Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 21:47:14 GMT
I have a few VERY good friends and/or family members who have gotten into "promoting" certain products within the past year or so. These include: Plexus, Visalus, Young Living, Mary Kay................................. The tough thing is that they don't create a professional page. Instead, they add this (almost) mindwashing crap down my throat every day. Sorry, but I don't care if you have a sale on your Mary Kay or YL stuff, or if you've "helped" 10 people by "promoting" your Visalus products........... They're all pyramid schemes, IMO and some have been sued for racketeering on top of that. I can smell a rat miles away. It almost seems like Scientology to me!! So, how do you keep in contact and keep reading about their normal lives without being deluged with their "promotional" crap??? I can't figure out how! I just offended a friend by telling her that I still don't understand the whole deal with Visalus (you ARE selling it; not "promoting" it!! And, I can't understand how it's been over 2 years and she's lost the same "67" lbs each time she posts before/after pics!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's nuts!). She's asked me to try it, and to also make $$ by "promoting" the effects of it, etc......., but I won't. She's forgetting that she also sent me the info on these products before she signed on, because she wanted my opinion of it (I didn't like it). Just sick of reading so many sales pitches under the guise of friends/family sharing their own happy stories of better health! Ugh. How do I limit these posts? If they were tagged with their product, it would be easy, but they never tag it! TIA!
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Post by freecharlie on May 24, 2015 21:49:25 GMT
Either you scroll past and ignore, you unfollow, or you unfriend them on facebook. They aren't going to change.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 21:50:33 GMT
Go to their page and click the "follow" button so it unfollows them. That way their stuff isn't showing up on your feed. You can choose "notify" and you'll get a notice when they post something (little globe on the taskbar right) You can check to see if it is something you want to look at or not.
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Post by cadoodlebug on May 24, 2015 21:54:30 GMT
I feel your pain. I have a former classmate selling some beauty regime and she's always posting amazing before and after photos of women who supposedly use the stuff. It is very expensive and I'm not interested. The funny thing is ~ her profile picture is amazing. I kept thinking she looks incredible. BUT then I saw some pictures someone tagged her in and realized her profile picture must be 20 years old. Yeah, sorry, your product isn't working THAT well.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 22:05:59 GMT
Thanks, everyone!! Volt: Good idea! That's what I'll do. I didn't want to stop getting updates on them entirely, so that's a great way to deal with it.
free: Thanks, as always!
ca: Haha! Yup, that's how I feel. And it's like brainwashing with them telling you that they're not "selling" it or asking you to "sell" it too, but, damn, they ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I look each corporation up and sure enough, they're ALL pyramid schemes. I wish that these people with personal profiles would separate what they're schlocking so we could omit it! Instead, they insert it into their daily posts and we have to see the same crap daily. And, YES, I notice if you're lying about your weight or your health, and I could scream!! My friend has lost the same damn 10 lbs in a challenge for over 2 years--honestly, she'd be dead if she kept on losing 10 lbs every few weeks (she's short)! It infuriates me!
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 22:52:55 GMT
ETA: A family member just informed me that Plexus wants them to post on their PERSONAL social media pages and NOT create more professional pages! How do you like that?? It's like inserting their item right alongside their family pics, etc...... It offends me. This must be the newest way to sell--forcing clients to get their info on their personal pages. Ugh!
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Post by moveablefeast on May 24, 2015 23:01:24 GMT
I have a couple friends selling this stuff. They are taught to "be a product of the product" and always have a testimonial for how it helped them as an individual. I really hate it. I unsubscribed a couple people and just ignore several others.
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Post by myshelly on May 24, 2015 23:02:17 GMT
I just can't imagine this bothering me so much.
Lots of my friends sell stuff. It takes literally a fraction of a second to scroll on by.
Why spend the energy to be so upset by something that is so easily ignored?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 23:07:03 GMT
A lot of times they are sharing the page from the company. I click on the drop down arrow on the person's post and choose "hide all from plexus, avon, pyramid scheme inc., etc... crap. I love this feature for all the religious shares that come into my news feed. They usually aren't annoying, but so many people share the same thing!
