I subscribe to an inordinate number of magazines.
The publishers have elevated me to the A list and often make incredible “welcome back” offers when I leave (like $5 for a year’s subscription).
Today I got a mailer that offered to welcome me back at a higher price, but that offered a “free gift.”
The problem is: I don’t want the free gift, so I tossed the offer. I’ve got all the cheap plastic watches and easy to ship logo caps I need. And that’s what I was being offered.
Lots of subscribers might be giddy over either, just not me.
And that’s the problem with mass marketing: if the customer doesn’t value it, it ain’t value.
One of my mantras: quality and service are what the customer says they are. And that applies to valued free gifts as well.
The ability to tailor your offer is key, and that means offering premiums that appeal to the customer.
As for me, keep the hat and give me a $5 subscription if your want me back.
Mark,
I enjoyed your blog about the gifts that don’t work. I had been thinking about the same idea recently and what is commonly referred to as the “golden rule” – do unto others as YOU would have them do unto YOU. In the credit card world, a gold card is good – a platinum card is better. And I thought that the golden rule is a good place to start in our relationships with other people – but if we want better, we’d apply the platinum rule – “do unto others as THEY would have you do unto to THEM”. A number of retail stores apply the golden rule to their customer service interactions – places like Nordstorms generally applies the platinum rule.
Thanks for your work on your blog and emails. I will really benefit from your “6 Ways to Capture Great Ideas” that came out in your Leadership Lessons email today.