Work from Home Jobs – Recession Increases Need for Honesty
Posted by Holly in Blunt Honesty, Make Money
“I lost my job first, then my husband was laid off. We have three kids to care for and we’re not going to have enough money to cover the bills this month. I searched online for possible ways to make extra money. I thought I found something really good – something that was a real opportunity. After paying for the program with the very last of my funds on my debit card, I discovered the program was a scam. After losing so much, fearing for the future for my family and children, I’ve now lost my hope in the decency of people. I felt optimistic, but now I feel stupid and guilty for wasting our money.”
This horrendous scenario is one which many men and women can relate to during this current economic crisis. It’s imperative that if you are an Internet Marketer, you are promoting and vouching for only the honest and legit products.
When I first started working online, I could not afford a $97 dollar product. Rather than finding a way to purchase it, or to find a way to get a free “review” copy, I promoted it as an affiliate (an affiliate of something I never tried). It was wrong and I had no right to tell others to buy something that I could not honestly vouch for. When people are lacking in money like I was, they can do things that they later regret. I am sorry that when I first started my online ventures (four years ago), I promoted a product that I didn’t try. Thankfully I have turned from those dishonest ways and would never do that again. If you are doing something like that, you may want to evaluate yourself and reconsider what you’re doing. Who knows what a horrific and damaging impact it may have on a person or their family now.
“Currently there’s a 54-to-1 scam ratio among work-at-home job leads on the Internet,” according to Christine Durst, StaffCentrix co-founder. So that means for every 55 websites that promote work at home guides or products, 54 of them are scams.
The numbers of scams online are alarming. When funds are lacking and you go online to find work from home opportunities, who wouldn’t want to “Make $500 per Day on Autopilot,” as so many websites claim as a possibility. In my opinion, the biggest warning sign that a website is a scam or offering up delusive promises is if the website’s headlines says something similar to the last one. Most websites that offer quick and easy money for little work and effort are false. 
I’m sick of seeing these products – and I think Clickbank and other payment processors should screen the products before allowing them to use their services. I’ve read several complaints online from people who’ve been taken advantage of by products which were promoted through Google Adwords. There are scam report websites online and they help a little bit, but people need to be cautious when buying products that will teach them how to work from home.
When it comes to Internet Marketing, as a real legitimate business, you will need to put in time and effort. You will need to mentally expand your ways of thinking to understand how it works, how to utilize the tools to profit the most. It may take someone two weeks to get started and making a little money, and it may take another person a few months. It varies according to the person, their idea, their determination and ability to duplicate successful strategies with their own ideas. With Internet Marketing there are ways to profit and work online, and many marketers are using similar techniques with different ideas. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, you need to observe the wealth-making techniques of others.
If you want free resources, tools and support from other people who want to make money online, please join our work from home forum. We also have a new social network for our Honest Marketing Movement – a website devoted to honest marketers. Lastly, Honest Riches is a comprehensive guide to making money online through real honest techniques. I wrote it four years ago (when I went from having nothing to $12,000 per/mo. in four months flat) and it was recently updated as of 2009. Over 35,000+ copies have sold and the guide has been helping people make money online for four years. Honest Riches is an honest work from home ebook – and it is also available in paperback.
8 Responses to “Work from Home Jobs – Recession Increases Need for Honesty”
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TheDavinator
08. Mar, 2009
Fantastic post Holly!
Those numbers of the “scam ratio” are very over whelming. It’s no wonder so many people have become skeptical about products certain products and about the reality of working a real business from their homes.
I remember you telling me that story about when you were getting started, and how horrible you felt that you’d recommended some products that didn’t live up to their claims in your early desperation to begin earning online. Glad those days are over hey!
One tip that I’d found helpful in the beginning was actually contacting product owners for a review of their product, before actually deciding on marketing it or not as an affiliate. Many product owners do not mind giving a “review” copy sometimes.
Then again…some people may abuse this privilege purely for obtaining products for free. It’s a fine line there, and I guess the product owners need to use their best judgment.
It certainly does give a person peace of mind, if they can genuinely feel confident in a product they are promoting. It also helps in building great credibility and trust with your customers, as you well know.
It’s going to be great to see the new social site come to fruition Holly…it’s going to be a great place for tons of people to build honest and prosperous business relationships.
Once again Holly..great post, and thanx for making people aware of just how vulnerable they can be with many of the “unfortunate and deceitful” scams out there.
