Secret Weapon Sidearm - thanks for your help, ROFB

I hardly qualify as an expert, but that never stopped me from giving my
opinion. And I don't know the poster well enough to be sure that his recent
comment about your Spam was 100% serious.

For sure, it's not spam to talk about a product that one has no financial
interest in. After all, a substantial portion of every fishing forum is
devoted to discussion of products and how well they do and don't work. One
of the first things people want to know is "what lure did you catch it on?"

I've been seeing these spam discussions from time to time here for almost
seven years. Certainly nobody likes to see someone take advantage of an
unmoderated forum by using it for self-promotion. On the other hand, I never
had a problem with someone who's a regular member of the group occasionally
making an announcement about his wares.

In your case, you might catch a little less flak with a simple statement
along the lines of, "SWL has a special for ROFB members. For details, click
here."

"Joe Haubenreich" wrote in
message . ..
I defer to others' expertise regarding SPAM. Nobody I know is as finely
attuned to the nuances of SPAM or as dedicated to its eradication (good
luck
with that, by the way) as a few of our members are, so could I get someone
to explain to me again exactly constitutes SPAM, please?

Is it only SPAM if I post about a product in which I have some sort of
financial interest?

If I post about another company's product (not SWL) that is sold
commercially, is that SPAM? As a hypothetical example, if I write "Wow, I
really like the Bill Dance Porcupine Fish Attractor! I put out three the
day
before Christmas on Percy Priest, and I caught bass off them every day
last
week!" Is that SPAM?

If I recommend the commercially-sold product (still not Secret Weapon), is
that SPAM? Hypothetical example: "If you're thinking of putting out some
fish attractors to create a milk run for your tournament season, do
yourself
a favor and consider the Bill Dance Porcupine Fish Attractor. They're the
best I've ever seen... easy to assemble and place, lures don't hang up on
them, and they attract fish!"

If I mention the price of that product, or where it can be purchased, is
that SPAM? Example: "You can buy the entire Bill Dance Porcupine Fish
Attractor as a set for $42.05, complete with PVC hub and pipe. Or, you can
do what I did -- buy a bag of three hubs at Bass Pro Shops for $47.05 and
use scrap PVC pipe from a construction site to finish them off."

If I let people know about a way to win that product for free, or let them
know about a great deal on products, is that SPAM? Hypothetical example:
"During the fishing tackle show season, look up the fella who came up with
this idea, and you can get a great discount -- up to 33% off -- at the
shows. He's usually in Memphis, Little Rock, Louisville, and other shows
around the mid-South."

If I have become acquainted with a business owner and I recommend his
product and tell where one can buy it and the selling price, but I have no
vested interest, is that SPAM? Hypothetically: "I met the inventor, Larry
Harper, and he is one of the nicest gentlemen you'll ever meet. Listening
to
him describe how he came up with the idea and what he went through to
manufacture was fascinating. I'm looking forward to fishing with him this
spring. He told me he's trying to get the fish attractors in Dick's and
Sportsman's Warehouse this spring, so I'll probably stop by there and pick
up a few more before tournaments start."

Say one of our customers uses and recommends Secret Weapon Lures products
and were to learn that we're offering a certain product to ROFB members at
a
50% discount, if he posts that information here, is that SPAM?

Is it SPAM when a business owner gives away product and posts an
announcement here? Hypothetically, if I were to write that anyone who
comes
to the Northwoods Classic will receive any Secret Weapon Lures of his
choice
absolutely free, would that cross the SPAM line?

Would it be SPAM if a buddy of mine posted about it? Like if Chris Rennert
were to write, "I received one of the new Secret Weapon Sidearm
Spinnerbaits
at the Northwoods Classic, and it quickly became one of my favorite baits.
I
caught fish on it at that event and every time I've thrown it since then
(hypothetical situation, again). Secret Weapon was making and giving these
away at the NWC, as they do every year."

What if the business owner was selling the product at or below his cost
(no
profit on the transaction). Would that be SPAM?

If someone else not a part of Secret Weapon Lures learned about the
at-cost
sale somehow and passed the information along here, knowing that there
would
be people here who would want to take advantage of the opportunity, would
that be SPAM?

In order not to SPAM the group, would it be ok to create a special page on
our Web site and then refer people to the page in a post on ROFB? What
would
we have to write (or not write) in order to keep it from being SPAM? If I
put a line in my signature that reads, "Check our special ROFB-Members
Only
offers" and include a link to the Web page, would that be SPAM?

Thanks in advance for the clarification.

