Is It Wise To ‘Out’ Companies And Clients? A Debate
While our ‘twittership’ may have gotten off to a rocky start, Joshua the SEO and I have become great friends 140 characters at a time (I may or may not have accidentally unfollowed him on more than one occasion only to wonder why afterward…possibly. I plead the fifth! 
). But, he tweeted this:
Being an opinionated copywriter, I couldn’t resist voicing my difference of opinion. I really had to disagree with him…well, I’ll admit part of it may have been purely for the pleasure of arguing…anyway, this isn’t about me, this is about him being wrong My point is why should people be ‘outed’ at all?
So, Joshua, thanks for being such a good sport and arguing with me! You get points for being a willing victim (ok, ok, a small chance you may be the victor) and taking it all in stride…
My issue with the entire idea of ‘outing’ anyone, personally or professionally, is simple:
What gives one person the right to do so? If you have a competitor wandering off the straight and narrow path, what makes you the judge and jury? Also, is there really a point to ‘outing’ someone other than to be vicious? Is it worth what you might pay for it?
The Practice Of Outing Clients
In my opinion, coming out and screaming about a client’s mistakes or foul practices has a number of big downfalls that would cost you and your business far more than it’s worth.
Consider the real life example of an SEO company ‘outing’ one of its potential clients. Interestingly, they’ve chosen to remove the content now, but for those of you who don’t know what I’m referring to, I’ll explain:
The post consisted of not much more than a copy of a client email, which was a request for services sent to 51 of the top SEOs. It also included numerous (some horribly nasty) replies that were sent back and forth in response to the client’s request.
Now, I’ll admit the client was wrong in the way he contacted these individuals, and in how he handled the situation. This client showed that he not only made a stupid mistake, but he also showed he was uneducated about the SEO industry and had little respect for some of the industry’s leading members.
This was, without a doubt his fault. However, was this type of treatment the best idea? After battering him with numerous rude and snarky comments, was it really necessary to publish it on one of the industry’s hottest blogs for everyone else to batter and join in the entertainment?
I’ll give the SEO company some respect in this matter. After all, personal and identifying information was edited from the email. The SEOs who originally received the email had a right to feel somewhat offended, but at the same time, this client was burned by the industry. Then, there was the effect it had on other potential clients as well.
As far as I’m concerned, this little link bait stunt did nothing but damage the company’s reputation and that of the SEO industry. Sure, it shows that those involved are willing to stand up for themselves, but it also made people I respect look arrogant and egotistical. I know they generally aren’t that way, but to those who are unfamiliar with these individuals, it sure looked that way.
The industry already has a severely damaged reputation, and outing a client in this manner did nothing but further degrade the way many outside of the industry see SEO and SEO professionals.
I guarantee you that, if I was in need of SEO services, those who participated negatively in that little game would not be on my list of choices for fear of getting a similar treatment. Granted, I would never treat others the way the potential client had in his email, but that’s not the issue here.
(Credit)
Here’s another good question: What did anyone gain from the experience?
Sure, a site, which already ranks well, picked up a few links, it created some buzz in the industry, and a few people had some laughs, but does this really seem worth it to you? Some would argue that making and example of the client served to educate others. You tell me who would walk away from that feeling educated? You know how it looks to a target audience? Some idiot went off the handle on someone. Most people aren’t aware of who you are and who you’re talking about. Sorry, but it’s true.
Did it make the company more of an authority in the industry? Well, they already carried a fair bit of authority previous to this incident, or they wouldn’t have been included in the email. And, it caused many people to lose respect for them. Lastly, if you’re looking to your competitors for validation that you know what you’re talking about, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Lets face it, ultimately, your competitors are in the game for one reason, and one reason only. This is NOT to see you succeed. Looking within your industry for authority and validation is extremely counter-productive.
The post certainly wasn’t written in an ‘educational’ light, and no one will learn from it. Don’t believe me? Do you remember doing your homework or schoolwork while having a parent or teacher standing over you yelling and berating you? Do you remember the last time someone told you mean horrible things after you made a mistake? Did you walk away feeling smarter, or did you walk away thinking about how much you disliked the experience and even what an idiot the other person was?
