Business Ethics: Should I Pull My Ad?

[Dayna]

Okay just need to vent and ask for suggestions.
I run PC add in a newsletter that is sent out county wide. I just got in evite from the publisher letting me know she is becoming an consultant with a beauty company. Okay normally I don't have a problem with friends or associates inviting me to things. But we are supposed to have business relationship. (I don't know her personally).
I feel she is wrong because she used my info that was given for one reason and is now using it for another. I have replied to that message but I did just pull my add for the upcoming month. I don't know if that was a knee jerk reaction but I feel if you have that nerve I don't want to do business with you. What do you think?

 

[susanr613]

I think she's connecting with you, business to business. You can consider her an "associate".

I would welcome her to the wonderful world of DS and let it go.

Just my $.02

 

[PamperedDor]

Heck - send her a PC catalog---

 

[Dayna]

I guess I look at it like I treat my customers if they give me info for PC and I turn around and us it for another business its violating a trust. I've never added her to my mailing list for PC or socilated to her. I just feel she is wrong for contacting her subscribers to promote something other than the newsletter.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Okay just need to vent and ask for suggestions.
I run PC add in a newsletter that is sent out county wide. I just got in evite from the publisher letting me know she is becoming an consultant with a beauty company. Okay normally I don't have a problem with friends or associates inviting me to things. But we are supposed to have business relationship. (I don't know her personally).
I feel she is wrong because she used my info that was given for one reason and is now using it for another. I have replied to that message but I did just pull my add for the upcoming month. I don't know if that was a knee jerk reaction but I feel if you have that nerve I don't want to do business with you. What do you think?

I would look at the evite as a way to network and build your business. You could tell her that you don't want your info being used for things like that if you are that upset, however...

 

[dannyzmom]

I think she's connecting with you, business to business. You can consider her an "associate".

I would welcome her to the wonderful world of DS and let it go.

Just my $.02

I agree completely.

 

[janetupnorth]

I see Dayna's point thoroughly though. We promise our customers we won't give out their e-mails elsewhere, this is the same thing. If this person is part of a business with the newsletter, she should ask if she can contact them about something else not just use the information.Example:
I teach Red Cross courses, part of my student's registration for the class includes a spot for their e-mail address. I would NEVER go through my class rosters and pull those addresses and e-mail them about PC. They provided the information within the context of the Red Cross course like Dayna provided information within the context of the newsletter ad.

 

[Dayna]

I pulled my ad maybe I'm oversenstive but I can't imgaine her thinking this was okay. For be the bigger picture is do I want to be associated with a person that doesn't think of her customer first. I was a customer of hers and she took my info and tried to use it for her personal gain. I would never do this to any of my customers. For a time I had another DS business and I kept everything seperate if someone asked what else I did I'd mention it but I'd never use information from one business to solict business from client base.

 

[susanr613]

I have had a few situations now where PC is mixing with other businesses:
- my health insurance agent was one of my first hosts
- I just closed a catalog show with a client from my full-time job
- I met a woman on a flight and am having lunch with her for my full-time job. She has also invited me to do a PC demo at one of her wine tastings

In each case, I leveraged the existing or potential other business relationship for my PC business, to everyone's benefit.

In the end, you need to do what feels right for you.

 

[Kristina21]

I have had a few situations now where PC is mixing with other businesses:
- my health insurance agent was one of my first hosts
- I just closed a catalog show with a client from my full-time job
- I met a woman on a flight and am having lunch with her for my full-time job. She has also invited me to do a PC demo at one of her wine tastings

In each case, I leveraged the existing or potential other business relationship for my PC business, to everyone's benefit.

In the end, you need to do what feels right for you.

Nicely said I agree, I don't think she should have used that contact list, with out asking you first if she could send you an email. But I honestly wouldn't have pulled my ad or said no to her. I would have told her what I thought and that she should think about that before she did it again. But that's just me though...I live in a pretty small town where literally everyone knows everyone and I work at a Staples, I manage a VERY busy Copy Center and yet I tell everyone who wants to know what I do outside of work that I am a proud PC FD. I get a lot of contacts and shows that way!

 

[Dayna]

Okay now I feel a bit bad. Knee jerk reaction. I'll proably email her again retracting my canceling my ad. But let her now for her future customers that doing something like this can be bad for business.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I, too, would welcome her to the world of direct sales. If you like the product, offer to "switch parties ... " meaning you'd have a party for her but ONLY if she hosts one for you!

 

[hperschnick]

I think canceling the ad was a knee jerk reaction as you said - think of what you could be missing out on in terms of potential contacts.

