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Having Your Act Together vs. Faking It 'Til You Make It

by Steve B
9 replies
I've seen a growing trend on the Warrior Forum over the past few years that seems to be adding to the negative image that many people have of our profession, IMO.

How many times do you see threads from people saying things like:

"Does anyone know where I should go online to market my client's weight loss blog?"

or

"Help! I just landed a $3,000 contract to provide marketing in the men's underwear niche and I have no clue how to do it."

or

"Where would you go to advertise an upscale ladies boutique?"

Is it any wonder that many consumers and some business people often look down upon online marketers as the sleaze of the earth scam artists that are all too eager to grab the money and run without coming through on the stated promises?

Let me ask you . . . Is it right to take on clients (often for substantial fees) when you don't have the faintest idea what you're going to do to satisfy their service needs?

Of course . . . some will say "Let the buyer beware" or "Buyers should do their own due diligence first" and other remarks that put all the blame on the consumer.

I, for one, don't buy that argument. If you offer a service, you should have some expertise, experience, and know-how in order to get the job done professionally and with great value for the money. What do you think?

Too often, IMO, we Warriors are guilty of telling newbies to "fake it 'til you make it." I've done it. If you can call upon outside resources to help you, or if you can learn what you need to know very quickly, then maybe there are a few occasions when, in good conscience, you can take on a job knowing that it's probably over your head.

But, IMO, too often I see threads here started by panic-riddled service providers that don't have the faintest idea what they're going to do on their end of the contract.

Which brings me to the point of all this . . . if you decide to hire a person or firm for contract marketing services (like SEO, driving traffic, social media campaigns, PPC expertise, etc), I would always suggest you delve into the details of their previous work and experience in their field and in the market of your interest.

Do you want to hire someone who takes your money then comes to this forum asking if others can tell him how to do his job because he's in a bind and doesn't have a clue?

I'd be interested in your thoughts . . .

Steve
#act #faking #make #til
  • Profile picture of the author MikeMiller
    Steve, I so agree with you! Unfortunately I don't think that this trend started lately (at least not in my area) and I don't think it will stop soon.

    For me this is a quiestion of conscience. I couldn't sleep well if I didn't know that I delivered great value on all my promises. There are however too many people who only care about a project to the extent of money, not results.

    IMO the other problem about internet marketing related areas is that it is very easy to gather some basic knowledge from places like this forum. It's a good thing as long as people grow themselves. That's a whole different story when someone starts taking on clients as a consultant after reading a few ebooks... Noone would try to do surgery after reading a book...

    Another big problem is that these consultants quite often work for very low fees and undercut the prices of experienced marketers. In the end the client will pay much more altogether, because he has to pay for a good consultant as well when he realizes the charlatan's results. I quite often get clients after they start with a cheap unexperienced consultant and realize later that they can't deliver.
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  • Profile picture of the author kk075
    It is absolutely not all right to take on a client if you do not know how to benefit them. I couldn't agree more.

    What gets me the most is people who have signatures for selling high end training courses, yet they ask basic questions that should be included in chapter one those courses they're selling. That means they came across some "get rich quick" promotion that was based around "Sell this very guide to others and get filthy rich!"

    It's like a scam within a scam and the people who fall for it are completely screwed...because they really don't know any better. I bet there are thousands of people here that believe the only way to make money online is by selling regurgitated crap, and that just gives everyone a bad name.
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  • Profile picture of the author Path Theory
    I'm not the most sanctimonious marketer there is - I use some grey hat methods, and I've broken some ToS. I do it because I'm not bringing harm on anyone or anything.

    What you're talking about is a scam, plain and simple. bordering on fraud - Wrongful act by means of deception resulting in personal gains. Accepting money through misrepresentation is tantamount to theft.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      First of all it's quite refreshing to see someone who cares about the integrity of the industry as a whole. Not just his or her business. Of course I agree with your points.

      But I also have to ask the buyers who hire these "fake it til they make it" people what they're doing? Especially, when all it takes is a few mouse clicks to check the general background, reputation and even work samples of most people (who they say they are ... and can they do what they claim).

      I find a "business owner" like that to be stranger than the people who take the money. Not sure how long that person will be in business. A habit like that can definetly be hazardous to your wealth.

      There's a famous saying that "Success Leaves Clues" and I say, "so does Google"!

      I don't agree with the type of people who do what you describe, but anyone who would fork over a large chunk of money and hopes to someone - without checking their background is asking (err begging) for trouble.

      It kind of reminds me of the biblical saying that "A Fool and his money is soon parted".
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  • Profile picture of the author Joan Altz
    There is also another part of this...

