On this day in which we celebrate love and friendship (by buying overpriced roses and boxes of chocolate natch), I wish that more marketers would show love for their customers. Instead, we see many of the following behaviors :
1. Not delivering what you promise
Special discount? “Free” consultation? These are some of the promises that marketers make and then don’t deliver on. Another is the “bait and switch” blog post/article, in which the marketer tells you that you will learn something or get something, but instead it’s a sales pitch for a webinar or a product. And one that I have been seeing a lot is when you go to the “fees” tab on a website only to find some gobbledygook about value or some such, but nothing showing firm numbers.
When you don’t deliver what you promise you are not showing love for your customers, but rather the opposite.
2. Not providing essential information or making it very hard to find
I am talking about restaurant websites that don’t include hours or menus, businesses that don’t list customer service numbers or emails, brochures or business cards without addresses, telephones, website URLs or other essential contact information.
When you don’t provide information your customers need to do business with you, it shows you don’t value them at all.
3. Using small or otherwise hard to read fonts
Even if you have a wonderfully informative website or brochure, which includes all the right information, if your customer can’t read it, it’s for naught. It’s a waste, and it shows that you haven’t taken your customers needs into consideration.
4. Sending too many emails
How many times are you going to tell your customers about your sale? I’d say twice a day every day is probably too much. So is sending ten emails urging potential donors to please give before some deadline (end of the year, your fiscal year, full moon). I’d add that too many asks in general are not good business (I am looking at you PBS with the constant pledge weeks that in reality are pledge months).
When you don’t consider that you overwhelming your customers with information, you are showing very little regard for them. That’s not loving.
5. Not remembering who already is a customer
Have you ever received an email, clicked on a link on that email which takes you to a website that has a form as a gatekeeper? The marketer who sent that email didn’t care that you were already a customer and had already signed up for emails. That’s lazy and uncaring. Also, it isn’t very effective because it doesn’t promote more signups, in fact, it could do the opposite.
This is by no means a complete list of ways in which marketers fail to show their love for customers. Which would you add?
With that, I wish my dear readers a very happy Valentine’s Day. May it be full of all that makes you happy.
About Deborah Brody
Deborah Brody writes and edits anything related to marketing communications. Most blog posts are written under the influence of caffeine.
Agree w/ all will really agree w/ #5. I’ve gotten those robocalls that are so so annoying. What’s worse is when it’s got a CTA a promo that is SO much better than what you have. To wit, I finally wore Uverse down to get the same 2-year rates they offer new subscribers. To me that is one of the worst fails in Public Relations (and customer service, brand culture) – neglecting the loyal customer, taking them for granted. FWIW.