to think my friend got conned on this social media course and should get a refund?

[BellaBearisWideAwake]

Hi, this is really in behalf of a friend who writes a blog, who paid a decent amount of money to attend a social media course which didn't come up to scratch. Her post is here:

mediocremum.com/2011/03/21/is-it-british-to-complain-and-not-do-anything-about-it/

What do you think? Should she get a refund?

She was advised to come on here by a reader of her blog but hasn't ever been on MN so I'm posting on her behalf while I wonder if this baby will ever arrive

"Ofay"?

QS
There are folks who blog and read blogs, and those who think it is all a big waste of time. Never the twain shall meet and all that.

Word of mouth only gets you so far with readers. Although I have found that once the blog gets to a certain size, then I don't have to tout so much for new readers, as many come from search engines. I do blog about topical issues though, imagine that the typical mummybloggers may have less hits from google. I had 70 hits yesterday, although I didn't put a new post up or "advertise" the blog anywhere.

Bloggers blog for different reasons. I am an opinionated woman who doesn't have an outlet for all these opinions :) and I also like to share stuff that I found interesting/funny/delicious/touching.

Steps
I ROARED at that, tbh, but did not have the heart to pull her up on it. Sweet.

roar @ ofay

But, MmeLindt, isnt it a bit like standing up on top of a mountain shouting into nowhere?

The course sounds like complete bollocks, obviously, but I'm inclined to think she was quite naive to book in the first place, at least without having a decent idea of what the programme of events was going to cover. I'm sure overpriced BS "courses" like this are ten a penny. A complete con, but I'm not sure there's anything illegal about it.

Seems strange that she was hoping to be provided with technical know-how, like uploading iPhone videos to YouTube, and using the Twitter search facility. You don't need to cough up £400 to find that stuff out.

I stopped reading at "ofay", to be honest.

She ought to get a refund, but she probably won't; Thomas Power is widely considered a bit of a wideboy in social media land, and in my opinion most 'social media experts' are just people who have spent a bit more time googling things than you have.

But then I'm enormously cynical about the whole social media love-in, having worked in the sector long enough to become so jaded that I now do something completely different.

It took me aaaages to understand what 'ofay' was meant to mean when I read it......then it clicked, and I thought maybe a spelling course would have been better?!
Sounds like as right rip off to be honest - £500!!!!!!!!!!! for that!!! Like people have already said, you could have worked most of that out for yourself.....oh well. Personally I think I'd just chalk it up to v bad judgement and experience and move on.....
BTW am I the only one who just doesn't GET blogging? Why are people interested in reading what random people you don't know have been up to at such great length?! i just don't care!!!!

QS
Sometimes a whisper comes back.

Hi All Mediocre Mum here,

And thank you for taking the time to comment. I do apologize to Bella Bear for asking her to post the link and I'm sorry if you got grief. Yes, I was recommended to post it here, not to drive traffic to the blog, but to get suggestions. I honestly, thought I would find more supportive and constructive comments. Thanks to those of you who were helpful.

I'm not a fool and I'm not parted with my money easily. I genuinely went on the course to learn. I received the course outline prior to the course and there were quite a few things on their I didn't know. I did not go to get more followers on my blog, blogging is a hobby for me (weird as people find it) and I make very little money from it. I would like to get more involved in social media (like every other man and his dog) and I was very transparent about that. But the bottom line as a consumer, they did not deliver what was advertised. I will be filing with small claims next Wednesday and yes I do have a leg to stand on. More importantly, I'm now pleased that my review is now on the net so others can make an informed decision.

I'm fully aware all of these resources can be found for free on the internet but as mothers you can understand it can be very difficult to find time to sit and wade your way through it. So, the opportunity to have a child-free day with an expert on hand to guide you through is invaluable.

However, on this occasion I was very disappointed.

Kind regards,

Chrissie

Oh and I'm horribly embarrassed about the ofay! I really thought it was a word. hangs head in shame and runs off to blog to remove it. However, I swear, being Canadian, I have heard loads of people use it.

Dying of laughter now! Guess studying French for 11 years didn't help! Au fait! Anyway, I will leave you guys to it. All the best.

Ah, good on you, Mediocremum. And big :o at ofay.

I am in Switzerland (French speaking part) so am used to making mistakes in French.

I guess that the problem with the whole social media phenomenon is that there are too many people with little or no knowledge offering advice and courses and for the layperson it is difficult to know who to turn to. Having your review out there will at least help others who are considering doing a course to make an informed decision.

I am social media clueless.
I also intend to stay that way. I dont have energy or inclination to learn YET another thing. (I know so much already, natch. )
Good of you to post, and take all this so "good-humoredly".

Mediocremum, in a way the course HAS been successful. Some of the posters here HAVE visited your blog and read about your troubles, so your traffic has increased as a direct result of your attendance, so surely you haven't wasted your money? You're also much more media-savvy than you were pre-course.

I'd leave it at that, if I were you.

Kitty is right about the course being successful in an unexpected way. Social media loves nothing more than talking about social media, so your experience will be bound to get you some more followers and exposure

Mediocremum - You've done the right thing by going to small claims, from what I've heard about Thomas Power, he is probably dealing with your complaints by sticking his fingers in his ears and singing 'la la la, I'm not listening'.

To others who don't 'get' blogging. So? I don't get soaps, rugby, X-Factor and many other things, but I accept that other people enjoy them, so don't feel the need to comment. We are not all the same, and sneering at something you admit you know nothing about makes you look shallow, and more than a little daft.

Also! Blogging is not just a hobby. Many people, myself included, make a living out of it. In addition, you probably do read blogs, you just don't recognise them as such. Most online newspapers (eg: Guardian, Times, Indie, Telegraph) are run on blogging platforms, and the editorial and comment sections are written by bloggers!

Climbing down off soapbox ....