Because marketers’ credibility keeps going lower and lower. Now a PR firm has agreed to settle charges it had its employees pretend to be unbiased videogame buyers and post gushing, rave reviews at Apple’s online iTunes store. When I read that, I felt like the French police inspector who was “shocked, shocked!” to discover gambling …
How to Overcome Customer Cynicism
Sick of hype and hard sell? Good news. The Marketing Gurus seem to be catching on. Famed copywriter Clayton Makepeace just wrote an article that confirms what I (and others) have been saying for years: “Everything you think you know about attracting new customers and writing to existing customers is quickly becoming obsolete.” For example: …
Negative reviews? Fear not
Negative online reviews are not necessarily the kiss of death for your product’s sales. Sales often increase anyway. And the company looks gutsy to allow it.
Deciphering auto dealers' promises
Ever wonder how your local car dealers can afford to make promises like these? “Zero-percent financing! Drive it away for just $189 a month! We’ll give you $4000 for your old car, even if you have to tow it in! And (my personal favorite) below-invoice prices!” Can dealers really afford to make such extravagant promises? …
Hubris trips BLEEPING Blagojevich
It had to happen. Illinois’ vacant Senate seat is now up for bid on eBay — just as it was in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office. Of course, the bleeping bigmouth may be too bleeping busy to handle the transaction himself. As one of the funnier auction listings warns, “Please be advised I will be away …
NY Times catches up to my blog;-)
A while back I blogged about the deceptive advertising practices by FreeCreditReport.com (sorry no link for bad boys). Today’s NY Times echoes my dismay. FCR, which is actually owned by the big credit reporting service Experian, claim to offer “free” credit reports, but they actually require enrollment in a $15/month paid service. “Consumer groups have …
Are you suffering from "Premature Pop-up?"
Too many information marketers are making the same stupid mistake. Seconds after you arrive at their site, a pop-up (or slide-in) window appears, asking you to fork over your precious contact information. Hey man, I don’t even know you. Just like in comedy, the secret is… (one, two, three) timing. Why would I be willing …
Free Credit Report: deceptive advertising?
“What the headline giveth, the small print taketh away,” grumbles the old advertising cynic. Sad to say it’s true, even in this era of supposed transparency. Take the TV ads for FreeCreditReport.com. A young guy dressed like a pirate, singing (OK, lip-syncing) a catchy little tune about he’s stuck in this nowhere job because his …
Craigslist CEO reveals secret profit strategy
Business can be a lot simpler than the consultants and MBAs claim. Craigslist, for example, just listens to its customers, then gives them what they want. No wonder they’ve been profitable since day one. Wait, that can’t be all there is to it, can it? It must be more complicated than that. Nope, not according …
$50 Million for Thunderbird PR?
Only one guy in the world has the gall to dish out $50 million for PR and publicity: yep, Uncle Sam. It turns out a $50 million public relations contract — to promote the Thunderbirds, the Air Force aerial stunt team — was tainted by improper influence and preferential treatment. Nothing blatantly criminal enough for …