Can "tough love" bring traffic?

12 replies
As some of you know, my main expertise is the natural health field.

Also, I value truth in all areas of life. Honestly I hate reading fluff on websites where I can predict the end-goal is to sell me something rather than genuinely help me. When I even get the notion that the information I am given is meant to benefit the informer more than me, I shut it out.

Most of what I see out there related to health tries to coax people in to telling them how "easy" it is to be healthy, and how they can "eat whatever you want" etc.

Well, I actually WANT to help people and give them the TRUTH, no matter what it takes. I have studied biology, chemistry, many peer reviewed, and other well-researched articles that have opened my eyes to what really leads to wellness... filtering the BS.

For example: It's hard for people to hear this but there is essentially nothing good about caffeine or dairy for your health long-term, no matter how pretty you try to package it, and honest research and simple biochemistry supports this consistently.

My "clients" (mostly friends and family) have made leaps-and-bounds improvement on their health with my suggestions. My methods have increased the bone mass of someone with osteoporosis, cured seasonal allergies, and released a diabetics dependency on insulin, etc. These are things that should not be possible according to the medical community.

My question is: can I find an audience who is serious enough about being healthy that they don't mind the no-nonsense truth? What barriers may I encounter? What should the website/blog format look like?
#bring #tough love #traffic
  • You could write great articles giving people valuable information for free, but wouldn't you like to be paid as well for your time to research the topic and write the content. It's obvious that most information online in articles are almost always presell to a free offer which is a presell to a paid offer.

    But if you having valuable health related content to offer your niche, then you will still have to follow the rules of marketing to get your information out to your niche and you will want to be rewarded financially for your efforts.
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  • Profile picture of the author ben500
    Im a little confused.

    Either you want to write a website/blog telling people the truth eat natural, avoid drugs like caffeine/alchol, avoid dairy (sorry, disagree about that one). Or you want to create a money generating website selling some product/ebook which, in reality, is a fad and is of no benefit.

    You might get traffic if you can build up a good following, but you are not going to sell anything.

    These are totally different things and you need to decide what matters more to you, money or morals.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by dog8food View Post


    My question is: can I find an audience who is serious enough about being healthy that they don't mind the no-nonsense truth? What barriers may I encounter?
    Yes definitely ! There is a subset of people who do value this. You just need to set yourself apart from the others doing it.

    And do not shy away from being a salesperson as well as a legit educator. There is nothing wrong with being both


    - Robert Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author pietjeplukt
    first of, i am a vegan and now exactly what you mean, i also help people offline with their health, one on one.

    but the REAL TRUTH IS that most people who have health problems dont want to believe it is their own fault and simple changes in their habbits can change everything!!

    no, no, no, it is never their fault and they are always looking for a magic pill to pop and solve their problems and they will desperately pay you anything for it.

    thats why in IM we call these `desperate niches` because these people for the most part want to hear fairytales and pay loads of cash for empty promises... unfortunately

    When i truly help the ones that are willing, offline, i have nothing to sell them, exept for some information i can give them, if i do this online i get crushed by the `magic pill`sellers and dont make enough money out of my efforts.

    If you CAN succeed in doing that, you will certainly bust the bank and rake in the cash, i wish you good luck!!
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  • Profile picture of the author ZanyZebra
    Originally Posted by dog8food View Post

    As some of you know, my main expertise is the natural health field.

    Also, I value truth in all areas of life. Honestly I hate reading fluff on websites where I can predict the end-goal is to sell me something rather than genuinely help me. When I even get the notion that the information I am given is meant to benefit the informer more than me, I shut it out.

    Most of what I see out there related to health tries to coax people in to telling them how "easy" it is to be healthy, and how they can "eat whatever you want" etc.

    Well, I actually WANT to help people and give them the TRUTH, no matter what it takes. I have studied biology, chemistry, many peer reviewed, and other well-researched articles that have opened my eyes to what really leads to wellness... filtering the BS.

    For example: It's hard for people to hear this but there is essentially nothing good about caffeine or dairy for your health long-term, no matter how pretty you try to package it, and honest research and simple biochemistry supports this consistently.

    My "clients" (mostly friends and family) have made leaps-and-bounds improvement on their health with my suggestions. My methods have increased the bone mass of someone with osteoporosis, cured seasonal allergies, and released a diabetics dependency on insulin, etc. These are things that should not be possible according to the medical community.

    My question is: can I find an audience who is serious enough about being healthy that they don't mind the no-nonsense truth? What barriers may I encounter? What should the website/blog format look like?
    Yes this is absolutely doable. In fact it is a positioning within the market place.

    If you can pull it off it is extremely powerful. But first you must gain credibility through your public postings and advice to others. Saying to others that you are expert, even if you are, won't cut it.

