Honesty Really is the Best Policy
By 
Normal Joe | May 31, 2008
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In Internet marketing, you don’t have to look far to find dishonest people. Many affiliate marketers will tell you anything to make a sell and many gurus make false promises because they know the psychology behind marketing, so they play on your emotions.
As you know, I only present things I think will help, and I make it my goal to stay honest and show integrity, I’d much rather have a few faithful readers that know I will give them the truth, than thousands that think I really only want to sell them stuff.
I try to give advice from things that have actually helped me, not stuff that promises to make a quick buck but can’t really make you any bucks at all. Yes, this may put me in the minority, but I don’t care! I know how it feels to be taken advantage of, so I will not do that to my readers.
If I tell you something I’ve learned or give you a method to try, it’s because it will actually work. I research things first and if it seems good, present it to my readers. If I haven’t tried it, I will tell you, if I have, I will share my experiences.
So, if you are trying to start your career in IM, blogging, or anything else online, please remain honest! I know it may be easier to just promote things that are selling like hotcakes, without researching or trying them out but don’t do it!
Many gurus will tell you to do just this very thing, but can you really give an honest recommendation without research and/or trying the product? I am not saying you should buy everything first ( though it’s a good habit to have) but at least do your “due diligence” and research the product thoroughly. ( I prefer to give my personal approval on stuff that I’ve used or am using)
That is all for today, just please, don’t become one of the snakes.
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7 Responses to “Honesty Really is the Best Policy”
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JK - I agree with you. I saw your comment on Dav’s blog too. I feel the same way as you. I love that you are honestly and openly spreading this to the world. You, Davin and I - and many many others will continue to pass on the honesty to others. To really help them.
I believe that the days for the dishonest marketers are over because the more of us who ban together sharing real information, the less of the crooks will get away with.
Have you ever been to an internet marketing conference JK? I went to several of them in south-east asia because I was invited. I was impressed initially and enjoyed learning and taking notes. I could see the desperation on people’s faces. Many spent money they didn’t have to buy tickets to attend. After every speaker taught and explained how to be successful, it boiled down to the same thing -selling a $5,000-15,000 USD coaching package. One person I know from my forum personally asked me my advice - whether I thought he should pay $4,000+ for coaching or use that money he saved for school. He wasn’t sure if the coaching would pay off or not. I told him not to go for the coaching and thank God for that (later on I was given access to the area for those who bought it and wow …so little was offered it was ridiculous). When I didn’t have any money and was financially really struggling, I would have been just like those people (willing to get a loan out to get coaching). But being in a situation where I am financially stable (and seeing all the people there) I could view it from a different perspective. And I felt that it was sick how the speakers would use a situation in which the people are at their lowest, weakest and struggling to make ends meet - to put the people more in debt. Obviously the people have a choice, but it doesn’t make it right what some people are doing to take advantage of others.
I even wrote a poem about it - http://honestholly.com/2008/message-from-holly-mann-to-the-scammers/
Sorry I am on a tangent.
Take care JK 
Holly Manns last blog post..Free Personal Assistant - Meet Sandy
I know all too well about that which you speak! It really is sad to see, and the more products I come across, the more I learn the methods behind the gurus.
There is much that has to do with psychology and mind games, and I just can’t really get into it.
I know, that keeping it honest all the time is a constant struggle with our human nature, because our first motive is self preservation, there is a constant struggle to grab and promote that next product with the biggest commission.
I have never been to an IM conference, I’d love to come to the Honest Brands one though! (hint hint)
I can just about imagine what they are like, as most conferences are the same, but a conference about making money will most likely be more aggressive in the sales department.
It is sad, and I just can’t be a person that sells something to someone, knowing the state of mind they are in (desperate) and also knowing that they are super broke ( they will tell you). Like you said, taking advantage of that situation is not good. Especially when you KNOW it will take more than this product or that method, but you already have the “upsells” planned.
