Modern Man's Achilles Heel: Clickbait

Throughout the course of your studies on the markets, on specific industries, on particular companies, on niche strategies, on picking stocks (on anything, really) you have undoubtedly come across a sales pitch from an "expert".

This expert is somehow uniquely positioned within a certain segment of the market, has an extensive network of well connected sources, and has personally made a fortune investing this way before. By now, you ought to know that I strive to be a healthy skeptic of anyone claiming to be an expert.

When I hear that this individual has "made a fortune" doing this, my first question is always: "Well, why the hell are you here trying to sell me on this service/product then? Shouldn't you be enjoying the fruits of your fortune?"

Anyhow, these sales pitches all follow the same general formwork. Clickbait titles to lure you in, promises of extreme wealth, knowledge, etc. and a deadline to do so. As it relates to finance and investing, these pitches typically sound like this:

"Buy this stock now and make a fortune before _____ (some upcoming event)!"

"How convenient?! I'm in."

"Join us by ____ (near-term date) and become a millionaire!"

"Perfect. I was worried that I wouldn't have a million by Christmas."

"This specific stock is set to explode with Trump's new _____ Plan, so get it now before it's too late!!!"

"I better hurry up on this one! God knows that nobody is paying attention to what Trump says."

Of course, there's the timeless classic...

"America's economy is DOOMED and so are YOU if you do not know this."

"Holy shit. I had better see what this is about, and for only $75 I receive all of this neat stuff!"

I will not lie to you. I've clicked these very links. Sadly, I have clicked on just about all of them at one point or another BUT it was all in the name of research! At least, that is what I tell myself.

So how do I cut through all of this noise to determine if a sales pitch is offering real value?

The single best tool that I've found to determine value is StockGumshoe.

StockGumshoe.com has been growing tremendously throughout the years, but its core function remains debunking and rationalizing sensationalized sales pitches in a concise, thorough manner. The pitch is picked apart logically by Travis and his "Think-o-lator", a machine that uses common sense, intuition, and initiative. (aka thinking)

If you have seen a sales pitch for any type of stock, newsletter promo, etc. I bet you will be able to find an analysis, review, or user-generated blog about it on Stockgumshoe.com.

Whenever I find myself tempted by a pitch, the first thing I do is simply google: "Newsletter Name by Author Stockgumshoe" and begin digging. If the pitch has not yet been covered, submit the teaser's URL direcly to Gumshoe. Travis, the head Gummie, is the man and he generally gets around to any major pitch in good time.

I am not affiliated with Stockgumshoe in any way, shape, or form BUT I do realize the value this site provides and I encourage you to pony up and pay the annual membership fee ($49 as of this writing) to be a member here. Trust me, I did so and have never regretted it.

I still click the ridiculous sales pitches from time to time, but now I do so for entertainment and not out of earnest.

"Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom." — Bertrand Russel

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