What's up with the Chocolate Blues spam?

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Permalink Reply by Shelly Rice on March 19, 2009 at 6:28pm

Hi Chris

Brandon meant no harm by inviting people from Smaller Indiana to Chocolate Blues. He is a 20 year old kid who is working on a project and creating a non profit group to bring music into hospitals. I just introduced him to Smaller Indiana so he could meet people. He's not asking anyone for money or contributions or anything. He is just here to meet people.

If anyone is at fault for him over posting, it is my fault and I will take full responsibility for his actions because he did tell me he was going to invite people from Smaller Indiana to Chocolate Blues. Did I know he was going to invite everyone? NO! He did get a little over zealous, but I assure you he meant no harm. Please accept my apology.

He will not be posting anything any more about my event.

I would like to personally invite you to stop by the Chocolate Blues. It's truly a great event. Every city we go to it's huge and everyone loves it. Please give me the opportunity to prove myself to you that we are real, we are not into spamming and our purpose is to connect people.

Thank you. Shelly Rice
For the record..........about Chocolate Blues. This event has been going on for 6 years in different cities in the Midwest. For 6 years we have sold tickets and had very successful events. This year, I decided to make the event free to attend. I can see why you felt spammed and why you would 'feel' this the promotions are shady but

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Permalink Reply by Chris Horn on March 19, 2009 at 3:25pm

i received a phone call from them looking for someone who has never worked here, then when I told them they went into giving me the sales pitch

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Permalink Reply by Pat Coyle on March 19, 2009 at 3:45pm

Hey guys. Thanks for bringing this issue to light. I was not aware of the Chocolate blues thing, but I'll look into it now.

@ Ben - sorry, but I must have missed your message. I take this stuff seriously.

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Permalink Reply by Ben Shine on March 19, 2009 at 4:36pm

Thanks, Pat. I actually wrote via the "Report an Issue" a week or so ago, so now I don't know if I was truly writing to you. If that goes to somebody else, sorry!

I don't know why this irks me so much. I'm not the hugest participant in SI, but I'm a regular visitor and lurker, and I love that it's here, cuz I love some Indiana folk!

The thing that set me off is that when I replied to the original email that I got, which I knew was harvested from here, was that I was told that they saw it here, and then got my email from my work's website. My email is not listed on my site, so I took offense at the blatant dishonesty. Then, I started seeing the infinite messages "Brandon Bauer" was leaving, and it set me off even more. It's too blatant for me to ignore, so I called shenanigans. It's just shady.

Guess who's not going to pay to go to their event? This guy. Guess who has a really big mouth when he feels like people are shady and want to take advantage of things that are wholly good for their own selfish reasons? I'm sure I don't have to tell you.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Seidle on March 19, 2009 at 5:32pm

Ben - I own a headline sponsor of the event. Please call me in regard to the unsolicited emails so I can directly address it with the event planner.

Also, Ben, as far as I know, the only way to get a ticket to this event is by being given one for free. If someone is selling them, please call me at (317) 748.3197

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Permalink Reply by Shelly Rice on March 19, 2009 at 6:59pm

Ben, did someone try to charge you for a ticket to the Chocolate Blues? The passes are free. If you were contacted about a ticket to the event, it should have been to GIVE you a ticket, not to sell you a ticket.

I'm really sorry that you're so upset. It's not my goal to ever upset anyone. I have hundreds of past clients and I have positive testimonials from them. Many are posted on my website. Please take a look. If you take a moment and research me, I think you will see me and my business Chocolate Blues as a really great thing.

I would love for you to come to Chocolate Blues so you can see for yourself that it's really a good thing for small business and our purpose is a good one. We are not out to bother anyone and certainly not out to offend anyone.

You were upset because my company is not from Indiana. I am not trying to come to YOUR town and take anything from you or your community. I was invited here. One of my sponsors heard about the success of my past events and personally called me and asked me to come to Indianapolis, to bring this event to your community, so I did.

I have worked for 3 solid months promoting the Chocolate Blues event in Indianapolis and not any of my promotions have involved spamming people. I have personally called local businesses, introduced myself told them about Chocolate Blues, and I have shown the utmost respect to everyone. I don't spam people and I don't try to sell people. I have invited everyone to come with a free pass. I have passed out more than 2,000 free passes and I have not sold ONE pass.

