Lucid Guys on Internet Marketing #11 – Legal
Part 11 in a series of Internet Marketing videos featuring David Congreave and his assistant Beth Rudkin. This week David discusses legal compliance for online businesses.
To ask David and Beth an Internet Marketing question, send an email to video@davidcongreave.com
http://www.TheLucidGuys.com/legal
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BETHANY
Hi, I’m Bethany Rudkin, and this is my “boss,” David Congreave.
DAVID
What’s with the rabbit ears?
BETHANY
Rabbit ears.
DAVID
Yes, the “rabbit ears.”
BETHANY
They’re inverted commas. They indicate that the word I used is the name of the object, but doesn’t also imply an accurate description.
DAVID
And you did that with the word “boss”?
BETHANY
Yes. In terms of job description, technically you’re my “boss”, but in reality you’re not really the boss of me.
DAVID
Riiight. Very funny. So I suppose I could say you’re my “assistant”, because your job title is assistant, but the amount of actual assisting you do is virtually nil.
DAVID
While Bethany is contemplating the futility of her existence, let me tell you a true story about an online business owner in Australia. He had some US customers who were unhappy with the way he conducted his business and they complained to the authorities. The consequence was that this man was extradited to the United States and is now serving a prison sentence.
BETHANY
He must have done something pretty serious.
DAVID
Well, yes, the chances of that happening to you are slim, but if you’re going to do business with US residents and you want to minimise the risk to yourself and your business, you must be…?
BETHANY
Compliant.
DAVID
Correct. You need to have some professionally written terms and conditions, privacy policy and so on. There’s no way of making yourself completely bulletproof, but as long as you’re clearly making a concerted effort to be compliant, then you can leave the authorities to go after the people who think online business is a hobby, and aren’t even trying to be compliant.
BETHANY
It sounds complicated though.
DAVID
Well it’s not something you can write yourself, you need a qualified Internet lawyer to write these for you.
BETHANY
And that sounds expensive.
DAVID
Yes, hiring a lawyer is always expensive, but if you can’t afford that, there is an excellent alternative available from an Internet lawyer called Mike Young. He’s put together a collection of ten legal documents. All you have to do is enter your details into his software, and it creates ten customised pages of legalese that you can just paste onto your website. It covers things like terms and conditions, privacy policy, disclaimers, refund policy, and so on.
BETHANY
That sounds great – do we use that?
DAVID
Absolutely, we do. To get this for yourself does require an outlay, but for the peace of mind it gives you, and the protection it affords you and your business, it’s well worth it. Just go to thelucidguys.com/legal for more details.
BETHANY
That’s thelucidguys.com/legal
DAVID
Yes, thank you.
BETHANY
See, I helped.
DAVID
Erm, yes.
BETHANY
So I “assisted” you.
DAVID
Yes, well done. Keep it up and we’ll have to sort you out some kind of “wage”.
BETHANY’s eyes light up
Promise?
DAVID
I “promise”.
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