As you dive into the world of online marketing, you’ll quickly discover that there are countless products and guides promising to help you build a thriving business. But have you ever noticed that most of these resources only talk about what you should do, and rarely mention what you shouldn’t?
Well, there’s a reason for that. Unfortunately, many of the people teaching Internet marketing engage in shady practices themselves, so they don’t want to shine a light on what not to do. But fear not! There are still plenty of ethical marketers out there who are happy to steer you in the right direction.
That’s why I wanted to share with you seven common behaviors that some marketers use to make a quick buck at the expense of their customers. Whether you’re a consumer or a marketer yourself, it’s important to know about these patterns, so you can avoid being taken advantage of or accidentally becoming one of these unethical types.
So, buckle up and read on to learn how to navigate the sometimes-tricky waters of online marketing while staying true to your morals and values!
Stealing Other People's Products and Selling It as Your Own
Picture this: you’ve poured your heart and soul into creating a unique product that you’re proud of. You’ve put in long hours of hard work, researched the market, and crafted something truly special.
Finally, you launch your product and start to see success. But then, out of nowhere, you get an email from someone claiming that another person is selling your product as their own. How would you feel? Angry? Frustrated? Betrayed?
Unfortunately, this kind of dirty and unethical behavior is all too common. Some people think it’s okay to steal someone else’s hard work and sell it as their own. But here’s the thing: it’s not okay. It’s just like walking into a store and robbing them at gunpoint, except it’s happening in a virtual space.
Not only is stealing someone else’s product just plain wrong, but it can also have serious consequences. You could lose customer and affiliate relationships, get into legal trouble, and even have your website taken down for copyright infringement.
The bottom line is, it’s always better to create something original and build your reputation on hard work and quality. Don’t be the person who takes shortcuts and cheats their way to success. Treat others with respect and integrity, and you’ll build a business that you can be truly proud of.
Mistreating Or Lying To Your Partners
Have you ever heard of the phrase “partnership in crime”? That’s exactly what it feels like when you partner up with someone, only to scam them out of what is fair in the arrangement.
Unfortunately, there are many marketers out there who are looking for people to prey on.
These scammers are often more established marketers who offer to pair up with struggling or new individuals in the industry.
They have the other person do most of the work, and then they take the lion’s share of the profits.
While this may not be illegal, it’s certainly not a fair way to do business.
If you’re going to partner up with someone, you need to make sure that everyone is putting in an equal effort in both the creation and launch of the product.
Partnering up can be a great opportunity for someone who is just starting out to gain some exposure by working with someone who has an established reputation in the industry. However, just because someone is new, it doesn’t mean they should be taken advantage of.
Some marketers will even scam their partners out of money without them knowing it. They won’t be upfront and honest about the financial aspects of the partnership, and will have everything going through their own accounts.
Remember that even if you’re working with an unknown or a newbie individual at the moment, they may grow to become a powerful competitor in the future. If you mistreat them during the partnership process, you’ll be sabotaging your own reputation.
Not only will this person be able to tell others about how they were treated by you, but you may need their help someday when they have the upper hand as a niche competitor. You might want their support on a launch or even want to partner with them for a new idea you have.
Treat others fairly and with respect, and you’ll build a solid reputation in the industry.
Promoting People as an Affiliate Who You Know Are Doing Unethical or Even Illegal Things
Protecting your reputation in any industry requires not only watching your own behavior, but also the behavior of your competitors and colleagues.
In the Internet marketing industry, it’s extremely important to align yourself with people who have the ethics and values you want to be associated with. After all, those are the marketers who will be around a long time and have huge email lists full of buyers who trust their recommendations.
Your subscribers trust your recommendations, and it’s your responsibility to protect their investments by promoting only quality products from vendors with a good reputation.
You don’t want to promote products just to make a quick buck if they don’t meet your standards.
You also need to pay attention to how vendors treat their subscribers. If they spam their subscribers with irrelevant or low-quality offers, it will reflect poorly on you.
You have to be on their list to see how they treat their subscribers, and disassociate yourself with them if they participate in any unsavory behavior.
Remember, anything someone else does will reflect on you if you have recommended them to your subscribers. So, be vigilant about who you associate with and only promote products and people who you trust and believe in. By doing so, you will protect your reputation and the trust of your subscribers.