I won’t lie, being in the “honesty club” has slowed my monetary progress, but I just can’t live with myself being dishonest. I hope to join folks like you in this arena, and I think it will be much better long term.
Because even personally with me, I had some products I purchased, then got the money to purchase yours, then as you know so many push the next, newest, top notch product, so I bought that…..and saw so much undervalued stuff, that I, like Davin, think if I would have just stuck with your book, I’d be better off.
Now I have so much crap I have to unlearn and relearn and sift through, because I read it in my beginning stages. I have been finding some genuine people though, and those are the people I go to and ask real questions about my business.
Davin has been a real help, you of course, Garry Conn, and Sean Mize. I don’t personally communicate with many, but those I do I have a loyalty too, anyone that genuinely helps me will always be on my watch out for/do help list.
However I’m always ready to meet and help anyone looking for help, but as far as people already doing it, I only talk to a few on a regular basis. Truthfully, most don’t take time to help you before you buy from them, and after well….ha, that’s a whole other post right?
Just keep doing what you do Holly, I’ve always like how you move through this industry, and through you met Davin, and realized there were actually honest people out there.
Normal Joes last blog post..Honesty Really is the Best Policy
I have good friends that fell prey to something similar. Thankfully, my wife asked an important question. Honey, do we have the money? We had been trying to get out of dept and decided to not go further. My friends fell for the emotion and the hype. I went home and researched the company. Way too many unhappy customers. My friends lost over $15,000. When you start that far in the hole, it is hard to dig out. I’m sure they could have over time, but when you need to pay bills, you don’t have time.
Thankfully, I have a good full-time paying job right now. I’m doing this in the evenings to earn enough so that my wife doesn’t have to work. If I can’t buy the product myself, I research it thoroughly. Saves a lot of headaches. Plus no quick decisions. Taker your down. It is a good product, it will still be a good product 24 or 48-hours later.
Keep up the good work and let’s keep up the encouragement. Lots of negative out there. I enjoy seeing how many of you are helping each other and me out.
Hmm, I wonder my commentLuv can’t find my post.
@Top CD Rates, I agree. I too do this in the evenings for now, and my first goal is to allow my wife to stay home, or, not have to work, and do what she wants, be it school or part-time, whatever.
It’s so sad that people prey on emotions, but, that’s the nature of things, I just try to think of how I would feel in the situation, so all my actions are dictated this way.
As far as the comment luv, I’m not sure, it usually works well. Do you have any issues on other sites?
Normal Joes last blog post..I won Joel Comm’s secret classroom
Hey Joe,
Nice post there. We all were taught since we were kids that “Honesty IS the best policy.”
However, when it comes to learning, honesty isn’t enough. I could be dead center honest, but completely off base in my theory or knowledge. I’d rather find someone honest yet knowledgeable at the same time.
Internet marketing is in the pits. I’ve never found so many dishonest people masking themselves as gurus congregate in one place like Internet marketers do. So someone used unethical means to make $200k and there you go pied piper.
Case in point. I still manage to make over $100k per year and I use none of the instructions the so called gurus provide. I simply refuse. Some are outright criminal.
Even while you are entering your credit card info, they are at work releasing their newest product. In the name of techniques, skills, knowledge, tips, secrets , they are creating competition for you for the very product you bought from them.
To each his/her own. I found my niche. And I know I will not release an ebook to create a herd of followers saturating the market thus making the niche completely ineffective.
When will people learn?
Honesty is a rare commodity. You have a great post there Joe. Great blog.
Thanks Chris! I agree man, knowledge plus honesty equals quality. And yes, the things you find out about “gurus” will sicken some people. And really, many will overlook it in the name of “making money”.
They figure, if so and so did it, maybe it’s okay, when they know it’s really not. But sometimes, they will abandon their morals, in order to make that first buck online.
I know what you’re about, so I say to keep it up, you may not change everything, but I’m sure you will change some and enlighten others to the fact that you don’t have to be “black hat” or “mind controlling” to make money online.
Keep it up Chris, and thanks for stopping by, you’re welcome anytime