As consumers, we hope there is someone look- ing out for us. The government regulates financial services, healthcare for retirees, anda myriad of other industries. Within this regulation, business looks to survive, and, hopefully, thrive. Regulators attempt to create a set of rules to curtail misinformation and protect their constituents. The current administration stated if a new regulation was to be enacted, two must be removed. As a small business owner (yes at $50,000,000 in revenue we are still a small business), that sounds good to me!

Marketers attempt to understand the rules set forth by the regulators and bring their products and services to market. Sometimes marketing organizations are disguised as National Lobbyist groups like AARP and AMAC. Sometimes they are focused on a narrow group of people, like the active and retired military, like USAA. Sometimes they are a travel agency with a famous auto towing service, AAA. Each of these national in-scope organizations are focused on making money by providing real or perceived value.

Sergio Zymon, the famous marketing genius who created “the NEW Coke” in the 1980s stated the following “The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more product to more people, more often and at higher prices.” Hmmm… Do you ever get any mail from any of these organizations??? One of the groups above has actually been accused of the same aggressive marketing tactics that it is supposedly working to protect its members from. Hint: you have to be over age 50 to join; talk about calling the kettle black.

Some of these groups imply they are working in your best interest but actually have no fiduciary responsibility. It’s just marketing. Protect yourself by asking good questions or find someone who will share all the research on every choice, in writing, before you buy something.

Buyer Beware!