whatsup 11893 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 CERB is a community to allow Providers and Hobbyists to interact with one another. It is a business model that works for each party. Providers get clients, clients get providers. I am kind of dismayed that people get there feathers ruffled if they receive a PM and it's a friendly solicitation or a post on their profile page that is viewed by themselves or others. Why complain? I do not mind getting either forms of Solicitation. Personally, I have received such and appreciate the fact that a provider will see me, sometimes it's from a lady that has not been around in awhile, that I would like to see again. This board has a component of soliciting. Providers advertise their service. Is this what we are not all here for? 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest E*******h S******s Report post Posted September 5, 2011 CERB is a community to allow Providers and Hobbyists to interact with one another. It is a business model that works for each party. Providers get clients, clients get providers. I am kind of dismayed that people get there feathers ruffled if they receive a PM and it's a friendly solicitation or a post on their profile page that is viewed by themselves or others. Why complain? I do not mind getting either forms of Solicitation. Personally, I have received such and appreciate the fact that a provider will see me, sometimes it's from a lady that has not been around in awhile, that I would like to see again. This board has a component of soliciting. Providers advertise their service. Is this what we are not all here for? Why complain? I'm not sure, but perhaps because some people are more private than others and would rather not have it posted on their wall who they are looking at or interested in. I am sure, however, that the complaints (and according to MOD there was more than one person complaining) had validity, or MOD would not have entertained them. For what it's worth, it is against the rules of CERB for SPs to send solicitation pms (spamming). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabriella Laurence 301887 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 CERB Rules & FAQ pm system - do not spam or send unsolicited pm's also... some of the sp's post on every persons wall who visits them and this is also getting complaints. I am looking for a solution that would enable each person to turn on or off this feature. Can I advertise my business here? There are specific sections for advertising such as the "Service Providers - Schedules, Advertisements & announcements" and the shout box. The positive spirit of CERB starts with respecting the CERB rules ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boomer 33202 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I am partially in agreement. It's a lot like telemarketing, which has some rules. The problem is that some people get carried away and are too persistent, don't know when to lay off. I personally don't mind an occasional PM about a offer of service, as long as she's doing it intelligently. I may have checked her profile, or she's researched my posts and thinks she that I would like her. With telemarketers I firmly but politely tell them I'm not interested after they Identify themselves, and will ask to be put on their do not call list if they repeat. It's a waste of their resources to call me back if I'm not going to buy their product. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyofHalifax 15339 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I also don't mind, but I can see how it seems impersonal, especially if that provider sends the same thing to every person. CERB is Ottawa-centric, and that is completely fine, but if you live in Halifax or Winnipeg and get a standardized message from someone in Ottawa saying that they hope you'll come see them soon, then I understand why some would take offense. Again, it is not something that bothers me personally. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Studio 110 by Sophia 150333 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I think there is a difference in Advertising....and networking. Advertising is to go where the ads are properly posted, networking is what we do on guest books. So I feel there is nothing wrong with a nice little flirty message in guest books, but if you are out right advertising you services, then ya that belongs in the advertisement box. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isabella Gia (Banned) 53881 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 Gabriella said the key word: RESPECT, not only to the cerb rules but to the fact that not everyone will like being solicited and that for some it may even be annoying. In fact, I once had a gent that I have previously met and who asked me to stay in touch delete a 'have a nice day' or something like that message I left on his profile and yes, I was confused by that especially when he asked me to stay in touch but I never posted again as I respect the fact that he is the type that likes to keep his stuf to himself. Also, I only post in guest book's that belong to members (ladies or gents) that I know are ok with me posting. As for the board being about soliciting I'm not quite sure about that, there is a difference between advertising and soliciting. An ad is posted there for those who are interested in reading them and a post in someone's guest book or a private message is somehow not giving the other person the freedom of choosing if reading about the person sending it or not. So in my opinion the board is about many things including ladies posting our availability and information about us in our profiles for gentlemen to make their choices based on what they read/see. