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1. Set High Permission Standards 

Never try to trick people into opting in for something. Get clear permission to send out everything you want to through your email marketing campaign. This means that you should never pre-check the opt-in box or trick subscribers with intentionally misleading text (i.e. “Do not select this option if you do not want to receive…”). It’s also important to provide clear information on what they’re signing up for and what they’ll be receiving; even how often they should expect them.  Taking the extra step of requesting they confirm their opt-in status in a separate confirmation email, is a great way to communicate your intention. 

2. Be Transparent About Your Privacy Policies 

Don’t be like some email marketers and intentionally publish privacy policies in long legal speak, small print, or make it difficult to find, knowing that subscribers are unlikely to read them. Make it simple for them to discover and understand what exactly you intend to use their data for. Writing your privacy policies in simple language and making it easily accessible is a great way to show that you’re trustworthy and have nothing to hide.

 3. Respect Permission to the Highest Degree 

To keep prospect expectations high, never rent your list out to third parties even if you believe it won’t be tracked back to you.  Don’t even use your list to promote other parts of your business, or other things they did not explicitly sign up for. Give your subscribers exactly what you told them to expect and they will recognize you as trustworthy. 

When utilizing email as a part of your marketing plan show subscribers exactly why they should trust you; and respect their privacy at all costs. Never trick them into opting in for anything they don’t expect or fully understand and value the trust they show for you as they give you their email addresses. 

How are you building trust with prospects and clients with your Email Marketing strategies?  Please share your comments below. 

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, owner of Accurate Business Services is a Virtual Assistant (VA).  ABS provides ‘as needed’ marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs.  Clontz is a writer, author, VA Coach, and speaker on business topics including business ethics.  For her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, send a request to:  service@accbizsvcs.com or visit:  http://www.accbizsvcs.com, www.VAbizcoach.com  or her book website http://www.entrepreneurialfreedom.com

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As I’ve gotten more experienced as an entrepreneur, I’ve found that there are several types of clients that use these tactics.

The first type is totally unethical, and no matter what you say or do, it’s always better for you to cut your losses and discontinue doing business with them.  I know this can be difficult, but it could hurt your credibility. 

The second type is the client who is always looking for something for nothing.  They will take your project quotation and rip it apart looking for hidden discounts. 

Sometimes they are just thorough, sometimes they are doing what has proven to be successful in the past.  These clients can be turned into good, ethical clients by simply taking the time to find out why they work this way.

They may have worked with unethical providers in the past, and have found that by questioning an invoice, or price, they usually will get some sort of discount, or free offer. 

Open the discussion by asking about their complaints and how you can rectify the situation.  Be a good listener. Let them vent their frustrations. Ask them for an explanation of any deductions, and try to put yourself in their shoes to see if you can get a better idea of their motivations and concerns. 

Maybe your invoices could detail more information about your charges and how you met their needs.  Let them know that you want to be more familiar with their specific needs so that you can provide better services in the future. 

Most importantly don’t take it personally.  Sometimes we are not the perfect fit for someone’s needs.  What we need to do is maintain our integrity and remember that we can’t be all things to all people. 

Do those tasks where you consider yourself to be the expert.  Encourage new clients to contact your references so they have a clear picture of who you are, what your strengths are, and how those strengths can help them achieve their goals. 

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA,  EthicsChecked™, owner of Accurate Business Services is a Virtual Assistant (VA).  ABS provides ‘as needed’ marketing support and consulting to busy entrepreneurs.  Clontz is a writer, author, VA Coach, and speaker on business topics including business ethics.  For her free 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, send a request to:  service@accbizsvcs.com. For more information visit:  http://www.accbizsvcs.com, www.VAbizcoach.com  or her book website http://www.entrepreneurialfreedom.com

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I recall around the holidays seeing blogs all over the Internet warning you not to purchase gift cards from struggling retail companies who may not be around when your gift is ready to be used.  Or how to handle the changes that many companies are going through to try and stay afloat and avoid layoffs.

This has also trickled down to our clientele.  So, how do we cope with a good client gone bad?  I believe the first step is to communicate your concerns, provide information on options to consider, and help them to understand the impact on their clients, employees, and service providers.

I used to handle association management for a small organization with 180 members.  I work through their Board of Directors, and have been faced with many ethical challenges.  On numerous occasions, I have spoken the words, “using your position with the Board for personal gain”. 

A few months ago, I received a phone call from a company wanting me, as a member of this organization, to support our local school district by advertising on their sports posters.  They started the pitch off by mentioning one of the Board members as the person who suggested they call me.

By asking a series of questions, I found out that this Board member had provided our entire member contact list in exchange for a full-page ad at the half-page ad price.  I contacted the school district and was able to find out that they weren’t even the “approved” provider to the school, and no arrangements had been made to rebate them any of the funds.  Not only that, they were under contract with a supplier that prevented them from displaying anyone else’s posters. So anyone who would have purchased from this company, would NOT have their posters displayed anywhere at the school.

I contacted the Board, and reminded them that we’d put several safeguards in place to protect member’s contact information from being harvested for solicitations, and urged them to openly discuss this ethics breakdown. I asked for approval to notify the membership that this organization was misrepresenting their affiliation with the school district.  I emphasized to them that they needed to remember they serve on the Board for the betterment and support of the organization, this wasn’t about their personal, or business development.

I did win this particular battle, and was able to alert the membership, receiving praise for our research and follow-through, but I don’t win them all.  I can only hope to educate them to consider ethical options, and to think of the consequences of their actions, as we all should.

