I was appalled when I read an article published in BC Business Magazine entitled Fake It to Make It by Niko Bell. I found the fact this was the ‘featured’ article in the Marketing section of the magazine to be somewhat curious. Giving earned media to Gravytrain Marketing, a company whose entire business is built on deceit and lies makes me sick to my stomach.

The company’s specialty is to use guest blogging and content marketing to help their clients attract and engage with their potential customers; inherently an excellent idea. The WHAT of what they are doing is good, it’s the HOW of what these folks are doing that myself and any other marketer worth their salt would have a problem with. Gravytrain writes and distributes content with bylines using fake names, written by people claiming to be experts who are clearly not, with content that is written for search engines and not for real people.

At least the founder of this company is bold enough to tell the truth and provide full disclosure about his business; I am certain there will be lots of businesses signing up for his services.

Buyers beware: do your due diligence when hiring marketing partners to help you elevate your business. Don’t align yourself with people who lack integrity, don’t share your values and who don’t follow good marketing practices.

You are who your friends are.

In this digital age our brand reputation is a bigger part of our business’ assets than ever before. We can’t afford to let it be endangered by shoddy business practices.

Read more about protecting your brand reputation.