Ethics in Marketing (and business, and life)

Ethics.  Ethics in business, ethics in life.  What does it mean in this post-Enron, Jack Abranoth,(fill in the latest scammer here) world we live in? 

I was searching the web for another speaker to recommend, for an event that didn’t fit my schedule.  I found sites for speakers that I knew, and those that I had never heard of — I even found the “old retired football coach” from my college — speaking on training for a marathon, if I understood that link correctly!  I stumbled upon an interesting site for a woman I didn’t know – and saw she had a GLOWING testimonial from someone who I do know, in fact that  I know quite well.  So naturally, I picked up the phone and contacted him for his verbal testimonial, and that’s where ethics comes into the picture. Or, should I say, lack of them.

He didn’t give her the glowing testimonial, nor does he have any recollection of ever saying those things she has quoted on her web-site.  He was quite concerned, and I left him mulling over his next step.

That got me thinking of ethics, and also a little bit about  “care.” Take care that you are honest in what you do! Care about your reputation!  Take care that even a small town, or a small community, or a small organization, can have people from all over hearing about you and reading about you: make sure what they are hearing and reading is true ! Accurate! Honest!  Certainly, you can’t control what others say about you 100% of the time, but you CAN control what you say about yourself!

I mean really: if you can’t trust a testimonial..Hmmm..well then, I think maybe I’ll make one up! From…from…from…Oprah! That’s the ticket! 

Well, of course, I won’t make one up.  Oprah’s never seen me, never met me, never commented on my skills (at least not to my knowledge! and I think I’d remember).  Don’t worry: you won’t find me putting her testimonial on my web site — at least not until she really gives me one! 😉

Ethics.  In this post-Enron Texas environment – ethics means so much more than in the past!

Be careful. Take care.  It’s a small world: have ethics.