Sometimes I’ve had to stop doing business with clients because of their unethical practices – and you can, too.  You can choose to do, or not do, business with anyone you like, for whatever reason you like.  We are a reflection of the client’s we represent, and that can have a positive or negative impact on our credibility and reputation.  I hope you take the time to consider your ethical options and make an effort to help educate others on good business practices.  It’s in all our best interests.

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, CRESS, PREVA, EthicsChecked™, CRVA, owner of Accurate Business Services is a Past-president of the IVAA (International Virtual Assistants Association), and is an author, VA Coach, and speaker on business topics including business ethics.  For her free 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, send a request to:  service@accbizsvcs.com. For more information visit:  http://www.accbizsvcs.com, www.VAbizcoach.com  or her book website http://www.entrepreneurialfreedom.com

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That was almost eleven years ago, and thankfully, home-based and small businesses are certainly the norm nowadays, and we don’t have to come up with creative language and jargon to attract business from anyone else in our specific industry.

The same cannot be said for business ethics!  Thanks in part to the Enrons and Arthur Andersons of the world, more and more of our clientele are being approached by competitors with a code of ethics in hand, touting their business practices and explaining how they exceed client expectations.  Although I’m sure that’s what we’re all looking to do anyway, understanding the need to create and implement some basic ethical standards goes a long way in differentiating you from the pack.

While considering what your plan or ‘code’ will include, don’t forget to include your employees, not only in the process of creating the standards, but in actually implementing and communicating them to your clients.

This is extremely important.  Remember, your employees are really the ones who handle most of the direct contact with your clients.  If they don’t understand or subscribe to your ethical standards of practice, if they don’t feel a ‘part’ of the process, you’re going to get a bit lonely at the office. Research indicates that when a business isn’t run ethically, the employees are usually not treated ethically either.  That spells disaster for client care! 

Once you’ve prepared the plan, shout it from the rooftops!  Post your ‘code of ethics’ or standards on your website, in brochures, on letterhead, sales receipts, or anywhere that will constantly and consistently remind staff and clients that it’s not just about your product or service, but about the way employees and clients are treated at all times, before, during and after the sale.

Maybe it’s just a brief ‘tag line’ that reminds everyone you have a plan that can be viewed in its resting place on your website, or it’s strategically stored on the back of everyone’s business card.  Wherever you promote them, it should be evident to everyone that you run and operate an ethical business.

Having an ethics program in place will help clients and employees understand the value of doing business with you, and bring them back again, and again.  I have even found that clients and employees (in my case, sub-contractors) will be more flexible with you when their experience is less than desirable, if you are honest, straightforward, and ethical in all other situations and transactions. 

Competing with the BIG guys as it relates to ethical business practices is easy, when you take the time to memorialize your thoughts and actions in a way that communicates to clients and staff that ethics are an important factor in your everyday personal and professional life.

Jeannine Clontz, owner of Accurate Business Services, is a Virtual Assistant (VA), an avid volunteer, mentor, speaker, coach and co-author of Entrepreneurial Freedom, How to Start and Grow a Profitable Virtual Assistance Practice. 

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I headed for my favorite hoax site, and forwarded information to the more than 80 E-mail addresses detailed in the message, that this was indeed a hoax and not to send it to anyone.

In response, the originator told me that he knew it was a hoax when he sent it.   Hoping to discourage him in the future, I asked him why he would knowingly perpetuate a hoax that could put the E-mail addresses of his friends and family in jeopardy of being harvested for spam, not to mention the reflection on him as an elected official who represents people on important issues.

I got an almost immediate response detailing that it had nothing to do with his being an alderman, and that this is how he prefers to communicate with friends and family on a regular basis.  We obviously have different ideas of communicating with friends and family.  In my mind, this is a reflection on his reputation, which I would think is important to the people he represents. My mistake!  

He didn’t take the time to consider what harm it would do to them (friends and family), or consider his reputation.  That’s what ethics are all about.  Thinking beyond the scope of your business, and making sure that what you’re doing is legal, fair to everyone (will it favor one party over another), and that you do no harm (How will it make me feel about myself?).

Sure is funny the way some people think.

Wishing you continued success and the wisdom to consider ethical decisions.

©Copyright Accurate Business Services 2009

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There was absolutely no way that they would not find a way to tell the client or prospect that they’d heard something bad about their competitor, all under the guise that they were looking to protect THEM.

While this could have been completely true, that’s not how someone would or could look at it, from the other side.  Although I’d gone through the process with them, mentioned a number of reasons why it’s not wise, and even gave them a response that wouldn’t be considered a ‘lie’ on their part, it was all to no avail.  They were looking too closely from an emotional position instead of trying to see someone else’s side, even how they might look to the client or prospect.

Not long after returning from the conference, I was speaking to one of the event organizers who called to let me know that she had just mailed me copies of the 70+ evaluations they’d received in response to my presentation.

When I received the evaluations I wasn’t at all surprised to see one that was negative.  I looked at their evaluation objectively to see if I could in any way improve my presentation, or the delivery, to better communicate the most positive and ethical response in any situation.

We shouldn’t expect that everyone is willing or able to act as ethically as possible, or will always understand both sides of a situation. It’s something we really have to work at, all the time.  It also doesn’t mean this person is unethical, just unknowledgeable and perhaps too emotional. For all we know they may never have faced this type of situation.

We do things for our physical well-being all the time.  We eat right, get plenty of sleep and exercise, or we at least know to try.  However, most of us don’t think to do anything regularly for our moral well-being. 

I look at ethics in this way; it takes constant reflection, being open to alternatives, removing any emotions from the equation, and doing what’s right, not easiest, in order to make the most ethical decision.  I hope you’ll incorporate some time into making better decisions to ethical situations as they arise.  It’s a great investment in your business.

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