Take care
Davin
Holly
08. Mar, 2009
Thank you Davin and I agree with everything you said. I think you and I could create a section on our Honest Marketing Movement site for us to review products so we can give the correct info to people who are seeking it. I also agree with the idea of asking for free review copies, but only for the serous who at least have a website put up or squidoo lens. Hopefully people won’t abuse it but in my experiences the people are really in need of help and don’t have the funds. They really turn things around and take that and make it into something.
TheDavinator
08. Mar, 2009
Yes, that’s a great idea Holly..about having a review section.
As well, you make a good point about giving people out review copies. Usually people are in real need, and also, if they enjoy your product and find it beneficial to them, you have probably gained another affiliate and have once again built some loyalty with people seeking advice.
Great point Holly…I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!
annaverawilliams
08. Mar, 2009
I agree, its a great post, one of your best. Its actually very important to start alerting people to this. Its one thing to be honest on one’s own site, but its another thing to start doing something about the dishonesty around us, and at least warn others.
When I started my first blog relating to earning money online, I didn’t make it my principle focus of attention. It was pretty back-burner. Just a vehicle to share successful and unsuccessful actions with others.
But one policy I made from the beginning, and have stuck to, is never to promote a product or software which I hadn’t used myself. The only exception being that I will occasionally include a link to something which I haven’t tried, but which might be useful to people, and in this case I include a statement or a note to the effect that this is something I haven’t personally tried yet. Additionally, when I have linked to a software or product which I was originally happy with, but which I later found to be buggy or not working well, I always went through and removed all of my links to that product. Its a pain, but its important to the integrity of one’s message.
Holly, I think it is really admirable that you can share your mistakes with others. That’s really hard for many people to do. Some would rather just talk about their good intentions and the great things they have done, but brush over the moments when they failed themselves or didn’t live up to their own ideals. But walking around all the time saying “I’m a pristine pure angel and why can’t everyone be like me” is far less convincing.
That you are willing and able to share your own mistakes with others demonstrates far more real honesty.
advocado
09. Mar, 2009
Holly,
This is a very timely post! It is times like these that people are hungry for integrity and not just hype fluff or charisma. Selling people fantasy’s instead teaching them how to build or create another income stream bit by bit.
May you continue to share with others your strategies and may you have another 35,000 sales of Honest Riches!
P.S.
(I sent you an email asking about which font you used for my cover.)
AD
Holly
09. Mar, 2009
Anna – thank you for the comment and I’m happy to have met you and other honest marketers online. The more the better – and the resources on your site are excellent. Your comment was also funny as usual – about the pristine pure angel. That I am not!
lol..I’ve just gotten to the point where I just want to be as honest as possible about everything. I used to be more concerned about how people would react and now I just write and post it.
Andre, thanks also for the comment.I will email you back. I got your message.
JK Swopes
11. Mar, 2009
Awesome post Holly! I agree totally! I think that’s the only way to be. I’ve been like that from day one, I just can’t go to clickbank, pick a product, then start promoting it…it was never my style.
Now, if I get to know the person, via networking and communicating, then I may promote their product without trying it first, only because I’ve either used their other products, or know them as a person enough to vouch for it.
I’d never have a problem promoting anything you put out
But, it’s sad, however…I don’t put all the blame on the advertisers.
Thing is, people have to use their judgment as well…I mean, I know folks are preying on the hopes and dreams of others, but that’s what advertising is all about.
Too many want a “lottery” type of experience, but anytime you see something that promises much in return from very little work, you should run lol.
It’s either a scam, or it’s illegal!
Anyway, I’ve always had this in mind, and I’ve always wanted to point people in the proper direction, I have no problem telling people if something I promote isn’t for them or even if one of my products isn’t what they need at the time. I just want to help as much as possible, not scam just to get a lil money.
I think the review section would be awesome, I’d be down to do some reviews in there as well….joe style of course
Great post though, I think in these times, the true folks will shine, but the sad part is, the scammers will too! We just have to make sure we shine brighter!
JK Swopess last blog post..Google Friend Connect. Are we friends? We homies? Well join the site then…
Field Inspector Jobs
04. Jul, 2009
I agree – lots of scams and few real opportunities. This blog is a very helpful resource during these times of high unemployment. Lots of great information. Good work on this site you guys!