Regards,

Joe
--------------------
Secret Weapon Lures
http://secretweaponlures.com
"Over $3,000 in ROFB Product/Service Donations Since 2001"
-------------------------

Marty wrote:
...
In your case, you might catch a little less flak with a simple statement
along the lines of, "SWL has a special for ROFB members. For details, click
here."

"Joe Haubenreich" wrote:
... If I
put a line in my signature that reads, "Check our special ROFB-Members
Only offers" and include a link to the Web page, would that be SPAM?

I, for one, would not consider a message like that contained in a
..sig file to be SPAM so long as the message that preceded the .sig
was an on-topic contribution to the group and not a commercial.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry wrote in news:XuBmh.56090
:


I, for one, would not consider a message like that contained in a
.sig file to be SPAM so long as the message that preceded the .sig
was an on-topic contribution to the group and not a commercial.


Yup, that's generally the way its done, and most find it nonoffensive.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

"Joe Haubenreich" wrote
in :

What if the business owner was selling the product at or below his
cost (no profit on the transaction). Would that be SPAM?

Yes.


--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

On Tue, 2 Jan 2007 15:41:06 -0600, "Joe Haubenreich"
wrote:

I defer to others' expertise regarding SPAM. Nobody I know is as finely
attuned to the nuances of SPAM or as dedicated to its eradication (good luck
with that, by the way) as a few of our members are, so could I get someone
to explain to me again exactly constitutes SPAM, please?

BIG TIME SNIP
Your posts are not spam Joe!


Thanks in advance for the clarification.

You are welcome.


Regards,

Joe
--------------------
Secret Weapon Lures
http://secretweaponlures.com
"Over $3,000 in ROFB Product/Service Donations Since 2001"
-------------------------


Dan

Remove the x for e-mail reply
1996 HD Sportster 1200S. N9JBF. Bass fishing Aficionado!
www.outdoorfrontiers.com www.SecretWeaponLures.com
A proud charter member of "PETAF", People for Eating Tasty Animals and Fish!!!

How about some wine with that too?

--
Chris S
Replace com with net to e-mail
---

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
. net...
Joe Haubenreich wrote:
SPAM snipped

I'd like two fried eggs, over easy, with my SPAM.

Thanks.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
. net...
Joe Haubenreich wrote:
SPAM snipped

I'd like two fried eggs, over easy, with my SPAM.

Thanks.

--
Ken Fortenberry

You eat at Hawaiian BBQ's?

On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 14:32:57 GMT, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

Joe Haubenreich wrote:
SPAM snipped

I'd like two fried eggs, over easy, with my SPAM.

Thanks.


Ken

If you don't like Joe's posts - don't read them!! - It's that
simple.

Personally, I have learned one H#*^ of alot from Joe's posts - they
can be educational on the subject of bass fishing - spinner baits and
other methods - they can be down right funny as well.

I'd never fished a spinner bait prior to learning of SW's - now
I use them all the time. They work - and SW's are the most
flexible of all the ones in my box.

Joe and Charles are both stand-up guys - so give it
a rest.

Thanks

Jim

Owner of about a dozen SW's. And pork chop in a can
is good eating - cut a slab about 1/2" thick, grilled w/ some
cheese, add lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat bun - yum!

Jim Laumann wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Joe Haubenreich wrote:
SPAM snipped
I'd like two fried eggs, over easy, with my SPAM.

Thanks.

Ken

If you don't like Joe's posts - don't read them!! - It's that
simple.

I don't like SPAM. It's that simple.

...
Joe and Charles are both stand-up guys - so give it
a rest.

I don't doubt for one second that both are gentlmen, scholars
and fine judges of horse flesh and women, not to mention guys
I'd enjoy meeting and sharing a fishing trip with. But this
Usenet newsgroup thing is self-policing and if I see something
I don't like, SPAM for instance, I speak up. If you don't like
my posts, don't read them.

--
Ken Fortenberry

snip.....

Ken

If you don't like Joe's posts - don't read them!! - It's that
simple.

I don't like SPAM. It's that simple.

...
Joe and Charles are both stand-up guys - so give it
a rest.

I don't doubt for one second that both are gentlmen, scholars
and fine judges of horse flesh and women, not to mention guys
I'd enjoy meeting and sharing a fishing trip with. But this
Usenet newsgroup thing is self-policing and if I see something
I don't like, SPAM for instance, I speak up. If you don't like
my posts, don't read them.

Ken

Good come back.....

I've read your posts over the years since I learned you did your bass
fishing w/ a flyrod - I've got one - but have a lot to learn - so I've
looked at your posts for info.....

But, ok - fair is fair - you stop banging on Joe now - as this is the
last of yours that I'll be reading.

Good luck to you in the future Ken

Jim