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Post by freecharlie on May 24, 2015 23:07:33 GMT
I just can't imagine this bothering me so much. Lots of my friends sell stuff. It takes literally a fraction of a second to scroll on by. Why spend the energy to be so upset by something that is so easily ignored? I do find it irritating, especially when they rarely post other stuff.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 23:09:04 GMT
myshelly: I don't want to unfriend them, when I love seeing their posts and I'm close with them. Unfortunately, they drank the koolaid and they're posting 10-20 posts about this crap daily!!! My laptop is slow as hell and it's a PITA to scroll past their stupid sales pitches that are veiled in "everyday life" posts. I'm offended and just wish it could be something to delete or have them put it on some professional page instead.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 23:10:12 GMT
ETA: A family member just informed me that Plexus wants them to post on their PERSONAL social media pages and NOT create more professional pages! How do you like that?? It's like inserting their item right alongside their family pics, etc...... It offends me. This must be the newest way to sell--forcing clients to get their info on their personal pages. Ugh! Probably because professional pages are easier to ignore. When it's someone posting on their personal page, you have a dilemma because you still want to see what they do besides sell stuff.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2015 23:10:31 GMT
A lot of times they are sharing the page from the company. I click on the drop down arrow on the person's post and choose "hide all from plexus, avon, pyramid scheme inc., etc... crap. I love this feature for all the religious shares that come into my news feed. They usually aren't annoying, but so many people share the same thing! coil: But they're VERY careful not to add the name of the product, which makes it harder to hide. I'll go and try that right now though! Thanks!
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2015 0:02:04 GMT
A lot of times they are sharing the page from the company. I click on the drop down arrow on the person's post and choose "hide all from plexus, avon, pyramid scheme inc., etc... crap. I love this feature for all the religious shares that come into my news feed. They usually aren't annoying, but so many people share the same thing! coil: But they're VERY careful not to add the name of the product, which makes it harder to hide. I'll go and try that right now though! Thanks! It only works if they are sharing from the home company's source. If they are writing their own posts it won't hide them. Just an FYI.
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Post by JBeans on May 25, 2015 0:26:35 GMT
I carefully mix it with my day to day life, interesting article about other stuff and whatever else. It's ridiculous to do it all the time, but I think if you pop it in here and there, it's seemed to be positive (I sell Jamberry nails).
I like posting my manis and I try to create constructive conversations around them but not something all the time. i try to do 80% life stuff, 20% nail posts. And when I do a nail post, it might be a tip or trick, a new mani or a customer's new mani, stuff I tried to answer a question, or ask talk about general nail care info. People know I do it, but I think balance is the key.
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melissa
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,912
Jun 25, 2014 20:45:00 GMT
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Post by melissa on May 25, 2015 0:36:24 GMT
Well, at least your friend posts her own before and afters! I have at least 2 friends who sell some product who post before and after photos a bare minimum of once a week, all of people who are not actually on their friend list on FB. One of those two has posted a few different before and afters of herself, the other NEVER posts her own photos as has been selling this stuff for probably a good year. The one who has posted her own photos never actually says what she is selling but does mention nutritional cleansing. She is a very bright woman, an engineer, who apparently did not take physiology in college.
I do have a few other friends who sell some sort of nutritional supplements but are far less active. I have several friends who sell Jamberry nails (including @jbeans). None of them are over the top by any means.
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Post by JBeans on May 25, 2015 0:38:10 GMT
Thanks for saying that. I try not to be.
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tracylynn
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Jun 26, 2014 22:49:09 GMT
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Post by tracylynn on May 25, 2015 0:41:24 GMT
Honestly, I unfriended the person who was doing this. We hadn't had real contact in years. She started selling eye lash crap and that's all she talked about. I wished for awhile she would create a page, that makes sense. She never did, so gone. I got a half-nasty facebook message from her when she realized I unfriended her. I ignored it and moved on. Not worth it.
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Post by freecharlie on May 25, 2015 2:43:52 GMT
Honestly, I unfriended the person who was doing this. We hadn't had real contact in years. She started selling eye lash crap and that's all she talked about. I wished for awhile she would create a page, that makes sense. She never did, so gone. I got a half-nasty facebook message from her when she realized I unfriended her. I ignored it and moved on. Not worth it. 3D Mascara?
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perumbula
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Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
Jun 26, 2014 18:51:17 GMT
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Post by perumbula on May 25, 2015 3:14:39 GMT
the good news is that if they've started in the last year you only have a few more months before they wake up and realize they are being screwed by the company and selling crap that doesn't work. Traditionally your Mary Kay person will wake up first.
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suzastampin
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Jun 28, 2014 14:32:59 GMT
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Post by suzastampin on May 25, 2015 3:16:14 GMT
ETA: A family member just informed me that Plexus wants them to post on their PERSONAL social media pages and NOT create more professional pages! How do you like that?? It's like inserting their item right alongside their family pics, etc...... It offends me. This must be the newest way to sell--forcing clients to get their info on their personal pages. Ugh! But FB doesn't want them promoting on personal pages. It's not supposed to be allowed, although I'm not sure if they are really cracking down on it. I'm not sure if there is a way to report it without them knowing who did it.
