Get ‘Real’ or Go Home!

The other day I got an interesting email from a pretty well know Internet marketer who shall go nameless in this post.

What made this email interesting was the subject line.  Now we all know that without a powerful, compelling, make ‘em drool subject line your message may just go unopened but honestly, this was a little over the top…even for me ;D

The subject line (and you may recognize it if you are on this distribution list) simply said “Put on a Diaper.”

Yes, I opened it.  In fact, I read it a few times because something about it well…bugged me.  And I’m not just singling this message or the marketer out either.  There are plenty of messages like this one that bug me just as much.

I sat with this for a few days trying to figure out why I was so irked.

The tone was friendly enough so that wasn’t the problem.  And to be perfectly frank some of the dialogue (although it could be construed as rude by some) I would not only say myself in conversation but would email to a girlfriend, so that wasn’t the problem.

And then I realized what it was…

You see, I get nothing but promotional emails from this marketer.  Every message has a sales pitch woven into it and because of that, I have not formed a relationship with this marketer.  Therefore, their messages feel like that of someone trying to chum up to you before they’ve earned the right to do so.

Now hear me out, the copy on many of these messages are all well written and intended to elicit those know me, trust me feelings but the truth is, they don’t.  They don’t make me feel like I know anything about the marketer and because of that the trust factor just isn’t there!  And their cash registers do not ring with my sale.

It really comes down to your definition of establishing a relationship.  When was the last time you went out of your way to make a new friend?  And I don’t mean making a new friend as a result of your business either.  I mean having no other intention but to befriend someone new.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if we shifted our focus from this:

To this:

In other words, lead with the promise of a new and lasting relationship and then introduce your wares as though you were recommending something to someone you really care about versus someone you hope to ‘get’ something from…

Scream and shout brands are fading fast folks.  And those that are cleverly trying to hide their pitch amidst words that appear friendly are only fooling themselves.  Sure, they’re raking in the dough now, but at some point they’ll have to get ‘real’ or go home.

What do you think?

Until next time…

Love and thanks,
Liz

Tags: branding, branding maven, brands, conversational marketing, internet marketing, liz pabon, liz pabone, marketing to women, mavherick, personal branding