It appears they are a startup company, the BBB file on them was just created in March 2020. I would guess that they are just another YellowPages-type clone saying they can drive business to you, but no promises of actual traffic, so they keep the price low at $99 to get companies to bite, and you never know if you were able to get anything from them and you don't know of their own SEO to help get you noticed. It's pretty easy to reach out to small businesses and get them to pay $99 for a year of 'exposure'.
So, what do you do if you get such an 'award'?
First, look to see if it is from a reputable company or organization that you are familiar with. Not all awards are fake!
Next, use your instincts. You should already be equipped to recognize potential scams
Once you suspect or recognize the scam, there still might be a dilemma for you. By receiving such an award stating that you are the best business in your category in your market, you could use this for promotional purposes. Or you may need some bling for your office desk or wall. The scammers understand this; in fact they count on it.
Even if you figure out that it is a scam, you still may want to leverage it for the “credibility.”
Is there anything wrong with that? It really is up to you. If you choose to go down this path, be careful about providing payment information, such as credit card numbers, for their tangible gifts. I would not give the scammers anything, personally, and do not recommend you do.
If you want to use the “award” for credibility purposes, you could just reference it. There is a fine line here. If you know without a shadow of doubt that it is a bogus company and award, I would not use it. On the other hand, if you are unsure and don’t have the time to do the research, you could reference it.
Example: Awarded Best ___________ in ___________ in 2015
If you choose to do this, save the email you received as proof that you received this recognition from the sending company.
Final thoughts…
Unfortunately, a side effect of good marketing and local SEO, is that businesses are listed in lots of online directories, internet yellow pages, and review sites. It is very easy for scammers to “scrape” these sites and pull your business data.
This means you will get a lot more spam emails, scams, and telemarketing phone calls, and this is expected to increase greatly over the upcoming years. You need to have a policy in place so that you can filter these distractions appropriately. Most of our clients simply forward all emails and telemarketers to us, so that our team can review and make recommendations.
You were recommended to us for inclusion in The Best of Spokane directory. The Best of Spokane features only 1 business per category. So once the category is filled, none of your competitors can get the spot!
Click Here to Secure Your Spot !
You will get :
- A full- page ad made to your specification that will also be linked to your website.
- By including your business in the directory we are creating a backlink to your website - giving you a big boost in SEO.
- Placement and improvement in ranking in google maps if you are not already there.
-The prestige of being listed as "The Best" in all of Spokane
- 24/7 exposure for an entire year.
- Use of The Best of Spokane badge for an entire year.
- 10,000 monthly email blasts to people in your area.
- Social media campaigns with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
- Our Spokane directory is brand new, to see a more completed directory, visit our Charlotte directory, at www.thebestofcharlotte.org
By being included in the directory, you will be exposed to over 150,000 potential prospects over the course of the year.
The cost is normally $299 for the year, but as a pre-launch promotion for Spokane we are offering promotional pricing of only $199 for the entire year- This includes everything, even ad design!!
If you would like to secure your spot, please click the link above or reply via email or phone as soon as possible. We will have the directory full within 2- 3 weeks, so please reply as soon as you can.
The Best Businesses Reviews
startup company
It appears they are a startup company, the BBB file on them was just created in March 2020. I would guess that they are just another YellowPages-type clone saying they can drive business to you, but no promises of actual traffic, so they keep the price low at $99 to get companies to bite, and you never know if you were able to get anything from them and you don't know of their own SEO to help get you noticed. It's pretty easy to reach out to small businesses and get them to pay $99 for a year of 'exposure'.
So, what do you do if you get such an 'award'?
First, look to see if it is from a reputable company or organization that you are familiar with. Not all awards are fake!
Next, use your instincts. You should already be equipped to recognize potential scams
Once you suspect or recognize the scam, there still might be a dilemma for you. By receiving such an award stating that you are the best business in your category in your market, you could use this for promotional purposes. Or you may need some bling for your office desk or wall. The scammers understand this; in fact they count on it.
Even if you figure out that it is a scam, you still may want to leverage it for the “credibility.”
Is there anything wrong with that? It really is up to you. If you choose to go down this path, be careful about providing payment information, such as credit card numbers, for their tangible gifts. I would not give the scammers anything, personally, and do not recommend you do.
If you want to use the “award” for credibility purposes, you could just reference it. There is a fine line here. If you know without a shadow of doubt that it is a bogus company and award, I would not use it. On the other hand, if you are unsure and don’t have the time to do the research, you could reference it.
Example: Awarded Best ___________ in ___________ in 2015
If you choose to do this, save the email you received as proof that you received this recognition from the sending company.
Final thoughts…
Unfortunately, a side effect of good marketing and local SEO, is that businesses are listed in lots of online directories, internet yellow pages, and review sites. It is very easy for scammers to “scrape” these sites and pull your business data.
This means you will get a lot more spam emails, scams, and telemarketing phone calls, and this is expected to increase greatly over the upcoming years. You need to have a policy in place so that you can filter these distractions appropriately. Most of our clients simply forward all emails and telemarketers to us, so that our team can review and make recommendations.
We’ve never seen anything on this “award”?
From: Jeff
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 2:55 PM
To: Info
Subject: Best of Spokane
Good Afternoon!
You were recommended to us for inclusion in The Best of Spokane directory. The Best of Spokane features only 1 business per category. So once the category is filled, none of your competitors can get the spot!
Click Here to Secure Your Spot !
You will get :
- A full- page ad made to your specification that will also be linked to your website.
- By including your business in the directory we are creating a backlink to your website - giving you a big boost in SEO.
- Placement and improvement in ranking in google maps if you are not already there.
-The prestige of being listed as "The Best" in all of Spokane
- 24/7 exposure for an entire year.
- Use of The Best of Spokane badge for an entire year.
- 10,000 monthly email blasts to people in your area.
- Social media campaigns with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
- Our Spokane directory is brand new, to see a more completed directory, visit our Charlotte directory, at www.thebestofcharlotte.org
By being included in the directory, you will be exposed to over 150,000 potential prospects over the course of the year.
The cost is normally $299 for the year, but as a pre-launch promotion for Spokane we are offering promotional pricing of only $199 for the entire year- This includes everything, even ad design!!
If you would like to secure your spot, please click the link above or reply via email or phone as soon as possible. We will have the directory full within 2- 3 weeks, so please reply as soon as you can.
Best Regards,
Jeff Rogers
The Best of Spokane
888-443-6450