October 24, 2008 66 Comments

Facebook is NOT for Blind Email Marketing

I’m not a fan of the whole “fail!” thing, but that’s exactly what came to mind when I received this in my Facebook inbox:

facebook marketing

If this is what you think Facebook and social media tools are about, go back to school, son. Do I really have to educate on this post, or can you just read it, shake your head, and go back to making genuine connections?

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  • http://www.thefoush.com Rahaf

    Wow. I don’t know whether to be exasperated or just feel bad for people who just keep missing the point…

    R

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    Haha, “go back to school, son” – you sound just like my dad, Chris :)

    But yeah – some people just don’t “get it” at all – and they call themselves professionals…

  • http://www.thefoush.com Rahaf

    Wow. I don’t know whether to be exasperated or just feel bad for people who just keep missing the point…

    R

  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    Haha, “go back to school, son” – you sound just like my dad, Chris :)

    But yeah – some people just don’t “get it” at all – and they call themselves professionals…

  • http://michelemiller.blogs.com Michele Miller

    Can’t tell you how many people I’ve let in as Facebook friends, only to be bombarded with hooey like this. I used to give folks the benefit of the doubt and keep them on, but the stuff continues. Now, it’s the one-strike law in Michele Land! :-)

  • http://humidcity.com Loki

    Faceboook is becoming what MySpace was, an aggravation useful only because of its huge userbase. This is unconscionable.

  • http://www.joemanna.com/blog/ Joe

    Fail.

    Whenever a spammer does this, it totally gives marketers a bad reputation. This is the perfect way to burn relationships as well as look like a complete marketing newb. Srsly. Fail.

    ~Joe

  • http://www.bloggingroads.com Julie Roads

    Reading it was enough, no need for you to waste any more time!!! I do have an idea for Dad-o-matic, however…would love to chat…

  • http://michelemiller.blogs.com Michele Miller

    Can’t tell you how many people I’ve let in as Facebook friends, only to be bombarded with hooey like this. I used to give folks the benefit of the doubt and keep them on, but the stuff continues. Now, it’s the one-strike law in Michele Land! :-)

  • http://humidcity.com Loki

    Faceboook is becoming what MySpace was, an aggravation useful only because of its huge userbase. This is unconscionable.

  • http://www.joemanna.com/blog/ Joe

    Fail.

    Whenever a spammer does this, it totally gives marketers a bad reputation. This is the perfect way to burn relationships as well as look like a complete marketing newb. Srsly. Fail.

    ~Joe

  • http://www.bloggingroads.com Julie Roads

    Reading it was enough, no need for you to waste any more time!!! I do have an idea for Dad-o-matic, however…would love to chat…

  • http://www.thesunrisestoday.com Tim Jahn

    Head shaken, returned to making connections. :)

    Examples are always important though, so thanks for the example.

  • http://www.thesunrisestoday.com Tim Jahn

    Head shaken, returned to making connections. :)

    Examples are always important though, so thanks for the example.

  • http://www.businesschatt.com Jon Moss

    Does this mean I should cancel my mentoring subscription to John Carlton? ;)

    (old school copyright & marketing) + new social media = fail

  • http://www.businesschatt.com Jon Moss

    Does this mean I should cancel my mentoring subscription to John Carlton? ;)

    (old school copyright & marketing) + new social media = fail

  • http://www.newward.com/articles/?p=98 Melissa

    UGH! I love unfriending people after emails like that :(

  • http://www.fearlesscooking.tv Grace Piper

    Um. Ew. I will take your “fail”, and raise it to “Epic Fail” for the high Cheese factor.
    My favorite part is that he signs off as Million Dollar Mike.

  • http://www.newward.com/articles/?p=98 Melissa

    UGH! I love unfriending people after emails like that :(

  • http://www.fearlesscooking.tv Grace Piper

    Um. Ew. I will take your “fail”, and raise it to “Epic Fail” for the high Cheese factor.
    My favorite part is that he signs off as Million Dollar Mike.

  • Chris Lugo

    Guess permission goes out the window now. Fail, indeed.

  • Chris Lugo

    Guess permission goes out the window now. Fail, indeed.

  • http://thefuturebuzz.com Adam Singer

    Facebook/MySpace are not channels to market in at all unless you’ve built permission.

    I’ve been using them since the beginning and it has never been effective at that.

  • http://thefuturebuzz.com Adam Singer

    Facebook/MySpace are not channels to market in at all unless you’ve built permission.

    I’ve been using them since the beginning and it has never been effective at that.

  • http://shawnfarner.com Shawn Farner

    I would unfriend that guy in a hot second. It’s too bad – he could have built legit relationships through Facebook instead of dousing it with flames and striking a match.

  • http://www.whatuneedlocal.com Joe M

    Wow, some people just don’t get it! What is the value of blasting who knows how many people with useless crap.

    Reminds me of the many MLM people that have tried to tackle me at Borders. Seriously, get a clue people.

    Hopefully everyone on the list deleted and blocked the guy!

  • http://shawnfarner.com Shawn Farner

    I would unfriend that guy in a hot second. It’s too bad – he could have built legit relationships through Facebook instead of dousing it with flames and striking a match.

  • http://www.whatuneedlocal.com Joe M

    Wow, some people just don’t get it! What is the value of blasting who knows how many people with useless crap.

    Reminds me of the many MLM people that have tried to tackle me at Borders. Seriously, get a clue people.

