As part of my Mobile Application Development course at Canadore College, I have to blog, to market myself and my wares.
This marketing must be crafted in an online socially acceptable manner to avoid alienating my peers and potential customers.
In marketing you should offer value. You should also know your customer.
But what if you get this wrong?
How could an aspiring app programmer or business cause a rift between him/herself and the demographic of choice you may ask?
Why, it's easy. Just follow the example of my cable company, Eastlink.
But how did they raise my ire you ask?
Even 'tho I duly overpaid every month for Internet and 70+ cable channels that I don't watch, Eastlink thought they'd sweeten the deal by bundling in a service I don't want ( a land line ) and charging me less for three services than I currently pay for two.
But, Dave, it’s just an offer to add value.
Value would be meeting the needs of the customer. There was no offer of paying less for the two services I use. It is kind of a backhanded offer for their customers who don’t need or want a land line.
So, Dave, I can see why you might be ticked at paying more for less but there must be more to it than that.
Well, secondly, they are charging me more for less but firstly, they showed their ignorance of me as a customer. In spite of a long history of phone calls in English, emails in English, my profile on their website in English and their database showing my choice of paper billing in English, they had an automated voice ( my thoughts on telemarketing ) call and mumble something in French ( sounded like Jamie Excuse ). French? Je pense que non.
And then, it hangs up.
Answering this automated call confirmed that I was available and my number was added to a telemarketer’s queue, one of which called.
After expounding on the beneficence of the company’s offer, the telemarketer asked if I was interested.
I said “No”!
I also said I had been contemplating cancelling the cable TV service in favour of a satellite company’s offer of all things HD and a free PVR.
He told me satellite service was not as reliable as cable.
I said in that event I would watch shows that I had recorded on the free PVR.
Or watch Netflix.
He said I was making a mistake and rung off.
Guess the customer is not always right.
Definitely not a student of Dale Carnegie.
If you have any comments on this blog, feel free to Post a Comment below.
Great post :D
ReplyDeleteI understand about the 'value added' offers being frustrating and the overall frustration of telemarketing.
*long aside*The important thing to remember is that these people (the telemarketers) are just doing their jobs, and it's quite possible that they don't have another viable employment opportunity, so just be polite, tell them you're not interested (as many times as it takes for them to end the call) or simply say 'Put me on your do not call list' (saying this will end the call abruptly because they are not legally allowed to continue selling you anything, but make sure you stay on the line until they read their required script and hang up, or there could be more calls *done long aside*
As a business, or anyone trying to sell themselves (even if to future employers) it can be difficult to figure out what works. Sadly, big companies still make a lot of their money by telemarketing because a lot of people can't say 'no' when asked to sign up for something. Especially when the person can 'logic' you into it by saying that the new service will cost less/be better than your current service, and they are right.
As much as you don't like their tactics, you can learn from them: Logic sells.
If you can say "I'm Awesome and here's why...", you'll go a lot further than someone who just says "I'm awesome, hire me."
As for social media, it's here to stay (fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view). It can work for you or work against you. The important thing is to figure out what works (Phil will help you with that) and do it.
Samantha
ReplyDeleteI am always polite but I try to hurry them along in the event that they are on commission 'cause I ain't buying and they ain't earning.
In working for the mobile phone industry, the bundling of services is a constant for the majors. Niche providers stand to gain from offering a la carte provisioning of services, where put the package together from what you're planning to use. However, this flexibility will likely come with some manner of restrictive contracts.
ReplyDeleteOutbound campaigns are often the hardest to work as you're always interrupting something in the customer's life. Any perceived 'value added' is generally lost with the intrusion.
In working for the mobile phone industry, the bundling of services is a constant for the majors. Niche providers stand to gain from offering a la carte provisioning of services, where put the package together from what you're planning to use. However, this flexibility will likely come with some manner of restrictive contracts.
ReplyDeleteOutbound campaigns are often the hardest to work as you're always interrupting something in the customer's life. Any perceived 'value added' is generally lost with the intrusion.
The French phone message is what got me. We learn about consistency throughout our apps. Should be the same in all aspects of business.
ReplyDeleteSweet post!