I am on a mission to reform internet marketing. Fear based marketing seems to be so prevalent yet it truly gets under my skin. 2010 is my year to shift my focus to inspiration and positive based approaches.

If you listen to much of advertising, email marketing, and such (all things I completely believe in as effective marketing tools), you might notice that the underlying assumptions include scarcity, violence, competition, and fear. If you don’t “act now” you’ll lose – limited time offers, only an idiot would do nothing, if you don’t do this you will be beaten, use this software to annihilate your competition, install this plug in to keep you “safe”, etc. Many put countdown clocks and send emails with screaming ALL CAPS subject lines with urgent pleas for your money since your very existence as a entrepreneur is in peril. Hurry!! You’re in danger! Buy now or ELSE!

I find it all a bit tiring. If you ask these marketers why they do it, they inevitably say either “it works” or “it’s how it’s done.” Is that really a good enough reason? Can’t we move into this new decade with innovative tools and new approaches? Can we learn to sell without fear? What do you think?

I am doing all I can to find my own tendencies to include a scarcity and fear mentality in my approach and I’m tossing it. Want to join me? We could start a movement…