Thoughts on Marketing…

Yesterday I told you about one ridiculous email – here’s one that makes a similar, yet even more annoying mistake. (At least, it’s more annoying in my opinion.)

The subject line was: “You are about to lose a couple hundred dollars”

Here’s the beginning of the letter – which, like yesterday’s example, doesn’t tell me who she is or what she offers.

The difference is that if I keep reading this, I will eventually find out what she’s talking about.

Read this, and pretend that’s your name doubled at the beginning. Think about how this message makes you feel. Then scroll down and see if your impression and mine are alike.

“MarteMarte,

I think I forgot to mention a tiny detail about my September Boot Camp Seminar…

If you don’t sign up by Friday, September 10th then you will have to pay an extra $200 on top of what the price is right now.

And you probably don’t want to do that. Right?

Don’t lose $200 by delaying.

You have until this Friday to register, even if you get on a payment plan, just so that you don’t have to miss out on my “early bird” special!”

Later in the message she says: “I am running out of room. If you want to sign up, click on this link:

OK – so what do you think?

It appears that she’s going for the “fear” and “scarcity” angles. But I don’t think it works. In fact, when I saw the subject line my instant reaction was to be annoyed. Then when she suggests that I’m going to “have to pay” extra, I get more annoyed.

Sorry, but missing her event doesn’t fill me with fear – and her strong sales message doesn’t make me believe that the seats are nearly gone.

I can think of a couple of ways to re-write this message in a positive light and encourage people to sign up – and I’ll bet you can too.

Meanwhile, my message for this marketer is: “Don’t tell me what I have to do – because I don’t have to do a darn thing!”