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Post by tania7424 on May 25, 2015 3:23:06 GMT
ETA: A family member just informed me that Plexus wants them to post on their PERSONAL social media pages and NOT create more professional pages! How do you like that?? It's like inserting their item right alongside their family pics, etc...... It offends me. This must be the newest way to sell--forcing clients to get their info on their personal pages. Ugh! But FB doesn't want them promoting on personal pages. It's not supposed to be allowed, although I'm not sure if they are really cracking down on it. I'm not sure if there is a way to report it without them knowing who did it. All reports are anonymous. I sell Thirty One, and they strictly prohibit selling on our personal pages and public pages. We also cannot have 'Thirty One' or '31' in our names. We can only sell/promote in our closed groups. I know of several people in my directors group who have been contacted by head office (Thirty One) for various violations of that. It's against Facebook's TOU, and makes you quickly become one of the annoying friends, as well. The most we can do is share posts from the official page with a join my group for more info.
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sweetpeasmom
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Jun 27, 2014 14:04:01 GMT
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Post by sweetpeasmom on May 25, 2015 4:49:20 GMT
What makes them a pyramid scheme to you?
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melissa
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Posts: 3,912
Jun 25, 2014 20:45:00 GMT
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Post by melissa on May 25, 2015 12:00:42 GMT
I think it's hard for many of us to distinguish between MLM and pyramid schemes. There's really a fine line. MLMs are not illegal pyramid schemes when there is an actual product. But, and this is a big one, they dip their toes on the borderline between MLM and pyramind schemes when they require a buy in (even if product is received) and when there is money to be made through passive activities like the commissions you get from your downline.
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artbabe
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Jun 26, 2014 1:59:10 GMT
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Post by artbabe on May 25, 2015 12:51:26 GMT
Oh my gosh, I have a friend that sells R+F. So many posts. The before and after pictures drive me crazy because the befores have really harsh lighting and the afters have been filtered until they are practically fuzzy. Or the person is holding their face muscles one way in the before and another way in the after. It is all I can do to not tell her to cut the crap.
I think her posts are about 75% R+F and 25% personal. I still want to see her personal posts, though, so for now I grin and deal with it. I'm tempted to unfriend her, though.
She has used Facebook for some other questionable fundraisers in the past. Like collecting donations so her kid could go to China. I don't think Facebook is the place for that, either.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 17:22:29 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 4:23:59 GMT
Sorry, I guess "pyramid scheme" was the incorrect terminology. I don't appreciate friends sharing some marvelous product, but then the more they post about it (and post to you privately or call you or text you!), the more you realize that they're trying to suck you into their "marvelous" world with their new miraculous product. At least with Mary Kay, they're honest about the fact that you get a paycheck. With Visalus, the "promoters" are insistent on the fact that they're merely "sharing the news" or posting a "new challenge". As I said before, my friend keeps "losing 10" in her newer challenges. Honestly, she's only 5', so she'd be dead by now with ALL of the 10 lb challenges she's done!!! She continues to post the same "before" and "after" pics, and I really can't even tell the difference between the two. Ugh. Enough! If a product is great, your friends and family will ASK and beg for info. We don't need to be innundated by this "miraculous" product 24/7. And, what's tough for me, is that some of the spinoff products of Visalus are dangerous and/or unhealthy, and I'm very tempted to tell my friend. She's been a co-worker with me at Jenny Craig and we had a passion for checking into all diets and health plans. I'm sad that she's schlocking this stuff when I find it to be unhealthy.
It's too bad that these corporations CAN'T have their promoters (or whatever the salaried employees are called this moment!) just put up a professional page! I mean, I can't see my stockbroker just inserting his business facts into his personal Facebook page. It's an embarrassment and it's offensive.
I wonder how many of the people in Visalus DO get this "expensive" BMW they're all dreaming of. It must be like the pink Mary Kay car.......... Sounds like a lot of social work, phone calling, hawking your product in the least suspecting places and driving friends and family insane! Work is work. Downtime is downtime.
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sweetpeasmom
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Jun 27, 2014 14:04:01 GMT
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Post by sweetpeasmom on May 26, 2015 11:59:18 GMT
If your same friend opened up a frozen yogurt shop that is a franchise, would you support her? Would you go and visit her store and tell your friends about it? If she posted on her personal page about it often, would that bother you? I don't see how someone starting up a business with direct sales/MLM is any different. Except the fact that there is less money that needs to be put up to get started.
