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Want to be a successful marketer? Become a con man

by joe golfer
11 replies
This fitness entrepreneur says it is easier to market fitness products and services if you are a con man.

Butter In Your Coffee and Other Cons: Stories From a Fitness Insider

"The more time I’ve spent in the fitness industry, the more I’ve learned how much marketing can make a difference. But there’s a fine a line between marketing yourself—a necessity if you want to make it in the industry—and becoming a dishonest con man. Unfortunately fitness is one industry where it’s easier to make it as the latter."
#butter #coffee #cons #fitness
  • Profile picture of the author nmwf
    "Once, Dave had to troubleshoot someone who wasn’t losing weight and told them that they probably weren’t eating enough butter."

    LMAO

    This was a great read. And I don't know what to say except that some of us know better while others don't. What matters most is your conscience, and whether or not you can live with it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brock Poling
      That's a great article. Thanks for sharing.
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    • Profile picture of the author CopyMonster
      Nice article.

      They wrote:In Fitness, Marketing Is Everything

      Anyone in Jay Abraham and Dan Kennedy worlds already live and breathe "In Business, Marketing Is Everything"

      I guess the author also thought the iPhone was the best featured/made phone in the world, and the iPod the best sounding music player!!! Years ago I reluctantly joined the iPod squad when I found my terrific sounding Sony player severely lacking in capacity. I wanted more space and the new model only had 32GB vs. the iPod which came with 160GB. So... much bigger capacity won over lesser sound quality. I suppose in this case it was more feature/benefit than slick marketing that got me over the line.

      The bit about the bullet-proof co(n)ffee was particularly interesting.
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      Scary good...
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      • Profile picture of the author joe golfer
        Originally Posted by CopyMonster View Post

        Nice article.

        They wrote:In Fitness, Marketing Is Everything

        Anyone in Jay Abraham and Dan Kennedy worlds already live and breathe "In Business, Marketing Is Everything"

        I guess the author also thought the iPhone was the best featured/made phone in the world, and the iPod the best sounding music player!!! Years ago I reluctantly joined the iPod squad when I found my terrific sounding Sony player severely lacking in capacity. I wanted more space and the new model only had 32GB vs. the iPod which came with 160GB. So... much bigger capacity won over lesser sound quality. I suppose in this case it was more feature/benefit than slick marketing that got me over the line.

        The bit about the bullet-proof co(n)ffee was particularly interesting.
        You got it.

        "Marketing is the business you're in. Everything else is a deliverable." - Dan Kennedy
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        Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
        - Jack Trout
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        • Profile picture of the author The Pines
          My favourite story about 'before and after' pictures in the fitness and weight loss niche.


          Most pictures are of the subject are taken a maximum of 4 weeks apart. The pictures are supposed to show the improvement in 28 days or less.


          Except this one was done in reverse...


          They got a picture of the guy when he was already in peak condition, and then paid him to NOT train and eat junk for 28 days. He gained about 20 pounds, and lost most of his muscle tone.


          So the first picture was actually used as the 'after' picture, and the second picture (taken 28 days later) was used as the 'before' picture.


          Genius!
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          • Profile picture of the author EzraWinter
            I have a background as a poker player and sleight-of-hand magician.

            That skillset has been QUITE valuable in my marketing work.
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          • Profile picture of the author Aussie_Al
            Originally Posted by The Pines View Post

            My favourite story about 'before and after' pictures in the fitness and weight loss niche.


            Most pictures are of the subject are taken a maximum of 4 weeks apart. The pictures are supposed to show the improvement in 28 days or less.


            Except this one was done in reverse...


            They got a picture of the guy when he was already in peak condition, and then paid him to NOT train and eat junk for 28 days. He gained about 20 pounds, and lost most of his muscle tone.


            So the first picture was actually used as the 'after' picture, and the second picture (taken 28 days later) was used as the 'before' picture.


            Genius!
            many of the before and after pictures are shot on the same day - check out the film Bigger Stronger faster
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  • Profile picture of the author AmberJB
    I suppose it depends on whether you are looking for a long-term relationship with your customers or not. Some people think having a list and getting their trust and selling to them over and over and keeping their trust is the way to be a successful marketer. You'd have to be pretty special (or have to have a list of gullibles) to be a con man and do this.
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    • Profile picture of the author @tjr
      Originally Posted by AmberJB View Post

      I suppose it depends on whether you are looking for a long-term relationship with your customers or not. Some people think having a list and getting their trust and selling to them over and over and keeping their trust is the way to be a successful marketer. You'd have to be pretty special (or have to have a list of gullibles) to be a con man and do this.
      I see it differently. Take the fitness Niche: you create a product that seems good, people buy, and end up on your list. they never use the product, but its there as the magic bullet "if they only had the time". You release your next product: the newer and better magic bullet. Well, the buyer just has to have that one, too.

      And the cycle continues.
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      • Profile picture of the author AmberJB
        Originally Posted by @tjr View Post

        I see it differently. Take the fitness Niche: you create a product that seems good, people buy, and end up on your list. they never use the product, but its there as the magic bullet "if they only had the time". You release your next product: the newer and better magic bullet. Well, the buyer just has to have that one, too.

        And the cycle continues.
        But, does this make you a con man? If your magic bullet really does help if the person uses it, then I'd say you are not a con man. The marketer is not responsible for what the customer does with the product. To me a con man would be presenting false advertising (pics of before and after that were really after and before, as discussed above) or false claims (lose 20 lbs in 3 days!).

        Now a really good marketer would come up with a way to help the customer actually use the product. Fit bit! An email a day! A phone call a day! Pay a lot for personal coaching! Come to Our Fit Ranch in Tucson and we'll get you slim and fit! Woo hoo! None of which would be being a con man, because it really would help a person solve their pressing problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author splitTest
    There's a reason Ogilvy said that the field of copywriting tends to attract conmen.
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