Drewcipher
Premium Member
This is offered as constructive criticism, not an attack. NSF wants to be treated as a reputable dealer. IMO you first need to act as one. I am not going to speak about your product at all, but if you want to run a business you need to address the concerns of your potential customers, even if they are a bit "enthusiastic" at times.
I completely understand your desire to keep your product ingredients proprietary, that is your choice. Those of us who don't wish to add unknown things to our tanks don't have to. Those that don't mind can. There will always be some griping about the ingredients in any product, even if 1000 people come on board and say it works great. As a business owner you must understand that your business practices will antagonize someone sometime, but they are your practices and your choices.
Now, what can you do? Well, first off, fix the testimonials. You claimed they were mistakes by the webmaster, fine, fix them. Sure they might just be typos, but understand that your failure to address this item simply added fuel to the fire. As the original posts were found in a couple of cases, it should be very easy to rectify.
Next, think before you post defensively. You comment that you wish you could tell us some users of your products. You say you have some "Big Boys" Here again, the Internet is a great resource, but as we all know from getting email, there are alot of scams too. Consider us skeptical of unspecific claims. Instead, if you truly have these "Big Boys" and they are happy, then make a deal with them to give a public testimonial, and put the biggest and best at the top of your list. If they refuse to give, then best not to allude to them at all. Again, adding fuel to the fire. If they won't give a testimonial then we are left to assume (rightly or wrongly, some companies simply don't want to get caught up in it) they don't like your product.
If you react to customers questions in a timely and courteous manner (btw everyone has mentioned you are very plesant to deal with) that will go a long way towards establishing a reputation as reputable. It's funny, but in this respect, in some ways, your reaction to peoples questions or comments, deserved or not, can actually be more important at this time than if your product actually works or not. There are enough people in the hobby that that question will be answered eventually.
We all want to believe in you. You offer something that is undeniably awesome, but you need to do a little more than you are to help us. In the abscence of an ingredient list, you need to have something more than suspect testimonials. Test results performed by an independent party would be best, but whatever tests were done during development would be something. Be prepared for questions from some very smart people though. Not to imply you would post false data, but to warn you that if you do post some test reults, before you do something so simple as to fix the typos in the testimonials(which are all suspiciously misleading in your favor) then your posted results will be looked on with increased skepticism.
I love the idea of a non disclosure agreement with someone on this board, though I am unsure as to whether or not anyone would be available to do it, but it could go a long way towards future sales if you could get a Randy Holmes Farley or someone similar in your corner.
I wish you well and hope that your product is proven to work.
I completely understand your desire to keep your product ingredients proprietary, that is your choice. Those of us who don't wish to add unknown things to our tanks don't have to. Those that don't mind can. There will always be some griping about the ingredients in any product, even if 1000 people come on board and say it works great. As a business owner you must understand that your business practices will antagonize someone sometime, but they are your practices and your choices.
Now, what can you do? Well, first off, fix the testimonials. You claimed they were mistakes by the webmaster, fine, fix them. Sure they might just be typos, but understand that your failure to address this item simply added fuel to the fire. As the original posts were found in a couple of cases, it should be very easy to rectify.
Next, think before you post defensively. You comment that you wish you could tell us some users of your products. You say you have some "Big Boys" Here again, the Internet is a great resource, but as we all know from getting email, there are alot of scams too. Consider us skeptical of unspecific claims. Instead, if you truly have these "Big Boys" and they are happy, then make a deal with them to give a public testimonial, and put the biggest and best at the top of your list. If they refuse to give, then best not to allude to them at all. Again, adding fuel to the fire. If they won't give a testimonial then we are left to assume (rightly or wrongly, some companies simply don't want to get caught up in it) they don't like your product.
If you react to customers questions in a timely and courteous manner (btw everyone has mentioned you are very plesant to deal with) that will go a long way towards establishing a reputation as reputable. It's funny, but in this respect, in some ways, your reaction to peoples questions or comments, deserved or not, can actually be more important at this time than if your product actually works or not. There are enough people in the hobby that that question will be answered eventually.
We all want to believe in you. You offer something that is undeniably awesome, but you need to do a little more than you are to help us. In the abscence of an ingredient list, you need to have something more than suspect testimonials. Test results performed by an independent party would be best, but whatever tests were done during development would be something. Be prepared for questions from some very smart people though. Not to imply you would post false data, but to warn you that if you do post some test reults, before you do something so simple as to fix the typos in the testimonials(which are all suspiciously misleading in your favor) then your posted results will be looked on with increased skepticism.
I love the idea of a non disclosure agreement with someone on this board, though I am unsure as to whether or not anyone would be available to do it, but it could go a long way towards future sales if you could get a Randy Holmes Farley or someone similar in your corner.
I wish you well and hope that your product is proven to work.
That's the sort of kindness that is so inspiring 
