Breaking Your Brand

How often have you opened up an e-mail from a company that you currently do business with, only to realize that it was a bulk mailing meant to push a product that you have no interest in?

This just recently happened to me. I have a vendor that I purchase quite a bit of equipment through and when I received your e-mail. I double click the okay usually do only to find out that they're pushing a product that is in no way matches my business model. What's the purpose of this?

Obviously, this company has my e-mail address because I have purchased-Sue them before but then why would the company, and not my sales rep, contact me for product that they know has no place to any type of business that I am doing?

Thinking this was a one-time issue. I simply deleted the e-mail and thought nothing of it. However, the next day I received a similar e-mail in my inbox and the next day and the next day and the next day.

I can no longer tell if the e-mail is in regards to product order that I have pending or if it is a bulk e-mail that I am now treating a spam.

This company has broken their brand.

The company knew the type of products that I was purchasing and it assigned me a sales rep, but did not allow the sales rep to facilitate personal contact and instead somebody in their marketing department thought that it would be better to flood the market with their newest product offering. The marketing department of this company did not stop and think what this would do to their brand image and what effect it would have on their current client base. They've taken what was a long-term relationship and turned it into a can of spam.

Do we unknowingly do this to our customers?

If I have a new product or offering, I am usually very excited about it and want to make sure that everybody knows about it. I have in the past sent an e-mail out irregardless of the recipient to brag about this product.

Did I break my brand? 

I don't think so, because of one simple fact. I did not repeat it.

In my zealousness, I was tempted to; but luckily I had enough self-restraint not to.

In this age of digital information, it is easy for us to contact a large segment of our customer base bragging about our products but what we most often forget is that this type of interaction is only a single channel form of communication. They hear us, but we do not get any feedback in return.

“If the prospect isn't talking, the prospect isn't buying”

Sometimes, in our own eagerness, we forget that selling is actually a relationship sport and that it's feedback and interaction, not just pure information, that makes us valuable.

 Build it (the relationship) and they will come (and buy)