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randirain Inner circle Fort Worth, TX 1650 Posts |
Ok... I know nothing about the directory itself.
It may get performers work, and it may not. That's not what I am here to say. The lady that runs this, Patricia Fleming, has spammed me many times about this directory. But lets start at the beginning. She first went to gigmasters, pretended to be someone wanting a performer, got me to bid on a non-existant gig, just to get my email address. If she was smart, she could have got it a number of different ways. But ever since that bid, I have received spam from her trying to get to buy an ad in her directory. Finally I started to think maybe I wanted to, but I had some questions. I went to the website and it did not answer them completely. So I asked her in an email, which she told me to do if I had questions. My questions... 1) How do these potential clients get this directory? 2) What makes them want to use it? 3) What keeps them from throwing it in the trash? The answers I got were... 1) In the mail. The website says so. 2) That's a strange question. 3) Probably some do.. blah blah blah. Then she goes on to tell me that I am angry and not elegant enough to be in her directory. All because I asked three simple questions. Then we go back and forth with her just putting me down in every email. Instead of giving me detailed information, she starts slinging mud. This directory may be something good... But this Patricia Fleming is not professional at all and I caution anyone who gets these emails from her. What ever you do.. don't question her directory... she gets all defensive!! Randi |
Majestic12 Special user Maryland 643 Posts |
I think we should get our pitch forks out.. sounds like a load of bunk coming from this woman Randi. Thanks for the heads up.
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randirain Inner circle Fort Worth, TX 1650 Posts |
I think so too.
I have found that now days any written format of advertising doesn't work. If people are randomly getting directories in the mail, who did not ask for them, they are going in the trash. That is considered junk mail. This lady is wanting $100 for an ad, and she isn't willing to give me any details on how the whole thing works. Then gets mad for me asking. My advise... stay away everyone. Randi |
Pete Legend Inner circle Ireland 1401 Posts |
She had you bid on a gig which didn't exist,then spammed you and you still thought about signing up
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randirain Inner circle Fort Worth, TX 1650 Posts |
Yeah.. pretty stupid.. I'll admit it.
But you know in these times with gigs getting fewer and far between, you start to thinking "desperate times, etc". Randi |
bitterman Inner circle 1189 Posts |
It would be sad, sad thing if a whole bunch of people were to email her and request her directory be mailed to us... um, I mean, them. Think of what the postage might coast her? Sad, sad thing, that.
If you are not cheating, you are only cheating yourself.
Dutchco is about to put out some new Ebook: DUTCHCO. Get 'em while you can. |
Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I have gotten two emails from her. I just ignore them. The next one I get I will respond to, asking her not to write back, just to see where it leads to.
-Matt
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Justin Style Inner circle 2010 Posts |
I get spam from them too, I just ignore them. I think they are in Vegas? if not, then somewhere on the west cost. I'm on the east cost...you're going to get me a gig?!? HA!
Gig this, master! lol... |
Decomposed Eternal Order High Desert 12059 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-01-07 17:51, randirain wrote: Tell me about it. Phone books I see stacked up in corners in buildings. I heard the refuse collection people will not even take them.
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Scott Compton Special user Hampton, VA 747 Posts |
Randi,
I have received spam from them many times. I bounce it using MailWasher. It can be found on MailWasher.com I think. It is a free ap, with a pro upgrade. The pro upgrade allows multiple accounts. It will trick your server to respond with an invalid email response message. It does not originate from your email, instead from your mail server. It also allows you to see mail on your server before any type of delivery. Once someone is blacklisted, they will never get through. It is a great way to "wash" your mail before pulling it in, and it stops a lot of spam. I hope this helps. Scott
Magic is an art. I am merely a tour guide.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Scott-Compton-Magician/160270640674735 "You are the magic" Jay Ose to Albert Goshman |
Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I got another from her and told her if she sends me any more emails, she will be reported for violating the CAN SPAM act and be reported to the FCC.
-Matt
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I just got a phone call from her and she tells me that I was hostile. Is she kidding?
Here is what I wrote to her: Please stop emailing me. I do not want to be listed in your directory. You have been emailing me since November. Since I have asked you to stop, if I receive any more emails from you, you will be in violation of the CAN-SPAM act, you will be reported to the FCC. --------------------- She said I was unprofessional for asking her to stop sending me emails. She went to my website and said I look young and my youth makes me hostile. Professionals don't go out and harvest email addresses to send out advertising. She actually told me "Here is how professionals do it," I was basically telling her that there are rules set in place by the government. Former President George W Bush signed it into effect in 2003. Randi, I see what you mean about her being rude.
-Matt
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randirain Inner circle Fort Worth, TX 1650 Posts |
Oh yeah...
When you tell her to leave you alone, she starts calling you names and insulting you. She is a wacko!! Stay away from this whole thing. Plus, print is dead!! Print advertising hasn't worked in 10 years. Randi |
Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
Here is what I did:
I checked what time she called me on my phone, she told me she was on my website. I googled her number and found out she is from Illinois I found someone who logged on a minute before she called under my websites access statisitcs, I checked the IP and it was from Illinois. Finally, I clicked ban IP address. Done dealing with her!
-Matt
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manks123 New user 57 Posts |
Gosh this sounds terrible. Thanks for the heads up guys.
Stefan |
Countage Veteran user Charlotte 361 Posts |
This is the emails that went back and forth between her and I today. The second and third emails from me were written by my office assitant. Enjoy!
