Facebook Threw Me Under the Bus

Well, it appears Facebook has broken up with me. I got this message: Your account has been disabled for pretending to be someone else, which goes against the Facebook Community Standards.

Wow. After 10 years of following their rules, having been an advertiser for several years for My Vision Quests and my Overcoming Unproductive Behaviors System, plus having three Business Pages and belonging to different “Facebook Groups,” I receive this e-mail that “A FRIEND” (yeah, right! — A Hater!) has reported to Facebook that I am pretending to be Lee Milteer. Grant you, this appears that someone deliberately wanted me off Facebook. This is maddening since it appears ANYONE can accuse you and Facebook simply doesn’t take the time to actually look at the Page and see the more than 10 years of posting and that I am a legitimate business owner.

Now, in the big scheme of life, this is a ridiculously silly problem. I am not basing my life’s income on Facebook or any social media. As my friend Dan Kennedy often warns us all about FB and social media, you can’t depend on media you can’t control. Clearly I cannot control Social Media and I cannot count on them seeing me as a long-standing client since they threw me off without even checking my personal site.

I honestly did not see this Challenge coming. I have heard about other people being thrown off. Since I sincerely don’t challenge their standards, I assumed (wrongly) I would be fine. I do my best to stay away from anything that instigates disharmony. There is enough of that going around in the world without me adding to that cesspool.

I have completely complied with their request for proof I am actually Lee Milteer. I sent them a copy of some legal documents with my photo on it, including my passport. I am told by others this has happened to them and that I need to have patience – that sooner or later someone at Facebook will review my case and see I am a real person. Honest to God, had anyone at Facebook taken five minutes to review my pages before cutting me off, they would have seen nothing but positive posts.

My surprise at Facebook’s plug-pulling turned into serious annoyance when I realized another repercussion it forces me to deal with: I’m getting e-mails out the wazoo asking where I am and what’s up with Dan Kennedy’s health since I’m no longer able to post to private Facebook groups.

This entirely new development has made me stand back and ask myself: how much time am I putting into Facebook, and what exactly are the rewards or profits from this time invested as a business owner? I might sell one of my books, or someone might think of me as a speaker for their event, or realize they desperately need my Assistant Training program. But as far as a real consistent return on my time investment, Social Media has not been my personal sweet spot for attracting new coaching or speaking clients.

By the time you read this, maybe Facebook might have GRANTED ME access to my Page again. Who knows? Of course, I could always create another Facebook Page. But there is something about being thrown out of the club that has made me UNSURE I want to go back. On the other hand, there are many people on Facebook I sincerely love to see.

I cannot make a prediction at this time if or when Facebook will conclude that I am the real Lee Milteer (accept no substitutes!). You can always go to facebook.com/leemilteer to see if I am there. But at this writing, the only response I’ve gotten from Facebook is the same as everyone else’s: “This page isn’t available.” I am honestly not optimistic that Facebook cares!

There is a truth we must all make ourselves aware of more frequently — there is always a SEED of OPPORTUNITY in every setback. We just have to look for it.

So I had a couple of things that happened this week that I have paid attention to. First, Facebook booted me off their platform. Then, my home computer decided it didn’t want anything to do with me either, earning itself a trip to the computer hospital where, for $300, it was pronounced dead on arrival.

I am a believer in looking for the Signs you get in life. Only a foolish person disregards “Signs” from the Universe. I am also not a big believer in coincidences and accidents.

So the Seed of Opportunity HERE might be that it’s time for me to retreat a bit from social media and refocus on myself and my own goals, dreams, and aspirations. Getting away from social media would give me more time and freedom from the ensnarling drama that inevitably seems to come with it, making you forget the reason you were on social media to begin with.

So you may or may not see me on Facebook in the future. However, I believe word of mouth advertising about my coaching, speaking, and writing has always been my best investment. Considering I have fallen into disfavor with the Dark Lords of Social Media, I am thinking a better strategy is to do some direct mail to the potential clients I want to connect with, as well as some other creative ways to promote my business, versus endlessly posting positive information on Facebook.

I leave you with the questions: Are you getting out of Social Media the effort you are putting in? Are you receiving a fair exchange for your efforts? If not, perhaps it’s time to look more for a medium you can control. Hey, consider that Medium to be YOU! Excel so well at what you do that people want to recommend you.

Best to all,
Lee

Lee Milteer
Business & Life Strategist
P.S.
If you’re ready to exert more control over your life and business efforts, you should consider some one-on-one coaching with me. I can help you identify, focus on, and achieve your big life goals! Call for more information 757-363-5800 or email [email protected] to be sent an Investment sheet.