Gary and I knew we had to write this article. Some of our long-time practitioner friends have seen it all and we're combining their advice and hard-learned lessons in this article.
This article is about the “snake oil salesmen.” The sheisters. The con artists. “Alternative Opportunists” and Rip-off Artists. These are people who promise a lot but deliver very little. And they charge a lot of money for that “service.” For many of us in the holistic community, our objective is to help people - to be of service for those in need. But not everyone who comes into this community is, well… to put it bluntly, to be trusted. It can be difficult for many of us who are healers, spiritual practitioners, holistic practitioners, or alternative healers to spot a rip-off artist. Perhaps the people in our community are susceptible to be taken advantage of because we don’t think like con artists. Many of us are altruistic. We’re givers. We believe in karma. Sometimes these opportunists come into our community and use the buzzwords that we respond to, but they are more interested in “manifesting” quick money at our expense. I’ll make you a star, baby Many of us are good at what we do. For some of us we could imagine ourselves on Oprah or as the next John Edward of our field. For others of us, we just know that our potential is to be working with more clients and to be making more money. Regardless, some “sheisters” are preying on this desire for fame or success. Let’s take an emotional assessment here: for many of us, we can see our potential, and when someone promises to take us “to the next level” it’s not just tempting, but a trigger that causes us to act emotionally rather than rationally. I’ll make you rich, baby This can be code for, “I want you to make me rich.” If you’re being offered an “opportunity of a lifetime” to get in on a windfall that could make you a millionaire in just a few months… we have news for you. If it sounds too good to be true, there is a good chance it probably is. Red Flags:
Multi-Level Marketing Some of us who are contributing to the writing of this piece have differing opinions on multi-level marketing. If you use a product, believe in its value, and want to take part in its growth, our general consensus is, that’s fine! We’re not saying that MLMs are bad. In fact some of the best products are MLMs and some of our friends, like Audrey Newmont represent companies like Purium and Jusuru. Another one of our contributors notes the product worthiness of ASEA and DuTerra. But for the new kids in the group, you should have a clear understanding of how this works so you know what you’re getting yourself into. Tips for MLMs
The “professional” marketer/web expert/network guru As the expert in your field, you are probably not also a duel expert in marketing or web design. This means that if you want a website, brochures, advertising, or marketing, you’ll have to hire a professional’s services. The problem that some of us have encountered is that some of these people charge a lot of money and delivery very little – sometimes nothing at all. One of our members paid tens of thousands of dollars for… brace yourselves - nothing.
Other Rip-off Red Flags If you feel any of the following emotions when dealing with someone, it’s probably not a healthy relationship.
This article was co-authored by Lori Nelson, newbie to entrepreneurship, and long-term practitioner, Gary Stuart. Other mentors and friends not specifically named here have contributed by sharing their experiences. May we all learn from each other's mistakes and create a supportive network for our own and each other's prosperity. Want more holistic topics coming straight to your inbox? Sign up below to get monthly e-mail updates!Comments are closed.
|
Living an organic lifestyle doesn't have to be expensive or hard. I mean, it can be, but there are easier ways...
I'm the chick that promotes the best products with the biggest bang for your buck - products that are good for your body and have the least impact on the environment (and they're tasty, too!). I'm the chick that makes organic DIY easy-peasy. And there's some cool stuff coming up on this site. You like Giveaways? Whoop Whoop! Follow me my new friends... Looking for something?
|
RSS Feed