Lying About the Product on Your Sales Page
Protecting your reputation in the industry requires you to be vigilant about the honesty and transparency of your sales letters. While hype is often used in sales letters, there is a difference between exaggerating the benefits of a product and outright lying or being intentionally vague about what the customer is purchasing.
Marketers often use vague copy to make their product sound better than it is. However, outright lies are sometimes used to deceive customers into purchasing products that cannot deliver on their promises. This happens in all sorts of niches, not just in Internet marketing.
As a responsible online entrepreneur, you don’t want to prey on the desperation of customers, take their money, and fail to deliver on the promises made in your sales letters.
Instead, learn how to motivate buyers without tricking or lying to them. You’ll do business and make money a lot longer that way!
When promoting sales letters as an affiliate, you have a responsibility to read the sales copy carefully to ensure that what the vendor is promising is true about the product.
Screen every line of your own sales copy for truth and avoid making false promises.
Remember, being honest and transparent with your customers is crucial to building trust and maintaining a positive reputation in the industry.
Coming Back from Scandal in a New Disguise With A New Fake Identity
As an online entrepreneur, one of the most damaging things you can do to your reputation is to try to reinvent yourself under a new name after burning your reputation to the ground.
Unfortunately, this is a relatively common scam that many people fall victim to. With just a new profile picture and brand name, it’s easy to create a new identity and try to promote yourself as a trustworthy vendor or affiliate once again.
However, this behavior is usually discovered eventually, and it can be incredibly embarrassing for you.
Instead of trying to cover up your mistakes and start fresh, it’s better to take responsibility for your actions and try to make things right with the people you’ve wronged – including affiliates, partners, and customers.
By admitting your mistakes and taking steps to make amends, you can actually earn more respect from others than if you try to hide your misdeeds and pretend to be someone else.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a new name or brand identity can save your reputation – it’s much better to face your mistakes head-on and work to rebuild trust with others.
Claiming Ignorance to Unethical Behavior as a Reason for Your Mistake While Taking No Real Responsibility
Protecting your online reputation requires more than just admitting to mistakes. Don’t believe that you can wash away a bad reputation by claiming ignorance in what you have done.
It’s not enough to say that you didn’t know you were promoting someone who engaged in unethical behavior, or that you didn’t realize that making false promises on a sales letter was wrong.
People want to hear you taking responsibility for your actions and making amends where necessary. Ignorance is not an excuse for behaving badly online.
As an online entrepreneur, it’s your duty and responsibility to abide by the rules, expectations, as well as ethical and moral guidelines that are expected of you.
By doing so, you’ll build a reputation for integrity, which is critical to your success as an online entrepreneur.
Remember, trust and credibility are essential to building and maintaining a solid reputation online if you want to operate a successful business for years.
Using Tools and Strategies That Mislead the Consumer
When it comes to protecting your reputation as an online entrepreneur, it’s important to avoid using tools or strategies that mislead buyers.
This is a common issue that frustrates customers and can damage your credibility.
For instance, using fake testimonials on your sales page is never a good idea.
Similarly, employing plugins that show fake sales notifications to create a false sense of urgency can be misleading.
The worst of all, in my opinion, is the fake price increase. How many times you have seen this:
“Get It For $39 ONE TIME Before It Switches To $97 A Month”
I assure you, if the marketer thought he or she could get $97 a month, they would! Those products never switch to monthly fees, and they never increase the price up to match their ludicrous claim. When you see that, avoid working with that marketer!
There are numerous tools and techniques that misrepresent the truth to potential customers, but resorting to such tactics is unnecessary.
There are plenty of honest marketing methods that you can use to persuade people to buy from you and promote your business in a positive light.
Be Better!
Be A Long Term Thinker!
Protect Your Reputation By Protecting Your Buyers & Your Business
It’s tempting to take shortcuts and cut corners to make a quick buck, but doing so will only lead to ruining your reputation and credibility as an online entrepreneur. You’re not a child anymore, and it’s time to step up and take responsibility for your actions.
Instead of resorting to unethical behavior, put in the effort and follow a moral compass to build a successful and sustainable brand. Consider how your actions will affect others, such as stealing someone else’s product and recruiting reputable affiliates to promote it without disclosing its origins.
If you’re caught, not only will your reputation be destroyed, but you’ll also damage the trust and reputation of those who supported you. It’s essential to have a conscience and make ethical decisions to prevent tarnishing your online reputation.
If you want to be a successful and respected online entrepreneur, take this advice to heart and work hard to build a reputable business that’s free from damage.