    Hopefully everyone on the list deleted and blocked the guy!

  • http://technomarketer.typepad.com Matt Dickman

    Amen to this Chris. Also applies to Twitter and other micromedia where I get this a lot through private/direct messaging. That’s an immediate un-friend.

  • http://technomarketer.typepad.com Matt Dickman

    Amen to this Chris. Also applies to Twitter and other micromedia where I get this a lot through private/direct messaging. That’s an immediate un-friend.

  • http://Twitter.com/Ed Ed

    FAIL! Happened to me recently too, but not that badly.

    Expose the sender. Report them, etc.

  • http://primecutsblog.com Justin Levy

    You don’t need to educate on this post but I think you should take Million Dollar Mike to school with a reply on Facebook…..then of course, post here for all to read, comment and chuckle about!

  • http://Twitter.com/NextInstinct Ed Shaz/NextInstinct

    FAIL! Happened to me recently too, but not that badly.

    Expose the sender. Report them, etc.

  • http://primecutsblog.com Justin Levy

    You don’t need to educate on this post but I think you should take Million Dollar Mike to school with a reply on Facebook…..then of course, post here for all to read, comment and chuckle about!

  • Mary Danielsen

    I generally don’t friend anyone on Facebook unless I know you or you work in the housing industry. I do give people the benefit of the doubt, but I’ve been spammed by this junk too. And then there are always the people – men and women – who are just looking for a hook up. Heeeellooo, anyone at home upstairs? My kids are here. My cycling and cancer advocacy buddies are here. My boss is here. Get lost.

    I’m taking on Michelle’s law. One strike rule.

  • Mary Danielsen

    I generally don’t friend anyone on Facebook unless I know you or you work in the housing industry. I do give people the benefit of the doubt, but I’ve been spammed by this junk too. And then there are always the people – men and women – who are just looking for a hook up. Heeeellooo, anyone at home upstairs? My kids are here. My cycling and cancer advocacy buddies are here. My boss is here. Get lost.

    I’m taking on Michelle’s law. One strike rule.

  • http://www.bentleytolk.com Marketing for Attorneys

    Social media needs to be based on personal relationships, trust, and giving. Attorneys who try to use Facebook marketing in such a manner will be sorely frustrated.

    Bentley Tolk

  • http://www.bentleytolk.com Marketing for Attorneys

    Social media needs to be based on personal relationships, trust, and giving. Attorneys who try to use Facebook marketing in such a manner will be sorely frustrated.

    Bentley Tolk

  • http://www.remarkable-communication.com Sonia Simone

    Jon, I don’t agree at all that old school copywriting & new social media are a bad combo! They can be a fantastic pairing if they’re done in an intelligent way.

    Cluelessness, however, very very bad combination with new social media. Viral cluelessness just isn’t pretty.

  • http://www.remarkable-communication.com Sonia Simone

    Jon, I don’t agree at all that old school copywriting & new social media are a bad combo! They can be a fantastic pairing if they’re done in an intelligent way.

    Cluelessness, however, very very bad combination with new social media. Viral cluelessness just isn’t pretty.

  • http://majka.blogspot.com Jeff

    Yikes. Million Dollar Mike, eh? More like ten cent timmy.

  • http://majka.blogspot.com Jeff

    Yikes. Million Dollar Mike, eh? More like ten cent timmy.

  • http://snforassociationprofessionals.ning.com/profiles/blog/list Lynn Morton

    That’s ridiculous! Spamming someone doesn’t create a real connection or, more of what all SocMed marketers are after, real engagement. By using a social network to spam inboxes and promote your products or services, I think you violate what the social networks are about – a free and open exchange between real people. A mass email to me doesn’t equal real people unless I happen to know who sent it personally (there are some out there). My email inbox is crowded enough, don’t violate my social network.

  • http://snforassociationprofessionals.ning.com/profiles/blog/list Lynn Morton

    That’s ridiculous! Spamming someone doesn’t create a real connection or, more of what all SocMed marketers are after, real engagement. By using a social network to spam inboxes and promote your products or services, I think you violate what the social networks are about – a free and open exchange between real people. A mass email to me doesn’t equal real people unless I happen to know who sent it personally (there are some out there). My email inbox is crowded enough, don’t violate my social network.

  • http://highered.prblogs.org Andrew Careaga

    If ever there were a legit reason to shout “FAIL!” this would be it.

  • http://highered.prblogs.org/ Andrew Careaga

    If ever there were a legit reason to shout “FAIL!” this would be it.

  • http://www.coolmediaplacement.com Lisa K

    It seems like facebook has become a competition of who has more friends. I constantly get invites from people I don’t know “because I seem like a nice person”
    Ughhhh

  • http://www.coolmediaplacement.com Lisa K

    It seems like facebook has become a competition of who has more friends. I constantly get invites from people I don’t know “because I seem like a nice person”
    Ughhhh

  • http://www.work-from-home-job.com/blog Sarah Cook

    Thanks for writing this! I reserve my inbox for one-on-one conversations. To be honest, the first thing I do when i see a bulk message in my inbox is delete it. If it’s not addressed to me, I don’t even read it.

  • http://www.work-from-home-job.com/blog Sarah Cook

    Thanks for writing this! I reserve my inbox for one-on-one conversations. To be honest, the first thing I do when i see a bulk message in my inbox is delete it. If it’s not addressed to me, I don’t even read it.

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