E-Card Makes This Turkey Angry!!!
This past week I received a rather personally infused Thanksgiving e-card from someone who I had met (once) in conjunction with one of my speaking engagements. The card was a very nice gesture but given that I had only met this person once a few months back, it struck me as rather odd to receive such a personal message from someone I don't know. None-the-less, there was an option to send a return message back to the sender which I did thanking her for the unexpected card and wishing her and hers a great Thanksgiving as well.
What happened next simply amazed me.
Immediately after pushing the button to send my return message back to this person I received another email in my inbox. It indicated how THANKFUL she was to add me to me to her distribution list and have a great day. Wait a minute....I didn't want to be added to her distribution list!
Two days later..it began.
It started with a simple investment idea. Later in the day a reminder email asking me if I had had a chance to read her investment idea.
The next day a success story from one her clients who went by the name of Paul (no last name, no company or contact information) which gave a ringing endorsement of her financial genius.
Then the next day a formal request to sit down and review my financial porfolio followed by two more direct emails asking for an immediate appointment. Each one was built off the fact she was only making the time because we were such good friends and doing me the favor! WHAT?
It seemed the more I ignored it, the more emails I got. By the time Sunday had rolled around, I had received 7 emails in all. Specifically targeted at assuming she would take over all of my financial decisions.
This morning, I called her. It was eye opening!
I tried to contain my sincere displeasure for what had transpired by focusing on the fact I appreciated her card. It was her response that floored me.
"Oh....I am glad you liked my card. I can't take credit for it however. My assistant takes all of the cards I get at various events and puts them into my database. The system does this neat thing with e-cards and gets my name out there. It's a great marketing strategy to stay in front of clients don't you agree?"
Steaming by this point, "You mean this card wasn't even sent by you? The personal sentiment was somebody else's? It was part of an e-card strategy?"
"Well it's not like it sounds exactly. I want all of my clients to have a Happy Thanksgiving and of course get them thinking about how much money they might make with me in the coming year."
I reminded her I wasn't a client. She countered with how many successful authors she has worked with and how much more successful they are after working with her.
Let's just say that the last part of our conversation isn't suitable for reading.
Needless to say, showing your gratitude and thankfulness isn't a marketing opportunity. Technology makes it so easy to automate our lives and in essence our relationships, however that doesn't make it right! I can not tell you with enough emphasis to proceed with the use of these advantages cautiously.
This young lady I am certain is a nice young woman and had she been more open to understanding my dissatisfaction I might have taken the time to explain in more vivid detail how many connections she may be damaging with her e-card strategy....but I didn't.
Perhaps after reading my BLOG, which she claims she is a reader of, she will get it. Obviously our conversation didn't go anywhere or make any difference. In the time that it took me to write this, a new message from her has come across asking me yet again to set aside some time to make some real money next year. I just might do that....just not with her.
It goes without saying that showing or displaying any personal sentiment towards someone shouldn't happen unless the collective collateral has been built up to do so. You can never ever fake sincerity. It will come back to bite you like a live turkey on a chopping block!
Ripple On!!!
Steve Harper
P.S. Two Days to go on the Thanksgiving Memory Contest. See the last two BLOG posts for details on how to submit!
What happened next simply amazed me.
Immediately after pushing the button to send my return message back to this person I received another email in my inbox. It indicated how THANKFUL she was to add me to me to her distribution list and have a great day. Wait a minute....I didn't want to be added to her distribution list!
Two days later..it began.
It started with a simple investment idea. Later in the day a reminder email asking me if I had had a chance to read her investment idea.
The next day a success story from one her clients who went by the name of Paul (no last name, no company or contact information) which gave a ringing endorsement of her financial genius.
Then the next day a formal request to sit down and review my financial porfolio followed by two more direct emails asking for an immediate appointment. Each one was built off the fact she was only making the time because we were such good friends and doing me the favor! WHAT?
It seemed the more I ignored it, the more emails I got. By the time Sunday had rolled around, I had received 7 emails in all. Specifically targeted at assuming she would take over all of my financial decisions.
This morning, I called her. It was eye opening!
I tried to contain my sincere displeasure for what had transpired by focusing on the fact I appreciated her card. It was her response that floored me.
"Oh....I am glad you liked my card. I can't take credit for it however. My assistant takes all of the cards I get at various events and puts them into my database. The system does this neat thing with e-cards and gets my name out there. It's a great marketing strategy to stay in front of clients don't you agree?"
Steaming by this point, "You mean this card wasn't even sent by you? The personal sentiment was somebody else's? It was part of an e-card strategy?"
"Well it's not like it sounds exactly. I want all of my clients to have a Happy Thanksgiving and of course get them thinking about how much money they might make with me in the coming year."
I reminded her I wasn't a client. She countered with how many successful authors she has worked with and how much more successful they are after working with her.
Let's just say that the last part of our conversation isn't suitable for reading.
Needless to say, showing your gratitude and thankfulness isn't a marketing opportunity. Technology makes it so easy to automate our lives and in essence our relationships, however that doesn't make it right! I can not tell you with enough emphasis to proceed with the use of these advantages cautiously.
This young lady I am certain is a nice young woman and had she been more open to understanding my dissatisfaction I might have taken the time to explain in more vivid detail how many connections she may be damaging with her e-card strategy....but I didn't.
Perhaps after reading my BLOG, which she claims she is a reader of, she will get it. Obviously our conversation didn't go anywhere or make any difference. In the time that it took me to write this, a new message from her has come across asking me yet again to set aside some time to make some real money next year. I just might do that....just not with her.
It goes without saying that showing or displaying any personal sentiment towards someone shouldn't happen unless the collective collateral has been built up to do so. You can never ever fake sincerity. It will come back to bite you like a live turkey on a chopping block!
Ripple On!!!
Steve Harper
P.S. Two Days to go on the Thanksgiving Memory Contest. See the last two BLOG posts for details on how to submit!
1 comment:
I got similar card. I know what you mean. It seems a kind of underhanded way to get you on a distribution list. I think giving away something of value is a much better way to go.
Of couse, there's always the unsubscribe button.
Oh...and a free bit of advice for readers of Steve Harper's blog...don't tell your prospects about your cool marketing. They will feel duped. Your colleagues are fine, but seriously it's like if some salesman says, "yeah, we tell you there's a time limit on this price because we want you to sign up befroe you had time to think."
Would you buy from that guy or gal?
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