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Ethical Marketing-How Important Is It
Do you believe in the establishing credibility online? If so how important is it that people be able to trust you when you say something? I say honesty is everything when it comes to ethical marketing and how you build your internet business!
I saw a post in the Warrior Forum where the writer listed the link to an article showing a way to make $100 a day online advertising on Craig’s list using an affiliate dating site.
The thing is the person is a guy posing as a girl wanting to meet people. They set up a bogus account with the dating site and a ppc company and all they do is go for ppc income.
What was interesting to me is the writer was pumped up about the idea and every response was from people who were not comfortable trying it or did try it and felt bad about tricking people who actually replied to their ad on the dating site.
This got me thinking about ethical marketing and how important is it when it comes to making money online. Some people will think of this as ethical behavior or ethical integrity and these words are searched in various forms on Google everyday.
WHY?
You run your business online everyday that requires you to make ethical decisions in how you deal with your customers. Most of us never give it a second thought because we understand the golden rule….
“Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you”
If you promote a product that cheats people or takes their money is this the correct way to behave? With the explosion of social networking and the impact it can have on your business do you feel a certain ethical social responsibility to treat people the way you would want them to treat you.
How about selling a product that you know will not deliver what it says it does, but it has a great sales page and converts well. You make excellent commissions on it as well. Is it o.k. to continue to sell that!
How about this? You buy a report that comes with no resell rights, yet you give it away as a bonus for joining your mailing list. You think so highly of it that you feel people must have it, so you give it away by justifying the good it will do.
What kind of a vibe will you get back for this kind of marketing. Is that ethical to do? This does cheat the author out of commissions, but you are helping the people who will read it.
Ethics in the workplace have long been a part of almost every orientation a person gets when they start a new job. However, I have never seen any kind of a course offered online teaching this very topic to internet marketers.
Internet marketing ethics are left up to the individual and we all kind of adopt a “let the buyer beware” mentality.
So I would like to suggest that if you are going to do anything in your business and you question if what you are about to do it morally correct, do not do it. Err on the side of caution.
Ethical marketing is a choice that you get to make, but will have to live with long after your internet business is over and you are dead and gone from this earth.
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Josh Spaulding Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 9:32 am
Very true Jeff and a point I don’t see hit on everyday. I believe very much in running an ethical business. It’s even the “theme” of my blog.
Unfortunately, VERY few online marketers feel the same way. Many are good people, but don’t understand that alot of little things add up to alot.
Not only the example you pointed out above, but things like promoting a promote without trying it, which most people do, in my book, is unethical.
Another great article.
Thanks
David Cowley Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 9:35 am
The “Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you” is the number one rule to live by. You can make money with unethical marketing practices but sooner or later “What goes around comes around”.
Jeff Casmer Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 9:52 am
Hi Jeff,
I totally agree. Trust and ethical business practices are so important to building online credibility. There might be short term gain but the long term result is you will lose customers. You hit the nail on the head. Great post!
Take care
Jeff Casmer
BartTheBear says you need a home based business Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Unfortunately, we live in a world where ethics has been thrown out the proverbial window in exchange for greed. I see this a lot with online dating sites. Really, why don’t we just call them what they are, the largest ring of prostitution this world has ever seen?
Work At Home No Scams Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:37 am
Great post. I think the problem lies in the person. Are they trying to run a real business and establish a brand for themselves? Or are they trying to earn a quick buck. The warrior forum as great as it is, seems to have a lot of the latter. People trying and promoting the next get rich quick schemes.
It something I’ve grappled with for my own industry. I see so many of these clickbank laced so-called work at home websites. And I know they’re making good money but it troubles me to promote guides and ebooks I don’t believe in or know people can get this information for free. Everyone has to make their own individual choices based on their goals.
Marketing in general is a high wire act where it’s a balance act between getting people to perform an action while not falling. So I do agree with your points. I just think many so called marketers are more about the quick buck then building a long term business. After they exploit one trick and they move on to the next one. Is it a good business model? Not for me, it’s too fluid for my taste but some people live off that stuff and apparently can sleep well at night as long as their bellies are filled.
Some politicians live like this too. LOL
Damon Jennings Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Thank you Jeff,
I agree with you 100%. I once had $1995 taken from me online a couple of years ago. A guy that was working with the Coastal Vacations call center somehow got my name out of their database and called me. I somehow thought it was another guy that I had previously made arrangements with about the joining their opportunity. To make a long story short, I never got my money refunded to me but it also taught me a lesson. I believe that my bad experience that one time added fuel to my fire. I’m glad I didn’t just give up on my dreams completely. By the way, the guy’s name was Walter Cox and he was from North Carolina for everybody else’s sake.
Gamy Rachel Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:47 am
Yes, I certainly agree with you Jeff S, it takes a life time to build your reputation and trust, but it can take a few lies to destroy everything.
Integrity and honesty is the key to succeed in everything.
Best
Gamy
Francois du Toit Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:48 am
Hi Jeff,
Very good post! I only wish that all marketers had your integrity. BTW, I also saw that post on Warrior Forum and could only shake my head…
I believe that by being dishonest no marketer will have a long-term and successful future in Internet marketing. I work very hard on delivering value and cannot imagine doing anything stupid that will compromise my credibility.
All the best,
Francois du Toit
Dick White Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Excellent post and I agree. I spend quite a bit of time searching for solid money making opportunities. A few that I am interested in I Google to see what comes back. I have also found that iCop is helpful to check with. We all need to be careful before we part with our money. Thanks Jeff for your good comments.