I’m not the only person to think this way, and I’ll also add that I’ve covered this topic before. In short, it turned a valid and important industry into a bunch of arguing, unprofessional individuals with no direction, self-control, morals, or values.
The SEO company is not the only one to enjoy this practice. Media outlets and PR companies have also been known for doing it. There are tons and tons of examples.
The Practice Of Outing Companies And Competitors
The concept of ‘outing’ competitors and other companies is nothing new either. It’s been done just as often (if not more so) for personal gain as it has for the protection of others. I have seen many scams as well as talked and helped numerous victims. However, there is a very fine line here.
Misinformation puts the company doing the ‘outing’ in the prime position for legal action. Slander or misrepresentation is no laughing matter. This benefits no one and the small amount of attention it would generate certainly won’t pay for the legal fees. And, no matter how careful you are, there is always that chance of being sued simply because, if you weren’t involved, you have no idea what exactly went on. You also don’t know the situation surrounding both sides of the argument.
Think of it like divorce. The husband tells others of the mistakes the wife made, the wife tells of the husband’s mistakes, and it may even be entirely one person’s fault. BUT, no one else really knows what happened or what caused the situation because other factors such as upbringing and life experiences often determine our choices.
Not everyone sees a situation the same way. Not only is this topic a good example, but consider heated topics such as abortion, gay marriage, politics, religion, and war crimes, to name a few. These topics all have firm believers on both sides, and both sides are convinced they’re right. When in reality, who’s really right?
I don’t know about you, but if you’ve ever broke up a childhood fight or have tried sorting out what happened during an auto accident, you know there’s always three sides to every story — the ‘victim’s’ story, the ‘perpetrator’s’ story, and the truth. For me, this works in situations concerning morals and values too…just because one person sees a tactic as ’slimy’ or ‘dark’ might not necessarily be viewed the same way by others.
(Credit)
For example:
I really dislike the way a hosting company markets search engine optimization services and featured listings (their words, not mine). To me, it’s nothing but a low-blow, cheap cash grab because the techniques they push at unsuspecting, unknowing webmasters are out of date and useless. Their ‘featured listing’ programs are nothing more than poorly disguised paid links, which are against Google’s Terms of Service, have little value, and will not have any sort of ROI. However, I won’t ‘out’ this company because:
- These are my opinions. I’m not a search engine, nor do I own or run one, so anything I say is merely speculation.
- I’m not Google, and while I may not promote the practice, it doesn’t affect me if this company decides to sell links.
- It doesn’t have any benefits.
- Outing them has a bigger price than I’m willing to pay. I guarantee they have more money to fight the issue than I do as well.
- We all do things incorrectly because we aren’t educated enough, or make basic, human mistakes. I don’t know if that’s the case here, but outing them is NOT a good way to find out for the previous four reasons mentioned.
Then, if you’re outing a competitor, your intentions will always be questioned. Did you do it simply to secure a larger portion of the market share? Did you do it for pure revenge? Or, did you really do it to protect others and stop the practice? I guarantee you that, no matter how much you want to look like a martyr, that quiet little question will always be in the backs of people’s minds.
The option Joshua mentioned was outing the company in private first before going public. I agree partially with this. If you see something that’s just plain wrong or shady and you just have to say something, it’s important to say something privately to that individual or company.
BUT, I don’t agree with publicly outing them if you don’t get your way in the private discussion. Why? The general public and others who might read your outing have no idea what has gone on in private, so it won’t make a difference anyway. Even if you explain what happened in those conversations, what’s to say you aren’t lying?
Lastly, if you aren’t the legal system, law enforcement, or regulatory authority, what right do you have policing in the industry? This doesn’t mean you should stay quiet, but there are much better alternatives to simply outing a competitor or company for bad practices.
In short, unless you are a direct victim filing a report with the Better Business Bureau, or whichever authority you choose, stay out of it.
‘Outing’ Alternatives
Since outing someone has no real benefits, and doesn’t accomplish anything, it’s worth exploring some alternatives.
First, when you’re publicly outing someone through the media, on a social network, or your own website, you’re taking a chance that those in a position to do something about the problem will see it. This isn’t always the case, and when you think about it, this only makes sense. I mean, people complain all the time. How will the regulatory authorities see it? And, you might be the most honest person in the world, but how does the general public know you’re telling the truth and not omitting important information?
