Tuesday is customer day.
“NO ONE–wants to be covertly marketed to…”
So writes Jason Calacanis in this post about the evils of the new Payperpost blog service that pays bloggers to promote stuff on their blogs – but without having to reveal that they’re being paid to promote the products.
covert. adj. concealed; secret; disguised.
Blogs are web logs by people who write because they care about stuff and have something to say. A blog’s readers follow a blogger because they share certain points of view or interests. Other than to be read and have impact, a blogger is not presumed to have ulterior motives. If there are ads, like the little Google ads here, they are clearly marked. If I mention one of my books for example, you KNOW I’ll make something on it.
Otherwise, readers read because we’re of like mind.
The fact that this service promotes covert marketing by bloggers is what has Jason hot under the collar. I can’t agree more.
Which is what brings me to network marketers.
Who hasn’t been contacted by a friend, who wants to get together to “catch up” and who has some wonderful news or an amazing thing they want to tell you about?
But they don’t tell you BEFORE the get together that they have an agenda – they have either a business they want you to join, or a product they want to sell you.
We know why no one wants to tell they’re coming to sell, don’t we? The friend might say No. Or listen with a much less open mind because they know your agenda.
But isn’t hiding that we have an agenda with a friend also covert marketing?
And here’s the worst part: It harms relationships when the other person finds out you were sneaky about your real motives for getting together.
How do you feel at the end of the lunch where your friend has told you about the weight loss product that finally worked for her, when you discover she’s actually selling the product she was gushing about?
“Manipulated” “deceived” “really didn’t come as a friend” are some of the reactions I’ve heard.
And, even if what she said about the product WERE ALL TRUE, the truth is now suddenly suspect – because she was not up front about her reason for the get-together.
Usually, you have lost the trust of that person for good.
Is covert marketing to friends really worth it?
How about up front marketing?
“Hey Lulu, I am doing something new. I’m introducing this product into the area that’s helped me so much I decided to sell it. It’s for someone who has achy knees and doesn’t want to do drugs or surgery like me. You know anyone who might like to know about a product like that?”
It’s a start.
YES! It’s a huge start.
And the perfect moment to say “Who do you know who …. ” … referrals being the lifeblood of many a business, yes?
Andrea
According to another site that I read today about this subject, the gentleman who is
raising some much commotion about the payperpost site is upset that they may be
competing with him. According to the site I visited Mr Calacanis has severa; hundred
bloggers on his payroll to post to blogs where he makes six figures from adsense
revenue. My question is whether he is really concerned about covert marketing or the
competition?
Andrea – thanks
David — I don’t know what is in Jason’s inner mind. What I DO know is this: his ads are not covert. They are obvious.
My point is – shall we as network marketers stop with the covert come-ons that don’t tell a friend up front that we are marketing something and want to talk to them for THAT reason? Not just a lunch for old times’ sake?
Think?
Kim: Although I like the thrust of this post, I would add one correction to your opening details. You say PayPerPost.com “promotes covert marketing by bloggers”, but I think you have taken Jason’s exaggerations too literally. PayPerPost does not promote covert marketing.
In fact, you will find thousands of posts by ‘posties’ fully disclosing their sponsored status, in fact shouting it because it covers their costs while leaving them in control of their blog (unlike AdSense or other solutions that push products next to their words without giving them any control of content or design). Posties choose what to write about and what to say with zero promotion from PPP to be covert. There is also a rating system similar to ebay buyer/seller feedback to encourage quality and discourage abuse.
I believed the team’s commitment to quality so much that my venture fund invested in the company. You have a very interesting blog and appear passionate about providing knowledgeable advice. I’d encourage you to try PPP for a short period and write about your experiences positive or negative. In fact, PPP has an ongoing ad opportunity for such open-ended reviews.
Whether or not trying before reviewing is of interest, thanks for thinking of us, check back often and keep up the great blogging!
Hi there VC Dan!
Thanks for stopping by. Of course I should have said, “appears to promote covert…” instead of “promotes…”.
I’m glad the slip caused you to post.
Question for you: Why not suggest some fun language for your posties so they’re not shy about saying they get paid? I don’t have a problem with anyone getting paid for referrals, just not covertly.
Which is why I bang on this in our industry – network marketing – because so many people do it and don’t even realize the effect until it’s too late. What they DO realize that people don’t like sales types, so they don’t tell they’re selling.
Maybe you can suggest language the posties might use, so they’re not afraid to tell someone’s paying them. E.g.
“I love this SO madly that they’re paying me to write about it because I write better ad copy as someone who loves it than some copywriter who doesn’t even use the product.”
Hehehe.
Think?
The payperpost business model is a through back to mini sponsorship ads, as in the creation of soap operas.
I am sure that you are right that when someone finds the connection between the blogger and his/her sponsor there is bound to be disappoint.
My understanding of the economic rationale for network marketing was that if the product had to be displayed or shown to be working, it was a good candidate for network marketing, eg the original Tupperware and today Pampered Chef.
So, it is more than counter-productive not to explain that you are seeking to demonstrate the effectiveness of your product.
ARGH! Please tell me people are not STILL doing that? Didn’t that go out with leggings? Ooops, I forgot, leggings are back!
But surely this ridiculous way of promoting a professional Network Marketing business is NOT!
I love the referral approach as Andrea mentioned. Why not call and say “Who do you know….”
Be upfront, professional and enthusiatic and OTHERS will respect your business, even if they opt not to do it.
Our job is NOT to convince the unwilling. Our job is to share with those who are interested, and/or willing to assist.
I just gave a real estate referral to a friend who I dearly love. I love giving her referrals and know she will take GREAT care of those who I refer.
I have no interest in selling real estate and she never says – Jackie, you should do this. You’d be great!
And, she doesn’t say this to those I refer to her.
She respects her business and I respect it to.
If networkers will learn to respect their own businesses, they won’t feel the need to do anything “covert!”
We have a GREAT industry! Let’s believe in it and treat it with the professionalism it deserves!
EXPECT Success!
Jackie Ulmer
Kim: Great idea — PPP has already suggested language just as you propose. An example disclosure very similar to what you suggest is .
Keep the ideas coming and don’t believe everything you read from the elites — they have much to lose as the masses gain power in this medium. I’d still engourage you to give PPP a try here or another blog and report on your experience. If anything I’ve said doesn’t match reality, I’d love to know.
The company is very young and flooded with interest, but listening and planning a ton of improvements to strengthen the win-win-win for bloggers, advertisers and audiences…