Ron Hoover Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Finally! Someone is standing up for “ethics” in doing business online. Thanks Jeff for this inspiring post. It’s a breath of fresh air in the smog of “unethical” online business practices. I only wish that more people practiced the “Golden Rule” when doing business online.
magdlene Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 11:09 am
I think what you said is the truth. I wouldn’t want any one to mislead me in what they were trying to sell. The url is http://www.magspurchasingandrefinancing If you will advertise this for me i sure would appreciate it. Thanks magdlene monday
Tom @ The Home Business Archive Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Great post! It takes time to build credibility online and when you get it you need to be sure to maintain it.Many internet marketers donĀ“t see the importance of it.
Home Based Business Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
WOW… Jeff… this is a great Blog… Alot of valuable information!
sani Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Hi
schuman
two week ago you had sent me work at home
already started
thank you
yours sani danladi
Ontarian Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
Jeff this is the utmost important aspect to achieving high success on the internet. People want to be treated with respect and dignity and not taken advantage of by frauds. Building credibility is first but the relationship is where positive movements start to happen.
Glenn H. Kipps Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Hello Jeff,
That is some of the best advice I have seen anyone give on the internet. However, I would not expect any less from you. You are one of the most moral and ethical people I know. I give my best to you and your family. Merry Christmas!!!
Take care,
Glenn
Bill Shultz Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Hello Jeff,
I want to say it is very nice to see there is someone online that I can relate to. I have to thank you and I enjoy what you say every time you express yourself with the keyboard.
Thanks,
Bill
Bruno M Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
I have to say I appreciate your post, its only the utter truth.
Anythign one builds must be built on a solid foundation, or at some point it starts to fall. Especially where you are relying on your words and actions for your growth, one must keep ethics in mind.
Nowadays especially when one can search up information, its not going to be good if one starts on lies, as it will leave no ongoing relationships.
If one cares for people and for self they kind of have to have the self respect to make fair and honest things happen, else how could they live with themselves?
Dave Naylor Said,
December 20, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
Hi Jeff As a relative “newbie” to IM, I am finding it increasingly difficult to sort out the “wheat from the chaff”.
Is it possible that there is anybody out there that isn’t out for a “quick buck?” If you DO appear as a genuine guyand offer an “unbiased” opinion on “Product A”, the skepticiscm kicks in and you begin to wonder how much that person is being paid to promote “Product A”, or are “they” in cahoots! So I suppose in the end, you just can’t win.
If you burn - you burn. It’s not the end of the world - It’s already tomorrow in Australia
Bimal Said,
December 21, 2007 @ 1:10 am
A great article you have posted, & thanks for acquainting me with the same. Infact, it is only the ethical business which survives & pay you till your last breath but unethical ones are friends only for small time. Money can be made in both cases but for short duration in unethical ones & things are around you only for shortest versin of your life. Being dishonest is the shameful tact in one’s own life.
Thanks & take care.
Charles k Said,
December 21, 2007 @ 4:59 am
This is great and inspirational Jeff!
There is alot of cheating going on these days on the Net, just to grab that dollar from customers.
Internet marketers should remember that integrity and honest build a long and lasting relationships. Those who practise lies, their businesses will not last for ever. Let everyone practice honest and customers will trust the industry.The Bibles states “the truth shall set you free”.
Continue the good fight Jeff!
Thank you.
Charles
ARLENE Said,
December 21, 2007 @ 8:27 am
VERY WELL SAID JEFF. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED ON LINE MARKETING AND ALL HAVE SAID THE SAME THING. MOST PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE ENCOUNTERED ARE VERY DISHONEST AND OUT THERE TO JUST TAKE YOUR MONEY. SO WHO DO YOU TRUST? TAKE CARE AND BEST OF LUCK. I HAVE NOT HAD THE TIME TO PURSUE ANYTHING YET.
Ghaiooth Said,
December 21, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Hi. First of all thank you for pointing out for such important points.
But I want to give some kind of weakening comment.
Well, we are talking about being honest when dealing with others though the online marketting, many sacrifices are required on our part in order to increase the credibility of our clients and their trust in our products and in us as persons, this is very inchanting.
But being in such huge uncountable world, in every day thouzands may watch our pages and try our products, I think we can afford to lose a client when he/she buys a relatively expensive product and let him go and hit the wall with the low standard product, we will be doing a very big deals everyday and on the same way you may tell me that in six months I will lose all clients and no one will come to my pages and I will be very famous for my cheating, that’s very true, and here comes the time of being inventive, just fuck up the site and create another and now you will be totally another marketer, of course no one will be able to know you, you will never be trusted as microsoft is so you do not have to be depending mainly on the long term clients, just once and for ever. I think you all got it.
That is not Ideal for beginners, it’s only for professionals.
Have a nice day, eat well, drink well, and sleep well.
William Hutchinson Said,
December 22, 2007 @ 4:45 am
Hi Jeff,
Being fairly new to internet marketing,(about 8 months) I Had added some Links to products that I hadn’t used or had any idea about. As I continue to learn about the business I had decided to take these links and banners off my website. I believe that you cannot honestly promote a product or service that you do not use yourself. Shortly after getting started I lost a quite a bit of money by a company mis representing themselves.
This is a great subject and something I think anyone who is getting started with a home business should consider if they have any long term goals for there business and want to become successful. I think by building a creditable reputation the money will eventually follow.
Great Post I always look forward to what you have to say and think.
Merry Christmas to You and Your Family
William Hutchinson