How I Learned About List Building Research

List Building... My Personal Research and Review Experience!

In 2004, I wrote and presented an article on a chemical product based on my partial review of it.

There was a specific product presented (within my environmental field) which I was not fully aware of how it had been labeled... but…I was aware of the negative aspects of the ingredients (chemistry) on our environment.

So, I wrote an article based on my existing knowledge and within 1-week, I received several quite strong comments from users of this product that stated my article review was incorrect and I should have read the label or contacted the manufacturer before I posted my negative article.

Once I contacted the manufacturer regarding the product ingredients and label, I understood how my view and opinion were different than the reality of the product as it was labeled.

The manufacturer did have "special usage directions along with specific restrictions" listed on their label and further, they had a "Caution tab-link" at the bottom-left on their website.

Based only on my experience and position regarding this (toxic) chemical solution, I wrote about the negative effects regarding the product… but with the manufacturer’s disclaimer and specific restrictions listed... it could be stated that they were correct and my posted position was inaccurate.

CONCLUSION: If I had taken just enough additional time and reached-out to the manufacturer to ask my questions and concerns, I would have quickly realized that my (chemical) opinion was accurate, but my article was inaccurate!

Therefore, the article, my opinion and my position were less then credible to my list of readers… and I lost a few potential customers from my growing list.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I learned a valuable lesson through this experience some 10+ years ago, that it is essential to go the extra-mile regarding the research of a product or service.

How much research is enough... and how long will it take? I share with people that ask... the following; “It will take exactly as long as it takes for you to become comfortable enough to cover both the positive and negative aspects of the product or service. You must know it so well that you can fully discuss the pros and cons with confidence.

IN CLOSING: I could have saved credibility had I written about the chemistry and its negative effects on our environment... and then also provided the necessary credit to the manufacturer's position about listing the usage restrictions on the label. Unfortunately for me, I painted the product with too broad of a stroke and that was unfair and it cost me. I immediately wrote an apology to my unsubscribed, but the damage was already done.