DIY-with-Coach

ZipDebt Clients Enjoy Great Results! Success Tracking Update, 2006 through 2012

In July 2010, I published “Debt Settlement Done Right,” which included ZipDebt’s success tracking statistics for the period 2006-2009. As far as I know, I was one of the first in this industry to publish actual data on my results. Today, it’s still quite rare to see a debt settlement firm publish transparent information about actual performance results vs. the claims made in their marketing materials and sales pitches....

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #7: A Debt Settlement Program Will Stop the Collection Bombardment

This is the seventh in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. It’s common knowledge that your phone is going to start ringing off the hook the moment you begin missing payments on your credit card accounts. Virtually all major creditors have automated dialing systems that are triggered off the lack of a payment being recorded by the due-date, and the bombardment can...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #5: I’ll Be Protected Against Lawsuits If I Enroll With A Debt Settlement Company

This is the fifth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. As consumers shop for a debt relief solution and talk with the sales reps at various debt settlement firms, one of the first questions they will usually ask is, “What about creditor lawsuits? Won’t they just sue me to recover what I owe?” There’s no question that taking the path of...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #4: Settlement Companies Get Better Deals Because They Have Relationships With Creditors

This is the fourth in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. The claim that debt settlement companies have relationships with the major creditors is a major part of the sales presentation for traditional settlement programs. I call this the “volume” objection, and of course, it’s total nonsense. The pitch goes something like this: “We are a big company and every day we...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #3: Only A Skilled Negotiator Can Succeed Against Professional Debt Collectors

This is the third in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. All too often, I hear consumers say things like, “I’m not a good negotiator,” or “I’m afraid they will bully me.” Since dealing with collection scenarios is new territory for most people, it’s no surprise that people feel this way. This objection is about lack of SELF-CONFIDENCE. People turn to professional...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #2: I Don’t Have Time to Handle the Project Myself

This is the second in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. One of the most frequent objections I’ve heard to the idea of handling your own negotiations is that the client is “too busy to handle all the phone calls” involved in obtaining settlements. “I really don’t have time to do this myself,” is a refrain that I’ve heard over and over...

DIY Debt Settlement Myth #1: A Settlement Company Will Get Better Deals Than I Can Myself

This is the first in a series of posts discussing the most common myths about do-it-yourself debt settlement. As you do your research online, you’ll read a lot of pages and articles that are slanted against the do-it-yourself approach and biased in favor of using third-party debt companies. Many articles that have titles pertaining to DIY settlement are really just bait-and-switch marketing for a company program. The article may...