How to lose a customer - from the Consumer's POV

I am not a marketer, nor do I play one on the Internet. I am an ordinary person with an ordinary website. I don’t have a product to sell … yet, and I’m not interested in making my name known anywhere with hype.

I have read some of the “success” stories that make the rounds by the so called “guru’s” … and I have read the “tried and true” methods of how to “market”, and I’ve seen enough SPAM in my life to know what NOT to do … but no one has ever asked ME what would make me buy their product … so for the first time ever… what NOT to do … from a consumer/buyer’s Point Of View

 DO NOT SPAM … that should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. I receive so much SPAM (so much so, I’ve put up a website to STOMP OUT SPAM) … I never respond, I never opt out (since I never opted in) … and sometimes for kicks and grins I’ll actually read it… visit the SPAMMER’s website and share with them exactly how I feel about them spamming me. I also complain to their ISP and have gone as far as complaining to their webhost … I HATE SPAM … everyone hates SPAM… so do not ever SPAM!

 POP UP’s … the person who invented POP UP’s should be shot (IMHO)! EVERYONE I know HATES Pop-Ups! They are irritating, obnoxious and annoying! (which explains why Pop-UP blockers were invented) And along with Pop-Ups, someone invented the “fly-in” pop-ups/ads … those are even WORSE!!! Nothing gets me more riled up than to be reading a webpage and have an advertisement come “flying in” and cover up what I’m trying to read. Nothing will make me leave a website faster than to see a Pop-Up or “Fly-In” advertisement … NOTHING!!! So, unless you want to irritate and annoy the “ordinary” person, don’t use Pop-Up’s or Fly In advertisements.

 SELF-PROMOTION …another thing that irritates me. I find it annoying and self serving to be reading about a product I may be interested in buying, then to have my interest SQUASHED by the self promoting hype (none of which I believe anyway). To read about how “this well known internet guru has come to ME for advice on marketing” turns me off faster than anything … and when I read something like that, I promptly lose interest and leave!!
Which brings me to my next annoyance…

 WEBSITES THAT WON’T LET ME LEAVE! I hate that! Chances are I’ve found your website accidentally via a search engine, or a link somewhere… I’ve visited your website… and I’ve lost interest in whatever you happen to be pushing at the moment or I may have even bookmarked your site to come back to at a later time, because it DID pique my interest, and I click on my “back” button to return from whence I’ve come … and I can’t leave! I HATE THAT!!!! It’s like being held prisoner somewhere I don’t want to be! … THAT in itself will make me NEVER ever return … and definitely NOT recommend your website to anyone.
But wait… it can get WORSE … Not only can I not leave (without either closing the browser or using the down arrow of my “back” button) … but now I’m being bombarded with POP UP’s (which I mentioned earlier already annoy me) telling me “DO NOT LEAVE”

 POP UPS THAT BEG ME TO STAY by offering me something! That bothers me! What if I had been interested enough to actually purchase whatever the website was offering??? Would I get the “freebies” that I’m now being bribed with (because the website wasn’t interesting enough to keep my attention) ??? Or would I just have “lost out” on the “bribe”? It has a ring of “dishonesty” as far as I’m concerned.

 LONG AND BORING SALES COPY … that can put me to sleep in the middle of the day! The way I see it … if whatever it is that you are offering is interesting … then you have me ready to buy in the first PARAGRAPH … I don’t need a novel full of “this guy made $100,00.00 in the first 15 minutes of using/pushing my product” … LUCKY HIM … but who is he? What did he do to make that $100,000.00? … unless you are going to tell me exactly HOW I CAN do it too, then don’t bother with the hype! It’s misleading … it may be true … but it smells dishonest – PERIOD!
My time is valuable … if your product is good, you should be able to HOOK me in the first few sentences. If you have more to say about how wonderful your product is, and you feel you have to explain it in more detail, then have a link where I can read more about it, but don’t make me wade thru a novel to find the price and the “buy” button… because if you do that, you have lost me as a customer.

 DON’T LIE to get me to join your mailing list. If you want me on your mailing list, just say so! Don’t offer free products for immediate download when I join your list, then send me to another page that is full of self hype. If you offer immediate download for joining your list, then send me to the free download page immediately after I hit the submit button. I shouldn’t have to check my email for the “download link” when I was led to believe I would be able to download immediately. That reeks of dishonesty and I will OPT OUT of your list immediately and never return to your website again. Most people are uncomfortable about giving out their email address anyway … we’ve all been SPAMMED … so if you are promising something in exchange for my trust (by giving you my email address) … DON’T LIE and make me jump thru hoops to get what you originally promised. Which brings me to the next annoyance…

 “AS A LOYAL SUBSCRIBER” … when I’m opting out of your mailing list immediately after signing up (because you mislead me with your immediate download crap) don’t call me a LOYAL SUBSCRIBER. I’m not! I am a DISGUSTED subscriber who now wants OUT …
Let me tell you what DOES impress me when I opt out … when I’m contacted by the person who’s list I have just opted out of based my response to their question of “why are you opting out”. It shows me that they have actually read what I had to say and took it to heart. It shows that they are willing to listen to what their “loyal subscribers” actually have to say.

 THE “OUT OF THE BOX” SALES COPY/LETTER. Not everyone can write good sales copy (which is why there are advertising agencies that specialize in these things). When your sales copy/letter looks like everyone else’s because you have purchased the “out of the box sales copy/letter” software, then I have quickly lost interest. IF you truly believe in what you are promoting, then writing the sales copy/letter should come naturally. IF it doesn’t… then your product of the moment isn’t worth promoting.

 AFFILIATES … having your product promoted by others is a great way to get more exposure, but when those who have AFFILIATED your product start SPAMMING … well… not only has your affiliate devalued your product, but your product no longer has any credibility.

 DON’T BE A NAME DROPPER. If the “guru” (who’s name you’re dropping) thinks YOU are so wonderful, then he/she would be promoting YOU.

 BE VERY CAREFUL WHICH “GURU” YOU ASSOICATE YOUR NAME WITH. There are a LOT of so called "guru’s” out there on the world wide web … they have made their fortune (I still think the guy who invented the POP UP ads should be shot) … and (for example) if you associate your name with the POP-UP king (who’s name I won’t mention), then you have lost me as a client/customer forever!

 BE CREDIBLE and keep your credibility. Don’t push EVERY product out there. If you believe in the product, then by all means, make it available. But if you are looking for the quick sale based on the "guru’s” name recognition, and the product SUCKS… you have lost a client/customer forever.

If what you have to offer is truly amazing and worthwhile, then you don’t need the hype, you don’t need the self-promotional hype, and you certainly don’t need the “tried and true” methods that the so-called “guru’s” are pushing. It may have worked for them… but it doesn’t mean it will work for you. Be who you are… don’t be who the “guru’s” tell you to be… because it shows. If you have integrity and credibility, it shows in everything you do.

Copyright 2004 – BenSpammed – www.beenspammed.info www.swctruths.com