In Defense of Internet Marketing

No, not all of it is a scam.

When an individual decides to go into business, he normally would need to spend an amount of money to put it up – to build a structure or rent a space, make advertisements, print promotions, pay people’s salaries.  But the advent of technology has significantly decreased this requirement. 

Through the internet, an entrepreneur can set up a virtual shop, keep it open 24/7 without actually manning it all day, promote his products and services, get in touch with clients and close a sale without leaving his home.  Internet marketing has given enterprising individuals the opportunity to build a business without spending a fortune.  So how could it be a scam?  Here are a few signs that it’s legit.

-  There’s enough information vs. a load of nonsense.  What you’ll get is a profile of the company along with a description of its product and services.  You are not barraged by loads of sentences all ending in exclamatory points trumpeting the virtues of the product that you’ve probably never heard of before.

It’s quite normal to find an unfamiliar product online.  The internet is a venue to showcase products that are unique and innovative, but you should have at least a sense of what the product is exactly and not what the promoter tells you it is.

-  The claims are backed by evidence that can be corroborated.  It doesn’t matter whether the company is selling herbal tea that promises a cure for insomnia and athlete’s foot or if it is an ebook that promises you’ll learn Portuguese in 7 days – these claims must be supported by data and you should have access to them.

-  You don’t have to pay too much for a product or service that’s already out in the market.  The purpose of internet marketing is to provide an alternative to more costly products.  The logic is, internet marketers have lesser overhead expenses than actual companies, that is why their products should offer value at a competitive price.

An example would be an airline company who operates through the internet – all the bookings, flight schedule information and payment processing are done online.  They can significantly cut their ticket prices because customers don’t need to pay for extra: the human customer service to man the phone lines, the clerks who process the billings and accept payments, the rental for the structure to house the company.

-  The product or service is readily available.  When someone places an order, he expects to get the product during a specified period of time.  When the website says it’s on stock, then it should get to the customer in the right color, size and specification as it was advertised. 

You know it smacks of scam if the promoter or website owner himself cannot explain his product well.  He must know his product and be able to answer your questions and if he cannot, then he should tell you honestly.

-  You are not promised a ton of money in a matter of weeks, or even months.  You’ll know an internet marketing company is not a scam if they are truthful about the kind of money you can expect to earn because sometimes, it’s not a lot.  It is, however, money and yes, you can earn it and there is always a possibility that you can earn more.

-  If you’re joining a program, it should have a solid plan and a good strategy.  It should be able to target its market and have a process that all members can use.  It plan should be realistic and not make promises about getting you “in touch with 20 million internet surfers with just one webpage” because this is not true at all.

The huge number of people who surf the internet are highly segmented.  Each one of them has a certain preference for information and will only surf the websites related to that interest.  A program must target a specific group and not attempt to lure you with vague promises of the extensive exposure it’s not capable of.

-  You can talk to someone who will be straight with you.  It’s rare to find someone who is honest about his business because he will defend it to the death.  If you have joined an affiliate program, you should be able to get in touch with someone who can answer your questions.  If you find one who can talk about the pros and cons and level with you, then you know he’s not trying to deceive you.

Internet marketing is serious business.  People go into it to earn honest money.  It’s just unfortunate that just like in the real world, some devious personalities like to take advantage of people who are looking to earn as well.  Treat any internet marketing entity just as you would any company in the ‘real world’ – be cautious about your curiosity and do your research.  You have been warned.