    Good luck with your venture.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Keith
    the market is much much smaller for those who want to actually learn to live healthy....much like its pretty small for those who come to this forum who actually want to hear the truth about what it takes to succeed with an online business.

    that being said, there is a market out there. you will almost certainly never be as successful as someone selling instant success though. thats just the cold hard truth.

    the real problem you face is one of credibility. there are those who for various reasons are actually at the point of taking ownership of their health and trying to learn to do it right. but why should they listen to you.... a few testimonials from people you admit are family and friends is pretty unlikely to be very convincing.
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    • Profile picture of the author dog8food
      Originally Posted by David Keith View Post


      the real problem you face is one of credibility. there are those who for various reasons are actually at the point of taking ownership of their health and trying to learn to do it right. but why should they listen to you.... a few testimonials from people you admit are family and friends is pretty unlikely to be very convincing.
      Good point. The main strength of my credibility will actually be the results people will experience (like the increase of bone mass and getting off insulin as I mentioned earlier), but it doesn't happen over night. So I agree, there is a barrier there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ashley Wright
    Educate 80% of the time sell 20% off the time - I've found that social media is the best when it comes to health niches such as "loose weight" best way train a friend for 90 days take before and after photo's social proof Sells my friend!
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by dog8food View Post

    Well, I actually WANT to help people and give them the TRUTH, no matter what it takes. I have studied biology, chemistry, many peer reviewed, and other well-researched articles that have opened my eyes to what really leads to wellness... filtering the BS.

    For example: It's hard for people to hear this but there is essentially nothing good about caffeine or dairy for your health long-term, no matter how pretty you try to package it, and honest research and simple biochemistry supports this consistently.
    As David says, your main issue is going to be one of credibility. What qualifies you to be the arbiter of truth? This is especially tricky with the subject of health. Once you start giving dietary advice*, you need to be sure you qualify it with suitable warnings, such as the need to liaise with a qualified medical practitioner beforehand. Otherwise you might leave yourself open to potential lawsuits.

    That said, it's perfectly possible to succeed with "tough love" advice. You'll be aiming at a smaller market, but those whom you attract are likely to be fiercely loyal.

    * Disclaimer: I'm reading this thread whilst enjoying a delicious coffee with double cream.


    Frank
    Signature


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    • Profile picture of the author dog8food
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      As David says, your main issue is going to be one of credibility. What qualifies you to be the arbiter of truth?
      This is something I've considered as well. So far I am a certified wellness coach, herbalist, personal trainer and biologist.

      It's tricky in America. Health "professionals" are those with "MD" after their name. However, no medical doctor is required to take nutritional, diet or herbal courses during their studies. Therefore, no one in America is technically qualified for practicing natural health... I mean, MDs can "officially" try to do it but they likely have poor knowledge on the subject.

      One of my clients is actually the daughter of my cousins who are both doctors. They see that western medicine could only go so far in helping her condition and didn't realize there were effective natural treatments available.

      Yes, I agree, the laws must be taken into consideration.
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      • Profile picture of the author pietjeplukt
        Originally Posted by dog8food View Post

        This is something I've considered as well. So far I am a certified wellness coach, herbalist, personal trainer and biologist.

        It's tricky in America. Health "professionals" are those with "MD" after their name. However, no medical doctor is required to take nutritional, diet or herbal courses during their studies. Therefore, no one in America is technically qualified for practicing natural health... I mean, MDs can "officially" try to do it but they likely have poor knowledge on the subject.

        One of my clients is actually the daughter of my cousins who are both doctors. They see that western medicine could only go so far in helping her condition and didn't realize there were effective natural treatments available.

        Yes, I agree, the laws must be taken into consideration.
        the same here in Europe, the so called `professionals` spend years in school and know NOTHING about nutrition, which is the cause of most diseases, all they know is how to push pills like drugdealers for big pharma, it is ridiculous and needs to change FAST!!

        i actually have several doctors and healthcare professionals as clients, who i educate on food and nutrition, and i never even finished high school, how funny is that!

        even more ridiculous, i met a doctor years ago, who himself was very fat and unhealthy, telling me i must eat meat because i was supposed to be good for me, funny thing is he died by a hart attack and i have never taken any medicine, have never been sick in my life and never needed any help whatsoever concerning my health, now who should give who advice? the world turned upside down, but you probably already know everything about this, right? dog8food
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        • Profile picture of the author dog8food
          Originally Posted by pietjeplukt View Post

          the same here in Europe, the so called `professionals` spend years in school and know NOTHING about nutrition, which is the cause of most diseases, all they know is how to push pills like drugdealers for big pharma, it is ridiculous and needs to change FAST!!

          i actually have several doctors and healthcare professionals as clients, who i educate on food and nutrition, and i never even finished high school, how funny is that!

          even more ridiculous, i met a doctor years ago, who himself was very fat and unhealthy, telling me i must eat meat because i was supposed to be good for me, funny thing is he died by a hart attack and i have never taken any medicine, have never been sick in my life and never needed any help whatsoever concerning my health, now who should give who advice? the world turned upside down, but you probably already know everything about this, right? dog8food
          Yes, it sounds sadly familiar. And according to my wife, Pharm companies/Doctors are just starting to do this in China too--a country with thousands of years successfully treating ailments with natural medicine. It's a shame.
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