Is Online Marketing on YouTube Encouraged Despite Restrictions?

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The article in PC Wire emphasizes the value of online exposure for marketing businesses, suggesting it can enhance bookings and sales. A controversy has arisen regarding Joy's newsletters, which allegedly violate company policies by using images from the CC website. There is confusion over whether consultants can profit from marketing materials like newsletters, particularly since the company has guidelines intended to protect brand integrity and maintain quality. Some believe the company's restrictions on individual marketing efforts, despite promoting online visibility, aim to prevent a chaotic environment where less tech-savvy consultants might feel disadvantaged. Joy's newsletter service, which is beneficial to many consultants, raises questions about intellectual property use, as it includes images and content produced by the company. The discussion reveals a tension between the need for professional marketing resources and the desire for consultants to leverage online tools to enhance their businesses. There is anticipation for the company to provide an official newsletter service, which could address some of these concerns while ensuring compliance with branding standards.
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PamperedChefDebi
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Yesterday in the PC Wire regarding the article about YouTube, they actually stated at the end of the article:

Online exposure is a terrific way to market your business, which will help you book Shows and increase sales!

Hmmmmm......

I almost never go on CS but did peek yesterday and did you guys know HO contacted Joy about her newsletters and the TT website? She's apparently in "violation" of something with using the pictures from CC. They also told her that Merrill offers us a newsletter, which it doesn't as was verified by Linda, I think.

And then all the FB controversary..... And the million other ways in which people have gotten called on putting things on websites that is nothing other than "marketing their businesses."

Wow....
 
I think the TT issue, I'm guessing they don't like the fact a consultant is profiting from creating a newsletter for the masses. Strictly my opinion here. It certainly can't be from the content or design, she has a nice newsletter. Wonder if Mike Mendyke will be affected as well? Although he isn't a consultant....
 
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ChefLoriG said:
I think the TT issue, I'm guessing they don't like the fact a consultant is profiting from creating a newsletter for the masses. Strictly my opinion here. It certainly can't be from the content or design, she has a nice newsletter. Wonder if Mike Mendyke will be affected as well? Although he isn't a consultant....
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Joy did state in a post that they actually asked her if she knew of others providing newsletters, which seems surprising to me since they can find a Consultant posting on RamsteinYardSales.com in violation of policy but they don't know of other newsletter services?

And BTW Lori, it was great meeting you in Denver!
 
Hmmm... I hope Mike isn't affected... I just signed up Monday! And my NED uses his service too. I think the conflict would be what Lori said above... Joy is a consultant and that might be where the conflict is.
 
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But what about the fact that they're stating online exposure is so great for our business, but they won't let us do it? That's really what I was trying to get at.
 
Well, it's difficult... they have the policy in place for a reason, to protect everyone's best interest. And they (HO) are putting stuff out there (like the ads on The Knot, YouTube videos, etc) to get PC's name out there. My guess is that they are hoping people will contact their consultant based on what they've seen or visit PC.com and become HO leads for us.I think the reason they won't let us do it is because then it would become a free-for-all. The not-so-computer-saavy would complain that those with more skills have more of an advantage. They are caught either way. For a brief moment when they implemented our websites, an upper level director's sil was able to override anyone who went to pc.com to be directed to her personal website (she said she didn't know he did that). She made tens of thousands of dollars in online sales in a week before HO realized what happened. It's those types of things they are protecting us from. My guess at least...
 
finley1991 said:
Well, it's difficult... they have the policy in place for a reason, to protect everyone's best interest. And they (HO) are putting stuff out there (like the ads on The Knot, YouTube videos, etc) to get PC's name out there. My guess is that they are hoping people will contact their consultant based on what they've seen or visit PC.com and become HO leads for us.
I think the reason they won't let us do it is because then it would become a free-for-all. The not-so-computer-saavy would complain that those with more skills have more of an advantage. They are caught either way. For a brief moment when they implemented our websites, an upper level director's sil was able to override anyone who went to pc.com to be directed to her personal website (she said she didn't know he did that). She made tens of thousands of dollars in online sales in a week before HO realized what happened. It's those types of things they are protecting us from. My guess at least...
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I totally agree.
I think they meant that when they (HO) uses the internet it only increases the awareness of our products/biz that will in turn increase our bookings.

The more I got to thinking about this, I really think HO will turn to this resource, but they want to control the image. If you have tens of thousands consultants doing their own internet marketing, it cannot be controlled (quality and verbage), thus making PC look like undesirable or not even professional. just my .02
 
But, you also have to realize that places like Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites are just like talking to people face to face! I met my husband online in 1996 - married almost 11 years now. Had we not met online we wouldn't have met since we lived in different states and didn't know the others' friends (except via chatrooms online). This is better than email since it is immediate! I just get so frustrated when I can't explain what I do. It is embarrassing!
 
But Joy's newsletters aren't just out there on the web for anyone to see. As consultants we buy from her and send the newsletter to our customers. I cannot begin to imagine what is wrong with that. I HATE creating my own newsletter. It would take me ages! Her work is impeccable! She represents the company well.
 
