It’s not just radio ads that are getting strange. This one popped up on t.v. last night, promoting a local auto dealer’s featured special (tip: read aloud, in your biggest booming announcer voice):
“We’ll only tell you the price once. We’ll only tell you the price at the end of this ad. We’ll only tell you the price at the end of this ad because once you hear it, you’ll lose track of the facts.”
Lose track of the facts? The sad thing is that I lost track of the price. Was laughing too hard to hear it by the time it finally rolled around. Weird.
Before I even get started, let me be clear: my heart and soul are with storefront retailers, not home based businesses who purchase the same product being sold to brick and mortar stores, then sell it at a discount.* Having taken plenty-o-kicks in the shins the past two weeks from the kitchen table crowd, I fully expect the following post will result in my photo being plastered to dartboards everywhere.
Oh well. Just be sure to use one with me smiling. [click here to continue…]
It’s amazing what a valuable education I’m getting from the radio these days. Even short hops to the post office and airport seem to be fruitful.
This morning‘s session included a history lesson, thanks to a local car dealership touting:
“…owned and operated by the Anderson family for thirty-five years.”
[click here to continue…]
by Cinda Baxter on February 17, 2009
in Real World
Sorry about the messed up blog most of this afternoon. I unwisely did an upgrade on both WordPress and my theme during business hours, derailing the entire thing while most of you were trying to check it out.
Have since dumped the upgrades and restored the old versions after a couple of hours, several Advils with a Pepcid chaser, and the patient guidance of two DIY Thesis gurus-—kyled and kirstarella.
I promise not to try this again until it can be veriied all will fly as expected. Lemme tell ya…there’s no surer way to stop my heart than by wiping the entire blog down to a plain white screen (which it was for about an hour). Yeeowser.
I‘m a big fan of Seth Godin. He‘s one of those folks who understand viral marketing and online media better than just about anyone, while recognizing that one size most certainly does not fit all.
In a recent interview, Seth was asked why he didn‘t Twitter. After all, he‘s into social media, right? His response made perfect sense-he‘s great at writing his marketing blog. He’s great at writing his books. He‘s great at being Seth. But if he had to add another element he’s not great at, doesn‘t necessarily enjoy, and had to divert valuable time to that would be better spent elsewhere, then:
All of a sudden, I‘m a wandering generality instead of a meaningful specific.
It hit me that‘s what‘s happening in a lot of retail stores right now. [click here to continue…]
A savvy friend sent me the link to a home decor retailer’s blog, specifically to a post titled “Just Stop It!” The author, Joan Osofsky, voices the frustration many retailers feel these days regarding the constant doom and gloom in the news media (remember my summer rant about the P word?).
Just as with vendors, if retailers look scared, act scared, then buy scared, they’ll scare their customers right into walking out the door. Think I’m wrong? Just try it.
Then call your landlord to let them know you’ll be breaking your lease soon.
To read Joan’s blog post, click here.
How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth
and height of that pile on your desk,
which seems to be ever growing.
For the ends of long weeks
and the ideal of big numbers.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
most harried moments,
by neon and track light glow.
I love thee freely, as customers ask for bargains;
I love thee purely, as they head home carrying bags.
I love thee with the passion of a past storefront retailer,
complete with empathy, sympathy, and faith.
I love thee with the love I seemed to lose
when the best employees moved on.
I love thee with the breath, smiles, and tears
that enriched my retail life.
And if God choose, I shall but love thee even better…after market.
Happy Valentines, brick and mortars. You aren’t alone out there!
Heard in a radio spot advertising a local internet service provider:
According to a major consumer magazine (whose name I missed), “We’re the fastest internet provider or at least one of them….”
Did you catch that? They managed to make a statement then retract it in under three seconds. Not even a pause along the way. And no change in inflection. I seriously wonder how many listeners even hear the last part. But I’ll bet most would say the company’s reputation is stellar.
These days, with consumer dollars tight, reputations tie directly to information, and information is plentiful, thanks to the internet. As we’ve seen in the past four days (here and here), all it takes is a home studio with a blog, a stationery store owner who searches online, and another blogger focused on retail to shine light on a vendor’s controversial policy…and, by extension, onto the vendor itself. [click here to continue…]
