Persona non grata with The garden shop catalogue on Linkedin

I had an interesting conversation this morning with a lady from The Garden Shop Catalogue (I think I have the title right it will become clear later).

I joined their group on Linked in last week thinking there might be something there to interest me. Someone posted a request for information regarding hand made arches and garden structures so I posted a reply saying I might be able to help, I say posted, I tried to post it but it didn’t make it onto the comments as it was being held back by the moderator it seems.

To return to the conversation with said lady earlier,

Lady, “You posted a comment”

Me, “Yes that’s right but it doesn’t seem to have made it onto the discussion”

Lady “ The group is for advertisers in The Garden Shop catalogue it is an advantage for them in advertising with us, would you like to advertise with us”

Me, “no thanks, how is me replying to a discussion disadvantaging your advertisers?”

Lady, ”It is just for people who advertise with us to comment”

Me, “ I can’t understand the problem, I use other networking sites The Landscape Juice Network, The Garden Network and it isn’t a problem for them, I have my own network site for garden centres where they can post photos, videos of their garden centres, link to their website all free of charge, so how am I disadvantaging your advertisers?”

Lady, “When you want to advertise with us please get in touch”

End of conversation.

That was a brief synopsis of our conversation.

Please correct me if I am wrong I believe it costs nothing to set up a linked in group so what advantages are they offering the nineteen members who have signed up so far.

Anyway perhaps this thread will help publicise their linked in group and gain them one or two more members, you won’t however find me on there I have been removed, which is a little short sighted as I am beginning to sell a few other products on my seriousgardener website and I might have found those products through that group.

I might even eventually have been interested in advertising with them as I do with LJN.

Further news on this front.

I received an e mail

To: Mr Philip Cumberland, Fenland Ironworks Ltd

We have created a LinkedIn Group for The Garden Shop Catalogue and would dearly like for you to join it as a professional within the Garden Industry.

To join go to http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4046995

kindest regards

Scott

The Garden Shop Catalogue.

So I sent of my email requesting to join I thought they may have had a change of heart and wanted to plumb the depths of my knowledge and expeience (all half inch of it (12.5mm). Yesterday I had a phone call from Jo

"We have received your application to join our linked in group would you like to advertise"

"No thanks"

"The group is for our advertisers and buyers"

"I will join as a buyer then I am looking for new products to add to my www.seriousgardener.co.uk website"

"you won't be able to post links to your site"

"Thats not a problem, why do you add all these restrictions to the group, aren't they free to set up on linkedin?"

"The group may be free to set up but we have a member of staff running it, moderating the comments and sending out emails"

"I really don't think you have quite grasped the concept of linkedin, I explained to her about my free to join Gardens of Britain website for garden centres and public gardens told her about all the freebies on there but I don't think it worked"

At the moment my membership is pending, as is I am sure many others wishing to join the other 46 existing members, I will keep you posted.

Replies

PRO

Phil Voice September 12, 2011 at 6:03pm

This is real sad to hear Phil.
Fenlandphil October 28, 2011 at 7:30am

Further news on this front.

I received an e mail

To: Mr Philip Cumberland, Fenland Ironworks Ltd

We have created a LinkedIn Group for The Garden Shop Catalogue and would dearly like for you to join it as a professional within the Garden Industry.

To join go to http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4046995

kindest regards

Scott

The Garden Shop Catalogue.

So I sent of my email requesting to join I thought they may have had a change of heart and wanted to plumb the depths of my knowledge and expeience (all half inch of it (12.5mm). Yesterday I had a phone call from Jo

"We have received your application to join our linked in group would you like to advertise"

"No thanks"

"The group is for our advertisers and buyers"

"I will join as a buyer then I am looking for new products to add to my www.seriousgardener.co.uk website"

"you won't be able to post links to your site"

"Thats not a problem, why do you add all these restrictions to the group, aren't they free to set up on linkedin?"

"The group may be free to set up but we have a member of staff running it, moderating the comments and sending out emails"

"I really don't think you have quite grasped the concept of linkedin, I explained to her about my free to join Gardens of Britain website for garden centres and public gardens told her about all the freebies on there but I don't think it worked"

At the moment my membership is pending, as is I am sure many others wishing to join the other 46 existing members, I will keep you posted.
Nick Steele October 28, 2011 at 10:10am

We received the same invitiation to join, but junked it - seems we made the right decision!
chris nangle October 28, 2011 at 4:13pm

plenty more fish and all that Phil
Ofer El-hashahar October 31, 2011 at 10:43pm

there are lots of traps out there, Online.

It is for the ones that have not got a clue about online business, or for the ones that got real fat budget

to spend.

You can open same group....

( sounds like all the directories offers- to be on the first page)

Or ... like the ones that tell you that there site is first on google when you type their site name

haha
Fenlandphil November 1, 2011 at 6:23am

I am no expert on marketing Ofer, it is not my main line of business, however it seems that these people seem to suffer from a similar lack of expertise and it is their business, which is worrying.

When you are moving to a predominantly print based set up, as these are and Yell has done, the mind set has to change, years ago maybe nearly ten, I was talking to a Yell rep and he was telling me about their online set up. I wasn't happy with what they had in mind which was basically the print directory online and told him it wouldn't work, so far it hasn't it terms of turning their business round financially. I would be surprised if I was the only one that told them it wouldn't work, it didn't surprise me though that they were too arrogant to listen to the people buying their services.
Ofer El-hashahar November 1, 2011 at 8:03am

If you google yell you find tons of unhappy people,

There are many firms that are looking for money only.

they employ people to do the sale,

and they know that yet there are lots of people that do not know

anything about online marketing inc big firms with some budget.

The police used to get tons of complaints about seo firms that did nothing

or very little- no, not saying they are all like that.

Be aware but do not waist your time with them....

I know you got lots to do my friend

Good luck

Ofer
Fenlandphil February 3, 2013 at 1:23pm

I found this thread from Phils link
Steve London Stone February 3, 2013 at 9:18pm

I wouldn't think that he LinkedIn group will gain much traction. Very shortsighted and amateur.
Fenlandphil February 4, 2013 at 7:05am

I checked yesterday 199 members, I was interested as a buyer but they wouldn't have me in as a buyer.

Steve London Stone said:

I wouldn't think that he LinkedIn group will gain much traction. Very shortsighted and amateur.