BEWARE OF SCAMS, SCAMMY 'DEALS'
AND JUST PLAIN BAD DEALS,
PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE 'FREE'!
The present blog is all about just ONE issue: Allowing you to get off the ground on a shoestring, both on the Internet and in the 'real world', at the lowest possible cost. Ideally, at no costs at all.
It doesn't really matter if you wwant to do it to the benefit of a non-profit, or just to create an income stream for yourself, or even for your and your business partners or shareholders (Yes, as you will find out, small businesses can have shareholders too, even if it's just your mom and Aunt Millie): All of this is perfectly legitinate, and, in each situation, we want to help you the best we can.
In the process of researching and evaluating no-cost but reliable resources, and some DO exist, such as, for example, Open Source Software,
we came across all sorts of scammy or just *plain bad* deals set-up to catch the unwary with the time-tested pipe dream of "something for nothing".
Since we don't want to clog this blog with data of interest only to some, we decided to create a specialized related blog, which you can find here:
http://freedealsscammyandjustplainbad.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-to-free-deals-scams-scammy-and.html
The first post there deals with a very interesting issue: 'Free' domain names and personalized email addresses.
You know, like you are someone named John Doe, who is looking for a free
http://www.johndoe.com/ domain name, and a super cool
johndoe@johndoe.com address.
[By the way and for your information, that johndoe domain actually does exist -- some clever marketing consultant registered it... ;) The landing page for it looks pretty cool too, and I willingly just created a backlink for them. ;) Why? Because creativity should be rewarded. No? :) ]
Now back to our subject: 'Free' domains and personalized emails...
Some people actually actually advertise that they will allow you to create such a domain and email address absolutely for 'free'. And "some people" include no less than AOL.
But now, how "free" is 'free'?
Find out here:
http://freedealsscammyandjustplainbad.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-to-free-deals-scams-scammy-and.html
First two examples of scammy-crooky 'free' deals:
http://freedealsscammyandjustplainbad.blogspot.com/2010/11/free-domains-free-personalized-email.html
http://freedealsscammyandjustplainbad.blogspot.com/2010/11/free-business-cards-scam.html
But, in a nutshell, here is the conclusion, a conclusion you should try to always keep in mind:
GENERAL MARKETING (and LIFE) LAW Nr 1:
If it sounds too good to be true, as a rule, it usually is.
In other words, if you fall for it, *you* are going to get screwed! One way or another.
This by the way also addresses the reason why we will include commercial resources here as well, as long as they are cost-effective and at the lowest-possible cost for a given level of service or value. Because in the end, they are simply cheaper than many 'free' offers. The classic example for that is 'free' business cards. You can find the reasoning about that kind of offers here:
This being said, there are truly no costs alternatives to many resources we take for granted we have to pay for. The most evident example of that is operating systems: There is absolutely no need to use Windows, if in fact you can use free alternative Linux-Ubuntu. Which nowadays even allows you to run Windows programs, and from a desktop screen that has the familiar look and feel.
[ More Coming... ]
ALWAYS REMEMBER - A WORD TO THE WISE
ADnPR Sacred RULE Nr 1 : Advertising, promotional or marketing expenses are usually meant to bring in more than they cost to implement.
This rule should also to some extent be valid for Public Relations expenses.
So, unless you are doing missionary work on the Congregation's penny; or are spending govern-ment grant money as fast as you can; or have a large trust fund - money truly being no object...
never, NEVER spend your money on anything (and particularly NOT on methods that promise you instant wealth!), UNLESS you feel reasonably certain that the product or service will
PAY FOR ITSELF IN A REASONABLY SHORT TIMESPAN!
