Want to endear your customers and prospects to you? Try messing up once in a while.
Yesterday we sent out an important email for a client to about 1700 prospects. The email, despite being proofread by about 900 people (okay, 2 people!) contained a minor but significant typo. Minor meaning it was only one letter off; significant meaning it drastically changed the meaning of the sentence. When the typo email started hitting inboxes, they heard about it immediately from a small handful of recipients.
The client was ticked off--and rightfully so. Always a calm head, I suggested that we send a short follow up email acknowledging the mistake and apologizing. I explained to the client that admitting fault and showing a little human frailty can actually endear customers to you. In fact, some companies I know have intentionally messed stuff up so they can apologize and reap the benefits (not that I recommend it... but it is possible; Internet printing giant VistaPrint.com is famous for this tactic... or infamous I should say; they started looking really stupid on about the fourth time they pulled it.)
I've even used this tactic in my own marketing before--I got to thinking about it and combed my archives and found this little gem all the way back from 1996:
We Screwed Up!
We received several calls from people who requested our FREE Audio Cassette.... saying that the tape that they received had a terrible tape hiss that made it extremely annoying to listen to. Well, we spot checked the entire batch of 1,000 tapes, and best we can tell, the entire bunch has been infected with this “HISS.” We checked with the duplication company, and apparently they had the settings wrong when they duplicated the master.
Our Mistake Is Your Opportunity.... Get A FREE Video Just For Asking.
The next seminar is scheduled for December 12th... and I know that several of you are interested in coming, but would like to preview the seminar before you decide. So what I’ve done is arranged to have a video that we recently shot duplicated and sent out to you as soon as possible. The video is a 45 minute overview of the Monopolize Your Marketplace System that was professionally recorded at the Studios in Las Colinas.
Yesterday we sent out an important email for a client to about 1700 prospects. The email, despite being proofread by about 900 people (okay, 2 people!) contained a minor but significant typo. Minor meaning it was only one letter off; significant meaning it drastically changed the meaning of the sentence. When the typo email started hitting inboxes, they heard about it immediately from a small handful of recipients.
The client was ticked off--and rightfully so. Always a calm head, I suggested that we send a short follow up email acknowledging the mistake and apologizing. I explained to the client that admitting fault and showing a little human frailty can actually endear customers to you. In fact, some companies I know have intentionally messed stuff up so they can apologize and reap the benefits (not that I recommend it... but it is possible; Internet printing giant VistaPrint.com is famous for this tactic... or infamous I should say; they started looking really stupid on about the fourth time they pulled it.)
I've even used this tactic in my own marketing before--I got to thinking about it and combed my archives and found this little gem all the way back from 1996:
We Screwed Up!
We received several calls from people who requested our FREE Audio Cassette.... saying that the tape that they received had a terrible tape hiss that made it extremely annoying to listen to. Well, we spot checked the entire batch of 1,000 tapes, and best we can tell, the entire bunch has been infected with this “HISS.” We checked with the duplication company, and apparently they had the settings wrong when they duplicated the master.
Our Mistake Is Your Opportunity.... Get A FREE Video Just For Asking.
The next seminar is scheduled for December 12th... and I know that several of you are interested in coming, but would like to preview the seminar before you decide. So what I’ve done is arranged to have a video that we recently shot duplicated and sent out to you as soon as possible. The video is a 45 minute overview of the Monopolize Your Marketplace System that was professionally recorded at the Studios in Las Colinas.
We got a huge response from that letter--far more than usual, if i remember correctly. I wouldn't be surprised, because guess what happened yesterday with my client when we sent the follow up email? That's right--far more response to the mess up mail than expected, almost all of it very positive and supportive.
Here's the principle: People want to do business with people they like and trust. Real people. Just like themselves. Don't be afraid to admit when you mess up. Don't hesitate to show some of your weaknesses. Don't worry that people will think you suck just because you admit fault. It's very disarming. Read this ad and watch me take this principle to the extreme.
So go ahead--SUCK!
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