I would let her know that you felt there was a violation of trust in her contacting you about her other business. She may not have thought that anyone would take offense. I personally would not have used the contact information in any way other than how it wa provided but as we all know working with all of the people we do... everyone sees things differently.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

You could just send her a note asking her not to use your information for anything not related to your business relationship.

 

[MWCOOKIN]

Hi, I Guess I Would Welcome And Add Her To My Network List To Share Ideas Etc. Alot Of What All Ds Do Can Help Accross The Board. I Belong To A Network Group Where There Is 1 Person Per Direct Sales Co. We Work Together Help Eachother. We Have A Flyer We Put In All Ur Client Orders That Say For All Your Needs I Recommen Dmy Fellow Chicago Vendor Network Team Mates. This Way We Are Not Sharing Our Client Data Base With Eachother Byt We Are Helping Eachother With Contacts. We Also Do Mini-mall Vendor Fair Fundraisers Where We Amrket Ourself As A Group Pay $30 Per Table To The Orginization And A Raffel Item And Give Them Ideas For Other $ Making Opp For Them (food, Face Painting, Funfair, Bake Sale) We Have 1 Person From Prettymuch Every Ds Company, If I Can Not Make It I Offer To My Downline And Still Profit.
I Figure My Information Is On My Car, Church Bullitan, Newspaper As Well As Catalogs That End Up Who Knows Where So I Just Assume My Information Is Public For Everyone.

The Month Of May Almost All My Network Group Has Placed Orders As Well As Several Who Have Taken Orders At Their Shows, And From Their Friends To Add To My Hwc Fundraiser. Not Looking For Anything For Them But Supporting Me. One Hand Washes The Other, I Say Support Her And Ask She Do The Same For You! This Is Only My Oppinion.

 

[legacypc46]

Dayna, I think it really has to be what feels right for you.

I'm a firm believer in networking, but I also don't react well to unsolicited contact or abuse of personal information (so I understand where you're coming from on your response). In her defense though, she may be feeling the anxiety of getting her business going and thought you'd 'understand'.

As for party swapping, I think that has to be a matter of personal comfort too. I actively support other DS reps (both with referrals and with my pocketbook:blushing: ), but I don't swap shows. If someone chooses to host a PC party, I want it to be because they want to...not with strings attached. If I host a show for another rep, it's only because I'm excited about her and/or the product.

 

[Dayna]

Okay here is the update. I emailed her and let her know I thought it was knee jerk reaction but I did feel she violated my trust. I told her that I remember how I was when I first started PC and how I emailed/contacted everyone I knew and I didn't want to be the sour apple as she started her new business. Get this not only did she understand but she gave me a discount from now on with my ad. And I'm going to her grand opening.

Thanks everyone for you input you made me look at a potential bad relationship blossom into a great one.

 

[janetupnorth]

Okay here is the update. I emailed her and let her know I thought it was knee jerk reaction but I did feel she violated my trust. I told her that I remember how I was when I first started PC and how I emailed/contacted everyone I knew and I didn't want to be the sour apple as she started her new business. Get this not only did she understand but she gave me a discount from now on with my ad. And I'm going to her grand opening.

Thanks everyone for you input you made me look at a potential bad relationship blossom into a great one.

Good job...you got to express your point on the professionalism in a kind way, get your ad back and get a discount - how cool!

 

[Jules711]

I agree that people shouldn't use information that they weren't given for that intent. I've had my name added to newsletters b/c I was involved in an expo. They got it from the emails we were sent. I simply emailed her and said that she may want to be aware that not everyone would appreciate receiving unsolicited emails. I do not add people to mine even when I'm organizing an expo! But we are told to tell EVERYONE we know and that's what she was doing. Nice job contacting her. I don't think it's usually coming from a rude place....just not thinking how it appears.

 

[ragschef]

I completely agree with you that it is a breech of trust as far as "selling your info" for other purpose, even though she only used it to her benefit. However, I think you should keep the add, because retracting is only going to hurt you. You're getting your business and name in front of tons of people and who knows what can come of that.
If it were me, I would call her and talk to her personally and let her know that you are very uncomfortable with the decision she made to use your unsolicited information, however, since she has your info, you would love to give her some more information about what you do and invite her to learn more about the opportunity and/or hosting a show. Hopefully, this can be turned into a positive situation where the both of you are comfortable.
Hope that helps and best of luck to you!

 

[MWCOOKIN]

Congratulations! Such Poise!!! Best Of Luck In The Future! ~