Facebook MLM – OMGWTFBBQ Coolest Thing – NOT! (ChattoText Review)
ByOkay… this started a few days ago and if you haven’t heard of it, consider yourself lucky…
Here’s the skinny. A new MLM popped up a few days ago that piggy-backed Facebook’s API (translation: it was an application for Facebook). The deal was that you pay them $6.00 a month and they allow folks to send you a message via their phones to chat with you on Facebook (or vice versa…). And you get $2.00 for everyone you get signed up with this program.
Now I don’t pretend to know everything about this program but I do know that as soon as it started, the spam started flying.
“Join in on the Ground Floor – Facebook MLM!”
Spam started hitting my inbox, my Twitter account, AND my Facebook inbox left and right promoting this as the holy-grail of MLMs “promoted by Facebook” itself!
And for the record… it is NOT promoted by Facebook. It is just some application coded up by some devious fools that uses Facebook.
I was peeved right away. Why? Because I hate spam! I hated the fact that people were jumping on this bandwagon without even doing their due diligence figuring out the long term business plan (if there ever was one). Folks were so busy clamoring over each other trying to get in on the “ground floor” that all sort of common sense (business and not) went right out the window.
Attracting the Wrong Type of People
People became “money-focused“. People became “sheep” – flocking together and doing what other sheep do, all without thinking.
Now, even without knowing exactly what this program I already got a bad feeling about it. Why? Because of the people it attracted! It attracted “sheep” and not “leaders”. It attracted spammers out to make a quick buck instead of business builders. It attracted folks who were blinded by the prospect of making making quick cash instead of those with long-term visions who were interested in bettering people’s lives.
I wanted nothing to do with it right from the get-go because (and pardon my generalization and my harsh judgment) because I didn’t want to be associated with these folks.
I started a thread on Better Networker and boy did the discussion get heated. We had people on both sides. There were folks who agreed with me that it was just SILLY how folks got swept up by the hype… and there were folks who hated me for condemning these spammers.
Better Networker Thread
It’s so interesting to see those that got swept up by the hype get so defensive (and some quite acidic) in their responses.
In the End – Reason Prevails & Order is Restored
Now, after all is said and done… Facebook shut down this application. (Shocking huh… really…)
And here’s the real tell-tell sign why this business isn’t sustainable and will never be and this is also why I would never promote this program. On the website, along with pleads to its members to contact Facebook to get their application re-approved, a petition in the form of a Facebook group, and the email Facebook sent them telling them to shut down, contains this message:
Drug Money...
“LOOK AT HOW MUCH COMMISSION YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE IN 5 DAYS!!! WHEN WE GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING JUST IMAGINE HOW MUCH YOU’LL BE MAKING IN A FEW WEEKS!”
What’s wrong with this picture? The main message behind this “business model“, if you can call it that, is “look at the money you are making”. Never mind how you are making it and whom you are making it off of.
The message isn’t about providing an awesome service or product for people, it’s not about adding value to others’ lives, it’s simply $money$ $money$ $money$.
For some reason, the idea of “druglords” (and the cigarette company) came in my mind when I saw this message.
Be careful of whom and what you represent and be careful of hype.
Like my Hwa Rang Do instructor, Master Lee says… “Man should not chase money, money should chase man.”
Heed that advice well 
Raymond Fong
NEWS FEED
Right on man.
Loved this piece!
Thanks Forest
Right on! Master Lee has it correct. Money will chase you. First, we must become more. Thanks for writing your thoughts.
Paulette
http://www.paulettechristian.com
Tell it like it is Ray!
I frequently find myself outraged by this type of junk.
I made lots of money, but screw my fellow man. Glad to see Facebook shut them down.
Yeah, like I said, I don’t pretend to know ChattoText and whether it’s a good application or not. Heck, it COULD be the coolest thing since sliced bread.
But the way it’s marketing itself just rubs me the wrong way… it’s encouraging people to be blinded by greed and adapt the “whatever it takes to make me money” mentality.
Yuck!
Raymond
Holy crap! -So glad I didn’t get any of this. I’d have not used it, clearly it hallmarks of spam and sleeze. Yuk!
Saw this on DIGG. Consider it DUGG!
-Joel
Your points are valid regarding how people tend to jump so quickly and spam everyone in sight, but that’s the nature of “viral marketing”.
