Cindy Szponder’s Tips

Principle 31:  You become known by the actions you take. Take ethical actions.

“You are more known and judged for your deed and your actions than for your words.”—Jeffrey Gitomer

If you’ve been following this series, then you know I’ve been working through Jeffrey Gitomer’s book Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching! There are 32.5 strategies listed in the book and I’ve been trying to relate each to blogging. Well, I finally came across a whole grouping that really only seemed pertinent to a physical salesperson interacting one on one with another person. So, I’ve skipped right forward to Principle 31–which I think can be applied to blogging.

The principle states that you become known by the actions you take. Take ethical actions. That principle can be related to every area of your blog–your writing, your advertising, and your reviews of products. Whether for your own or affiliate products, turn your focus on your readers. What will benefit them, be of use to them, provide them with value for the dollars spent? If you can’t answer those questions, then are you sure you should be recommending or advertising those products/services?

If you’re currently recommending or advertising products simply because of the revenue they bring in, I urge you to think of the long-term rather than short-term benefit of doing so. Can you honestly say that you think the products are high quality, provide value for the money paid, and reflect well on you?

If you do paid reviews, is that information transparent to your readers? What is the ethical thing to do?

I think this principle can give us all something to think about. Focus long-term. Focus on your readers. Focus on quality and honesty. Do those things, and you’ll be known as someone that can be trusted, who makes worthy recommendations, asnd as someone who readers can trust.

Cindy Szponder