Follow-up to the Should FreeLife reps worry? story below…
When considering a product, the FDA suggests avoiding ones with undocumented case histories or testimonials and phrases such as:
Miraculous cure Extremely beneficial Contains a secret ingredient Ancient remedy Money-back guarantee Shrinks tumors Cures impotency Revolutionary Scientific breakthrough
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Federal Trade Commission
Hi Kim:
I agree with most of the forbidden words, however in today’s market place we have many wonderful network marketing companies that truly offer a documented 100% money back quarantee policy on their product line should the customer not see the results as marketed. A distributor should have their company policy printed out and with their marketing material or should be able to have a go to link on their website for such policies. Just a thought, as sometimes the media is our worst enemy besides ourselves.
“Step right up ladies and gentlemen. I’ve got a miraculous potion for you…and it’s available today for only $6.99 – money back guarantee if it doesn’t cure what ails you – like erectile dysfunction, TB, cancer and obesity.”
“It’s made from an ancient remedy – but the ingredients are secret – you know – patented – so I can’t tell you what’s in it – but trust me – it’s a revolutionary scientific breakthrough…”
“Come on buy 1, or 2 or 3… I’ll tell you what – buy 10 and I’ll let you have them for only $50. That’s right ladies and gentle , 10 bottles of this incredible potion for only $50…but you have to buy them right now…..I’ll give you 5 minutes to decide – then we’re gone… but remember the money back guarantee…less shipping and handling of course…”
We laugh as we watch old movies where the traveling snake oil salesman was selling his wares and using a plant in the audience. But are we too caught up in the hyperbole of excitement about our own products – so much so that we sound like the snake oil guy?
Unfortunately the answer is yes – we use words that have explicit meanings like “cure” in the same breath and/or sentence with a disease name. Our companies warn us against this and vigilant about watching for ads that are against policy and most certainly against the law.
Beware what words you speak or write….
Lynn
grow older better
What’s the problem with “money-back guarantee”? Would it be better if the company didn’t offer money back????
Recently the CEO of my company begged us for an hour to NOT use those very words…
He told us to just say: “These are concentrated whole foods I eat them and I feel better, I feel younger, and I look younger.”
Let them be surpised at what good nutrition can do.
I remember when you said and it made me laugh, but brought the point home: “This product will cure cancer AND you can clean your toilet with it.” Guess we’ve got to stop doing that… now just tell our authentic mini story.
Re the money back guarantee – I personally have always advised my students never to lead with it…you are apologizing before you are out of the gate.
First rate companies ALL have money back guarantees without having to trumpet it. Companies that lead with money back guarantees are never the ones I buy from. If you have to say it…geez. I expect it.
I have bought bunches of stuff from Williams Sonoma for example, and have had things break or malfunction. NEVER expected or had a problem getting a replacement on the spot…or refund if I wanted one.
It’s like saying, “the product really works!”
??!!
We EXPECT products to work don’t we? We take companies on when they don’t.
Since many second rate companies will never be around or respond to anyone to collect on the “iron clad money back guarantee” they’re essentially worthless there, too.
So if your stuff is good, why lead with the money back guarantee?
The customer should EXPECT that it will work, and that if it doesn’t, of course you get your money back.
If the customer ASKS, yes, of course say so if it’s true.
I’d never lead with it, and would be suspect of any product whose sales pitch leads with the money back guarantee.
I’d guess it’s on the FDA list because most companies lead with money back guarantees because they are not available to actually make good on those promises when you come calling.
Kim,
Point taken.
Along those same lines, do you trust a person who says, “To be completely honest with you . . . “
— Walter (from Appleton, WI)
Ms Stud:
Thanks for the clarification on the money back guarantee.
Everyday I learn a little bit from your answers.
Enrique
em99_9@yahoo.com
I believe it’s true that you usually find what you’re looking for and to me the reporter was narrowed-minded to begin with. Before doing a story like that she should have used the juice for 2 months and then formed an opinion. How do you know a product doesn’t work until you have used it? That was witch hunt reporting!
I expect a money back guarantee no matter what I purchase!
A better phrase than “To be honest with you” might be “To be frank…”
Our company does lead with a performance based money-back guarantee for their nutritional supplements. Get tested, take the product, get retested and if your score does not improve, you can get your money back. The point the company makes is that it is a performance based and not a satisfaction based guarantee. The company is inviting the skeptical consumer to test the product. What they are saying is basically, “Try our stuff. See if it works in your body. If it does, great. If not, you get your money back. What do you have to lose?”
My question is; why is leading with this type of money-back guarantee bad? To me this says, “Our money is where our mouth is. We back up our claims.” I don’t see this at all in any way an apology out the gate.
