R ecently I read a "sales ad" titled "Are Membership Sites Setting You Up to Fail?". I run a membership site with the infamous silver, gold, and platinum levels, so this headline naturally got my attention. After reading this sales ad I shook my head with be wilderness, and asked myself the question, "how do marketers get away with stuff like this?"
Okay, we all agree as marketers we all want to set ourselves apart from the competition to get them to buy from us, but we are walking on egg shells when we belittle ourselves in the process. Let me tell you how.
This "sales ad" attempts to set itself apart from the competition by stating Multi-Level Membership models, are setting you up to fail. The author (site owner) goes on to suggest that the main objective of multi-level memberships are to get you to purchase the highest level membership, and they will penalize you if you don't. The sales ad goes on to equate what if hospitals, and schools operated like multi-level memberships? Here's the quote:
"Just imagine for a moment what life would be like if everything were set up this way… Hospitals, schools, job training… Can't afford that life-saving treatment? Well, you'll just have to settle for this experimental drug instead. Oh, but don't come crying to us if your fingers fall off from the dangerous side effects! We only help people at the Platinum Level."
Here is a news flash for you, "reality bites", and yes, hospitals, schools, and just about all business works with some kind of multi-tiered concept. Hospitals have government funded community hospitals with plans for non insured patients, ect., there are private hospitals, with various plans (i.e. ATP, HMO, PPO), and we can go on. The facts are, at the moment "Universal Plans" are not the norm, particularly not in free market economies. Second, the Multi-Level concept (albeit not perfect) is a basic price model, (with regards to what it takes to produce, deliver and support the product or service). Multi-Level Memberships are not a conspiracy, but an economical effort to: 1.) Provide products or services that fit your specific needs, and or 2.) Provide products or services that fit your price range. Show me the conspiracy?
The real problem with this sales ad is something called "pandering to your emotions". This attempt to tear down someone's business model with false claims, is like a negative political campaign aimed to under mind and undercut the competition. Granted sometimes they get away with it, and if you find this rhetoric appeals to you, I can't stop you from buying into it. But before you do, ask yourself these questions:
1.) What is the true value of what your getting?
2.) Does this marketer truly understand my specific needs?
3.) Is this just another fast talking salesman, with cheap products/services?
With regards to this topic, questions 1 and 2 are most important to your success with a multi-level membership. You will find that in growing your business there will be many challenges, avoid adding this one to the list: "Don't get sucked into emotional buying tactics!" I encourage you to look past the rhetoric, take note of the concepts cited in this article, and investigate the membership(s) you are interested in, to see if it's truly right for you.
Continued Success,
Robert Mesa
SiliconPost.Com - One Stop Internet Shop
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Just an observation that I think can help improve copy and initial interactions with prospects. For organizations that still send their sales people door- to- door, remember cold calling is about discovering decision makers, not overcoming objections. (Outside sales' prospecting is still common in business- to- business industrial markets.)
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Tags: Internet marketing , lead generation , social networking , Web 2.
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