Why Are So Many Marketers Bragging About How Rich They Are?
In the past week alone I've seen 4 different Facebook video ads with marketers boasting about how they got so rich. Must be the new thing...
No need for me to name names. We've all seen the various folks who do them.
The Ads are obviously working, and that's why we keep seeing them.
This Is Dangerous!
I think this is kind of dangerous, (especially for young marketers who are in entry level roles) but even more dangerous for the true novice who doesn't know any better but desperately wants to learn.
Here's why:
- It adds an additional layer of vanity to an already poisonous perception of success e.g. you need to be able to walk into a dealership and buy a Jaguar on the spot to be considered a "successful" marketer or person in business.
- It springboards folks with deep pockets into the limelight, because they can afford to be there - however they may not be deserving of the credibility that they're purchasing.
- It allows for the exploitation of uninformed buyers - because of Facebook's incredible audience targeting capabilities - most of the advertisers are targeting novices to enter a lead funnel of some sort by either filling out a form, giving up their email, etc.
The buyers end up being sold on vanity. Example...
If you want a fancy house (like me) you need to buy my course right now and I'll show you how to do it!
They spend $300 on an email marketing course but have no practical application of what they are learning.
Most of the information being sold in these beginner level courses are free, and taught by more qualified practitioners.
Sorry for the rant, but it is what it is. That's why we must always question who is publishing information, and how authoritative it is.
Who Should You Trust?
My good friend Jacco vanderKooij wrote a KILLER post on how to tell the difference between authoritative practitioners from popular opinionists.
As the white noise increases and authoritative voices are getting buried in the advertising hysteria, we need to be more vigilant about doing our due diligence when we see a new "thought leader" rise from the fog.
Agree or Disagree? Leave your comments below.
Aerial Imagery
7 年It's called Free Speech for a reason. It appears the worry here is that authorities and "real marketers" are concerned their status and notion of marketing will suffer for these snake-oil sales predators. Seems like an easy thing to rise above and differentiate yourselves more easily by not bragging about your success. I love marketing. It's a messy part of business, but more fun than anything else I've found. And snake-oil is bought and sold in many different fashions, some even by authorities. Caveat emptor.
The Planning Done Right Guy(TM) | Business nerd | Host-Future Done Right(TM) Show | Business Ownership Attorney
7 年I agree. There is getting to be so much noise out there it's taking more work for find the real authority.
Using my proven knowledge/expertise in Administration to the advantage of a Great Employer. Unfluencer??
7 年There have always been snake oil sales men who claim to have the "secret they don't want you to have" and they tap into those who seek the shortcut to wealth (without having a definition of wealth within their minds). The amounts they charge are too small to count as theft for most bodies but large enough for them for to live off. But so often the image of success is more important than the reality - and so often they believe their own hype little realising the truth is betraying them bit BT bit.