Hello and welcome to Rim Digest, the ezine for

"Responsible Internet Marketers".

Striving to be the BEST resource for Small Biz Owners...

April 12, volume 7-issue 14

Subscriber Count as I hit send is 1818

Rim Digest eZine: http://www.rimdigest.com/

Your editor: Jan Tallent, rimdigest@usa.net

My Brick and Mortar Biz: Country Discount Store

http://www.tallentagency.com/country_store.php

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< 4/19 >

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Today's Issue Contains:

Publisher's Spot

Featured Article

"On the Edge"

Truly ethical people are very seldom "on the edge" with

their business practices. It's always shown in their

integrity, or lack thereof. Anyone who says one thing,

then does something else, is suffering from a lack of

integrity.

Maintaining integrity with what's right and fair isn't

always easy. Failure to stay in integrity may not be

illegal, but you WILL be judged on your ability to do it.

It's a matter of our actions being consistent with our

words.

We can start with the simplest mind-sets. Start by losing

the arrogance. Listen to what your customer wants! If

you've been hired for something, whether it's doing

programming work, or you've written a book, that doesn't

mean your customer is a moron.

They simply don't know how to do something you DO know

how to do, and they are PAYING you to do it, or teach it.

But, they DO know what they want! Since you don't mind

taking their money, there's accountability there!

Finish the job. If everything doesn't work, you're NOT

finished! You're being paid to accomplish something.

If you didn't do it, if what you did doesn't work, or

if you didn't teach it clearly - you failed!

If your customer asked for a refund and you haven't

given it - you failed! In either event, you have

basically stolen your customer's money.

Keep your commitments. I don't care WHAT they are.

If you offered it, or agreed to it, you have a commitment!

Of course, stuff happens. Sometimes, outside influences

DO keep us from completing something. That's when to use

re-negotiation with your customer. Re-negotiate deadlines,

price, whatever you need to, in order to make it right.

It is NOT the customer's fault, and the customer shouldn't

have to track you down.

Use the phone! The lack of dependability these days in

having email delivered, gives us a whole new issue to

deal with. However, it certainly isn't insurmountable.

If I had a job to complete - or an ongoing commitment -

and, if I repeatedly sent email to my customer, KNOWING

this customer was waiting - and, if I didn't get a

response - gee, I think I'D pick up the PHONE! If

immediate contact couldn't be made, I'd leave a message

on the Voice Mail - or keep trying.

Wouldn't you? Even a child could solve that problem.

"I don't have a phone number," is NOT an acceptable excuse.

I'll guarantee you, if people have paid you online, their

phone numbers are SOMEWHERE - and you CAN get them.

This is, of course, if they entered a correct phone

number on their order forms. If the number didn't match

their credit card or banking information, the order

shouldn't have been verified in the first place.

Most of what I've mentioned, so far, is a simple matter

of being an adult, with a decent work ethic.

Unfortunately, what I see online is a lot of childish

behavior. I see people actually BELIEVING the end

justifies the means - especially when the "end" puts

bucks in their pockets.

I also see people choosing up sides - usually in situations

that are none of their business. Although, I'll admit this

is sometimes because one person in a situation demands it -

holding hostages. I see ugly back-biting - scenes in

forums - broken commitments - and other childish ways

of dealing with things.

So, the final generality is to choose your friends

carefully. This is real life, folks, and we have lots

of games being played online. We have opportunists,

people who will exploit ANY situation. Some so inept

they feel they need to ride in on someone else's

coattails. Some, who make promises, then hitch

themselves to a (perceived) star, and let everything

wait until they get around to it. And, of course, the

downright cons, slicksters and thieves.

Here's the bottom line. If you don't choose your

friends wisely, you MIGHT suddenly find yourself

being judged guilty by association.

I have to admit here, though, I DO see a lot of sad

concepts used to make decisions online. Whether

something is ethical - whether someone is acting

with integrity - sometimes seems to be determined by

who they are and how well liked they are.

I've also seen decisions made dependent on who can do

what for who. That's the saddest thing I've ever seen -

and the absolute epitome (or depth) of lack of ethics.

