33 replies
I left IM several years ago, mainly because I realized much of it is so corrupt. Even the "good guys" play dirty tricks, bend the truth, and frankly it feels the only goal is MAKING MONEY. I want to re-enter the field but without all that crap.

I want to run an honest, up front, conscientious online business that can help people and be sustainable for me as well. I'm not looking to get rich or become some millionaire big cyber-shot.

Is there anyone else who runs an honest and totally clean and non-capitalistic online business successfully? Success defined as just simply sustainable and enjoyable.

It really seems like a challenge. After being away for so long and "cleansing" my palate to return and browse some of the products is completely nauseating. If everyone is just trying to get rich or make a bunch of money, than who is left to be the real humans, the ones who live with purpose, passion and LIFE. What kind of legacy is it to leave behind of just wealth or riches? Is not enjoying your journey the wealth?

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade or sound negative, on the contrary, to me the door is wide open to usher in a new era of marketing, of online business, an era of quality and passion, of people really truly helping people and rising above the shallow squabble of monetary gain.

So this is half a rant and half a legitimate question...the question being, who is running an ethical and passionate business online?

cheers,

John
#ethical #marketing
  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    What you might consider totally ethical is going to be subjective.

    There's no doubt that there are a lot of products being released
    that add little or nothing to the industry and a good number of
    people who care about nothing but making money.

    But there are also marketers who go to great lengths to genuinely
    help people and focus primarily on serving others.

    If your focus is constantly on asking yourself "what can I do now
    to help my prospects and clients" you should do quite well.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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  • Profile picture of the author John Westbrook
    good reply Andrew, thank you!
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    John Westbrook ~ Poet/Author & Consultant

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    • Profile picture of the author RKeele
      I agree there is a ton of unscrupulous people online that only care about making money, and there are others, myself included that like the independence of working for myself, but also enjoy helping others.

      Simply put, you don't have to be unscrupulous, you can be honest and ethical in the way you run your online business. That is the way I run my business and my conscience is better for it.

      So if you get back into IM, then do it your way...the right way. Unfortunately there will always be the bad guys out there in any business be it online or not.

      You can't control what others do, but you can control what you do. If you do things the right and ethical way, you will be happier for it, and it will do wonders for your online reputation.

      I hope my input helps you.

      Good Luck.
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      • Profile picture of the author tz6119
        [QUOTE=RKeele;8121314
        ...You can't control what others do, but you can control what you do. If you do things the right and ethical way, you will be happier for it, and it will do wonders for your online reputation....
        [/QUOTE]

        Spot on here. Control what you can and do how you believe. You will build a following.
        There are plenty of genuine people in the IM world.
        Focus on them.
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    It’s very hard to beat the competition no matter how helpful your website/products may be.

    There are really many people making money online without helping anyone, only because they are good marketers. They know how to sell their lies.







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  • Hi John,

    I really liked the way you described success:
    "Success defined as just simply sustainable and enjoyable."

    That hit home nicely!

    Another thing. I truly admired this post for your underlying passion to help others. You mentioned it in passing and then very directly in your thread and it captured my attention.

    I really hope you succeed in claiming this personal victory. That is a great ideal to hold fast to.

    Pax,
    LLS
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    Be the change you want to see in the world.

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  • Profile picture of the author ChristinaT
    Hi John,

    I certainly resonated with your post and strive to be fully ethical in all of my business practices. I work in nonprofit so it's not surprising that I believe that it's important to help others succeed. I've learned from a lot of accomplished internet marketers and truly believe in giving back. Someone that I follow and who I think that you should check out is Pat Flynn from smartpassiveincome.com. His philosophy is similar to yours.
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  • Profile picture of the author conanedo
    I think there is many ways to make money online with ethical way.. maybe you can create blog with niche you like and then you put adwords or chitika.. or maybe you can sell amazon product, you can buy the product and then create a review
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt@viewswin
    Hiding behind a computer gives people a feeling that they can engage in conduct that they would never consider when in an offline business. People have no problems guaranteeing whatever they need to in order to take your money. There is virtually zero setup capital to lose in many cases. Offline business with a shop front etc can cost millions to setup, you wouldn't risk operating unscrupulously.
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  • Profile picture of the author mickel222
    Hey John,

    Yeah I run my business ethically. That's my most important rule I have set for myself, and I won't compromise on it. This means a few things to my business:

    - I do all I can to help others
    - Focus on giving value, rather than promotions every day
    - Only promote products that I bought and Love
    - Don't use Adsense (or similar), as I don't have 100% control over the sites that get promoted.
    - Always ready (and willing) to help people out with questions

    I hope that more people will follow and make their business ethical, I'm afraid that many won't change a thing though.

