Ethically Conflicted - Marketing Gone Too Far?

Basically all the sales letters out there make great claims and make things sound amazing. And that's fine. But do you think there are some niches that you just got to tune it down a bit because they're in a more sensitive subject?

I was looking at a product to promote that has mainly has to do with women that have miscarriages because of a specific reason. The sales letter makes these huge claims.

I feel pretty conflicted about using it. We're talking about something serious and it justs like things are over the top with marketing.

I don't know. What do you guys think? Are there niches out there where you can go too far with the marketing?

 

Unfortunately many marketers will write anthing as long as it sells, even if its unetical or even dangerous. Kind of if you dont do it your competition will..

 

Just don't make wild claims that will get someone hurt.

 

I think your original post title spoke volumes. I am totally conflicted about a lot of stuff I see - especially on Clickbank. And don't any of you all waste your time jumping down my throat about it becasue what you decide you can live with is up to you.

I make small beans with Adsense and with direct advertisers and would love very much to be able to break into this fat land of internet marketing that I see written about every day on DP and elsewhere. I can't quite bring myself to promote some things I see that I suspect are out and out rip offs. Particularly when so many people are hurting now. I would love to highlight and promote legitimate money saving/money earning products but there is so much BS out there the true gems are really hard to identify.

As for selling stuff about miscarriages, yes, that is a step too low.

 

Yeah. It just seems to push it too far. "Buy my product and you'll stop getting miscarriages". There's products that claim to cure cancer. That one ethically crosses the line.

 

Selling it and promoting it are two different things

People do seek out this information, so it should be available. However, when promoting it you should take a pull vs push approach. Meaning, promote via keyword vs newsletter blast.

 

What the hell does that have to do with anything?

 

I think your credibility long term is worth more than short term sales, so I only actively** promote products I believe in.

** Meaning I'll recommend them on important sites, I'll mention other Clickbank products I know little about in the hope of the odd sale (which is rare), but I'll not make claims I do not believe.

I'm going to be trying my hand at Forex trading soon (before the end of the year if I get the time) and have written about my past trading experiences at http://www.morearnings.com/2008/09/12/forex-trading-system-review/ (started the page one week ago and will review Forex products).

Since I know little about Forex trading (done shares and options trading, but not currencies) I couldn't talk much about the subject specifically, so covered what I've done in the past (all true) and what I plan to do.

I found a Clickbank product that could potentially make me a fair amount through Clickbank sales AND be useful when I start trading currencies (automates Forex signals). Signed up for their free email alert and a few days ago realised this Clickbank product must be a SCAM: I was getting potential profit reports for Saturdays and Sundays when the markets are closed!

I'm not going to actively promote a product like this, still have the hop links on the page, but telling people to avoid it (obviously made no sales). I'll look for other products that are legit that I can promote and use.

This is how I've done all my Clickbank promoting which protects my credibility whilst making a little money.

I wouldn't say I make a massive amount through Clickbank, actively promote half a dozen products and link to a dozen more over half a dozen sites: so far this month I've made about $700 (best month yet by far).

David Law

 

I would suggest what mikey1090 said.

It depends on the niche. If it's something sensitive, like you are saying - miscarriages, then try not to make the sales letter too flashy and with no stupid, big claims, etc.

 

When you consider that all the money you get through sales in CB has come from someone somewhere that spends their hard earned cash just to seek a remedy to their problem or in the hopes of making their lives better by earning a bit more money, it makes you lose the taste to promote any of the stuff you see, knowing fully well it will not live upto it's expectations, but that's business and that's life. Earning money online is an elusive dream and this is the path we chose to get there, let's atleast follow it through like real people with honor and decency, instead of promising the moon and the stars to hustle someone's $50....believe it or not, karma is very real and the more people you leave in anguish, the more the universe is storing up to hit you when you least expect. Good luck to all you people that bring a bit more conscience to our game

 

There are quite a few "health" related products which make exorbitant claims about how they can help cure you from one ailment or another.

I steer well clear of these products as alot of them I simply don't believe in them and what's worse I don't believe it's right to market to someone who may have a life threatening condition and will do anything to try and cure it.

Each to their own I guess and perhaps some of the vendors that make these products truly do believe that their product can change a persons life, I really hope that is the case and it's not just some greedy ass vendor doing anything they can just to make a buck......

 

Agree with this, and on top of that, there's a lot of CPA offers, that give out Free Trials and charge the customers $100 a month after 15 days. But don't get me wrong if I knew 100% that this product was worth $100 and actually worked, then I wouldnt mind as much.

Vene

 

If its about ethics..I'm willing to bet half the promoters, promote stuff they have either not bought or experienced.

Forex/diet is a good example. Reading all the reviews, one would think, the review site has bought and tested all the CB products before writing their reviews!!

 

Buying and reviewing the product won't help much unless you know something about the product you're selling.

For example If I'm buying a product about curing yeast infection. What good will it do me? I don't have a yeast infection, I don't know anything about it, nor I'm a doctor, so I'm unable to evaluate the book nor apply any of the methods inside.