I really hope you will come to the event and see for yourself.
Take care,
Shelly

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Permalink Reply by Mark Brown on March 19, 2009 at 4:54pm

My guess is "Brandon Bauer" is nothing more than a facade to continue posting for this event. I don't click on links and such - so I went over and googled it and found out it's got free tickets already if you email "Shelly Rice" from Missouri, who joined Smaller Indiana just to promote her event.

Here's her info - have fun:

My email is: chocolateblues@gmail.com
417-353-2610

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Permalink Reply by Mike Seidle on March 19, 2009 at 6:21pm

Mark - I own a sponsor of the event (Indiana Business Network). When I learned what Brandon had been doing on Smaller Indiana, I called Shelly Rice (event manager for Chocolate Blues), and asked that she have Brandon stop immediately. Shelly complied immediately.

Incidentally, Chocolate Blues is an event that is put on in six different cities including South Bend and Indianapolis. The event in Indy is happening exclusively because Indiana Business Network wanted to have a networking event, and heard that the event in South Bend drew 1,200 people. I found Shelly on LinkedIn, and asked her to bring the event to Indy.

Brandon is very real, and works for Chocolate Blues. If you want to meet Brandon, he will be at the Indy Chocolate Blues event promoting his Musical Medicine organization. Why don't you stop by and meet him and ask him about it?

Finally, your posting of her phone and email inviting people to have fun is out of line, and really doesn't fit the spirit of the Smaller Indiana Community. Two wrongs do not make a right, and I'm sure you would enjoy someone posting your email and phone with an invitation to "have fun".

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Permalink Reply by Shelly Rice on March 19, 2009 at 7:34pm

Mike, I don't mind Mark posting my phone number or email. I have them posted on my page. I want to meet people. I invite anyone and everyone to call me anytime. I think if people actually called me or sent me an email if they had a question or a concern about Chocolate Blues, BEFORE they publicly say negative things they would find out that what I am doing is a great thing.

I just want to clarify, I am the one who told Brandon about Smaller Indiana He really was just trying to help me spread the word about Chocolate Blues. He didn't realize he was spamming. It's no excuse but he is young and he doesn't have any business experience. He is a great kid and I would prefer people hold me responsible for this not him. I should have been clear about how to use this site and how not to use the site.

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Permalink Reply by Shelly Rice on March 19, 2009 at 7:24pm

Mark

I have been a member of Smaller Indiana for a couple of months in that time I have posted a couple of postings about Chocolate Blues for free tickets, that's it. I have not over used Smaller Indiana to promote the Chocolate Blues. And, I have not tried to use this site to sell anything to anyone.

It is my fault that Brandon sent out so many 'hello's to everyone. I told him about Smaller Indiana the other day and told him it would be a good way to meet people. He got carried away with saying hello to everyone and with telling everyone about Chocolate Blues. Please know he was not trying to sell tickets, he was really just trying to impress me by spreading the word to everyone. I take full responsibility for his spamming and I ask that you don't hold it against him. He is really a great kid.

I invite you to come to the event and allow me to prove myself to you that Chocolate Blues is about business people connecting and helping each other. It's not about me. I think if you come and see for yourself then you can judge what we are about with some actual facts, not a guess.

Thank you. I hope you will come by so we can meet. I think you will find it a positive experience.
Shelly

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Permalink Reply by Rick Wilkerson on March 19, 2009 at 5:01pm

I got the same message from Brandon Bauer and replied to it, not realizing he was spamming the site.

Disturbing on many levels, not the least of which is: I have a table at the event.

Up to now, the event has appeared 100% on the level. I do have free passes to hand out to anyone who's interested, as do all of the other exhibitors. I've heard that more than 2500 passes have been distributed. That should be plenty to ensure good attendance, but I don't blame them for trying hard to get the word to everyone.

I do not like spam and I don't eat it, just like most of you. Very weird that the event organizers, or someone purporting to represent them, would poison the well by unsavory web practices.

Still hoping that the event is worthwhile!

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Mike Seidle on March 19, 2009 at 5:21pm

Rick - I'm one of the sponsors of the event. We are not marketing the event, and just asked the organizer to stop this immediately. They agreed to do so.

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