IKS139: Nobleman's Marketing

May 2011. My laptop crashed. It was a common error for windows laptops at the time - the blue screen of death. When that happens, there's a good chance you'll have to replace your hard drive or graphics card. And I wasn't looking forward to the bill. But I had to get it fixed because at the time I was trying to build my list building empire through blogging. And I needed a laptop to write articles. I deposited my laptop with the technician earlier that day. When I came by to pick it up we got chatting and he asked what I do. I told him about my blogging ventures, how I used forum marketing to drive traffic to the blog and how I was building a following on Twitter. His response was a cliche "oh, you're one of those spammer a-holes who market products on forums!" I didn't appreciate being labeled a spammer. No one would, I guess. We got into a 40 minute argument about spamming. It was no use changing this dude's mind. Fast forward 4 years later. I met him in our local bar "Muza." We only got one bar in town, so it's hard to NOT see each other on Friday night. He approached me and asked if he could buy me a beer. I said he could buy me a soda, because I don't drink and I was only in a bar because my friends like the place. We got talking and he went on to tell me about how he followed me online, appreciated what I've done and how I've helped people and even asked me to teach him my unruly ways. My point: What he once thought was spamming was now becoming a noble profession to him. Which begs a question - how do you respond to someone who shames you for being a marketer? How do you FEEL about marketing info products and business opportunities? Are you proud or guilty to sell? Here's my take on the philosophical and moral argument of marketing and selling.