Therefore, if you’re truly bothered by the situation, file a report directly with those who can legally do something about it and are in control of the rules. This will give both sides a chance at fair representation, a fair investigation, and it takes the onus and danger off you.
If you have the need to educate the public or clients, do so in an educational matter by looking at the general problem. Making an example out of someone didn’t work to eliminate witches, the Jewish, school bullying, Robin Hood, or any other historic ‘examples’.
Look at the issues and offer valid solutions to the problem. Give constructive criticism. Don’t point fingers and out people. This just gets everyone stirred up and dilutes the effectiveness of your educational intentions.
Lastly, if someone who knows nothing about vehicles buys a used car without having it checked by a mechanic or test driving it, who’s fault is it if it’s a lemon? If they fail to wear their seatbelt because they didn’t bother to find out why they’re important, who’s fault is it that they got a ticket?
The consumer needs to realize that we no longer live in the 1700s when everyone was true to his or her word. We need to educate ourselves and walk into situations with our eyes wide open. I mean, who would pay for Social Media consulting, for example, if they have no idea what they’re paying for or how it works? As bad as it sounds, people need to take responsibility for their actions as well.
One last thing, make sure your own closet is clean before talking about other’s closets and nasty secrets
So, in short, ‘if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all’, or ‘instead of complaining, do something about it’!
Need a URL Short for this post? Use http://acopy.ca/outing
Customer Relations | No comments
Social Media & Copywriting — Creating Link Bait and Viral Content
Hey all,
If you’re interested in getting a little more ‘bang for your buck’ out of your content, and are wondering how to structure your content program in order to gain the most benefit from your Social Media campaign, check out my guest post entitled “Copywriting and Social Media: Making the Connection” , which is published on Samir Balwani’s blog.
It covers the various types of content, and looks at the creation of link bait as well as viral content. In short, it’s idea for those of you looking to set up or tweak a Social Media or Content strategy.
Don’t forget to let me know what you think!
Social Media | No comments
4 Tips From Dr Phil All Businesses Should Consider
Whether you like him or hate him, you have to admit Dr. Phil’s a smart cookie. His quirky, down to earth way of giving advice gives everyone a little piece of advice they can understand, and it’s always entertaining.
After watching the show the other day, I realized a large number of the tips and wise words of wisdom he gives are great for business too. In fact, I think we could all learn from the great Dr. Phil.
Dr Phil Business Lesson #1: “So, how’s that workin’ for you?”
When guests insist they’re doing things the right way, and they’re obviously not, Dr. Phil usually comes out with this great line. The guest instantly goes quiet and the blank stare of self-realization comes over his face. Maybe his methods weren’t so great after all.
I think we should all stop and ask ourselves that question as we build and refine our businesses. It can also be a pretty powerful question in our personal lives once in awhile. How many times do we do something just because it’s the way we’ve always done it? It’s always worked in the past, so why change now?
How’s that marketing plan really working? Is your business going in the right direction? Are we working with the people we want work with/for? Personally, I’ve always got a ‘target’ list I’m working on. It’s filled with companies I’d like to provide copywriting for, people I’d like to meet, and those I’d love to collaborate with.
The way I see it, if what we’re doing isn’t producing the results we want, we need to change our strategy and try again. Don’t be afraid to question everything; the real answers might just surprise you.
Dr Phil Business Lesson #2: “You need to find a target rich environment”
This sentence generally comes out on shows where women or men have difficulties getting dates, but what Dr. Phil says makes sense. How can you attract or find what you want, if you’re not looking in the right spot?
So, if I’m launching a product aiming at teenagers, what am I doing advertising on LinkedIn, for example? I need to be making myself known on places like MySpace and Facebook…that’s where they are. Of course, all this will depend on the market and what you’re doing exactly, but the point is that you need to go to where your target audience is and draw them out from the places they’ve already conjugated.
Dr Phil Business Lesson #3: “She’s got your manhood in a Dixie cup’
Ok, I have to admit this was probably as funny and as shocking as I’d seen Dr. Phil get, but even this had a great lesson. In this episode, a mother was controlling her son to the point that his long time girlfriend/fiancé was ready to leave.
