Who The Heck Is Andrew?

People do business with those they know, like and trust. Regardless of what you’re selling, to be successful you need to develop a relationship with your customer.

Naturally, if you’re lying to customers, they won’t (and shouldn’t) trust you.

Enter the Spectrum solicitation arriving in yesterday’s mail. Addressed to Current Business Owner, the mailing list was undoubtedly rented.

Inside the envelope was a letter, business card, and buck slip (a 4”x6” item printed to look like a handwritten note on yellow note paper).

The note said “I’ve tried to reach you a few times. Please give me a call.” and was signed Andrew.

I work alone, without an assistant to misplace a message. So it’s highly unlikely “Andrew” actually tried reaching me. Then I did a Google search for the name on the business card and discovered (to nobody’s great surprise) that such a person didn’t appear to exist.

My guess: Spectrum is testing this buck slip as a potential replacement for those pesky telemarketing calls.

It’s important to test different marketing strategies to improve productivity and lower costs. If you can replace a $2 telemarketing call with a one cent promotional insert and increase profits, you’d be foolish to do otherwise.

And considering the (doubtless) millions of promotions Spectrum mails out, we’re probably talking about them saving REAL money.

Nor do I object to them sending a letter, or that they don’t know my name. The likelihood that Andrew doesn’t even exist doesn’t irritate me, either.

My complaint is the blatant lie about trying to reach me. Because there were never any phone calls, emails, letters, texts, or visits.

Meaning Spectrum is being deceitful right out of the envelope. If they’re dishonest from the get-go, why should I believe anything they say?

Spectrum has a near-monopoly in markets they serve. This insulation from competition perhaps drives an arrogance that lying to customers is acceptable.

You, on the other hand, don’t have that option. Key to your business growth is developing and maintaining a sense of trust to get customers buying from you.

Also remember that people are creatures of habit. Get them buying from you and they’ll return, perhaps for decades. It’s a lesson Crest, Pepsi, and countless other major brands have taught, and you can learn from.

But the moment consumers catch you in a lie, you’ve provided reason for them to look elsewhere. And, once you lose them, they may never come back.

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

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Develop honest communications at www.askmrmarketing.com.