As you build your company presence, both online and off, you probably have already been approached by a company with an offer for a new service that seems to address a real need, but in fact, can actually do you more harm than good.

Some Things You Should Never Pay For:

#1 - Advertising you can't account for or measure
Advertising only works if it's the right message, presented at the exact right time, to the exact right audience. There are so many variables at play here that the only way to get your bang for the buck is to measure real results, in almost real time. Advertising without accountability is like playing roulette with your money. -- Don't do it unless you are sure of what you are doing!

#2 - Referrals
Getting referrals is an important part of your marketing, but when you pay customers for referrals you change the relationship from a social to a financial one and that changes the dynamic in ways that won't last long-term and can be easily misunderstood.

The proper motivation for a referral is the lending of trust in an effort to help either the company receiving the referral or the individual being referred. That's not to say that you shouldn't use creative incentives to keep referrals top of mind, it's just that if you provide something of value, you shouldn't have to bribe people to share.

#3 - Reviews of your business
Online reviews carry increasing weight, especially in the information gathering routine of prospects.
Search engines also pay attention to these reviews. Because of that, smart marketers are paying more attention to reviews and paying more attention to stimulating written reviews from happy customers.

So, it should come as no surprise that enterprising snake oil types are offering reviews for fee services that can get your business favorably reviewed by professional Yelp and Google Places review accounts located right there in your town.

On top of being dishonest, my guess is that paying for these reviews may actually get some businesses banned from review participation. Put the work in and make reviews an authentic arm of your message.

Speaking of mistakes, John Braun has just published two short video's that are really worth your time to sit down and take notes. Check out these video's

mistake 6-10