How to promote Social Selling in a proper way?

July 13, 2018

In the current era of network, many NU SKIN distributors in each of the well-known social media platform such as Facebook and Instagram put to good use of all kinds of marketing ideas, share NU SKIN through social selling, in particular, after NU SKIN’s Social Media Guidelines and Social Selling Guidelines have been announced, give everyone the right direction to unleash the creativity. Understand how to play the role of and become the leading social media player successfully and in a compliant way. Dear distributors, please remember that in addition to the main character on the stage, the compliance of the matching props and the arrangement of the content are also very important. Let’s take a look of the following case.

Shirley: Bill, did you recently promote NU SKIN through Facebook? I have seen your page is recommended on my Facebook dynamic message.

Bill: Yes. After NU SKIN published Social Media Guidelines and Social Selling Guidelines, I was very excited and immediately designed my own personal style of Facebook page. In addition, in order to increase the exposure rate, I also spent a small amount of money to allow my Facebook page to be actively shared by Facebook and posted on other people's dynamic messages. What do you think of my page?

Shirley: Frankly speaking, your Facebook page have a sense of design and well management. But some of the contents that you posted were, in my opinion, very terrible. For example, you have published an article introducing R2. You said that a business partner was diagnosed with infertility. After taking R2, his wife was pregnant with twins. Moreover, you shared a post about Tegreen, saying that long-term use can effectively slow down the proliferation of cancer cells. Don't you think it's too exaggerated?

Bill: Really? All of the stories are derived from experience that shared by product users personally. Since this is their personal experience, there should be no problem with false advertising.

Shirley: NU SKIN products are nutritional supplements. Since they are supplements, they cannot be related to medical claims. I have just exemplified the contents of your post and it is clear that medical claims have been involved. Even though this is personal experience derived from product users, since the efficacy of the same product on different people is not necessarily the same and the claim is not consistent with Nu Skin’s approved product claims, if you do introduce the efficacy of such products, the risk of violation is really big. According to “The Trade Description Ordinance”, applies a false trade description to any goods, commits an offence.

Bill: Oh my god, so serious!

Shirley: Now you know that the consequences can be very serious. Your Facebook page in addition to medical claims problem, you used the advertising mechanism provided by the social media platform to increase the exposure rate, it also violated NU SKIN’s Social Selling Guidelines.

Bill: Luckily I met you today, Let me know which is not legitimate or non-compliance of my Facebook page, otherwise, the consequence will be hard to estimate. I can’t talk right now, I want to go back to review and amend my Facebook contents to prevent any mistakes. Bye Bye~

Dear Distributors, using social media for product advertising claims and testimonials photo sharing, although it can directly demonstrate the superiority of NU SKIN products, but the published contents must be consistent with the policies and procedures of NU SKIN and government regulations, the best way is to use NU SKIN approved materials. In addition, we cannot increase the exposure of our social media accounts by advertising via social media platforms. Social Selling can only be promoted to people who have positive interactions with our personal webpage or follow social media accounts.

Scan the following QR code, you may find NU SKIN’s “Social Media Guidelines” and “Social Selling Guidelines”.

Excerpts from the “Policies and Procedures” of NU SKIN Hong Kong and the relevant laws of Hong Kong are as follows:

“Policies and Procedures” of NU SKIN

Chapter 3 Advertising

2 Product Claims

2.1 General Limitation

You may only make the specific Product related claims and representations published in the Company’s Business Support Materials, and Company literature, and that have been approved by the Company for use in Business Support Materials in the Authorized  Market where you are making the claims.

2.2 No Medical Claims

You may not make medical claims, or state or imply that any Product is formulated, designed or approved by the Company or any regulatory authority to treat any disease or medical condition.

2.4 Before and After Photographs

Only those pictures and videos that have been approved by the Company may be used to demonstrate Product benefits.

Chapter 362, Laws of Hong Kong

“The Trade Descriptions Ordinance”

Section 7

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, any person who-

(a) in the course of any trade or business-

     (i) applies a false trade description to any goods; or

     (ii) supplies or offers to supply any goods to which a false trade description is applied; or

(b) has in his possession for sale or for any purpose of trade or manufacture any goods to which a false trade description is applied,

commits an offence.

(2) A person exposing goods for supply or having goods in his possession for supply shall be deemed to offer to supply them.

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance any person who disposes of or has in his possession any die, block, machine, or other instrument for the purpose of making, or applying to goods a false trade description commits an offence unless he proves that he acted without intent to defraud.