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Areez 11906 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 CERB is a great community, to date i have learnt things from this community. As for soliciting and ads I guess in my view the PM should be a tool to express extended interest and a private form communication. Each one of the ladies took their time to post their ads, and believe me .. more than enough time their ads is lovely to read, well thought well put and an overall good read. Also, consider the amount of time it may took for a lady to send out PM(s) just for the ads to be deleted because not everyone is diligent enough to read them? and what would you say? .. "Thank you" after reciving this ads because that would be something I would do given the time they took to send out PM. Their PM inbox would be so full of thank you that they have to spend extra time to delete them all the time. Enough rambling for me :p but my 2cent says ... take the time to read the ads, if there is some interest after that, send the lady a PM. You would be suprised how well the reply might be :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest s******ecan**** Report post Posted September 5, 2011 Speaking of telemarketers I got a call from one yesterday soliciting for a survey. I said I'm not interested in surveys, he asked if there was another time he could call back......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest t**obb**** Report post Posted September 5, 2011 A personalized note can be titillating, A form letter is somewhat less so. Repeated form letters can be aggravating, especially if it is info that is readily available, or that hasn't changed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrgreen760 37785 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 What is Cerb? Folks have wares for sale and buyers have interest in said wares. How these said wares are advertised and promoted is irrelevant for me. Solicit away I say :) Peace MG 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabriella Laurence 301887 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 What is Cerb? Folks have wares for sale and buyers have interest in said wares. How these said wares are advertised and promoted is irrelevant for me. Solicit away I say :) Peace MG Mrgreen, with all due respect, maybe it is irrelevant to you but as a community, paid advertiser or not, everyone has to abide by the CERB rules and those rules do not permit solicitation. Gabriella Side note: advertising/promoting and solicitation are NOT the same. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roamingguy 300292 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 There is a difference between sending pms/signing a guestbook with messages and maybe flirtation and sending solicitations The ladies should feel free to do the former, if it is with a member they feel comfortable enough to send messages to. But soliciting business, that can make a member feel uncomfortable, and maybe pressured to do business. If a lady notices a member has seen her profile, a thank you (at the most) is in my opinion ok. If he wants to see her, he will initiate contact with her. My 2 cents RG 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest *D E**a Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I always wondered about the sp's leaving a message for people who have viewed their profile and came to the conclusion it was soliciting too. All they did was look at your profile, if he was interested then he phones or messages you. Unless he posts something asking for the sp's to message him then we are to wait till he decides to initiate contact. If you have seen them before and are just letting him know you are available by pm this is acceptable. Just my view on things. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Katherine of Halifax 113932 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I have several people that I have never seen that post regularily on my guest book and I just love seeing that they stopped by. I have also posted on these same guys guestbooks and I am sure they love getting messages from me. As I said some people I just know I will never meet and I would be horrified if anyone thought I were using the guestbook to gain buisness. I understand that it has been misused and that is a shame. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SamanthaEvans 166767 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 The rule about not soliciting in PMs is a good one, I think. I also think that it's one thing to say hello, or thanks for checking my profile, and another to say, "come and visit me--I've got a special deal running now." While advertising happens in the Advertising section, I think that everything we post is advertising, too. We advertise our views and our ways of interacting when we engage in forum conversations. Many of us look up the things a member has written so that we can get a feel for the kind of person they are. Did a recent post seem out of character? Was something someone said intriguing enough that we might want to know more about them? Is this someone we might like to see? I know that there are some here who, because of the things they've written, I feel I would simply enjoy getting to know, in person, if the opportunity arises. Were I to travel to their cities, I might send a message saying that I'm going to be there and would enjoy having a drink or a cup of coffee with them. I would be very clear that I'm not soliciting business, but building a friendship. There are also some here I would not want to meet because, based on the things they write about or the way they express themselves, I don't think we'd be compatible. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lexy Grace 103697 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 I agree and feel the exact same way as Katherine. I love seeing who has visited my profile and I like to thank them for taking the time for doing so. My thank is in no way shape or form ever away of trying to gain business. I would never want anyone to think that me being polite is a form of soliciting. That's just not my style!! To me that is very unprofessional. IMO It's a friendly and polite thank you, that's just who I am and I can't change being a polite and kind person. The misuse is a shame but you don't have to accept the message and you can also delete it from you guestbook. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