    Regards,
    Maikel Michiels
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  • Profile picture of the author Romeo90
    Hi John,

    I agree there is so much unethical marketing going on now, and yes some are just after taking the money, but it is their choice. I say let them get on with it, and choose your own route.

    I have a blog, and I write for my own enjoyment. I love writing. Enjoying things in life is my number one priority, and writing is a big passion for me. Anything after that is a complete bonus.

    My blog does contain affiliate links, but I always mark those affiliate links so people have the choice. Furthermore, I only promote stuff that I would be happy to recommend to my own family, and stuff that I use myself.

    My simple philosophy is this: Would you recommend a restaurant to a friend or your family, if you hadn't eaten there yourself? Of course you wouldn't, right? So why is it any different on the internet, and in IM?

    My blog talks about product creation, product marketing, and other bits and pieces. I can talk about such things, because I have been there, done it, and still do it to this day. I actually show myself logging into my control panel on DPD and showing people my sales record - many marketers cannot do such things because they are claiming to have been successful so people will copy them and hope they click their affiliate links or buy their products. And all the time they are just selling them a dream that they themselves haven't achieved.

    John, choose the path you are comfortable with. Forget what others are doing, just go out and enjoy what you are doing.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    John, I like your style.

    I run a clean operation dude, Id be happy to connect. Hit me up some time.

    We need more people like you in the industry.
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    BS free SEO services, training and advice - SEO Point

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  • Profile picture of the author Anthony J Namata
    I like your post, John. I too am a returning IMer, of sorts. I was away for a very long while, working my offline business which also has an online presence and COULDN'T function without it. However, sales from my previous (ethical) efforts have continued to produce an online income throughout my semi retirement.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by lifeempowered View Post

    I want to run an honest, up front, conscientious online business that can help people and be sustainable for me as well. I'm not looking to get rich or become some millionaire big cyber-shot.

    Is there anyone else who runs an honest and totally clean and non-capitalistic online business successfully? Success defined as just simply sustainable and enjoyable.
    ...

    If everyone is just trying to get rich or make a bunch of money, than who is left to be the real humans, the ones who live with purpose, passion and LIFE. What kind of legacy is it to leave behind of just wealth or riches? Is not enjoying your journey the wealth?
    My business is clean and honest. I am also a capitalist. I wouldn't bother working at all, if I had unlimited funds and didn't need to work for a living. I'd be an unapologetic beach bum and fisherwoman.

    Try purpose, passion and LIFE on for size when you're homeless, haven't got a dime to your name and have a gnawing hunger in your belly.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Art of Marketing View Post

      Now that is keeping it real Suzanne

      I just want to add that Internet Marketing and the Internet Marketing niche are two separate beasts.

      The niche is something you naturally gravitate to once you have made money and want to share with others how you did it or you create products and or tools specifically for other marketers.

      There are a million ways to make money online..you could just be into selling children's clothes or something and totally ethical.

      -Art
      Making money and the word capitalist doesn't have to be a dirty word. We live in a society that requires money to live. How people go about getting money to live varies a great deal, ranging from people who are criminals and scammers to people who sell great products that people really love to buy.

      I personally never got into creating the make money online market to try to sell "methods" to people. My products have normally been more service oriented, creating sites for people and my offline business that I advertise using online services is selling a physical product .... rare breed chicks and hatching eggs to be precise. Not a niche for everyone obviously, but it's an honest business.
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      • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
        Hi there,

        If you'd like validation of the idea that it is possible to run an ethical business AND make good money, whatever your niche, see my No-Harm Marketing Manifesto. It's free to read and you do not even have to opt in to read it.

        Ethics in Marketing | The No-Harm Manifesto

        Marcia Yudkin
        30+ Years in Business and Still Ethical
        Signature
        Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
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  • Profile picture of the author carnal
    I do not really pay much weight to ethical marketing. My primary goals are of course to make money and provide useful products to my customers.
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    • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
      Originally Posted by carnal View Post

      I do not really pay much weight to ethical marketing.
      So you're saying that you do place a lot of weight on unethical marketing?

      Thanks for the heads up.

      Terra
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      • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
        Originally Posted by MissTerraK View Post

        So you're saying that you do place a lot of weight on unethical marketing?

        Thanks for the heads up.

