If you’re one of the thousands (if not millions) of people who claim to be serious about starting your own business, chances are you’re trying to market a product or service.
How then, can you get mad when others do the same to you?
I see this pretty much daily now.
“I signed up to guru’s email list and all he does is try to sell me stuff!”
“I get emails all the time pushing products!”
“That guy’s just releasing another product again, and he’s warming you up for it!”
Wow. I guess when YOU are trying to sell your product, service or affiliate goods it’s cool. However, crap, if someone tries to sell something of THEIRS then it should be a crime.
All I see is bitching and moaning from unsuccessful people that *gasp* there’s people with products out there…and they’re trying to sell them! I suppose it’s never crossed their mind that they are trying to sell something too. Often their “something” is also of much poorer quality than the guru product they’re attacking.
Look, if you’re on a mailing list, and you don’t like the content then click “unsubscribe”. If you have factual complaints or critiques of a product then feel free to make them known, that’s your right.
But to complain simply because someone is trying to sell you something? Pathetic. Get out of this business. Get out of all businesses.
If the thought of someone trying to convince another person to purchase their goods or services offends you, you’ll not only never be successful in business, but you’ll probably also have a very dim outlook on life.
Recently there’s been a rash of threads over on the Warrior Forum with titles like “Unsubscribed from 10 Lists Today!” where the posters announce with pride that they’ve shut out those evil marketers who keep trying to market stuff to them. Who knew?
There is something that you can learn from just about any person or business. If you’re that deluged with emails then go ahead and unsubscribe. However, to act surprised that you’re getting marketing messages from lists that you joined? Cry me a river.
If the act of marketing offends you, don’t try to enter the same field. If you don’t have a list that you maintain and communicate with then you are leaving money on the table in a big way…not to mention that your business hangs in a precarious balance if you rely only on new customers.
Somehow writing 100 pseudo-articles (ads) to slap up on Ezine Articles promoting some affiliate product is viewed as better than sending out a mail to your list by some people. I have trouble with that mentality.
If you’re a marketer, and you’re mad about other marketers marketing…find a J O B. If you don’t like a specific marketer or product, click unsubscribe, get a refund or simply ignore it.
This also gets taken too another level when someone complains about affiliate links.
“He’s using an affiliate link!” they shout.
I can slap naked affiliate links all over my non-marketing sites and no one says anything about it. Occassionally, someone will point out that I’m using an affiliate link and almost immediately people rush to my defense. They point out things like, “So what? He’s allowed to make money doing what he likes” and “If it bothers you, don’t click it”.
Amazing common sense there.
Use an affiliate link with marketers? Better don that flame-resistant suit. They will let you know that you don’t DARE market something to them…only THEY can do that!
If you’re complaining that a marketer is trying to sell you something or using an affiliate link…it’s time to seriously examine what you’re doing trying to earn money on the Internet.
You bring up a VERY good point there. Why get mad at other marketers for “selling” something to you when you can at the very least learn the methods they are using first hand and apply to any market you want to? To me when an affiliate marketer is promoting something of quality I want to study how they write their emails and how often they promote it. That is valuable information to me if I see common patterns and can apply it to other compatible markets.
Many good marketers are just trying to share other products and services that they feel would benefit the people that they reach and want to honestly promote it. Clicking on an affiliate link is no different than buying a product from Wal-Mart. It’s just another medium. Wal-mart usually got the brand name product elsewhere and is making a profit on it anytime someone purchases it.
Marketers who give value first are often the ones that have their customers come to their aid when the minority complain about being marketed to. Whoever promoted the affiliate link that you clicked on is just doing the same thing and even more, putting their reputation on the line every time they promote something as an affiliate. If it isn’t quality information or products, the customer will look as the affiliate as responsible. As far as I’m concerned, there is a lot more than just pissing off a few customers at stake when it comes to being an affiliate marketer. Thank you again for bringing up such a topic.
-Eddie
Unsubscribing from a list to maintain focus and eliminate distractions is a good idea, particularly if the list isn’t providing anything of value to you.
There are some marketers who will promise you one thing when you sign up, then do nothing but fill your Inbox with promotion after promotion. I unsubscribe from these lists as fast as possible. Keep your promises!
However, for those who deliver what’s promised, those other offers are actually appreciated, so long as they are relevant.
And insofar as those who are “allergic” to affiliate links: I’d call them “dogs”, but I love my Golden Retriever and don’t want to insult her! It does not cost the purchaser anything extra to use that affiliate link, and NOT using it, particularly after having been alerted to a valuable product or service, is, in my opinion, akin to pulling somebody’s wallet out of their pocket and removing cash. It’s theft, plain and simple.
So show your gratitude and USE affiliate links when somebody has helped you find something of value.
Best regards,
Tom
Great article…
The same marketers who moan about marketers actually selling stuff through their ezines are usually the same ones who copy and paste affiliate marketing emails and blast THEIR list with offer after offer.
There’s a simple explanation for this… They’re NOT really marketers. I’m not sure what they are, but definitely not marketers. =)