Has Internet Marketing become a dirty word? Are all Internet Marketers evil? That seems to be the growing general concensus... among other "internet marketers".
'Internet Marketer' is quickly becoming a dirty word, it seems. There have been a lot of negative comments in regards to the experts & gurus popping up on blogs and forums here lately. People seem to find them unethical and dishonest... and describe them as a horrible bad filthy group of liars who are just out to take everyones money and offer nothing of value to the IM community in return.
The unhappiness seems to come from the people who are spending money left and right but never earning even as much as $500 in profit from their own ventures. They complain about the Gurus, they blame the Gurus... but without taking into consideration that they may have made a bad choice, or that they didnt follow through and use the information they were given in the way it was intended.
How we spend our money is up to us!
Making a purchase is a choice. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy or do or join anything! People act like every offer is a scam, every guide or report is junk and just some sick ploy to draw them in. They are now judging books, authors, membership sites and mailing lists before they ever even review them fully - or in most cases, at all!
Nevermind that refunds are easily obtained, and offered without question... The internet marketing crowd is in an outrage, and they are out to hang anyone with expert status!
Why do Internet Marketers have such a bad reputation all of a sudden?
People used to sing their praises, sign up for their lists in droves... and hang on every word that the experts said. So what has changed in the last couple of years? Why all of the frustration and complaining now?
Could it be an issue of the Guru's keeping their target market happy? Perhaps they failed at that somewhere along the way...
Has the market changed... Is it a growing group of people who want something for nothing, complaining out of frustration and envy? Or have the Guru's changed... offering less, promoting more heavily and not delivering what they promise?
Perhaps its simply a mix of both. Or perhaps... the Guru's have done their job too well, and have motivated and educated their readers to the point that they require much more from them.
But whatever the case, you cant deny that there is a shift in the trends... and that something different or new will have to be done to bring everything back into harmony within the Internet Marketing communities...
Technorati Tags: internet marketing, internet marketer, guru, expert
About Lynn Terry
Lynn,
I hear ya.
Based on personal experience (I'm on a number of opt-in lists), I believe once someone has been in the field long enough, one becomes jaded.
A while back, a new product was released and within a 1 hour timespan I received the exact same sales copy in my inbox over 35 times. I spent the next 30 minute unsubscribing from more than half of those lists. It dawned on me that over the course of the list, the value-added content no longer outweighed the "buy this great new product now" sales pitches.
What really got me was that not one of the list owners even bothered to add their own review or input on the product, they just copy/pasted what was given to them.
Internet marketing isn't a dirty word to me, but I do become annoyed with some internet marketers. It's almost as though they forgot where they started when they reach the top...
Personally, I understand we always have a choice, so I won't call anyone out unless I feel he deserves it. If I purchase a product, I do my best to give it a fair an impartial review or offer my opinions and that's the best anyoe can do.
My 2 cents,
~ Teli
In my original comment, I was about to leave a thought about gurus distancing themselves from their customers, but edited it. Instead, I made a fleeting comment about some gurus forgetting where they started when they reach the top.
Then I came across a post on Dan Raine's blog, How To Get In Touch With A Guru, and felt it applied.
~ Teli
Wow, yeah - and thanks for the link. I agree with you on the promotional emails... I am seeing the same in my own inbox. There are obviously two sides to this coin, but the responsibility to find a solution is on the "experts". They have the ability to keep their readers/customers happy, and also to influence the market itself...
Agreed?
Agreed. 🙂
~ Teli
I don't believe that Internet Marketing is a 'dirty' word - but I do believe that it is made to look that by some in the business.
I think the problem arises from people who are not in the business with their hearts. Hense they sell anything to anyone without regard for people's time or needs.
A true marketer is in to make people's lives better - it makes sence that if you give people what they want/need they will take it... Funny how a lot of the IM comunity has missed that point :o)
Lynn,
Of course it is our decision to buy or not to buy, but I prefer to make those decisions based on truthful statements and not lies and hype.
For the record I have only once asked for a refund and that was because I was charged twice after ordering trouble. (and I have bought various things that didn't live up to their sales letter claims and not asked for any refund on those)
The refund was not "easily obtained, and offered without question". In fact after roughly 7 emails in as many weeks there was only a lame excuse and still no refund. By then unfortunately it was too late to go for a charge back.
Was on some mailing list where the editor described the same issue with the same person when she asked for a refund on the same product (uninspired attempt at making software).
The person in question associates with loads of "brand name" Internet marketers who promoted this product in the first place. I didn't like the product but I only asked for a refund for the second charge, not for both.
Copywriters seems to stretch the truth so far that it becomes transparent.
Personally I think the bad reputation of quite a few Internet marketers is well deserved.
It seems all to obvious that those who make the most noise care the least about their "customers".
What a great post. This is somewhat timely...I purchased a complex of products from an IM ( I will not name him yet. I'm not ready to be banned from buying any of his products just yet.) To date only half of them work as advertised. There is no way to contact him, no way to ask for help or explanations of why the software is acting up, or the possibility of some small adjustment on my part. This is bad business. The IM's reputatin is so solid that novices like me hag on 'till I get educated enough and successful enough to 'fly on my own'. This is really frustrating!