Yes, DS/MLM companies have a bad wrap. But there is true money that can be made in them. It is all about the effort they put into it. For those to make it, they do have to work hard.
To me, the biggest difference in a company like Mary Kay or Visalus or whichever it is, is that the person can truly go higher than the person they signed up under. If I open a franchise, I doubt that I'm ever going to be CEO or President of the corporate office. But with my Youngevity business, I can truly go higher than my sponsor (and in fact, I am).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 12:39:20 GMT
Sorry, I guess "pyramid scheme" was the incorrect terminology. I don't appreciate friends sharing some marvelous product, but then the more they post about it (and post to you privately or call you or text you!), the more you realize that they're trying to suck you into their "marvelous" world with their new miraculous product. At least with Mary Kay, they're honest about the fact that you get a paycheck. With Visalus, the "promoters" are insistent on the fact that they're merely "sharing the news" or posting a "new challenge". As I said before, my friend keeps "losing 10" in her newer challenges. Honestly, she's only 5', so she'd be dead by now with ALL of the 10 lb challenges she's done!!! She continues to post the same "before" and "after" pics, and I really can't even tell the difference between the two. Ugh. Enough! If a product is great, your friends and family will ASK and beg for info. We don't need to be innundated by this "miraculous" product 24/7. And, what's tough for me, is that some of the spinoff products of Visalus are dangerous and/or unhealthy, and I'm very tempted to tell my friend. She's been a co-worker with me at Jenny Craig and we had a passion for checking into all diets and health plans. I'm sad that she's schlocking this stuff when I find it to be unhealthy. It's too bad that these corporations CAN'T have their promoters (or whatever the salaried employees are called this moment!) just put up a professional page! I mean, I can't see my stockbroker just inserting his business facts into his personal Facebook page. It's an embarrassment and it's offensive. I wonder how many of the people in Visalus DO get this "expensive" BMW they're all dreaming of. It must be like the pink Mary Kay car.......... Sounds like a lot of social work, phone calling, hawking your product in the least suspecting places and driving friends and family insane! Work is work. Downtime is downtime. I've never had anyone go that far on facebook. You'd think ignoring their multiple posts would be a no answer. As for Mary Kay, I had the worst experience from a Mary Kay consultant than any other MLM company. I was asked if she could come by and ask me a few questions. I said sure thinking she wanted input about the makeup (she also was a friend). She brings her upper person and they try to get me to join! See that car in the parking lot? I earned it by working for Mary Kay! I had NEVER expressed an interest.
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Post by Bitchy Rich on May 26, 2015 12:46:08 GMT
If your same friend opened up a frozen yogurt shop that is a franchise, would you support her? Would you go and visit her store and tell your friends about it? If she posted on her personal page about it often, would that bother you? I don't see how someone starting up a business with direct sales/MLM is any different. Except the fact that there is less money that needs to be put up to get started. If she posted about it constantly, yes, it would bother me. I have two people on my list who constantly post about Younique mascara. Not sure they are doing themselves any favors with the spidery eyelash photos. But those people are mild compared to my friend who posts ZUMBA!!!!!! every time she goes to Zumba. I had to hide her, although I really like her in person.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 13:02:46 GMT
If your same friend opened up a frozen yogurt shop that is a franchise, would you support her? Would you go and visit her store and tell your friends about it? If she posted on her personal page about it often, would that bother you? I don't see how someone starting up a business with direct sales/MLM is any different. Except the fact that there is less money that needs to be put up to get started. If I liked the frozen yogurt shop, yes I would support her by buying at her store. I might share on Facebook. I've done that a couple of times for a family member that sells cakes. If she posted it on her personal page often, yes it would bother me. I'm not opposed to people being consultants for MLM companies. If I see the occasional post, fine. If I see more than a couple of posts a day about the same thing, I'm going to unfollow or hide posts that are shared from that company. If I have zero interest in the products, it's one less thing to read. I've seen way too many people lose money from MLM companies. Utah is the land of MLM! I've been approached by consultants selling home goods, make up, essential oils, Amway (or whatever the new name is), craft products, kids toys and books. I have rarely seen anyone make a career or even a good part time income. I've mostly seen them lose money or break even when they leave. While I know a few do great and thrive, this has colored my judgement. Anyway, I don't care what a person is selling, what they own, or who they work for. If you're a vaguebooker, drama queen, MLM consultant, or a small business owner who constantly posts about your business, I simply stop following you or hide the shares from the company page.
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