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Internet Marketing Coach
Are your Marketing Ethics up to Par?
November 2nd, 2007 | 6 commentsAs a blogger, article marketer, niche marketer, Webmaster etc. etc. I’ve written loads of content in the past few years. So much that it’s nearly impossible to go back and edit (update) every piece of content I’ve published. In some cases it is impossible to do so (unresponsive article directories etc.)
Every time I prepare to write a piece of content I think to myself “would I recommend this to my wife? my son? my parents? my siblings?.”
Of course if it’s something they’re not interested in you wouldn’t anyway, but I hope you get the point.
This makes me wonder if people like Mike Filsaime, John Reese etc. would recommend their own products to their own family members. I tend to think they wouldn’t. That’s not to say they’re products are junk, but do you think they honestly would? Some products, but not all I’d imagine. What do you think?
Would you recommend your article to your family? Will you look back at your article a year from now and think, damn, I need to edit this!
Just a short “food for thought” post that I hope will help you in providing better content to your readers.
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2nd November, 2007 at 7:55 am
Hi Josh,
I’d say that I agree with you.
There is some kind of “trend”
about all big marketers
doing cross selling between each other.
But its fine because they got their own lists.
By the way, I’m still finding the right theme
for my blog. It’ll be up in a weeks time. I’m
just doing some testing.
Kudos,
Vern
2nd November, 2007 at 10:04 am
While I don’t particularly have a bone to pick with any of these folks, the thing that troubles me is this: When is enough enough? For example, John Reese. Supposedly he made millions with his first traffic package. Just how many millions does one person need? These folks appear to have a never-ending thirst for money. I believe everyone has the right to make as much money as they want. And I don’t know these guys personally…maybe they give a lot to charity or something. But I just don’t understand this constant drive to build empires. I wonder if it’s not something akin to an addiction.
My goal is to provide for my family and to leave a little something for my kids. I don’t have that kind of thirst for riches. I guess it’s just a personal thing. But I would tend to agree…I think that hunger for “more, more, more” often leads to shaving the sharp edges off the truth in order to sell more product/memberships.
2nd November, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I’ve promoted one or two things in the past that really sucked, but then that’s all part of the learning curve I suppose. As time went on I became more selective, and when it comes to affiliate programs I think it’s a good point to think of them in the terms you suggest - “would anyone I know buy this?” “Does it represent good value?” “Would I buy from this site?” and so on.
With marketing and info products, the sad fact is that there is so much dross, it’s very hard to convince people when you do come across something genuinely useful and worth buying, because they’ve seen, and maybe purchased, some crap too.
If I write about something I usually try it out if I can before praise or criticism is published, although I obviously can’t do that for every ad I might run on my pages.
I hope that’s good enough for my readers and anyone who buys something on recommendation from me.
3rd November, 2007 at 12:29 am
@ Vern, I probably phrased that post a bit wrong. I’m not against big marketers and I don’t have a problem with a majority of their products, but I do question a hand full. The question whether or not they would recommend their own products to their own family member was completely hypothetical. I get what you’re saying though
@ Chuck, Well I love money as well
but I won’t do anything under the sun to make a buck. There are far too many people that would promote trash if they knew it would sell.
That’s EXACTLY my point, thank you!!
@ Maurice, I’ll admit, I’m guilty of it as well and like you said, it can be chalked up as a learning experience. When I first started this online thing, money was the only thing on my mind. Eventually I realize that I can actually be 100% honest about everything and still make money. In many cases I can actually make more money, because because will actually trust what I say.
I haven’t promoted anything that I haven’t purchased and tried myself in over a year and I believe many more people trust my recommendations.
Third part adverts on the other hand, like Google Adsense, are obviously out of my control.
6th November, 2007 at 6:42 am
I have been thinking about this many times since I got online, Josh. I honestly cannot recommend most of the products around. And this post comes at the right time for me! Recently I was recommended doing something for a marketer, by someone I trusted. Now, I think many might have been fleeced by this marketer after the whole exercise of helping him build his email list. (I guess it might be a little obvious now who I’m referring to) While I am still clarifying, I think there is a stink of unethical practices going on with this event, even tho’ on hindsight I should have checked him out in greater detail.
6th November, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Hi YC,
The sad thing is that many people in this world care more about money than they do about doing the right thing. As long as it’s not hurting them or their family they’ll do anything to make a buck.
Fortunately there are a few that do care.
I love money as much, if not more, than the next guy. But I couldn’t bring myself to lie just make money. I can deal with a bit of hype, but a little hype and a complete lie are two totally different things.