Marketing can have its pitfalls, and even the most ethical businesses can occasionally make mistakes that violate the laws of fair competition or otherwise harm consumers or other businesses in their market. As per Maxwell Drever, there are also gray areas in marketing where what’s right and wrong isn’t entirely clear—but when in doubt, it’s better to be safe than sorry and tread lightly.
Making the right choices in what you say and how you say it can save you money and keep your customers happy, but when it comes to marketing ethics, there are no easy answers.
Maxwell Drever‘s Tips On Staying Ethical in Marketing Business
Keep It Legal
Whether you’re a marketing manager, an executive, or a small business owner, it is important to realize that there are certain regulations when it comes to how you market your product. And if you violate those regulations, your company could be fined or put out of business altogether. As per Maxwell Drever, with today’s high-tech gadgets and Internet marketing that involves consumers in every step along their purchasing journey, laws governing ethical practices in marketing have changed drastically over time. Here are some key points on what businesses need to know.
Check Whether Your Content is Ethical
Before you put pen to paper, make sure your content meets ethical standards. When thinking about ethics in marketing, ask yourself if your content is (1) based on facts and (2) helpful for your customers. If it’s not, don’t publish it. According to Maxwell Drever, ethical marketing is a win-win because businesses make money, and their customers make informed purchasing decisions.
Is Your Site Optimized for Mobile Use?
According to Maxwell Drever, mobile devices are everywhere, and if your site isn’t optimized for mobile viewing, you’re potentially losing customers. People browse differently on mobile than they do on a desktop; studies show that people are more likely to buy directly from their phone or tablet when they feel they have all of their information in front of them.
Read guides on making your site mobile-friendly and start ranking higher in search engines like Google.
Watch Out for Fake Followers
One of the biggest forms of digital deception is buying followers, as per Maxwell Drever. Even if it’s just a few hundred, these fake accounts can have a huge impact on your follower count, but more importantly, they can influence your credibility.
If you purchased fake followers, potential customers might think you’re dishonest and untrustworthy—the exact opposite impression you want them to have. You don’t need massive amounts of fake accounts boosting your follower count; instead, build it naturally with authentic engagement.
Stay Relevant
A business’s greatest asset is its reputation. Your customers care about how you do business, and they have high expectations for your ethical standards. You should do your best to meet or exceed these expectations.
A few general rules can help guide you toward staying on track. For example, if it isn’t clear what advertising messages are trying to convey, a customer might question whether there is any value in your product or service (like What does Apple know that I don’t?). If a company violates its stated policies by passing along personal information or committing other kinds of privacy breaches, customers will surely become skeptical about all aspects of that business—and may feel especially vulnerable when dealing with them again in the future.
Maxwell Drever Recommends to Add a Marketing Policy to Your Business
It’s not an easy task, but every business should include an ethics policy as part of its marketing strategy. It’s not about doing something ethical for its own sake. It’s about protecting your reputation and defending against lawsuits if something goes wrong. Ethical marketing provides a blueprint for brands looking to make their mark without compromising their values or integrity.