The American ($) Dream
Hi Edwin . . . From our server records it looks like you had tried to install one of our products. When I dropped by to make sure the install went well I couldn’t see the product. It looks like you removed it. Care to share why you took it down so quickly? I’d love to hear any feedback as it would help us create a better experience for everyone going forward. Additionally, if there’s any help I can provide to keep the widget on your site, please let me know – your blog looks great and I’d like to be associated with it.
Such was the lovely email I just received from a US start-up company. It’s a typical aggressive-marketing follow-up email and I’ve experienced this before.
Ugg Australia once sent out a “cease and desist using our brand name” letter to a client that sells Australian Ugg Boots. It turns out that the term is generic and was never registered as a trade mark because we don’t work that way here. Ugg Australia registered it and then sent out nasty letters.So what is aggressive marketing? Read the email again. The subtext is emotionalised. This fellow was concerned that my install went well and wondered if I would like assistance installing his program again. In return he’d appreciate some feedback and wants to be associated with my fantastic Blog. Wow. Thanks.
He wants to be my friend. My pen pal. He wants to be the friend of a guy who writes an angry blog about his dead father – so that his company can make money out of it.
He should rewrite his letter honestly. Why be so underhanded? Why not just tell it like it is . . . Let’s re-write the email for him . . .
Hi Edwin . . . I convinced you to stick one of my money-drips on your site recently and you severed it. When I checked my bank to see if it was generating cash for me, it wasn’t! You removed it. Why did you remove it so quickly? I thought it would be my cash cow. There are lots of writers like you stopping people like me siphoning cash away from your intellectual property. Can you tell me why you cut my money-drip? I need you to put it back. If I tell you you look gorgeous, will you please put it back? I want your money.
. . . Honesty, in this instance, is just plain gruesome. That’s why.
What a boring a life this man has chosen to lead. I was actually blown away that this guy trawled his server records to find me. Do you know how long that takes? “Omigod, I missed a sale!” I didn’t enter any email or contact information when I downloaded the plugin so he must have REALLY trawled that big server to find me.
The free widgets we install on our various sites (promotional toys in the margins) are all monetised in some way. In this case, the company was collecting a percentage from the record distributor by listing my favourite albums on the site. I decided a favourite album link would be inappropriate for this site. And besides, their widget was basically a third party plug-in that redirects affiliate cash away. The site owner can easily do that if he wants – without involving a third party.
Here’s an interesting article written by a guy who may or may not be affiliated with the guy who sent the email I received this morning. For U.S. citizens, it will probably bring a tear to the eye. Use your flag to wipe those away.
Salesmen always live off the efforts of creative people and so will be judged by The Almighty. My opinion: If you are in sales, I don’t think you are living a very fulfilling life. Try creating something of your own. We are here to create, surely. We can always destroy afterwards, right?
For other cultures and religions, patriotic articles like the one linked to above arouse other strong feelings.