        Terra
        LOL ..............................
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  • Profile picture of the author shafinazahra
    I thought the same way you do...couldnt' figure out what was legit and people made all these unethical claims and it was getting just ridiculous... I found something that I was legitimate then, and I'm having great success with ... the guy who's teaching this product is completely ethical and gives away some awesome information... I do know there is goodness out here in the internet marketing world and if we keep pursuing we'll find something that really works and is direct and open
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    Shafina Zahra
    Loving Life!
    successwithshafina.com

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  • Profile picture of the author Igor Fridrihs
    Hey,

    IM marketers are the same like other people. Look around. There are some ethical people, there are some not. And what? Most of the people are good, not bad.
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  • Profile picture of the author AlexandraMarch
    Banned
    I think it is debatable what everyone considers ethical. As long as you don't try to cheat people or promise them something that doesn't deliver I think you can say your business is legit. If you have a site promiting a certain product or service, people have the choice of purchasing it or not. It's not like you put a gun to their head.

    What bothers me most are people marketing different products for curing cancer, weight loss or instant body building, although they have never tried them or they have and they don't work. Sadly, most people would still buy them .
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    • Profile picture of the author Coup
      It all comes down to helping people and providing actual value. It's a business fundamental. If I can sell you a $100 service that is going to make you $200, then clearly it is a no brainer and everyone would want to purchase. All of our businesses should be a variation of this. Money is an exchange for value - are you providing a product/service that is not only worth what you ask, but potentially over delivers?

      Does what you offer provide real value? Do you stand behind your products? Answer customer queries, provide refunds, listen, genuinely care about your customers, follow up, make their lives better, provide value? To me this is running an ethical business - not only ethical, but a business that makes a difference in your customers lives and for which customers are happy to pay, stay and refer.

      Clearly, not all businesses are like this. But mine is.

      I only promote my own info products, and I do do some affiliate marketing of tangible products that are of use to my customers (related to my niche) and that I use myself. This probably has a lot to do with my feeling confident in what I do.

      For me, it would be very difficult to promote other peoples' info products or products/subscriptions to stuff that I don't use or that I don't feel like is AWESOME.
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      • Profile picture of the author Joel Young
        Many of the replies in this thread makes me think of a quote I once saw (can't remember the source):
        "Life isn't always fair, but you can be".

        That's how I like to run a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author mikelmraz
    A website that provides free informative content is pretty legitimate and ethical, right?
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  • Profile picture of the author derricks4
    I think labeling online marketers, or those who make a living online for that matter, in a group of deceitful cheats is pretty inappropriate. People who work entirely offline cheat, lie, and steal every day just as those who do online. I believe that those of us good IM'ers know that the only way to create a sustainable business is to be honest and ethical. With consumers power to provide reviews and ratings, it's difficult for those who don't want to play fair to survive.
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    • Profile picture of the author mikelmraz
      Originally Posted by JJ Road To Success View Post

      We understand where your heart is and where your frustration comes from because just as you we have experience the dishonest IM gurus that milk you for the money and give you very little in return. It took awhile and lots of praying for us to come across a legit training on how to market your products, hobbies, passions or really anything you want. With the right education the sky is the limit. The creativity has just sky rocket for us because of what we have learned. We are thinking of ways to have charitable sites to help others in need, business ideas that we can promote for others to make their dreams a reality and so much more.

      A couple months ago we stumbled upon a program that has been a true blessing! The guy that teaches it is a down to earth no bullshit type of guy so we know you will feel right at home with him. He offers the opportunity to make money while learning the tricks of the trade or you can chose to just take what you have learned and run with it.

      CLICK HERE... We are sure you will find the value in it!

      Lots of luck to you!

      Justin and Janet
      hmmm ......
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    • Profile picture of the author mikelmraz
      Originally Posted by derricks4 View Post

      I think labeling online marketers, or those who make a living online for that matter, in a group of deceitful cheats is pretty inappropriate. People who work entirely offline cheat, lie, and steal every day just as those who do online. I believe that those of us good IM'ers know that the only way to create a sustainable business is to be honest and ethical. With consumers power to provide reviews and ratings, it's difficult for those who don't want to play fair to survive.
      Actually, there could be some difference. Most people working offline are working for companies and get a salary. They probably have less incentive to lie and cheat as long as they are doing their jobs.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Okay, you recognize the mud. Just don't play in it. It's simple really. Here's something I think of often. If you wouldn't want it done to you, it ain't cool. Them's my rules.
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  • Profile picture of the author SusanHarrison
    The scammers may get rich in money but will always have poor souls.

    You certainly can make money online by selling great products and services but the one thing that will ensure your success is to build great relationships with your customers and that comes through being honest, under promising and over delivering and sharing great content.
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