The other day I received a piece of mail that looked very official. It was one of those thin pieces of paper with perforated edges on both sides. It said “important business information” on the front.
There were no identifying marks of who or where the mail was from, except a PO Box.
Was it tax related? Was it a check? Was it a bill? What could this “important business information” be?!
It was an offer from Verizon to switch my internet provider.
Most people have this sort of experience, look at the offer, quickly consider the offer, and then (typically) throw it away. I, on the other hand, am angry about it because it signifies something very wrong with our collective marketing experiences, and to some degree our profit-obsessed way of living.
If you want to sell me the idea of switching my internet provider…why not just come right out with it? Why dress it up and pretend that your advertising is anything more than advertising?
THIS is precisely the problem with Marketing & Advertising…when it takes THIS form: deceptive.
- If you are thinking of doing some cute trickery and pretending that your used car lot direct mail offer is a letter from the White House…STOP, move on, and come up with a new idea.
- If you are thinking of pretending that your cold calls are an innocuous courtesy call rather than an attempt to take 7 minutes of my day telling me a story in hopes that I’ll subscribe to your publication…STOP, move on, and come up with a new idea.
- If you are considering outsourcing the CEOs Twitter account and filling it with hollow ghost written inspirational quotes, STOP, move on, and come up with a new idea.
Winning through deception isn’t winning, it’s cheating. Play the game straight up, or sit this inning out. Eventually people will figure it out, and whatever gains you’ve made will quickly be lost once you’ve lost all trust.
If your goal is to get people to do business with you, your best option is to be honest and forthright. Don’t mislead, don’t be deceptive, and don’t toy with expectations.