Me:I CONTACTED SOME OF THE MAGICIANS ON YOUR SITE WHO SAID THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN A GOOD RETURN FROM THE LISTING. WHY don't YOU LET ME TRY IT FOR FREE FOR A FEW MONTHS. Patricia: Hello Adrian, I have dealt with thousands of entertainers and oddly, or maybe not, it has only been magicians that have asked to be listed for free...some old time magicians tell me that it has something to do with ego...I don't know... I think it is a lack of basic understanding of basic concepts: When a magician can let me know how we can let them "try" our PRINTED DIRECTORY and then remove them when they decide that the investment (magicians are the most plentiful type of entertainer) is not panning out I will consider it. What shall we do? Let is think about this...Hmmm Perhaps I will put your ad in separately, perhaps not bind it in, and then when you give me the call I can then call all 1,000 recipients and ask them to throw away your ad. Perhaps then, in order to be fair to the entertainers that have paid, I will ask these 1,000 recipients to undergo a type of brainwashing so that they never remember that they have ever seen your name and they will limit their decision making to magicians that have actually paid for this service. Do they actually have this kind of brainwashing available? If not, maybe you can wave a wand and make all 1,000 of your ads disappear....and maybe your magic wand can actually take care of this messy brainwashing business. Have I offended you and wasted your time? How does that feel? When you send me an e-mail that asks for a free trial you are wasting my time and your request is offensive to the professional entertainers that have paid for our service. By the way, your YouTube video that is on your website may leave you open to a lawsuit: You are clearly showing yourself at a school in which dozens if not hundreds of students wait for your appearance...they are clearly excited adolescents and we all know that they are very impressionable. The very next scene is you taking a GASOLINE can and DRINKING a flammable liquid and THEN sticking a FLAMING stick down your throat. OMG! Do you not have advisors? Take it off immediately and edit that. No educator would be able to hire you for a school show if their supervisors saw this little bit of film. This is a very dangerous bit and to even remotely link it to an audience of kids is reckless. Best, Patricia J. Fleming Me:Patricia, I am fully aware of the time involved in running a successful business. I would like to remind you that, YOU CONTACTED ME. Magicians are not the only people to request demos of service. I perform free shows for churches, schools, businesses, and restaurants all the time. This is something I do to get free advertisement, in doing this I promote myself and in return in receive leads and gigs from parents, employees, etc. I have excellant credentials and feel it a necessity to check anyone's on-lines creditably . I find it ridiculous that you keep changing you deadline. This make your business look phony. Also your website is restrictive in its ability for client to communicate directly with entertainers. I have use other entertainment advertising/booking agencies and they have great lines for communication. This is another sign of a scam. My request for a few free months should not have offended you so badly. I believe that the negative feedback is what got you so fired up. I can't see paying $200 to get little to no gigs. I am sorry if my investigating has offended you but my advisers recommended it. As for my youtube, I was hired as a fire eating magician by the school. I have perform this very show for several schools and will continue to do what is requested by my clients. A release is signed by all individuals or their parents to be in the videos that I post. I hope in the future when some one ask you for a free a demo, you handle yourself and business with more tack, professionalism, and no bitterness. Instead of writing lenghty and bitter e-mails a simple NO would have been sufficient. Patricia: Dear Adrian, Just because we contacted you does not mean that you have a free pass to treat us badly. We don't need to "perform" for free, this is something that people starting out have to do. We don't change our publication deadline...we just have different deadlines for different options and services and pricing. I wish you could have understood that from the material that we send out. But then again, it does have to be carefully read. We have great lines of communication: All you had to do was pick up a phone...or did you not get around to reading that? Our listers usually get paid so much that one booking covers their listing fee. I am not offended that you checked us out by calling some of our listers. What offends me is that you would be so insecure as to think that your success is not possible if others have not had success. How do you know how another magician runs their business or what the economy is like in certain areas of the country? You don't. I don't believe that a school, let alone several schools have hired you to do fire eating in front of their students. It is simply not true...forget morality and such...NO SCHOOL WOULD ALLOW ANYONE TO WORK WITH FIRE WITHIN IT'S WALLS...THEIR INSURANCE WOULD NOT ALLOW IT. I KNOW...I PRODUCED SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS AND HAVE HAD EXTENSIVE DEALINGS WITH NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANIES...THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. Furthermore I find it offensive that you think a signed paper releases you from all moral obligations regarding the protection of our children. You shouldn't be showing kids how to coat their mouths with an excelerent for the purposes of breathing fire. The risks are too great. Here is the simple answer to your request: No Me: Patricia As entertaining as it is to go back and forth with you my office is backed with phone calls and emails from clients. I lead a team of over thirty artist that have filled over 200 gigs in the past month. I hope this means you will no longer be spamming me. The next time some one tries to negotiate with you let them know how successful your site is with references rather than criticize a business you have no idea about. Patrica:I know all I need to know about your biz and that is why we're done here |
Futureal Inner circle 1695 Posts |
... and you guys get into lengthy discussions with this nut-job because ... ?
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DJG Inner circle The northern hemisphere of Earth 1295 Posts |
I say spam the spammer. Call them up and ask if you can put them in YOUR directory
Your choices in life can be compared to watching a magic trick: You can continue to believe the illusion in front of you, find the intrigue and desire to learn more, or quit paying attention the moment you feel deceived.
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Countage Veteran user Charlotte 361 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-01-19 20:09, EventEntertainer wrote: If any other magicians have been insulted by this lady. I just wanted them to know they are not alone. |
gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
Quote: I think we already have, in a way...
On 2011-01-19 20:09, EventEntertainer wrote: Thanks for sharing these communications, folks. They are just so... Bizarre!?! I probably would not have understood what you even meant without the examples. This is most likely a 1 person operation with little more than a website, a list, and a phone number. A person with this sort of attitude probably shouldn't be directly interacting with the talent anyhow. I'm a little surprised she's still in business after these 3+ years.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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