Sarcastically Southern advice column is written anonymously by a woman in Bulloch County. To submit a question, please e-mail her at sarcasticallysouthernblog@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SarcasticallyS5, and on Facebook, Sarcastically Southern.

Dear Sarcastically Southern,

I recently became a consultant for a multi-level marketing company. I don't want to be an annoying person on Facebook or to annoy my friends and family by trying to sell them things. How do I make big bucks with this job, but also toe the line of good salesperson and good friend?

Sincerely,

Do you want to buy something?

Do You,

I know this feeling all too well. I’m also an independent consultant for a multi-level marketing company and it does get a little tricky trying to sell your products without annoying your family or friends or making them feel like you're only reaching out to them to help you make money. I hate it when people feel like I'm taking advantage of them! I also hate it when everything in my newsfeed on Facebook is something that's trying to be sold to me. It's bad enough that I follow hundreds of stores online, but when a friend or family member gets involved in selling things and they start using their personal page to promote those products, suddenly the number of posts I see hocking products triples.

In my opinion, there are two types of sales posts on social media: 1. The “Buy something PLEASE” post. Immediately recognizable. It blatantly says “Buy something.”  2. The “I love this product” post. These are the posts that you would make regardless of if you got commission for it. Social media is a GREAT way to recommend products/stores/restaurants to people. And it’s done ALL the time. If the product you are selling is not something that you’d use, this type of post will be difficult for you.

I personally would much rather know that someone has personal experience with a product that they are trying to sell me.

Most companies recommend that you create a private group for your business. In fact, the company that I work for requires it. This way, people can opt out of seeing the post without unfriending you. If you’re nervous about making a sales pitch to your friends or family, tell them! Let them know that you don't want to be a pest, but that you would like them to take a look at the products. Personalize your pitch to them by saying “I saw this and thought you would like it. If you want to know more about it let me know or if you want to take a closer look at some other items here's my website or let me know here's a catalog.”

Now depending on what you're selling… this could go good or bad. For example, don’t EVER try to sell weight loss products by saying “I saw this and thought of you.” This could very well get you sucker-punched!

Dear Sarcastically Southern,

My brother and sister-in-law tend to show up at family gatherings or restaurants well underdressed. My husband and I aren't dressed to the nines by any means but we would prefer to overdress instead of being underdressed. Let me explain. I mean my brother will wear shorts and a T-shirt and my sister-in-law will wear baggy, unflattering leggings and a tank top with her bra hanging out. Why do people see this as acceptable?

Sincerely,

Overdressed and over it

Overdressed,

I am not sure why people see this as acceptable. I’ve been wondering the same thing my ENTIRE life. It irritates my husband that I make him wear nice clothes to go out to eat when we know that there will be college kids in oversized tees and undersized shorts. But my mom always said “I’m not their mama,” when I would say that someone else was allowed to do something. And they say eventually every woman turns into their mother… I find myself telling my husband that “I’m not their wife.”

 I suggest that you and your husband continue dressing the way that you are. Eventually you’ll start receiving compliments on your outfits and as you do, it could hint to your brother and sister-in-law that they need to step up their game. If it doesn’t, then next time you all go out, be as subtle as a brick through a window… tell them “People at this restaurant tend to be dressed up a little more than shorts and a T-shirt, so why don’t you wear that button-up shirt I bought you for Christmas?” If they are dressing down because they don’t know the vibe of where they are going, then you may have to tell them. And hopefully, they’ll catch the “hint.”