This situation made me wonder…how many times to we make decisions based on the wants and needs of others? And while we should always consider the effects our choices have on others, how many times do we end up hurting ourselves in an effort to make someone else happy? I think we do it a lot more than we think. I know I do.
Each time we make a decision, we need to weigh the pros and cons of each option. I’m not saying we should step on someone to get what we want, but I think a lot of us would make far better decisions if we asked ourselves why we’re making a particular choice, and who that choice really benefits.
Dr Phil Business Lesson #4: “It’s like my dad used to say: You wouldn’t worry so much about what people thought about you if you knew how seldom they did…”
This one is so telling isn’t it? How many times do we come up with a great idea only to pass it over because we’re worried about what others will think? All things considered, isn’t that one of our biggest mistakes in business? Isn’t it this simple thing that holds us back and prevents us from achieving our goals? In fact, some of the most successful business people became successful because they just ‘did it’.
I find I often edit content because it might be ‘too edgy’ or it ‘might offend’ someone, particularly when I write for myself. At the same time, it’s been the posts or articles I take a chance on that generate actual conversation and become the most successful. Why? I’d like to think it’s because the real me comes through to the reader much more effectively.
So, simply put, if we took more risks, our businesses would become much more successful. Galileo, Shakespeare, Einstein, Elvis, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington…they all took a chance and did something new.
I don’t know about you, but these four points sound like some pretty good business advice to me. And, it’s not that we don’t know these things. I think we simply get so caught up in everything we forget. Do you have any of these lessons to share?
Business | No comments
5 Things All Businesses Should Know Before Getting Started With Social Media
After speaking with a client recently, I discovered that businesses are in a unique position when it comes to dealing with social media. They know it’s a force to be reckoned with, they know it can be a highly effective marketing medium, but getting started and using it can be a complete mystery. How do you go from a Facebook account to a full-blown marketing campaign? How do you get people to convert?
To answer these questions, businesses often seek help from a social media consultant. However, not all of them have a positive experience. This isn’t because the consultant has done a poor job. Sometimes, it’s simply because businesses don’t fully understand what they’re getting into. So, if you’re considering the leap into Social Media Marketing (SMM), here are five things you need to know long before you hire someone or get started:
Social Media Is a ‘Hands On’, Ongoing Process
Unlike setting up a series of newspaper advertisements, or using banner ads, social media is not something you can ’set and forget’. You can’t just have a Facebook page set up, and expect it to magically attract people and make profits.
SMM requires direct and constant interaction with your target audience. You’ll have to start by getting people interested in what you have to say. Then, you need to convince them to interact with you in order to develop the level of trust needed for them to convert into buyers.
Social Media Marketing Requires a Specific Plan
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t just sign up to a bunch of sites and expect it to go somewhere. This is like trying to drive in a foreign country without a map. You need a customized strategy.
You need to know:
- Where you’re starting (what do you have that you can use to your advantage now?)
- Who you’re targeting (define an ideal client/customer)
- Where these people are (which sites do your ideal clients use most)
- How to grab and hold their attention (contests, informative content, discussions, etc.)What the ultimate goal is (leads, sales, sign ups, etc.)
- What the milestones will be (make them measurable and reasonable)
- What you do best (video, contests, content, etc)
- How to put it all together
- Who’s going to run it (hire out, in house, run everything yourself…)
There’s a lot of questions here, but they’re absolutely vital; without doing the homework, no one will know what’s going on.
Learn Your Way Around Before You Start
Don’t start promoting a social media account or profile until you know what you’re going to do with it and how it works. Why? You are guaranteed to bumble around and make a ton of mistakes while setting everything up and learning how it all works. This looks unprofessional and people can easily be annoyed, particularly if they get a series of tweets or emails while you’re hooking everything up.
Social Media Marketing Means Being Connected
You can’t just start a Facebook page or a blog, and expect it to thrive on its own. Just like people, social networks need friends, and most importantly, need to be fed and watered by other networks and locations.
This takes time!
First, you need to ensure your website, blog, Twitter account, Facebook pages, and all of your other profiles are interlinked and promoting each other to promote good traffic flow.
