won't even talk to the lower tiers as they are out to get new sign ups since that's where the big bucks lie. Some will coach you and others will abandon you in an effort to chase down new recruits although some will tell you that their recruits getting new recruits moves them up the chain which is true. It all depends on how long that person wants to be in it and what his/her goals are.

How come a millionaire has a web site that looks like it was developed by a kindergartner?

First of all, The Reverse Funnel System was developed by an entrepreneur named Ty Coughlin. He's apparently a millionaire which he no doubt is since he invented the system and he is the top tier of the "inner circle". His web site at present shows him in Hawaii with a lap top on a lounge chair. To be honest, the sensationalist style of the prose and the site turns me off but I was curious. But it's meant to hook those looking to make money on the internet and pull down the storied $10,000 per month and doesn't require education or any background other than being a go getter/recruiter.

Why would someone so rich have a web site done by himself that looks put together in a day?. If you hire great copywriters and top level programmers why put up a site that has not one lick of design sense or navigation know how? What happened to the web designers? Were they surfing? Not important you say? I can tell you it is an important element although pretty web site is not THE DEFINING one but the look of the site doesn't say to me that he is a credible "entrepreneur". But then it was designed to hook a certain type person.

The branding of the Reverse Funnel System

They've gotten good placement on the internet because they are using some of the same key phrases to dispel misgivings and promote The Reverse Funnel System. I have these listed in my blog. It's always been true when copy writing radio spots to repeat certain phrases a certain number of times so the consumer leaves with one with a consistent message about your business. In today's language, "branding".

As a copywriter, I noticed this right off the bat just like I noticed President Bush's rah rah speech to get all Americans on board to go to Iraq. We were sold a war in the same way someone would sell Coca Cola--by repeating key branding tag line phrases like "weapons of mass destruction" after so many beats. That much has stayed the same the entire time I've been in the advertising copy writing business. Present a consistent message over and over to develop a brand, get your foothold in the market, develop loyalty and name recognition.

There is almost a stepford wife consistency that knocks nonconformists like myself right off this kind of track. It may work for you and you are bathing in money, but I've never been a fan of pyramid setups and the aggressive recruiting style. There are new elements, though, from the old style ones where strangers came up and shook your hand so they could get your phone number and call you later.

Many in the system have finessed their approach to be less aggressive and more informational but always hitting that key visceral emotional response of "I want this to be true and I want to make $10,000 per month."Ironically, the new hard sell is a more subtle approach.

So what are the costs?

• Naturally, they don't tell you about the initial up front costs up front. You pay a $50 fee to send in an application. You are promised to get that fee back threefold. After you've invested the rest? Do you get that travel membership investment back? I doubt that. You bought a membership in a great travel club and you get benefits, right?


• There is a $200-$300 per month for a web site. I can do my own web site and hosting for $100 a year but apparently you have to be in the "system" since there are advantages for trafficking. I think the advantage is the trickle down effect and commission cuts on that per month charge to be quite frank. The money is in getting members to join the Inner Circle. It's incentive to keep recruiting.


• There is a price tag of $2995 for a Platinum membership to the Travel Club . There are other levels of membership that are less costly including a free affiliate membership that ends up costing about $100 from what I can surmise. The big sell is for the Platinum membership but in order to not lose a recruit they have the other options.


• There are advertising expenses around $200-$300 per month. At least that's what I can see at this point. It's already produced, tested and I'm sure that is the case. But at some point, you'd have to change it up to get the new biz buzz and web traffic happening since the market is getting saturated daily. If you do procter and gamble style for years you end up having to run media like crazy (very costly) when in fact a change in creative approach would work and you'd have to pay less in media costs because it's not the same tired message.
  

• So in order to recoup, you have to get others to sign up for the system. And most people will do that aggressively to get their investment back and make money. The initial recruiter who wants his recruits to get others to sign up so he can move up will be more attentive.

• Sure you have to invest to make money. But are you investing in something really tangible? I guess it is if what you want is great deals on travel maybe.

What registered on my bullsh*t meter?

• They hired $20,000 a page copywriters. Really? I am a copywriter and I can tell you that we don't make $20k per page on anything. And there isn't some special copywriter in the Cayman Islands cranking out $20k pages between his coral reef diving sessions either. I do well enough and have had some lucrative years but it's from hard work and creativity. Internet advertising pays the least. And I've done this 20+ years across all media including the internet.

• They claim "it's all automated" and they've removed the human element. Well, they have people on forums talking it up that resemble shills in their key phrase approach and consistent mantra. Sell, sell, sell, recruit, recruit, recruit. They do sort of let it sneak up on you and they offer enough to pique curiosity for sure--the new "subtle hard-sell approach". So there is a recruiting warpath that you have to keep up to drive traffic to your web site so you can get sign ups and you can make money. The advertising and the new member of the inner circle clicking the button is your goal. A human has to be the tide pushing you.

• The fact that they rarely mention the product and the one goal they have is to get you to sign up. This just bugs me. The product is so very secondary.

• It's boring. Promote, promote, promote, recruit, recruit, recruit, advertise, advertise, advertise. It may work, it may make money and eventually big bucks before the system peters out. Now people have gotten creative and developed products within the system but you'd better think and produce QUICK because there are people joining and trying to develop marketing systems for sale so fast your head will spin. You may gain insightful marketing knowledge but spending even two hours on social networks is beyond boring for this writer and anything formula gets old quick with me. But that's my personality.

• With people joining in droves you have to get them to sign up THROUGH YOUR WEBSITE which means eventually the market will be saturated and some poor slob who joined at the wrong time will lose when the top tiers have decided this idea has run its course and find greener pastures. So maybe the time to join is now? Or maybe it's already saturated? You're not going to find out those numbers.

This pyramid style internet marketing system may be for you but it's good to know everything up front if you're going to make an investment.