The Buddha Antidote To Hype And Hustle Marketing

Are you as sick as I am of the marketing hypesingular approach has been, especially these last 5
and hustle that comes from promoters of books,years. (The President of the DSA once told an
CDs, seminars and courses, to network marketingaudience the attrition rate was 102%!? How?
programs?Because, he explained, many people sign up for
The Hype:more than one company, and drop out of all of
E.g. "I just finished reading a great book that youthem.)
absolutely must have. It's called blah blah."No amount of hype has changed the drop out
Orstats.
"'I've read every book on marketing printed in theWhat's the point, ladies? And yes, good gents.
last 150 years. This is the first breakthrough inDon't succumb to the hype and hustle, even if
over 50 years.'you're just starting and feel you don't know what
"Kim, this business is going to EXPLODE! Get inyou're doing in your new little business.
early and with YOUR contacts, you can easilyTry different ways of doing things. You CAN
earn $300k your first year!"decide what works for you and what goes with
"This new and amazing product is somethingyour own gut, heart, style and personality. DO
EVERYONE will love!"marketing strategies that appeal to you. Go ahead
Then more hype titles from those selling YOUand try recruiting. See if there's a match. If not,
stuff so YOU can do the same thing to others:don't hesitate to go after customers who are not
"The Secret to Being a Great Closer"also sales people. Forget about recruiting for a
"Mind Control Marketing"while. Try both warm and cold market - without
"Hypnotic Marketing"hype of course.
And now the hustle:Never go against your grain to please someone
"Buy it in the next 90 minutes or the specialelse for very long, if ever.
disappears forever!" or "Get $3,000 worth of freeAnd yes, even if it's the teacher we're talking
bonuses when you buy this product for $29.95about.
now!" "Sign up now and we'll put 84 people underThe Buddha, one of the greatest teachers known
you today!"in the history of the world, never hyped his
My reaction to pitches like that?teachings and beliefs to "get" others in or to see
1. Yeah right.things his way. Religious scholar Huston Smith
2. And so what if THEY think it's great? Especiallydescribes the time 2400 years ago...
if I don't know them. They're selling it, aren't"In a time when the multitudes were passively
they? What else would they say?relying on [leaders] to tell them what to do
3. How can every new book, every new product,Buddha challenged each individual to do his or her
every new business opportunity every newown religious seeking and rational investigation. 'Do
ANYTHING be the "greatest" and "absolutelynot go upon what has been acquired by repeated
must have" and "life-changing?"hearing; nor upon tradition, nor upon rumor; nor
4. Why the frantic rush to close me on the firstupon what is in a book [scripture]; nor upon the
date?consideration, 'the monk is our teacher'. Rather, he
First I thought maybe it's because I'm a woman.said, test ideas and actions in your own laboratory
And as such, that I just don't like someoneof common sense. When you yourself know they
screaming at me how amazing their great thing is.lead to harm or ill, abandon them; when you
You know, the one they're selling. And pressuringyourself know they lead to benefit and happiness
me to buy it right now or I might forever loseadopt them. Be lamps unto yourselves..." -
my chance at success.Buddhism, a Concise Introduction. Huston Smith
But Mr. La feels hyped, too.and Philip Novak, p. 24
The NY Times reported the other day that atSo don't just fall for anyone's promises, especially
2:30AM one day last week, Mr. La biked to aif you know they have an agenda. Try different
Target store to wait in line to get his new Xboxapproaches. Then let your own experience with it
360. And although as a game nut he felt goodbe your guide. (Assuming you are doing the thing
about owning it, after playing a shooting game onwith honest effort and the best knowledge you
it for about 30 minutes, he concluded that thehave gotten about it.)
machine was not as much fun as he had hoped.Fast forward about 2400 years...
"There was too much hype," he said. (NY Times,On December 23, 2005, Steven Spielberg,
11.23.05)arguably the greatest film director of all time, is
How often have you been disappointed with stuffreleasing a new movie. This time, instead of
you bought or things you did because their hypelaunching it with the usual fanfare and hype that
got to you? They're good, these guys. Anythingaccompanies all big film openings...
to make a sale."There will be no press junket, no premiere and,
There's nothing "best" and "must have" ormost importantly, no Oscar marketing campaign
"amazing" for everyone. And no amount of hype,beyond trailers and posters for Steven Spielberg's
no matter how loud and frequent, has evermovie Munich, I have learned. This dicey decision
changed that.to have no traditional publicity for the film before
Maybe I'm just a groupie type. I like being withand after it opens December 23, 2005 is the
people like me. I'd rather find someone whodirector's alone. He will not even be giving press or
actually uses and benefits from my stuff thanbroadcast interviews. "The official strategy is for
someone who buys it and never use it, youthe movie to speak for itself," an insider told me
know? I might sell to fewer people, but mythis week. "All they're going to do is just show
customers write everyday to tell me of their newthe movie to people..." Full story here.
attitude or a little success here or there. Or a BIGIs there hope for less hype? Are you someone
success - like the the gal who got herself 3000who wishes for that as fervently as I?
customers by learning to talk to people in aHere's how to help: Look at how you market
different way. That's just me.your products or business. If the words used
I never dreamt or would presume that my stuffmake promises, or heaven forbid, hype and hustle
or approach is for everyone.others, including in the autoresponders sent to
I market books and tapes showing new orothers in your name, remember the Buddha. And
dissatisfied people alternative ways to do directponder this from the bible of writing style for the
sales and network marketing.last 100 years:
If you're successful with what you're doing, and"When you overstate, readers will be instantly on
your babies are too, then keep doing what you'reguard, and everything that has preceded your
doing. Don't buy my stuff.overstatement as well as everything that follows
But if you are not happy doing what you're doingwill be suspect in their minds because they have
in your NM business, and you believe in thelost confidence in your judgment or your poise."
business model like I do, then try other optionsWhenever you are at the receiving end of any
before you quit, because there are ALWAYSpressure to do things that are not really aligned
other options. (Below's a new audio about a galwith you, remember to check with the most
who got 3,000 customers in the last 2.5 years.)important person in the world -
For example, recruiting is NOT all there is to doing"Trust yourself and you will know how to live."
network marketing.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Notwithstanding the loud voices from corporateWhat say you, ladies? And yes, my good gents?
and "leaders" in the business, who stand the mostP.S. I am launching a podcast (online audio-radio
to gain from that approach because there's moreprogram) found at
money in it for them than from you gettingThe show is designed to introduce entrepreneurs
regular customers. So they usually belittleto different ways of doing network marketing
customer gathering and promote recruiting.and direct sales. "Talking about Your Great thing.
But many women don't like recruiting (they preferHow learning what to say changes everything."
getting customers) and the 102% drop out rateReactions and suggested topics from you are
tells me all I need to know about how flawed thatMOST welcome.