Profile Spamming - What's it get 'ya .... really?

[Andrea Goodsaid]

Morning everybody :)

Wellll ... we've had our first real (thorough) profile spammer roll through here. Feel free to delete the comment yourself. I started to go through and delete them, but then I decided it's not my job or place - I don't wanna play content cop.

But it does bring up the topic of profile spamming and this I appreciate.

On many other sites and communities, commenting on other people's profiles and walls, etc .. is a common practice.

I don't quite get it personally.

Who are we really attracting when we do that? My thinking says just the clueless masses ...

And more importantly ... and really not measurable ...

Who are we repelling?

I know what it does for me (in other places) is flag that person as 'not for me' ... but not much else.

When they land here, I guess I feel like there must be a reason for it .. so I'm willing to spend a little more time getting to know them if they want to go there.

It's the perfect example of the Law of Attraction in action in marketing though eh? It's always working -- just in this case, not in favor.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this topic and how you'd like to handle future spammers ... 'cause we're only gonna get bigger.

I posted on his comment wall to please remove his video from mine. It took him some time to do ... it should take him some time to un-do. I suppose a public "I'm sorry I didn't understand this community yet" might short cut that ;-)

Appreciate you guys!

Make it a great day,
Andrea

[Andrea Goodsaid]

Pretty sure he 'could have' known better if he wanted to -- not a newbie.

But I don't want to focus on him in particular.

Totally agree that SPAM is here to stay and realize that it's a pain. This community is in place to be a public arena for all of us to mix, mingle and connect as we're attracted to. Making it a moderated community is not in the plans...

I think we're all pretty clear that the delete button is a handy thing and the more we set the tone here individually, the better.

Couple of things under your control ...

As was already pointed out, you can set moderation personally on both your comments and also your blogs.

The other thing you can do is remove people from your friends when the private message stuff you don' want to be bothered with (and get picky about who you 'befriend').

Nothing perfect about it, but the point is to have a 'better that typical' place to hook up with others who want to get to know us and see where value can be offered.

As I said when this first came online, this community will be whatever we (all of us) make of it ...

GREAT dialog on this btw -- and you wanna hear something really doofy?

I made the mistake of sending notice of this through the "share" button on the bottom of the thread ... and I got a SPAM complaint myself 'cause it went to friends ACROSS NING - lol.

So there 'ya go. One person's spam is another person's important conversation -- OY !!

Appreciate all of you!

Andrea :)

[hudsonliberty]

Thank you for your comment.

[hudsonliberty]

I feel it a way of weeding out the interested from the non interested. What is the objective of advertisement to get your message out. It's about getting your brand seen. Clue-masses are important for two very important reasons.

1. They have and spend money.
2. By being a mass they are numerous.

I don't need to have a relationship with everyone a social networking site. I do need to have everyone on a site see the invitation to the product. Also it is for the people who visit the site placing comments. They see it and get exposed and get curious. The whole anti-spam movement is really myopic. I appreciate you attitude. In marketing getting to a buy second is minimal.

People forget. You already had friends offline who didn't buy from you. Why would you think that making a friend online would improve the chances of them buying for you. That's the whole premise behind Adsense and banner adds. They make impressions and are ubiquitous.

Most people join DirectMatches, Yuwie via a comment, note, forum "spam".

It is better to offend and ask for Pardon, than to starve to death do to inaction. Results are what count. I get paid to do what I do and so I do it to the best of my ability.

I really don't target "GURU's" or the "Enlightened Elite" because they are just interested in selling and pushing their own products. They tell you want you want to hear, they give you wonderful stories, but few actually offer solutions except for spend money and meditate.

Clarence Coggins
Crown Prince of Web 2.0

[Andrea Goodsaid]

I guess I have to ask you more clearly to respect this particular community then.

We do not post uninvited ads on each others profiles here.

There' s more than one way to skin Web 2.0 ;-)

Andrea

[hudsonliberty]

Thank you for your input.

[Elizabeth Dunphy]

Interesting what you see as social networking. It certainly is a different take; clearly business driven. Hows the saying go "you lost me at hello". No, wait, it's "you had me at hello". This didn't happen because you never gave me an opportunity to get to know you, only your business opportunity. Your approach has repelled me from you and your business opportunity not attracted me. So, whos really winning here?
Adding value first provides better attraction.
Just my take,
E.

[Andrea Goodsaid]

See E -

I don't actually think there's anything wrong with being business driven -- the problem with Clarence's approach from my perspective is more about what you're saying here re. not having a feel for who he is or whether you even want to be associated (clearly not unless a whole different approach were to be adopted).

There's an old line that applies to everyone in the world (except perhaps those who program hop and buy into hype - one-off sales types ...)


"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care"

And this "ask forgiveness later" thing ... I'm okay with that when you're doing it in a transparent and mischievous/playful way -- and you've already made a connection with the person - you can take liberties *sometimes*.

But the manner in which he approached all of us here was strictly "what's in it for him" driven and that's the difference here... no effort what-so-ever to practice "permission marketing", build a relationship, provide value, understand what a given market is wanting ... etc ... (know I'm preaching to the choir here).

Attraction marketing is a slower build and that's what stops folks like Clarence from embracing it.

In this instance I think the ones who win are the ones who can take the experience and gain clarity ...

Ironically, I happen to think that Leads Leap (one of the things he started a forum thread on - should probably add my link over there - lol) has potential for some of us advertising wise -- BUT I found another link to use ... someone I'm not all that familiar with, but who is more "like me" in their advertising and marketing approach.

Funny how things turn out ;-)

Andrea

[hudsonliberty]

I'm glad you don't pay my bills.

[Trina Gentry]

That's a good point about choosing your sponsor in programs ~ I've lived and learned that having a sponsor that you like and feel good about can help make or break your success in any venture. It's definitely a shop around situation.

I, too, have gotten those recorded messages on my machine or spam in my inbox that piqued my interest, but I always end up looking for someone who markets and works in ways that I support.

Trina

[hudsonliberty]

It's not the Sponsor. It what you do with what God gave you to work with. Your sponsor can't make or break you. It's up you and the decisions you make.

Thank you for your comment

[Trina Gentry]

Yes, it's always up to the individual to do the real work, make the connections, etc. The sponsor doesn't do that.

But who inspires you, where do you learn from? People converge in communities for support and education from one another. If you don't like the person you are connected to, what good is that? And most everyone does better if they have some guidelines to follow, a system.

If you'd like to relate it secularly - why do people choose certain faiths or specific churches within that faith? They are all dealing with god, so what's the difference? It's because they follow the person who inspires them - the ministor, pastor, priest, the congregation that makes them feel welcome and inviting, the nuances within that group, their niche-specific beliefs.

[hudsonliberty]

Thank you for your input.