A compliment -- or a marketing ploy?
My first website was still in the "let's try this" stage, when I was delighted to receive a warm, friendly email from "Alvernon Grossperson."
"Dear Cathy Goodwin:
I loved your website. It is well-designed and easy to follow. Interesting articles, too."
Promptly I wrote back, thanking my visitor for taking the time to share his sentiments and suggesting an ezine subscription. I even sent the email to a few members of my support team.
One of my coach friends emailed back, "That's funny -- Alvernon sent me the identical message, word-for-word."
We soon learned that "Alvernon" had sent this email to dozens of people who were listed on coaching websites. He was expelled from one list and soon disappeared from our lives, leaving us all frustrated, wiser and much more cynical.
Alvernon was extreme, but many people seem to share his creativity. Every so often I get an email along the lines of, "Cathy, I really loved your article and I think you would benefit from buying my [fill in the blank: ebook, program, services or system]."
Most subtle -- and most upsetting in the end -- was an email from "Griselda" who sells marketing services to coaches and other ebusiness owners. I received a warm, individually tailored email, complimenting me on my article. "As a coach and writer, I especially applaud your contribution." Not a sales pitch in sight.
Later, when I sought marketing support, I signed up for Griselda's workshop, hoping to build on our common bond. She had no memory of sending me a complimentary email. However, a few months later, a coach friend told me he had also gotten a warm, supportive, individualized email from Griselda. Hmm.
Now, don't get me wrong here. I absolutely love getting genuine fan letters. My all-time favorite was the reader who complimented me on my photos, saying, "You look great, the dog looks great, and you have a relationship to die for."
See http://www.movinglady.com/photos.html
Another treasure was the British reader who wrote, "Your site has the distinction of being funny -- on purpose! So many sites seem to be a send-up of themselves."
Neither reader asked for anything -- and indeed most readers are wonderful. Some ask for permission to reprint my "free content" articles and of course they are encouraged to do so, as long as they use my resource box.
See http://www.movinglady.com/linkages.html#articles .
However, the well-meaning folks who disguise sales letters as friendly email deserve more ire than those who blatantly fill our inboxes with unwanted junk. It's like visiting a friend's house for dinner -- and then getting a bill.
These emails destroy trust and deny both parties some genuine benefits, such as link exchange or joint workshops. They also destroy credibility. Why, I wonder, would a successful ebusiness owner take the trouble to engage in an email campaign? What's wrong with her business?
What's a better way? Subscribe to your target customer's ezine for a few months. Attend a teleclass or two. Buy an ebook. Suggest an article, ad or link swap. Back off if you get a "no."
Even better: why focus on specific individuals? Create an attractive offering and learn to use websites, search engines and other hidden techniques to share your value. You'll make friends and create genuine relationships that last a long time.
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Author, Career Coach, Speaker can help you find the words to move to your dream. Visit her websites:
http://www.movinglady.com and http://www.writinglady.com
Free ezine: http://www.movinglady.com/subscribe.html
http://www.movinglady.com/feedback.html Phone: 505-534-4294