Today I reproduce an email sent to me by a Kikabink News subscriber (published with his permission).

WARNING: if you are easily offended, don’t read on.

If, on the other hand, you’re ready for a rather confronting article, go ahead. It’s controversial… I don’t necessarily agree… and it’s definitely food for thought (if you think deeply about the underlying ideas)…

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“Websites that Hypnotize Your Prospects… and COMMAND them to buy! Hypnotic Websites, Hypnotic Email Messages, Hypnotic PR… We’ll show you step-by-step how to create marketing that literally tricks your prospects into obeying your every command…

“Steal this”

“Murder your job”…

and the list goes on.

Can you show me any reason other than greed, as to why anyone would tell you they have a way to MAKE people buy your items? Can you tell me why we have to “steal” this or that to make it on the Internet?

What is wrong with the old fashioned way of selling?

Do a sales page and whatever else it takes to bring prospects to you, and if they want, they will buy. Hell, do a 33 page sales page as some do, but do it right and honestly. Would you want someone to sell you something you do not need just because they found a way to MAKE you like it or think you want it?

Here is an example for you and a crude one at that: would you want someone to put a drug in a drink and take advantage of you, against your wishes? Now you may ask, “what has that to do with Internet marketing?” The reason is that in both cases someone is taking advantage of you in a way you would not normally want.

In your right mind you would not want to go anywhere with someone who spiked your drink, just as in your right mind you would not buy something you really don’t need.

And what about the people who tell you to “steal this” from someone.

Why should I have to “steal” anything? I know it’s a gimmick, and the idea is not really to steal anything. But the use of “stealing” still leads people to believe they’re getting something for a cheaper price. And, if you think about it, such language is appealing to that part of people that is negative and greedy.

I don’t need to steal anything and I don’t need to cheat or dupe people into thinking they need to buy from me. This Internet marketing business should be honest, but it is getting worse every day. Why not call it the “IM419 Marketing”. If you don’t know what a “419er” is, go to Google and search on it. You will find out what I am talking about.

Why should anyone have to “trick” “steal, “kill”, “hypnotize”, “lie” and so one to sell a product? All of those words are negative and appeal to the base side of all of us. Do we need to be criminals to participate in the Internet marketing arena?

If a product is good and serves our purposes then we can buy it. We do not need to be browbeaten and lied to. Nor should we be told how to cheat others to sell. A good sales letter of a few pages to a few dozen should do the job. I don’t think anyone should advertise for a company that advocates what these people are saying.

Besides… what happens when someone wakes up and realizes they have been screwed? Refund time and a host of other problems they wouldn’t have experienced had they been honest. If your product is good, then sell it proudly and with honor. If it is bad, then redo it and try again. How much more simple can it be?

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What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

I spend part of my week consulting with a large company on its Internet marketing strategy. This particular company is currently in the process of merging with another company in the same industry…

As you might imagine, for all the exciting possibilities promised by the merger, a lot of people are uncertain about their future in the merged entity. Will they keep their current jobs after the merger? Will they even have a job after the merger?

These questions are being asked at all levels. In fact, there is every likelihood that those at the very top will be shuffled around and may not retain their current positions.

Yet, while the staff and management may speculate about their future, they still need to get on with their jobs. In particular, the same senior leaders and managers who may not have the same roles (if any roles) in a few months’ time must continue to lead and manage right now.

I attended a recent management briefing where the question was raised as to what someone should do to best demonstrate that they should keep their jobs after the merger. The CEO said that, for those in leadership positions, now is the time to demonstrate their ability to lead. He acknowledged that this would be difficult, given the personal uncertainty faced by these very same people, but added the following:

“True leaders are those who lead when their own future is uncertain.”

The CEO went on to explain that the essence of a leader is someone who can rally people behind them, give them hope, and empower them to continue moving forward… when the leader is, in fact, the person who is most vulnerable in an uncertain future.

I agree. It’s all very well to lead people when you have nothing to lose… it’s all very well to lead people when the only “lives” at stake are theirs… it’s all very well to lead people when you equally face uncertain times… but what if you have the most to lose?

Can you still lead in that situation? That is the real test.

Being able to lead when you have the most to lose - that is true leadership.

…how to sell, for one thing. Hey, I know - I worked in a big agency, and was the “client” for a few others!

Don’t get me wrong - I loved my experience as a copywriter working for one of the big, multinational agencies.

And I certainly learned a LOT.

But I can’t help but question some of the ideas that were drummed into me as a “big agency copywriter”… which I had to rapidly unlearn when I went into business for myself… and which are just plain DANGEROUS for YOU if you’re trying to make a buck online.

As I mentioned, they didn’t teach me how to sell - i.e. to write advertising copy that actually compels someone to rip open their wallet and buy the product or service.

They didn’t teach me that… and they won’t tell you that. Instead, they’ll probably tell you that if you want to build your online business, you must:

1. Be creative
2. Build your brand.

Hmmm… that doesn’t seem too bad does it? Well, it is. Because it conveys the WRONG set of priorities.

If you sell online - i.e. you sell products and services on your website - then the no. 1 job of YOUR advertising is to generate qualified leads (or, as we say, “traffic”) to your website.

It’s not to be “creative”. And it’s not to “build you brand”.

Sure, be creative - if it generates more TRAFFIC.

And please DO build your brand - as a RESULT of developing a reputation for satisfying customers with great products and services.

But don’t make either of these the PRIORITY in your advertising… because the result will probably be a creative, entertaining ad, with a big, fat graphic of your logo… that does NOT generate enough (or any) qualified traffic to your website!

So…

If you’re considering hiring an ad agency to prepare an ad campaign to generate traffic to your website - and for some, strange, illogical reason you don’t immediately call me (!) - take heed:

If they yabber on about how:

• creative they are…
• the purpose of advertising is to build your brand…
• every ad has to have a “big idea”…
• they’ve won lots of awards,

… jump out of your chair immediately, pick up your briefcase and RUN!

And in case you’re wondering what they DID teach me that could help YOUR online marketing… be sure to read the next issue of Kikabink News!