I am taking this topic very literally today. I would ask you all, to do the very same. Always stop and LOOK, WHO’S TALKING???
This is for all the consumers, who are on receiving end, be it for knowledge, information, services or products. Always
🔮check the credibility of the source,
🔮check the authenticity of the author,
🔮check the genuineness of the service provider.
Doing these above mentioned acts, is very 👌🏼important if the connection between you and the provider is only virtual. To attain this, you will have to
🔍 ASK – ❓❓❓Ask about the credibility from the person at the providing end, 📃ask for qualifications, ask for experience, ask for references.
🔍 CROSS CHECK-♻ Cross check all the information provided by the original source, by searching on net, by asking around, by contacting the references.
🔍 CHECK WHO ARE THEY WORKING FOR -👬 Do check out, if the person you are about to connect to, is working for or with a group of professionals. A person is surely known by the company he keeps. Dubious names or people should be avoided.
🔍 CHECK IF THEY ARE SPONSORED -🤑💰 Various companies hire original professionals to write about their products, or they sponsor that professional’s programs. If this is the case, then don’t be very sure about the authenticity of the information.
Now a few DON’T, that you should follow too..
⚔ DON’T GIVE BENEFIT OF DOUBT – Don’t just give the benefit of doubt if you find some loopholes in the information📋. Don’t think of it as “just an error” .
⚔ DON’T THINK THAT IF THEY ARE GOOD AT ONE THING, THEY ARE GOOD AT ALL – I can be good at my field of expertise, that is, food, diet and nutrition🍑🍱🍽📚, but this doesn’t mean I will be good at make up skills💄💅🏼 or skin treatments, as I am qualified and registered for the first but not the second.
⚔ DON’T THINK A LONG-TIME USER BECOMES AUTHORITY- If someone has been using a specific product or service for a long time, or if they have benefited from some product or program or plan, it does not entitle them to speak as a qualified professional about it. It’s biggest example is present in form of weight loss 📝plans, people who loose a single pound, by following something, find themselves authorized to promote their experience as their expertise. I would just say, if you want to get your leaking faucet repaired, will you just let anyone handle🔧 it, based on the fact that the person is a user of the same type of faucet from years, or will you be looking for a plumber??
I have 🗒written this article with my field specifically in my mind, but this also applies to all the other people, things and professions which are active on the Internet and are engaging millions of people, correctly or wrongfully.
So, be careful for yourself, your family and also beware while just forwarding the already forwarded information. We are responsible for our acts and we should practice this responsibility.
Mariam Khan, RDN
Diet and Nutrition Coach