    Let's say you sell a WordPress setup service and you get a client and you do a good job for him.

    A lot of times a client will be very open to doing more business with you, for seo services, social media, whatever, because it's a fact that most people who buy services prefer working with providers they've already established a relationship with.

    So if your client is asking about some of these other services and you're kind of weak in those areas, the right thing to do is refer the client to someone who can help him (and hopefully you've established a leads/referral agreement with those you are recommending).

    But where marketers, especially beginners, get into trouble is thinking to themselves, 'Well, I should be able to handle this. I'll just hit up the Warriors or do some research and take care of it so I can keep this guy's business right here with me."

    So they might know how to do something that gets them the client to begin with, but they can't provide additional services the client wants later, and the temptation to take that extra $3k or whatever is too much for them to just turn it down or hand over their client to someone else.

    Not an excuse, but it's another reason some post these panic-mode threads asking for help.
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    • Profile picture of the author Slade556
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post


      Let me ask you . . . Is it right to take on clients (often for substantial fees) when you don't have the faintest idea what you're going to do to satisfy their service needs?
      Of course this is not right! Unfortunately, there is no way to stop these kinds of situations.

      Originally Posted by Joan Altz View Post

      So if your client is asking about some of these other services and you're kind of weak in those areas, the right thing to do is refer the client to someone who can help him

      But where marketers, especially beginners, get into trouble is thinking to themselves, 'Well, I should be able to handle this. I'll just hit up the Warriors or do some research and take care of it so I can keep this guy's business right here with me."

      So they might know how to do something that gets them the client to begin with, but they can't provide additional services the client wants later, and the temptation to take that extra $3k or whatever is too much for them to just turn it down or hand over their client to someone else.

      Not an excuse, but it's another reason some post these panic-mode threads asking for help.
      In such situations, I still think the right thing to do is to be honest with your client! Even if they offer you $10,00 extra! Temptation is one thing, but not knowing what to do and making a fool of yourself when your client clearly needs someone to do the job for them is not ok. And, in my own experience, being honest with a client will help you out so much more than 'lying' does.
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  • Profile picture of the author ThomasHere
    You know, I think on a small scale its good to fake it somewhat. For example, if you're just starting out growing your new business and are not making very much money, I would simulate a successful persons daily routing...

    Wake up early, dress to kill, conduct yourself professionally and accordingly all day, and then get up again and repeat.

    The thing is you don't have to talk big to people around you necessarily and lie about ow successful you are, but what you can do is talk positively to yourself and begin to walk the walk also. Before you know it you won't be faking it, you'll have made it.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by Steve B View Post


    Let me ask you . . . Is it right to take on clients (often for substantial fees) when you don't have the faintest idea what you're going to do to satisfy their service needs?

    I, for one, don't buy that argument. If you offer a service, you should have some expertise, experience, and know-how in order to get the job done professionally and with great value for the money. What do you think?
    Steve,
    Sorry, I disagree !

    This is done everyday in the business environment that we live in. Not just in IM but every sector of business !

    It is called being a "Middleman" or "Broker" and is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged and embraced by many!

    As long as the person who is selling the services overtly communicates that he has Partners that will make sure the work is completed in a satisfactory manner... then there should be absolutely NO problem with it

    Summoning your resources to legally and ethically find conventional and non-conventional solutions to complete a given job with above satisfactory results for your Client NOT only should be lauded but highly encouraged in a Capitalistic society

    Rewire your mindset and THINK END RESULT to Customer !!


    - Robert Andrew
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      "Help! I just landed a $3,000 contract to provide marketing in the men's underwear niche and I have no clue how to do it
      Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

      I find a "business owner" like that to be stranger than the people who take the money. Not sure how long that person will be in business. A habit like that can definetly be hazardous to your wealth
      I agree with The Niche Man. Whenever I see a post claiming a "client" has just awarded a lucrative contract to a clearly inexperienced service provider, I tend to think that client is either crazy or an invention of the marketer.

      Falsely posing as an expert in an attempt to obtain money from a client is fraud. But there's a difference between that and the "fake it 'til you make it" advice - at least when it concerns your attitude. In that respect, it can be a useful mental tool.

      Researchers in brain chemistry have discovered that the act of smiling - even when it's fake - can make you feel happier. When you act confident, you feel more confident, which helps you to act confident. This two-way causation applies to a host of human activities and can be usefully applied to your business life, as long as you use it to build the appropriate mental framework and not to misrepresent your expertise.


      Frank
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