What’s your thoughts now that Chat-to-Text.net is back and will also be on Bebo, Myspace and other social networks?
I don’t know that “viral marketing” directly translates to “spamming everyone in sight”… As a matter of fact, I am pretty darn sure that’s not the case.
But then we’d have to go on an define what “spam” is and this would just become a debate on semantics, which is just downright silly
My beef isn’t so much with the application, because it may be useful to some folks.
My beef is how it was promoted and the “message” the business conveyed to the public, which is nothing short of, “be motivated by money and money along” (just look at their message to their supporters, “LOOK AT HOW MUCH COMMISSION YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE IN 5 DAYS!!! WHEN WE GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING JUST IMAGINE HOW MUCH YOU’LL BE MAKING IN A FEW WEEKS!”
I don’t care how many millionaires will come out of this system, I refuse to support a program dominated by greed – nothing good comes of it. I hated the fact that on the forum I started over at Better Networker (http://www.betternetworker.com/forums/main-mlm-discussion-f2/facebook-mlm-omgwtfbbq-coolest-thing-not-t14938.html) people were blind by just how much money they were making and how much more they could make.
They didn’t care about the details of the application and the program nor did they care… they just cared about lining their wallets with others’ money. That’s what I despise; and chattotext did everything in its powers to cater to this shameless self-serving greed.
I don’t know if Chattotext has reformed its “business model” in its re-launch, but suffice to say, it left a sour taste in mouth and I’d be reluctant to EVER support this program.
Raymond
P.S. I had the opportunity of having a lady join my team (which meant a profit of a few thousand dollars…). Here’s the thing, she was looking for insurance that “this is it”, that she will be guaranteed success. She went so far as to asking if she should cash in on her retirement plan and invest in my program.
Had I been greedy, I would’ve nodded my head and said “oh suuuurrree, do it!” Knowing full well that there are no guarantees. Knowing full well that selling her retirement plan on this chance is silly and downright stupid.
I couldn’t in my right mind say “yaye”. So I told her the truth, I told her “DO NOT cash in on your retirement plan”…
And guess what, she didn’t join and I missed out on a few grand. But at least I can live with myself knowing I did the right thing.
Do you think these spammy chattotext folks would follow the same path?
I doubt it.
“Something wrong with your system ive just joined up but ended up logging into your Dash board” ….
Hey Raymond readers posters like every new social networking application cash rewards is always going to blind folks to the true bigger benefits of playing a system so every one gets a fair share of revenue … but my belief system tells me we are heading off in the unknown and stuff like this will definitely get a heck of a lot worse before it gets anywhere near better think about ALL countries are in a downward trend … so we should brace ourselves for a onslaught of spam no matter what social networking we will be doing these really are disparate times and folks will be flocking to the internet for their quick fix to the cash gold mining found by those who don’t no but think it this exists online not knowing what a tight community the internet has become what with social bookmarks and social networking being the newish kid on the block … you summed it up perfectly here with this great phrase;
The message isn’t about providing an awesome service or product for people, it’s not about adding value to others’ lives, it’s simply $money$ $money$ $money$. (lets blame our governments for taking there greedy eyes off the ball and making greedy folks desperate)
I liked that comment Saw this on DIGG. Consider it DUGG! … me to …
Roll on prosperity returning to a shore near you lol
Phillip Skinner
Hi Phillip, thanks for the Digg
And yeah, I can see the same trend in our market (and human behavior as well). Too many of us are governed by greed more than anything else – bugger.
What do you mean when you said you joined but then it took me to my dashboard?
Thanks,
Raymond
I personally love Text to Chat as I hate giving out my cell and this way I do not have to!
Ok, Facebook did shut down Chat To Text for about 3 weeks after they first launched, they made the some small changes to comply with facebook’s TOS and have been up and running ever since. Not only does it work on facebook, but also myspace, bebo, and any webpage or blog you create. I joined many programs over the past few years and I must admit that Chat To Text has been one of the best ones. The service is actually useful, especially for those who have websites and provide a service. It is like having a 24/7 customer service chat right from your website. People are more likely to want to chat over the computer versus call. To break even you only need to refer 3 people. I’ve signed up people who only want to use the service and don’t even plan on making money off it. The guys who run it seem legitimate and I’ve always been paid what I was owed and on time. I love chat to text, and take note that I am not leaving my website link for Chat To Text, therefore my opinion should not be biased.
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