Santos Health Newsletter

The Santos june-july 2005 Newsletter Part three

Hello to you all ,

The Byron floods have passed and the town has dried out and we are back to normal business.

This is the third and last part of our mid-year newsletter we hope you enjoy this article which is a bit controversial and likely to stir up conversation in polite circles.

Multi-level Marketing

During the last few years people wanting to sell us new products, which appear to promise a great deal, have regularly approached us at Santos. Sometimes our customers offer these products to us and very often these promoter/customers exhibit great excitement, and show us glowing testimonials. Quite often these products are promoted using a multilevel marketing sales plan, which promise the agent huge profits if they can get others involved. However what we have noticed over the years is that these companies and their adherents quite often espouse a quasi-religious or evangelical approach much like a religious cult. They will usually involve cult type behaviours even though no one believes that they have been manipulated, but actions may suggest otherwise. They attempt to make us all converts (or patients) primarily using the stick of fear and the bait of greed. Many of their marketing ploys are dressed up as education.

Signs of a potentially evangelical company and of their agents....

1. The marketing is slick, usually filled with evangelising people saying “I have never used anything like this product in my life before”....etc The advertising language is loaded to appeal to people's insecurities and desires, often with an overt or covert fear of missing out on health or money if you don't follow up.
   
2. Accountability is usually slanted from the company's view, so the company is always right.
   
3. Little tolerance for questioning or critical inquiry.
   
4. The way to make it financially, socially, relationally and so on, is by relying on, and becoming one of us. Therefore the hidden or not so hidden message is that your life and the world is falling apart unless you use our products.
   
5. In the promo, successful agents recall that their life was not working until they took on the products of the company.
   
6. There is a hierarchical ladder of achievements and various levels to climb, depending on how quickly you can fill your down line with other converts. The emphasis is always on speed and getting others to join now! If not now, when? The company makes themselves appealing by being the nice guys. “We know that you're a sensible, smart person, and we want to help you succeed.” But a little more covert is, “If you don't join now after seeing this great presentation, what's wrong with you! How can we help you to make the right decision for your future security and your family's welfare?” As well as other psychological approaches in order to break down the prospect.
   
7. Individuals become focused on the company and on trying to make it work 24 hours a day. Identity can become lost in company jargon.
   
8. Followers tend to repeat the same-programmed storyline in an obsessive way
   .
9. There are company trainings and seminars in order to get new recruits or to reinforce the message and to rally the weaker, not so convinced.
   
10. The company promotes itself as the dispenser of the perfect system to make you successful, happy and financially independent. There is often a heavy emphasis on how financially successful the company is, or that it is in the fastest growing sector of the economy.
    
11. The company's agenda is beyond the individual's. Therefore the agent may avoid non-convinced friends and family, and may even defend the company in spite of alternate information, because of their conditioned allegiance.
    
12. There is the pressure of emotional manipulation and peer pressure, coupled with, that the opportunity is now! Take it whilst you have the chance!

In response to all of this, if someone offers something, which sounds like the above, then we advise caution.

The Byron Bay Shop Garden

After nearly 18 months of growth since moving the store to its new location, our Byron Bay store now has a very lush back garden. Our goal is to make it into a relaxing, sloooowed down haven, for both staff and customers, away from the stresses of even a busy Byron Bay lifestyle. And our Mullumbimby store has had a flourishing garden since we moved there. Over the years the Mullum garden has been greatly nourished with biodynamic manure. Customers are invited to sit and recharge in our gardens whenever you drop into either of our stores.

Our Santos shopper cards are still very much in demand by our loyal customers. Please ask our staff for a shoppers discount card when you shop with us.

The Byron store has introduced a software programme to help both customers and staff with their health decisions. Santos has been using the “Hyperhealth” programme in its backrooms for the past few years, and we have now decided to trial its use in the Byron shop front in order to give the public greater access to its large database. We welcome you to come and have a look, under the guidance of our qualified naturopaths.

Santos Shares for Sale

Yes we have some shares for sale. Please contact John our GM for details. He can be contacted personally if you see him in one of our shops or by telepathic conferencing or phoning 6684-3404.

Invisible Pet Competition,

On the first day of each new month all stores will be holding a "Bring in your favourite pet to be judged by the staff Competition".
Due to health regulations real pets are not allowed to compete.

Our Mullum and Byron stores now stock a range of yoga goods from the Yoga Warehouse. Come in and have a look at the yoga mats, bolsters, straps and so on.

Our compost-able nappies are definitely a hit with Mums and Dads and hopefully bubs like them too. They are available in a number of sizes.

Tins of organic beans, tomatoes and coconut milk and cream have been selling very well for quite some time. Come in for a bargain....they retail for only $2.50

Byron also has two new Naturopaths... Brett and Sally, both of whom used to work in our Mullumbimby store. They are replacing Toni, who was one of our Naturopaths in the Byron store for the last few years. Toni recently left us to live in France with her Aussie boyfriend Pete. We know that many are missing her warm, caring and knowledgeable presence.

Unfortunately we have noticed a growing number of people coming into our stores with cancer. Many people are understandably fearful and confused with which way to go with their healing choices and are faced with a huge learning curve. For those who choose an alternative approach we recommend looking at Walter Last's site which gives a fairly comprehensive list of cancer treatments.

www.alternativehealth.co.nz/cancer/diversity.htm

We at Santos wish all people much wellness and happiness.

PS. One-minute experiment

At some time the day after you read this message, try slowing down for just one minute. If you are driving, slow down a little. If you are walking, just walk a little slower. If you are talking, try talking slower or listening carefully for just a minute.. You might be surprised. (Taken from http://www.slowdown.org/