Secondly, you need to consider how you’ll convince people to follow more than one account. So, for example, getting website visitors to subscribe to your RSS and follow your Twitter account. This will give you the maximum amount of opportunities to convert that client and build loyalty.
Know What You’re Paying For
If you hire someone to run your social media campaign or build your profiles, make sure you know what that includes and doesn’t include BEFORE you sign or pay for anything. Seriously. This sounds very basic, but not everyone does this. And, do you know what happens when you don’t do this? A nightmare. A nightmare happens.
You’ll end up with something other than what you thought you were paying for, and even though the person you hired did exactly what they said, it doesn’t work for you.
In short, assumptions are killers.
This is a lot of work to do before you even think of hiring someone, or getting started, but it’s absolutely necessary to achieve success. After all, if you’ve put this much passion and dedication into your business, why would you short change it by rushing into everything?
Social Media | No comments
Are You Building a Brand or Cash Grabbing?
Branding and making money go hand in hand, right? Well, yes, absolutely they do. BUT, there’s a huge difference between the two, and it’s this difference that business owners have to keep in mind if they hope to succeed in business and make things go as smoothly as possible.
(credit)
‘Cash Grabbing’ Businesses
We all want to make money, and with the way the economy has gone, the drive for cash seems to have intensified. The faster and easier we can make it the better. But, this isn’t always a good thing. You see, these techniques may work very well, but the results only last for a short time. They can also have serious, negative effects on your business.
Spamming is a great example. You know what? It works. As much as we all hate it, it works very well if you know what you’re doing and choose the right industry. Many people can make thousands in the day or two that the website is live and ranking in the search engines.
Unfortunately, the search engines try to get rid of these types of websites as quickly as possible, so you don’t have long to make money. It doesn’t help your reputation any and you can guarantee that you’re going to make a lot of people mad. In fact, an image of a large, angry mob with pitchforks and torches comes to mind.
Article marketing is another popular way to build links. While I won’t debate the value of the method in this post, I will mention that this portion of marketing is famous for being loaded full of…well…junk. Now, if I were to do this, I believe it would damage my business. How? Because I’m a copywriter and I make my money by providing quality. Have I done it? Yes, but after I learned a bit more, I stopped.
This is why I use a completely different form of article marketing. I create high-end quality pieces that people want to link to and place them on authoritative sites. This reflects my quality and improves my reach at the same time.
The same thing happens in real life. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I mean those marketing tactics that rival those of our biggest political figures. These are the tactics that aren’t necessarily illegal or wrong, but they still make you cringe just thinking about them.
Again, these business models make a quick turnaround and die. It doesn’t mean that you can’t make a living off them. It just means that you’d better not get attached to it. You’ll be starting numerous companies and websites simply to keep your income at a decent level.
(credit)
Building a Brand
When you build a brand, you rarely make large amounts of money at the start. It’s a long hard slog that can be downright disheartening, but the result is a legacy you will undoubtedly leave behind. These businesses also run completely different from the cash grabbing businesses mentioned previously.
Brand focused businesses rely heavy on word of mouth advertising, social media, and…well…advertising period. But, you need to be cautious. Every move you make will reflect back on your company and have either a positive or negative effect. This includes your marketing tactics, networking, charity, community events…everything.
If you are building a brand, quality is absolutely vital in everything you do. You need to look and act the part. You need a quality website, quality advertising materials, a quality marketing program, and a good connection with your target audience.
In addition to appearance, you don’t want to risk having something fall apart during one of the most critical moments in your business’ life either. And believe me, this happens. It’s Murphy’s Law. There’s no taking a short cut; everything you purchase and do has to match your image.
When I set up my new website, for example, absolutely everything from the architecture and keywords to the types of services I chose to offer and how I set up my business model were all chosen for specific reasons. The same can be said for my marketing strategy. I don’t want my clients to feel hunted or pressured. They can trust me to help them, and they know if I don’t know the answer, I can find it for them.
As for how far you’ll get by building a brand, it’s hard to say. You might become the next Richard Branson of Virgin Mobile, or you might only make enough to live out your life comfortably, but I’m a firm believer in the idea that it isn’t worth having if you don’t have to work for it.
So, knowing both sides, how will you choose to build your business? Do you prefer one method over the other?
Business | No comments