Loyalty is a wonderful thing. But again, you may

ultimately find yourself judged guilty by association.

What goes around, comes around - every time.

Unethical & Deceptive Online Business Practices

It often appears some people don't understand,

"Use good business ethics."

Then there's no choice but to say,

"Do NOT do THESE things!"

Do not plagiarize other people's web copy, including

"Terms and Conditions" (by whatever name they're called).

Do not abuse copyrights and trademarks.

Do not use the software of others without a license

(defined "stealing").

Do not use the graphics of others without their

permission (defined "stealing").

Do not use non-disclosure of costs, or hidden charges

in your sales letters - or anywhere else.

Do not tell potential customers how much money they'll

make using your product or program, without a highly

visible disclaimer.

Do not ask someone to give you a testimonial unless you

are SURE they have USED the product.

Do not threaten people about what will happen if they

don't have your product.

Do not fail to clean your lists before telling potential

advertisers your subscriber numbers.

Do not accept ads for questionable products, services or

programs.

Do not join affiliate programs of people who use deceptive

advertising or hidden costs - no matter HOW good you think

the product is, or HOW much you like the program owner.

Do not wander off before completing a job to your client's

satisfaction.

Do not ignore refund requests on your stated guarantee.

(Digital thieves are merely the shoplifters of online

business. It's a cost of doing business.)

Do not fail to provide complete physical contact

information on your commercial web site(s), i.e.,

physical address and telephone number.

Most of these things are blatant deception.

Some might be very easy to do without thinking.

The point is - THINK! Find OUT what kind of

advertising an affiliate program is using.

Research the ads for which you accept money

to run in your newsletter or ezine.

We all make mistakes. So what? Correct them

and there's no problem. But, why try to do

business on the edge? Does anyone really

believe it'll be worth it in the long run?

This article may be reprinted with permission

by including the following resource box:

------------

dr. jl scott is the Founder of the International Council

of Online Professionals (iCop™) - and also the publisher

of the Internet Marketing Trade Journal™ - the ezine that

keeps you up to date on Internet marketing coming of age.

To get your subscription:

http://www.i-cop.org/trade-journal.htm

Join the association KNOWN for our integrity and honesty:

http://www.i-cop.org/products/ref.cgi?id=jantd

Get the FREE copy of the iCop Member Directory.

http://www.rimdigest.com/iCop-Desktop.pdf

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Positive Quotes

It is better to say, "This one thing I do"

than to say, "These forty things I dabble in."

-- Washington Gladden

and

What lies behind us and what lies before us

are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Warmhearted Smile for the Week

There were these two elderly people living in a Florida

mobile home park. He was a widower and she a widow.

They had known one another for a number of years.

One evening he asked her out for supper, then he asked her,

"Will you marry me?" After about six seconds of careful

consideration, she answered. "Yes, Yes, I will." The meal

ended and with a few more pleasant exchanges, they went

to their respective homes.

Next morning, he was troubled. "Did she say 'yes' or did

she say 'no'?" He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he

just could not recall. Not even a faint memory.

He went to the telephone and called her. First, he

explained to her that he didn't remember as well as he

used to. Then he reviewed the lovely evening past. As he

gained a little more courage, he then inquired of her,

"When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes'

or did you say 'No'?" He was delighted to hear her say,

"Why, I said, 'Yes, yes I will' and I meant it with all

my heart." Then she continued, "And I am so glad that

you called, because I couldn't remember who had asked me."

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Feedback

"Jan, in this world of online marketing it is very easy

to get discouraged and disillusioned with many that we

deal with everyday. You have never been included in that

group. Your honesty and integrity are two of the

characteristics that prominently stand out in my mind

when I think of you, and I admire them deeply.

Thank you for showing me what a true professional is."

Sharon Bray-McPherson,

OFB Digital Package http://www.ofbdigitalpackage.com/

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Recommended Ezines, check them out and see WHY!

iCop's Internet Marketing Trade Journal™

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URL: http://www.123greetings.com/newsletter/

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Biz Site Biz E-zine: http://tinyurl.com/6ytsh

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"Bye" for now and thank you for reading. I appreciate your

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