Not all scams can be weeded out just by ignoring offers that sound too good to be true. There are some scams that are subtler and some that are hidden by a cloak of a legit looking offer. Rarely is there a blinking neon arrow with a sign that says, “SCAM…step away from that offer!” So what is a business owner to do? Get educated, learn from your mistakes, and move forward.
The fear of being scammed can immobilize a business owner, especially if he or she has been scammed in the past. It is hard to trust the first time doing business; it is even harder after being scammed. You can overcome this and you can do it by learning to trust yourself and your judgment. This doesn’t happen by repeating poor choices, it happens by learning something from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others. Take the knowledge and do some additional research. Make informed choices on small tasks and work your way up to hiring for big jobs. Learning from experience and fine-tuning your decision making process along the way will reduce your risks of being scammed.
THE GRAPEVINE
If you hear some bad stuff about a company…research it, if you hear great stuff about a company…research it. Don’t rely only on what you hear from others; use it with the information you gather from other sources.
HONESTY
When considering a service, the salesperson should not just promise you the moon with a cherry on top, there should be discussions of their limitations and honest feedback regarding what you expect their service to be able to for you. They should be able to honestly tell you if your expectations are too high.
INPUT
Just because the marketing company politely tells you they can’t do anything with what you have, doesn’t mean they aren’t worth considering. The truth is…they should be pushed up to the top of the list. A company like that is interested in using their time on worthwhile projects and they don’t want to waste their time. Chances are they won’t let you waste your money. They will also probably have the ideas you need to turn what you have around to being profitable.
JUMPING IN
In the heat of the sales pitch it may be easy to want to jump in and sign up. Hold off for about 24 hours. See how you feel the next day. If it still sounds good, get more information, and then sign up.
No matter what suggestions that you follow to prevent being scammed, you may still occasionally fall for a scam. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and boldly step away. Learn and move on. Don’t allow it to immobilize you and further impact your business.
When you are looking for an Internet marketing company that has a reputation for being honest and delivering what is promised, talk to experts at Karma Snack. They have an impressive portfolio of companies that they have designed websites for and more.
