If It's Too Good To Be True- It Probably Is

As I get older I think back with a little humor about some of the things my  grandparents would say.  What I perceived when I was younger as just being  ornery was actually wisdom.  So much of that wisdom came from the experiences in life.  From working hard and making mistakes along the way to making sure their families were taken care of and raising children to be responsible adults.  Any way I could probably write a book on what I learned from my grandparents and parents.

My point is that the one saying I remember was "I'm getting too old for this... (whatever it was that we happen to be doing)".  But now that I'm watching the world get younger around me I understand that saying.  Not that I'm "wise" but I do understand.  This brings me to the topic of this article- do you get a plethora of spam calls, text messages, emails and more?   

We live in a fast paced, technology driven world right now.  It's getting faster by the day and each day brings newer technology.  How do we keep up as a business owner?  The spammers are on top of the newest technology and use it to their advantage.  They use local phone numbers and to try and scheme their way into your personal or business information.   If successful these people can get access into your bank accounts, personally identifiable information and more.

A latest example of such a scheme  is through the use of text messaging.  The scammer sends a text message that invites recipients to click on a link to a website where they can buy shirts with the local police department.  According to an article recently posted by ASI Central of text spamming/scams: “Scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information – things like your password, account number, or Social Security number. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers.”

As a locally owned digital marketing agency I  felt this was a great time to share things you should consider before making any decisions about purchases, etc for your business.  Especially when it comes to digital marketing.  If an unrecognized business tells you something that seems "too good to be true..... well it probably is". 

We Have An Opening For A Top Google Position

Hang up as fast as you can and block the phone number (Although they use different phone numbers).   Ranking on Google requires a great SEO plan.  While it may be easier than you think to rank high on Google pretty quickly there are a number of factors that come into play.  There is no such thing as "an opening has become available"

Your Google listing is in danger of being suspended or removed

Google will not call you about your listing unless they need verification or details about your listing.  If you want to stay on top of the latest scams listed with the FTC- check this out.     https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/05/google-not-calling-you

Whether you believe a call, email or text is legitimate or not always consider this before moving forward:

1. Ask for references and check them out.
2. Don't commit to anything without seeing all of the details- if you don't understand the details get someone to help you.
3. Always have an exit strategy and a legitimate company should give you the ability to cancel any plan that is not working within a reasonable amount of time.
4. Ask tough questions like "what can I expect from you in the next ### months/ weeks?"   "how much traffic/calls, etc can I expect from your work?"
5. Use LOCAL agencies or businesses when you can.