"Red Flag" Marketing Techniques

Marketing is finding people who already want and are looking for what you have to offer.   The ‘sale’ is much easier if what you have is what they want.  There are a number of techniques used in marketing that we think should raise a red flag every time you come across one.  Be cautious when you are surfing and viewing sites.  The following techniques work and work especially well with those of us uneducated in the ploys of marketing.

There are six methods we find to be the most obnoxious and could be called our biggest pet peeves.  This email will only touch on the six now and in a later email I will develop each one in more detail.  Once you identify these six methods you will begin to see them used all over the internet and everywhere else for that matter. The more of the six used in one ad or web site the more likely the ‘product’ is a waste of your money and especially your time.

1.    Branding is more than the logo or the name.  It is over time a reputation earned.  Great reputations can be lost with one bad act or mistake.  Some ‘brands’ make it an art form walking the line between great material and a con job.  You have seen the “TOP SECRET” promotions by “Guru” names promoting ‘must have’ information that without it you will continue to fail. Somehow the pages of marketing copy never say what ‘it’ is.

2.    You have no doubt already met the friend of the hard sell. The fear of loss is an old technique now seen just after you take the bait and is most often used with programs you have no idea how it will work or perform. It is the One Time Offer or OTO that when you say no they have another one and often one more too good to be true after that and every time saying it will never be available again.  If you pay attention you will discover the OTO will reappear sooner or later with the same dire warnings. If what was being sold was really worth it you would never see it as an OTO.

3.    The one technique that makes the least amount of sense is ‘you don’t have to do anything’ to make money except fork over a paycheck or some portion every month and they will do the rest.  What do they need you for if there is so much money why don’t they just ignore you and take the opportunity for themselves?

4.    Guarantees have their place. You will begin to notice that the previous ‘do-nothing’ opportunity usually has a great guarantee.  Most of you know that the extended warranty is a money maker for the store and the salesman.   The longer the guarantee the less likely it is implemented.  Companies offer guarantees to secure your trust and when most are either forgotten or lost the vast majority did their job. They moved you to the cashier to spend your money.

5.    The “Rag to Riches” stories of down to their last tube of ketchup and in the shortest time possible they are a millionaire are laughable! The got rich quick guys we know all spent years of preparation before they got rich quick.  Just because it’s too good to be true does not make it false. It does raise a red flag.

6.    After seeing a fantastic movie your testimonial the next day to everyone you know sells some tickets.  They didn’t send you a commission either.  All too often, especially on web sites, you will see the same names and pictures supporting with their testimonial what a fabulous opportunity this is.  Tie this in with number one above and you will begin to notice a new trend in joint ventures where “Gurus” of all stripes promote and testify about each other’s great product.  Again this may not be wrong and if you have bought a book lately the jacket cover is full of testimonials by other authors of similar material.  Red Flag it and the more red flags a site has the less likely it could possibly live up to its copy banter.

There is nothing illegal about these six red flags and depending on the context they may only be a bright yellow caution flag instead.   In a later email I will share six flags we strive for. There are flags that like the checkered flag waved at the race winner or battle flags that are a sign of a group to be reckoned with and there are flags that we stand and salute.  There are at least six such flags in network marketing.

That's why I am with Global NPN. A global opportunity with a steady and safe company. Why not join me?

Regards .... Kevin