New Approach Marketing

[Marq]

I had a call from a business owner in Pietermartizburg running a similar operation to mine.

He has been contacted by a company called 'New Approach Marketing' who have hounded him with many calls in relation to his website and the SEO thereon over the past few days.

The reason that he called me and the reason this is posted here on the scam section is that they have used my website as a reference site. Apparently, the reason my site is so high up on the Google rankings is thanks to them.

Now I am most flattered that they believe this to be great and want to take the credit and steal my thunder, but I do not like being used along these lines. They apparently charge R1400 a month - which is also a scam in itself.

They also state that they are a 'google certified company' - There does not appear to be anything like this out there - does anybody know about this?
Related to this could be 'google adspend certified' which is just some criteria that google reflect based on adspend in the country that you are operating - easy to obtain and does not mean much. It seems though that you have to do at least $100,000 a month for at least a three month cycle in the country that you operate from. Do you think that any 'company' in south africa could actually achieve this? I don't know the answers as there do not appear to be any out there. Neither is there a list of 'certified' companies or individuals. Strange that a company like google with all its information cannot provide the basic need to know list. google-adwords-qualified-company-fraud-or-not/.

[Dave A]

Sounds similar to a few calls I've received myself from companies punting an adwords solution for performing in search. I even got one in to do a presentation.

They were guaranteeing 1000 clicks per month at a cost of R1400.00. I whipped out my Adwords research tool and figured I could do that myself for an estimated R250.00.

So what are you going to do about their BS claim that they SEO'd your site?

[Marq]

I don't know that I can do anything. It is hearsay at the moment and they just have to say that they used my site as an example of what they could do for their potential client and he misinterpreted their sales story.

Another sad case of exploiting the unteched sheeple.

Or I could build an anti 'New approach Marketing' site with their own keywords therein, call them up and and let them sell me their click away bs seo scenario and ...ok flaw in the plan..mmm..I might have to pay for their demise.
But it may be fun watching them click their way into oblivion.

[daveob]

Hey, how about a nice bright red banner across the top of your site, along the lines of :

SCAM ALERT !!! SEO Claims for this site, by Approach Marketing, are FALSE.


Should get them to leave you alone.

[daveob]

ps ... why not e-mail them and ask for a list of sites that they have done successful SEO for.

At least then if your site is listed, you have something "in writing" to slap them with.

[Dave A]

Hey, how about a nice bright red banner across the top of your site, along the lines of :

SCAM ALERT !!! SEO Claims for this site, by Approach Marketing, are FALSE.

I'm not so sure about this. Now you'd be giving them brand exposure and distracting visitors from the real purpose of your website.

[Jack Dee]

Google Certified Companies

.......They also state that they are a 'google certified company' - There does not appear to be anything like this out there - does anybody know about this?

I have done a bit of digging, as I have heard the term 'Google Certified Company' before - which you say New Approach Marketing are claiming to be.

There actually is such a thing, and info about it can be found here -
http://imod.co.za/2009/06/22/how-to-...tified-company and here

https://adwords.google.com/professionals/?hl=en_GB

Also, a couple of the people at New Approach Marketing are actually listed on Googles website as being Google Advertising Professionals. You can check there here - https://adwords.google.com/professio...20963&hl=en_GB

Now I don't like scams etc, but I doubt that these guys would be able to hack into Googles website and list themselves as certified Google professionals.

[Dave A]

Yeah - I did a search on New Approach Marketing. I think there's little doubt that these folk can sell Google ads, unless the reputation is built on the back of the UK business. But did you follow Marq's link in the first post? It's not that simple.

And it doesn't change the fact that somehow the PMB business owner was left with the wrong impression.

[tec0]

I am reminded of a scam that happened in 1982 where a bunch of people will make you a stockholder in something and provide you with overwhelming evidence that they are who they say they are.

If I recall correctly they were registered stockbrokers and all the credentials seemed in order. I think the main person behind the scam is still in Texas “United States” and his son still in prison. “His son’s imprisonment has nothing to do with the scam”

See the scam was not the stock or the amount of money you can make. It was all about the benefits you paid for. A guarantee if you will, when it comes to profit. Basically what they would say is “if you take out “insurance” on your stock then we will provide you with “inside information” thus you sell your stock and maintain profit while the other investors take the fall. It was a load of BS actually but they got away with it.

My advice is: Be careful.

[Marq]

Had a call last week from these guys offering me their services.

Well spoken fast talking Englishman. Got the Google thing mentioned and off he went on a sales spiel. Basically selling adwords at the end of the day although he made it sound like I was getting a brand new business and web site and anybody not familiar with this stuff would have been lost.

So I asked him for reference sites.......he ignored me and carried on..bla bla
So I asked him about the google certification thing.....he started to explain what seo experts they were but when I asked ....isnt the google thing thing to do with adwords only? ..he started to exit the interview and back out, which was strange given that this was what he was selling. He thought I should think about it and will call back once I had done so.

Thinking back on the call - I have actually no idea what he was really selling. Smooth fast talking salespeople who try and baffle one with BS, tells me that it was not going to be a simple scenario or one that I would have benefited from. His call did not help change my opinion that these guys are operating on the fringe of BS and scam.

[tec0]

I think if you get Google involved in your suspicions things will get sorted. After all they are using Google’s name then connect whatever it is they are selling with Google. I get the feeling they are using Google’s as credential and thus people will get fooled. This is a dangerous game they are playing. Here is a sight that I hope will get you started. http//www.google.com/contact/

My suggestion is contact them and make them aware of this. After all you had “firsthand” experience thus I think you are probably the best person to report them.

[Jack Dee]

Google certified company

I think if you get Google involved in your suspicions things will get sorted. After all they are using Google’s name then connect whatever it is they are selling with Google.

So what you're saying then is that New Approach Marketing is in fact not a Google certified company?

Interesting. I'm curious then as to how they got their company name and that of two of their operatives listed on Google's own official website. Any suggestions?

I think their main product is Adwords and I know that there are no restrictions on who sells Adwords, but getting listed on Google's website as certified .......

[Dave A]

A very interesting landing page on that Adwords link.

Jack - for the New Approach Marketing SA site, maybe you could use the SA Google search centre rather than the UK one for that custom search. Just an idea...

[tec0]

Jack Dee

Don’t put words in my mouth!

After all they are using Google’s name then connect whatever it is they are selling with Google.

I am pointing out that they may be connecting services that is not completely covered by Google. By getting Google involved clarity can be given to the situation.

You just basically want to twist what I am saying into something bad and I dislike it when people do that.

[tec0]

One more thing Jack Dee.

If they have nothing to hide then this can be a good thing for them will it not?