. . .she should have used the juice for 2 months and then formed an opinion
There are some problems with that approach, in particular, it does not account for the placebo effect. With that said, it would have been interesting if the reporter had tried the juice herself.
The question you have to address is: Would you change your opinion if she drank the juice for two months and said she saw no difference in her health?
If not, then why would you accept her opinion if she did see a difference?
Walter
Connelly…
Your comment, “My question is; why is leading with this type of money-back guarantee bad? To me this says, “Our money is where our mouth is. We back up our claims.”
It is of course reasonable and proper to “back up our claims/products.”
If it’s working for you to do that, keep doing it.
It may be that you want to go after customers who respond to seeing or hearing that.
I am just saying I don’t respond to that at all. It makes me suspicious. Saying “Money Back G” has always been associated with “low-end” to me…you don’t see Apple leading with (or even offering in print) a money-back guarantee. But of course they offer it. quality companies, in my mind, don’t need to trumpet that, or lead with it. IT IS EXPECTED.
Further, I think the feds have discovered that the “MBG” is what scammers use to get people to buy, who otherwise would not buy, and perhaps should not buy.
These kinds of companies of course are nowhere to be found when someone asks for their money back.
If it works for you, Connelly, do it. I just wanted to report the perception of MBG out there, including me, and that this perception is the reason the phrase “Money Back Guarantee” is on the FDA “words to watch” list for consumers.
Walter – the trouble is, that regardless of how a product works for someone else, and regardless of the reason, placebo or some other reason, one cannot market honestly by making promises about what WILL happen to anyone else.
That’s what is getting FLife into trouble, to say nothing of the other problems pointed out in the video.
Think?
Kim, thanks for the customer’s point of view. I will change the wording so that I can get the point across about backing up our claims without hyping the MBG. I guess the moral of the story is: The customer will tell me if a MGB is important by asking about it. If he isn’t asking, he doesn’t care.
K2 says: “one cannot market honestly by making promises about what WILL happen to anyone else”
Okay, I don’t want to beat this one to death, but Connelly brings up a good point.
Both of us market for a company that has the technology to measure the antioxidant level in a person’s body quickly without a blood test. I can demonstrate to each and every customer that the product I market is actually increasing the antioxidant level in their body.
While I can’t say the supplements will keep them from getting cancer or heart disease, I can point them to hundreds of studies that demonstrate the more antioxidants you have in your body, the less your risk of about 40 different diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
And guess what happens when a customer sees their antioxidant level go up? They remain loyal customers. It is a very effective marketing tool because it is scientific and personalized.
Walter
Walter, sounds like you and I talk to our prospective customers in a similar way. I often talk about the body of evidence showing that higher intakes of antioxidants and other key nutrients are associated with lower disease risk, but I make it crystal clear that I am not making any claims. But, wow, do we ever have a great tool for customer retention. And I just love the science behind it.
After thinking about the MBG thing more, I recalled a few times that I emphasized our 60-day performance guarantee and you know what, I think I lost some customers. When I mentioned that in the way I mentioned it, the person’s body language often changed and there suddenly an appointment or kids or something. This is what I am going to try saying instead, “Joe, why don’t you give these a try for a month or 2 and see if there is any change? Are you willing to do that?” If Joe does try it and his score doesn’t improve, then I can offer him his money back. That would be a nice surprise for him. If the reason Joe buys the product is because of the MGB, he probably won’t be a customer much longer than 2 months anyway. Then, I’ve got to go find another customer to replace him and I did all that work for nothing. Yes, I see Kim’s point more clearly the more I think about it. AS I said before, if the MGB is important to Joe, he’ll ask.
Connelly –
Amen. If customers of quality don’t ask for it, don’t offer. We EXPECT it.
Do you see Gucci or Rolls Royce or Apple trumpeting MBGs?
Their customers expect it.
If you DO lead with the machine numbers, versus say, feeling better or knowing you have some good stuff inside you, then those folks who care about that will ask — “if I don’t see the numbers improve can I have money back?”
At which time you can sniff, “Why of COURSE, MADAM.”
🙂
Just a quick comment about those who say “the reporter should try the product”.
First off, that’s NOT how science works. You have to do double-blind control studies, personal tests are literally useless. The effects have to be carefully isolated in a population. (that’s what medical science is about).
Also, the reporter recently had breast cancer, so its possible they came across this Goji Cancer claim in their research, and looked into it.
These “cancer claims” can get you in serious trouble…never mind that its beyond unethical and evil to take advantage of sick and desperate people.
As mentioned, there were people who were going to skip medical treatment, and just drink Goji for cancer.
Mindell was screaming out loud at the seminars he was going to CLOSE 50% of the hospitals with Goji. C’mon folks, that is sociopathic behavior being carried out by Mindell…that is very nasty stuff, about as low as one can get, to take advantage of people like that.