Exhibit A MARKETING GUIDELINES
Anyone certified by the Company is required to implement best practices when marketing the Program so that the chance of a deceptive marketing claim is minimized. These guidelines are offered as a courtesy and a starting point for your own research about marketing claims. You are also encouraged to retain legal counsel to advise you.
What is a marketing message? Any website copy, Facebook post, Facebook group interaction, webinar presentation, guest post, or advertisement is a marketing message if it would be considered by a consumer in making a purchasing decision. If you are not sure if a statement is a marketing message, think of the statement in the opposite form and ask yourself if making the opposite statement would negatively impact the desirability of the product. If so, it is a marketing message.
There are two types of marketing messages: Express Promises and Implied Promises.
Never make an Express Promise. These often contain words like “You will [achieve some result]” or “We promise [a specific outcome].” You cannot guarantee an outcome because many factors come into play which are out of your control.
Implied Promises do not promise results, but do suggest what results could be possible.
You may use Implied Promises in marketing the Program if they meet three qualifications:
1. 100% truthful (to the penny or pound) and not exaggerated (for example, failing to clarify that the figures are gross, rather than net revenue).
Desirable results sell, and anything that influences a purchasing decision is a marketing message.
2. Not misleading or unfair.
Your statements must tell the whole truth, not the “truth by omission” or a statement that is only “technically” truthful. Do not make statements about earnings if they were not directly related to the implementation of the Program.
3. Evidence based. That means proof!
You cannot make any statement that you do not have evidence to back up, whether through screenshots, emails, or otherwise. It can be tempting to use any result as support for a particular program’s results, but this is not based on evidence. Don’t use it!
Remember: Implied promises are in the eye of the beholder. You want to be sure that all of the necessary information is present to make your marketing messages truthful and not misleading, because your potential clients may make a purchasing decision even if you did not mean to imply a promise about results.