Debi said:
.....Online exposure is a terrific way to market your business, which will help you book Shows and increase sales!
......
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They must mean the online exposure that THEY present on our behalf...
 
amy07 said:
I totally agree.
I think they meant that when they (HO) uses the internet it only increases the awareness of our products/biz that will in turn increase our bookings.

The more I got to thinking about this, I really think HO will turn to this resource, but they want to control the image. If you have tens of thousands consultants doing their own internet marketing, it cannot be controlled (quality and verbage), thus making PC look like undesirable or not even professional. just my .02
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I think you hit the nail on the head exactly!

Oh, and I just sent my TT newsletter to half my contacts (gmail doesn't let me do it all in one day - lol) and I got 3 remmove me's and two bookings.
 
After reading through the thread Joy started, what they are coming down on her for is that the use of pictures and recipes off the website is a no-no because they are intellectual property. In the newsletter (that she profits from not just in her business, but primarily by selling subscriptions to), she copies pictures they pay to produce for her newsletter, and that is what is in violation.
 
Maybe I'm a dunce, but I don't see how that is a big deal given what she's doing. Maybe they need to create a stipulation or a new division within the HO to police this type of stuff. We use the "intellectual property" all the time. That's what a catalog is and a flyer of the specials. They can't control what I do with that. I don't know. I think it is a lot of splitting hairs at this point. Given that Joy is a consultant and only other consultants use her service (to generate more sales - for the company) I am missing the big fuss.
 
Maybe if she went to a suggested donation instead of a price? I would continue to pay $15 every 6 months!
 
I heard from an upper level director at leadership that HO will be coming out with a newsletter for us to use....maybe it's the Merrill one someone spoke of earlier? I just started with Mike's and Icontact and I can't believe that they could come up with one as handy or info packed for us. Plus when I try to use the Customer contact now many of my emails can't get thru because they are labeled as spam.....
 
I'm not surprised at that. However, they can't limit us to what they come out with, that would be just another option. I sent one that I get from my friend who sells 31 to several DCS members - if you want to see it send me and email at [email protected] and I'll forward a copy to you. It's nice, but kind of impersonal IMO.
 
kcont said:
I heard from an upper level director at leadership that HO will be coming out with a newsletter for us to use....
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I think this is desperately needed. Since they aren't providing us with one, we are forced to either do our own or get it somehow. I always encourage everyone on my team to use every single resource HO offers... it's hard when I say, "But use this or do your own..." It's a contradiction.

I don't think the customer connection e-mails are enough personally. I like my newsletter to cover specials, outlet and opportunity and the ones on customer connection are one subject only.

Hopefully we'll hear something soon!

PS: IF it is Merrill doing the newsletter (which terrifies me), it BETTER be reasonably priced.
 
Just FYI, Mike's newsletter is safe and was, at the time he went through all the trials and tribulations, the only newsletter approved by the HO that complies with al o their standards and rules. I'm unfamiliar with Joy but I know that if she is a consultant, tha is a problem. It is also, as was said, the use of pictures, etc. The way Mike is able to do it is that we as consultants are able to use the logos, pictures, words, etc and so when we subscribe to his newsletter, he has permission, as our agent to use those in order to create a product for us. That's why the sample has ugly kitchen tools with names like "fancy wooden spoon". Initially, his sister, who is a consultant was marketing the newsletter. When he went through the trouble of getting everything approved, one of the main things he had to do was market it himself as it was not legal for his sister, the consultant to do so.

Hope that helps!

Paula
 
No, that doesn't clear it up for me! If we as consultants can use the images and what-not then what is the problem for Joy to use them? Isn't that a lot of hoopla? She's a consultant and could give someone permission to do what she's doing, but she can't do it herself? That doesn't make any sense to me. Am I reading it wrong? Can someone explain it on a 5 yo level?!!! I must be really S-L-O-W today!!
 
The sample might have the non-PC stuff, but his actual newsletters use the logo and PC pictures - I don't understand what you are saying.
 
Are you talking to me, Linda? I'm so confused!!:cry:
 
Chef Kearns said:
Are you talking to me, Linda? I'm so confused!!:cry:
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no, I was referring to the my email designs newsletter info that was posted above yours.
 
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Chef Kearns said:
Are you talking to me, Linda? I'm so confused!!:cry:
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Sandra, I'm still with you. Maybe I should have never brought up Joy at all in my initial post because my point was really about them seeming to encourage using the web to advertise even though we aren't allowed to. Though I do understand the point of things becoming a mess and possibly affecting the professionalism.As far as Joy's newsletter, I'm with you. As I understand, I'm paying her to use the same images I would use, that we are both allowed to use, and put everything into a format that I don't want to take the time to do. She's not selling us the images in any way, shape, or form. So are they saying it would be fine if she formatted the newsletter but left the images out, then we could individually go in and add them? How much sense would that make?
 
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