Creative Marketing

The Bad & The Good...

Okay, this really ought to be two posts because, well, it points to two posts that give examples of how not to treat customers and how to treat customers.

First, see We Don't Have to Care, Part I.

And then go see We Don't Have to Care, Part II.

And then figure out which example is closer to how your business treats people... and if you're happy with that.

How Stupid I Am, Part II

Did I miss a memo?

Apparently somebody pushed the idea of "stupid" marketing, 'cuz I just heard a local storm-door company using it. Although, give them credit, they did try to make it sound like everybody else was stupid BUT me...

"There are a lot of stupid people out there -- not like you -- who spent way too much to install a new storm door..."

Hmmm. Okay. I guess I don't feel so bad 'cuz its everybody else who's stupid this time. But then they go on to say...

"...hopefully you're smart enough to see that spending more on a storm door..."

D'oh! There I go being not-too-smart again... and all I'm doing is listening to a radio ad.

I won't be buying any storm doors, though.

I aren't smart enough fer that.

Tell me again how stupid I am?

Right.

So I'm watching a television commercial that consists of a "funny video:"a guy, cutting down a tree, fells the tree right on top of his car. This is followed by a graphic that says "People do stupid things." And then another graphic, "Like pay too much for phone service." And then it ends with info about Vonage.

At first, I was chuckling along as I watched the funny video guy try and stop this 30-foot tree from falling atop his car. And I kept chuckling through the end of the commercial until it hit me...

They just called me stupid.

Now, I don't doubt that I'm not too bright. --Hell, I prove it at least a couple times a day to be sure. But you know what?

I don't really want to buy stuff from a company that's gonna call me stupid... Atleast, not without getting to know me first. Take me out for a drink, buy me dinner, but don't start the relationship by calling me stupid.

Too bad for Vonage.

I may be stupid... but I ain't dumb.

I'd like to buy a vowel...

My wife and I spent $26,000.00 on a brand-new Toyota Prius this past January.

Twenty-six thousand dollars.

Alright, I know it's not gonna pay off the national debt, but it ain't chump change, either. And, given that it was a take-it-or-leave-it, no haggle, no negotiation purchase, I've no doubt that the Toyota dealer who sold me the car, made a hefty little profit.

That's why I'm a little irritated at being sent numerous mailings from them with my name spelled incorrectly. Somewhere along the line, they dropped the "ie" from my first name -- Jimmie -- and replaced it with a "y".

A "y" that sticks in my craw every time I open mail from them and see the salutation, "Dear Jimmy".

It makes me wonder why I spent my money there.

It makes me wonder why I should spend my money there in the future.

After all, if they don't care enough to get my name right, will they care enough when it comes time to do my car repairs?

I'm not sure I can afford to find out.