Tuesday, February 24, 2015

The Craigslist Dilemma

There is no denying that one of the hottest portals on the web is Craiglist.  I suspect I get at least an exposure a day to this property without exerting myself.  It's considered a great place to place a listing, seek a situation, and more.  It also comes with challenges.  Foremost among these is a disproportionate volume of shady characters.

There is danger on both sides of the equation for a small business.  Scammers can fool a business into performing work that leads to no payment, or to engage in any one of the many other flimflams I hear so much about.  And for potential customers? More sensitive ones may bypass your listing out of concern for illegitimate "offers".

The best advice for those using Craigslist as a marketing tool is to take reasonable precautions.  Provide links to your legitimate web properties, provide a searchable phone number, and be willing to meet with a prospect.  Also, before accepting an engagement or sale be insistent on meeting the person in person.  I strongly advise only doing business with someone locally (as Craigslist itself advises).  Taking proper precautions can't hurt and can potentially save a lot of heartache!

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