Integrity in Online Marketing - Keeping it Real

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Are You Marketing and Running Your Business with the Utmost of Integrity?


"Nobody can acquire honor by doing what is wrong." - Thomas Jefferson

Not sure if that's Tom in the photo?! Either way, I pose the question above to all my fellow online marketers because of a confrontation I experienced this evening.

I follow several of the big names in this industry, names that have been around for quite awhile (10-15 years). Now, I won't use any of those names in this article for the sake of protecting the innocent and ignoring the guilty.

Earlier today, I was reading through all of my subscription emails, some of which originate from the lists of certain "leaders" in network marketing. Marketers who call themselves "mentors" , "coaches", or "teachers" (usually "gurus"), and most of them I highly respect and appreciate. I have spent years learning the trade from many of these folks. I've always considered them to be of high moral standard and integrity.

Today My Opinion Changed...

This one particular marketer is some one I even used to call my "mentor". I probably even have a video or two (that I intend on taking down) that mention this person in just such a context. Problem is, the truth today no longer reflects my previous opinion.

So as the story was going...I was reading my email. My inbox contained a email blast from this person mentioned above. As usual, I opened it to read, because even though I'm no longer fully involved with the program in which I met this person, I still glean and receive insight from the emails I receive by remaining on their list. This person is a clever copywriter, so I like to grab a nugget or two out of each email that may be something I can utilize in my future marketing endeavors and email copy ideas.

However, midway through the promotion this person was making, a statement was made that revealed this person's true lack of integrity. Something I was beginning to question lately, but failed to accept until today.

This is the portion of the email that turned the tide:

"Plus the best part is that the $150 is not payable to me...But it is the cost of your membership to [Affiliate Link] for the month"

So, since my moral compass swings north 99.9% of the time, I couldn't help but respond to this person and let them know how I felt about the deceptive statement and that I was going to be removing myself from their list.

This was that person's response:
"You are doing a lot of interpreting my friend.

You know me...

Such a scammer!

Do well out there.

As always...

I'll be here..

Helping those that help themselves."

A bit arrogant, don't you think?! If people fully understood that as leaders, they need to lead by example in everything they do and should have a little more common sense than to respond to their subscribers in such a fashion...

It's not like I got all up in their face about the false advertising they were doing, I simply called them out on it in a short and pretty darn sweet email that quoted them directly.

But as you can see, that simple short sentence in an email, could cause your audience to make a full determination about how they feel about you and how you manage your online business. In a total of four emails, our entire online business relationship was destroyed.

A marketer with true integrity would have been able to handle this situation much more professionally than this 15 year "veteran" network marketer did in this case.

Which Way Does YOUR Compass Point?


To maintain real integrity is to be sure all of your words and actions are with adherence to moral and ethical principles, soundness of moral character and honesty.

Don't attempt to manipulate people emotions and certainly don't try to take advantage of the more simple-minded, less experienced or less influential than yourself.

Show the world there IS integrity in online marketing by being honest and transparent when creating your marketing pages, posts and offline materials.

Show integrity by being respectful to your list. Even if you have a complainer or confrontation in an email, a forum post or an IM, handle the situation professionally and diplomatically. I'm not saying let someone take advantage of you or rattle your cage with their anger or disgust, but LISTEN to your customer base and see what it is that's at the core of their disappointment with you or your business.

Don't just "blow them off" because you don't agree with their viewpoint. Sometimes your audience/customers has a better perspective of what your business is like from the outside looking in then you do from the inside looking out!

Do your best to stay true to your word and uphold your word throughout your actions in both your personal and business lives!

Keep it Real!

Leland

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Recent Comments

11

You point out a truism. What we truly are, we will be in every area of our lives. "To thine own self be true, then...thou canst not then be false to any man." (Shakespeare in Hamlet)

Love the quote!

Kinda like you, I go true north. I used to be very trusting but I got burned too many times.

Just as bstreet57 noted, it's ok to trust anyone if they give you no reasons not to...but in this industry I see too many folks gettin' burned like you did. There are many that have no real moral compass to keep them on the up and up.

I tend to trust until given a reason not to trust. Sounds like you have a reason not to trust. Your post is good information for all to pay attention to.

Kinda like the old saying: "Lie to me once, shame on you...lie to me twice, shame on me!"

Great Blog full of wise words

Thanks for your thoughts on integrity,If all marketers would adhere
to your advice; the internet would be a better place. Larry

You're welcome Larry...we can change the internet a little at a time by showing that there are more of us that DO have integrity...

Interesting words of wisdom, Leland

Thanks for reading Larry

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