In addition to substantiating claims before making them, be careful not to make untrue or deceptive claims. Certain types of claims should be avoided altogether, including:
* never claim that you have a cure for anything - not even large drug companies with products that have been the subject of years of testing will make such a claim, so you shouldn't either;
* never specify a level of revenue or profits that a user will achieve, even if you or another purchaser has achieved a specific level of revenue or profits - remember the old cliche, "your mileage may vary";
* never promise specific results - again "your mileage may vary".
The FTC has special rules governing any use of the term "FREE" (or similar words to that effect), which the FTC believes is frequently used in an untrue or deceptive way.
Similar words to "free" include:
* Buy 1-Get 1 Free; * 2 for 1 Sale; and * 50% off with the purchase of 2.
According to the FTC: "[t]he public understands that, except in the case of introductory offers in connection with the sale of a product or service, an offer of 'Free' merchandise or service is based upon a regular price for the merchandise or service which must be purchased by consumers in order to avail themselves of that which is represented to be 'Free'. In other words, when the purchaser is told that an article is 'Free' to him if another article is purchased, the word 'Free' indicates that he is paying nothing for that article and no more than the regular price for the other. Thus, a purchaser has a right to believe that the merchant will not directly and immediately recover, in whole or in part, the cost of the free merchandise or service by marking up the price of the article which must be purchased, by the substitution of inferior merchandise or service, or otherwise."
Conclusion
In summary, be aware that what you say in your marketing copy is heavily regulated. You need to be careful not only to substantiate ad claims before you post them to your site, but also use certain key terms with great care so as not to mislead or deceive consumers.
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