Update 7/9/12: Well, it’s been almost four years and I’ve heard nary a peep from the folks at LCM. They’ve kept their end of the bargain and I’ve been left blessedly alone. The reason I’m writing now is that today it was announced that Flocknote is joining forces with LCM. Now, I know the guys behind Flocknote and think the world of them. I also think their product and their business are top notch and provide a great service to the Church. So, it makes me pause and think: If they’re okay with LCM, maybe LCM has changed. I’ve also been noticing them here doing good work, like their apostolate to Catholics serving in the military, providing them with free stuff, or their work with Brandon Vogt on his efforts to get good materials in the hands of impoverished African seminarians. I also had a conversation today with Matt Warner, the founder of Flocknote, and he reassured me that the LCM he’s doing business today really doesn’t look like the LCM I describe in this post. Therefore, I’m willing to lift my warning and to say that I’m okay with LCM today. Now I feel bad that this post is the top result on Google for LCM apart from their own site.
Update 12/9/08: At the request of LCM’s president I am updating this post to inform any interested person that following the posting of this entry (and only after) I was contacted by LCM and assured that my emails were purged from every database and that they were sending me a check for my affiliate earnings. Of course, to add insult to injury I received yet another email after that fact from a regional sales manager who was keeping a separate database, which I told them is part of the flaw in their business model. I have not received another unsolicited email from them in about 4 months.
Some time ago I responded to an email offer to bloggers from a group called Lighthouse Catholic Media. They sell CDs containing talks from noted Catholic speakers and to expand their business they were offering a portion of sales to bloggers who placed LCM ads on their blogs. I did so because I thought it would be a win-win: readers get good Catholic content and I get financial support for the blog. Unfortunately, that financial support never materialized—I don’t think I got a single affiliate payment—and then the other side of LCM became apparent.
Lighthouse Catholic Media operates like a multi-level marketing scheme that just won’t let go. They send a constant stream of emails with strategies for selling and how to increase sales and how to market to all your friends and neighbors and fellow parishioners and pastor, etc. There are constant invitations to regional call-in sales meetings and state call-in sales meetings and local call-in sales meetings. It’s like “Glen Garry Glen Ross” with the cursing.
And no matter how many times I’ve asked them to stop emailing me, how many times I’ve politely informed them that I no longer wish to take part, no matter how many times I’ve firmly ordered them to stop or I will report them to their Internet Service Provider as a spammer, they. Won’t. Stop. Emailing. Me!
So they’ve asked for it. I’m now exposing them as the slimy Internet spammers they are who seem to be more interested in the number of sales they can make and how much money they can earn over the content of their “Catholic” CDs. Their attitude clearly shows they could just as easily be peddling real estate CDs or little cans of SPAM for all their attention they give to, you know, the Gospel.
My advice: Stay away from Lighthouse “Catholic” Media. they are a sleazy outfit I would trust with my credit card and would not enrich in any way.
“My advice: Stay away from Lighthouse “Catholic” Media. they are a sleazy outfit I would trust with my credit card and would not enrich in any way.”
I think you meant to say “would NOT trust with my credit card.”
Thanks. My battle with the “not omission” typo continues.
I’m sorry to hear that. After hearing a Michael Kelly talk on Catholic radio, I was thrilled to get his CD from Lighthouse. The price was right. The service was fine. I bought the CD months ago and have recevied no solicitations. The website seemed to be a work in progress, but I was willing to cut them some slack in that area.
You’d think they’d at least give you a set of steak knives. (heh!)
Dear Domenico, I am very sorry to hear about your experience with Lighthouse. I have only experienced really great things from Lighthouse, and even better people and a real love for the Catholic Faith and a desire to spread the Gospel. I was impressed enough that I recently left another job to work for Lighthouse as the Vice President of Marketing and Development. On behalf of Lighthouse (and this comes from speaking with its president and others as well) we are truly sorry about the persisent emails and the confusion regarding the commission policy. I have made extensive efforts to make certain you don’t get additional emails (please let me know if you get another one and forward it to me). Also, CadeOne is correct in that there is a minimum amount of commission that needs to be earned before a payout is triggered, and if that is not reached, payouts are made at year end. Again, my sincere apologies if that was not clearly conveyed. We are reviewing this policy based on your feedback. We did try to make payment for what is due to you but it seems that your address and phone number have changed. I would appreciate it if you would contact me with your current address so that we can promptly send you a check. Thank you for your service to Christ and His Church in making better known the treasures of our Catholic Faith. Please feel free to call me at 630.246.2217. Christ’s blessings and Mary’s prayers, Tim Truckenbrod.
Tim: I’ve emailed you separately, but as I said in my email I’m sorry that it took a public rant on my blog to get results, especially after I kept emailing your people to stop.
I’ve also sent you my new address, however, I will point out that you did have my email address and never actually emailed me to ask for my new address (where I’ve lived for the past year).
I will appreciate receiving whatever I earned by running your ads. Perhaps if there comes a time where a blogger can participate by running an ad and without getting involved in the hard sales approach—and assuming that the trust once lost can be re-earned—I’d be happy to change my mind about Lighthouse because I would like to be able to recommend a source for good Catholic media.