Offending and Losing a Customer

Last week we attended the Carlsbad Village Street Faire with 120,000 of our closest friends.

Arguably the nation’s largest event of its kind, hundreds of vendors offered arts & crafts, antiques, clothing, children’s rides, and goodies by the score.

From hats to cookies, we were overwhelmingly tempted for hours on end.

As we taste-tested olive oil samples, the proprietor said these fatal words: “What flavor would you ladies like to try next?” So let’s clarify a few things:

·         I’m a man

·         I have a tenor voice

Meaning despite my ponytail, I’m not easily mistaken for a woman.

Okay, there was a lot going on, and it was an accident. Still, this unintentional slight was enough to turn me away.

Regardless of what you sell, you can learn a lesson from this incident. Because there’s a lot of gender fluidity and hostility in the world these days. Many people have lost their perspective and sense of humor.

Apparently I’m one of them.

But politics, the #METOO movement, universal demands for respect, and the overwhelmingly serious times we live in have engendered reactions that might have remained muffled not long ago.

It’s more important than ever to watch EVERY word you say, and this incident was an excellent example of why. Debatably, this vendor did nothing wrong. But everyone deserves to be recognized for who they are; not who you want them to be. Under the circumstances, saying something gender-neutral would have been wiser.

And while I’ll still sit down with people I know and refer to them as “Ladies” or “Gentlemen,” I’m finding it’s typically wiser to avoid any gender-related comments when speaking to the general public.

Just as I avoid comments related to race, nationality, religion, ethnicity, or anything else that might be potentially offensive.

Here’s the bottom line: treat everyone with the utmost respect and parse your words carefully, because you never know what stray comment will set someone off. Get rid of the blonde, ethnic, and off-color jokes you’ve been telling for years, don’t talk about the size of someone’s body parts, and never NEVER touch someone without permission.

COVID’s largely in the rearview mirror, with prospective customers becoming more evident. Be sure you don’t blow a deal by putting your foot in your mouth.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

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