Just yesterday, Sukuma Avery, another TopLine consultant called me for some ideas and advice on a new market he is considering entering. We had a great conversation (as we always do). And during our chat, he mentioned that the two of you got together in Las Vegas recently and had some good conversations.

Sukuma’s one of my favorites… always out there, always trying, and is having some good success.

He spoke highly of you, Jack, and said you’re doing well. I’m so excited for you and Karen, and really appreciate your comments. As always, please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with or do for you.

Martin Howey
Founder and CEO
TopLine Business Solutions

Thanks for your comments and observation. And you’re absolutely right, there’s nothing wrong with rewriting a sales letter that links back to a product so the original author gets their cut. That’s the ethical thing to do.

Unfortunately, there are very few absolutes in the business world. And when times get tough, when people are lazy and look for shortcuts, when they don’t have the knowledge or skill to develop their own product, or when someone has less than stellar morals or standards, all kinds of things happen.

In a perfect world, operating the way you described would be the standard and everyone would benefit as intended. But this isn’t a perfect world and everyone doesn’t have the same ethics.

I agree with you that some of the sales letters on Clickbank are “pretty crappy.” There’s no question about that. And if someone can rewrite one of those and help the creator of the product sell more, that’s great. And if someone can take an existing product and make it better, that’s also great. That’s what business and free enterprise is all about. It happens in all kinds of businesses, in all kinds of industries and with major companies and corporations. That’s how new styles are developed, comforts are improved, fuel efficiency increases, and the free market flourishes and our lives are enhanced.

Please understand, I wasn’t saying that it’s wrong to see what’s out there and try to improve it. If that never happened, we’d still be living in caves and eating Saber Tooth Tiger meat. The point I was trying to make is, be aware. Here is my direct quote, “…if you put your product or service on the Internet, be prepared to be ripped off sooner or later. If you go into this market that’s the game you play. As they say, ‘It comes with the territory.’”

Look, if you have an inferior product and people aren’t getting the full benefit from it that they should or could be getting, and someone can make it better, then more power to them. The marketplace deserves what they can give it; they’ll benefit and so will the person who delivers the improved product. And if you and your product gets beat, then you, too, deserve it. You shouldn’t be rewarded for providing the market an inferior product.

In the copywriting world (which is where you operate), one key component has to do with “beating the control.” Someone writes an ad or sales letter, and another copywriter tries to improve it. If he or she succeeds, they get the business. There’s nothing wrong with that. As I said earlier, it comes with the territory… it’s the name of the game.

My whole point of the article was to say that there are other, alternative ways to market a product, including offline. The Internet is not a “business,” it is simply a marketing tool. It has it’s place in marketing or promoting a tool, but it isn’t the only way to do so. Unfortunately, so many people are promoting the Internet as THE way to build a business. But the reality is, the Internet is ONE way to do it… there are many ways to do so, and to ignore, overlook or downplay them may not be in a person’s best interest if they want to maximize their success.

Now let me address the last sentence in your response with one clarification… Yes, I’m sure that’s what SOME of these ‘gurus’ are doing. Not all… SOME. Again, this isn’t an absolute. Not all copywriters or “gurus” are guilty of “stealing other peoples’ work and passing it off as [their] own.” I didn’t say that and I didn’t mean that.

Business is business… and business includes competition. Improvements are made and lives are enhanced because someone saw something better in an existing product and changed it… and as a result profited from their work. Nothing wrong with that. Just be aware that there are other ways to market a product “stealthfully,” secretely, and under the radar so the only people who know what you are doing are those who get your message, ads or letters.

Martin Howey
Founder and CEO
TopLine Business Solutions

I don’t doubt that there are people out there that are unscrupulous enough to advocate stealing other peoples’ work and passing it off as your own. But are you sure that’s what these ‘gurus’ are actually advocating and not just rewriting the sales letter?

And a little good ol’ fashioned work never hurts, either.

Great post, Martin.

Ray Edwards
Founder and CEO
Ray Edwards International, Inc

It’s sad that “marketing” can out-trump “expertise”. But that’s the name of the game, and the best way to beat it is to market under the radar.

Martin Howey
CEO and Founder
TopLine Business Solutions

Ryan