Stop Confusing ‘Marketing’ with ‘Greed’

I feel a rant coming on here.

First some quick background.

One of my goals for this year is to finally get myself into a fitness routine that I enjoy and can stick with long term.

The approach that I’m trying out right now is called “gymnastics strength training.”

I’m basically following a (modified) version of the template that gymnasts use to prepare themselves for wicked-hard moves like the Iron Cross.

The other day I was listening to an interview with the gymnastics guru that put this program together.

Now I have a ton of respect for this guy, but something he said really set me off.

He was talking about a specific move that many trainers have their first-time students do.

It’s an explosive version of a pull-up that looks really cool—but with one “minor” downside:

You can blow out your shoulder and wind up with an injury that cripples you for life.

He explains:

These trainers will get new clients in the door, and they’ll do this pull-up move and they’ll be so excited that they sign up for more classes on the spot. The trainers don’t care that their students drop like irradiated flies 8-12 weeks later.

Then he casually says,

“It’s all about marketing.”

And I just about lost it.

Due respect, Mr. Gymnastics Guru, but that is NOT “marketing.”

Marketing is *not* a way to con as many people as possible into lining your pockets, even if it means they’re doing something that’s actually bad for them.

Marketing is *not* about squeezing every penny out of every customer by any means necessary.

Marketing is *not* about pumping people up one minute, then laughing all the way to the bank and leaving them broken and bloody on the street.

And if you disagree, I want you to stop reading, scroll to the bottom of this email and click the Unsubscribe link.

I do NOT want people with that mindset on this list.

Still there? Good, thought so.

Sadly I know this guru isn’t alone in his beliefs about marketing—most people have this view.

They see marketing as a four-letter word, the provenance of sleaze-bags and scoundrels.

There’s a reason I so frequently ask the question, “Who is your ideal customer?”

Because most people are NOT your customer.

And the purpose of marketing isn’t to bamboozle them into buying anyway.

The purpose of marketing is to attract as many “prospects” as possible—so you can screen out the ones who aren’t a fit.

I don’t care what you sell, not everyone is a fit for your product or service.

And packing your business to the gills with any warm body that can fog a mirror isn’t “marketing.”

It’s just raw, unadulterated greed and selfishness.

As an entrepreneur it’s your responsibility and duty to put your customer’s best interests ahead of your own.

And responsible, ethical marketing is one of the most powerful ways to uphold that sacred trust.

P.S. When it comes to attracting more prospects (and sifting and sorting the ideal customers from those who aren’t a fit), my favorite tool is:

Email courses

Every since I started talking about this, I keep getting requests for a deep dive on this topic.

So I’ve decided to host a private, 90-minute online class on September 1, 2016.

The title of this class is “Behind the Scenes of a Six-Figure Email Course.”

I’ll going to share my screen and walk you step by step through a sales funnel that has generated $101,096 in the last 9 months, including detailed stats, blow-by-blow explanations of the email copy, and all the technical how-to details of how you can set up a similar email course for your business.

This class is *not* free, but I’ve kept it very affordable.

For all the details and to register, click the link below:

>> Register for “Behind the Scenes of a Six-Figure Email Course”