What about My Health? Ethical Remedy Against Hype Please! Now!

Two emails today reminded me of things that I am beginning to find irritating. Or should I say that I am beginning to label them as junk?

Jeff Walker bless his cotton sox is emailing me every day now reminding me what a fantastic community that I am becoming a member of, simply by being on his social proof email list. hark!

I know that he is demonstrating the powers of social proof through the blog and the comments he is getting people to put on his site, but it is getting tiresome.

It would work if I felt the whole thing was genuinely trying
to be a community, and maybe if I bothered to open all his "Very Important" emails I might change my mind.

I guess my self limiting belief is that I want to stay within the boundaries of what I feel is morally correct.
It's a problem I have had with marketing and sales people for a long time.

But am I the only one that feel like I am getting wise to the trickeries of real businesses and corporations as well? Am I the only one that think that maybe, just MAYBE, this internet thing is the great leveller, and that companies and retailers that have been pulling the wools over my eyes for decades finally are facing a challenge they deserve to lose?

When it comes to my own business, of course I apply marketing techniques, but I am using them in a way that I feel is ethical.

Who am I to criticize though? I haven't made as much money as he has - but I am not so sure I would want to make an obscene amount of money. Like the people that charge £10-£15k to create a website for somebody - I genuinely struggle to see how a website can be that valuable without the marketing to go with it. In fairness there are two UK marketers that do something similar, and because I struggle to understand their value proposition ( big word! ) I am still available to be convinced that they offer value. note - I AM OPEN TO BE CONVINCED. That means I am undecided. However, I am not in their target market so there is really no need for them to convince me.

Where am I going with this and what has it got to do with my friday progress?
Darn good question!

I just get somewhat irritated with people that treat others like they are stupid.

My primary aim in my life is to help.

I aim to do so to the best of my abilities and in the way I would like to be treated ; Honestly and with respect.

Pauline has a very good working principle: Treat others like you want to be treated. That is a principle I aspire to.

Hmm, this is beginning to look like a manifesto of some kind, but let me get on to the second email that rung my bells before I get on to my progress this week.

(Hello Mr Avis, how is your NHP promo going :) )
I do SO agree about the "arm twisting " bull that I see so often that he mantioned in his excellent newsletter today - but then I realised I had used a similar phrase to the nicheservicestation list this week about the same promotion that Martin is doing.

Suddenly I felt attacked. But then again this is Martin so I eventually figured that it was just a way for him to point out that he knows Kim just as well as I do! Amazing what a fuming 30 minute walk can sort out ;o)

I think the - is he talking to me - reaction was a natural response to meeting myself in the door as we say in Norwegian; Arguing against a behaviour then suddenly see it in myself.

So thanks for the reminder :o)

As for my progress:

On a complete whim after seeing how perfect Kims offer would fit in with our members I sent out 4 emails to the list over the last week telling them about it. Is a 25% response rate good? ;o)

I have read umpteen emails by Jeff Walker.

I have aquired 8 email addresses to decision makers in our outlets and got permission to email them on a regular basis.

I have also spoken to another 15 book stores.

I have researched a bunch of markets and I have developed some of the ideas I had last friday a little further.

Next week I expect to have to call, snailmail and email a whole bunch of people about our next book.

I have sold more books on ebay, gathering a further 11 email addresses and post addresses to contact in the future.

I have loads of things on my not yet done list.

Next week I will reduce that list down to zero and start on the next phase of our new book marketing plan.
( which is: write one!)

And I will spend most of the weekend listening to Paulines fantastic experiences and ideas she has had from going to the Frankfurt bookfair.

I might even twist her arm to reveal the important must have information to all of you that want to publish something in the real world too. :oP

Cheers,
Jon
Still Progressing Somewhat