Fake blog, to flogging and wild west hair tonics

I was researching what makes blogs work, and what doesn't, and amazed to (although I don't know why) to see examples of larger corporations getting it wrong: see PSP, Walmart and Babyliss. I found that there is quite a lot said about the importance of being 'transparent' in your blogging. In other words honesty, avoiding deceit. Well this to me seemed obvious. Surely the first premise of doing business well, or being trusted by networks, face-to-face or online is being HONEST.

As soon as you lose someones trust or confidence you can forget it! Perhaps it is the cub scout influence, or my parents? There is one anecdote in particular which springs to mind on this subject from my own experience. Around about when I was 11 or 12, I visited a local department store and took a toy without paying.

It was a bouncy ball, probably worth about a pound. I wasn't caught, but found that the pang of guilt far outweighed the enjoyment of possessing something I hadn't earned. Having never stolen anything, it weighed heavy on me. So to put things right, I tried to secretly return the ball.

As irony would have it, I was caught red handed! The manager asked what I was doing, and in reply being very nervous spilled my guts. The manager happened to be dealing with a problem of internal employee theft. He said 'lad, if you're this honest, when your 16 come back and you can have a job!'.

The sin Walmart, Babybliss and PSP made is not a knew one, like most sins. But the analogy I think is most apt is the medicine men of the wild west, pitching hair loss tonics to unsuspecting victims. Some of the medicine men when caught came to very stick ends.

If you are interested, the following is from a blog on hair loss: an old remedy for hair loss, dating back to the wild west times:
Peach Tree

If the kernels be bruised and boiled in vinegar until they become thick and applied to the head, marvellously, make the hair grow again upon bald places or where it is too thin.
Culpepper 1653

If this works let me know because I am very interested....Mmmm.

If you tout something which is deceptive or dishonest in someway or just plain rubbish, you WILL be found out and ultimately its not good for business! So whether it is a blog, ad, profile, as the great philosopher Ali G would say; keep it real!