Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cyber Marketing--Bullying Be Thy Name

I have a very low tolerance for things forced upon me. In retrospect, that's probably why I'm not that great at marketing. I don't want to cram my writing down someone else's throat. So I'm particularly peeved when others do it to me. 

Facebook and Twitter are marketing tools. I admit, I also goof off using them. But I'm growing increasingly annoyed at the many "likes" and groups I'm added to with no idea who or what I'm attached to.

Even more recently, I received a friend request I accepted. The woman seemed to be of age, and I'm all for networking. Then her spouse messaged me not once but three times to like his wife's inspirational book, with an added link in case I really wanted to read it. Hey, that's great to be supportive. But prodding me with not one but three emails to like her page/book is really not helping her cause. I didn't "unlike" her page because she might not be aware of her husband's idiocy, but really. Does this method work? Bully readers into reading you?

Maybe I'm that odd stubborn duck that doesn't respond to pushiness, but I think it's plain obnoxious. Like those %$$#@@!! mortgage jerks constantly (and I mean, several times a day) calling my house to get me to convert my loan. I went from letting my machine collect messages to now answering that I am not a glass company (I still get calls for a business that used to have my same number) and I won't talk to anyone about mortgages. Then I happily add a hello, what can I do for you in my most pleasant voice. 

I can't be the only one who deals with this kind of nonsense, but I wonder what others do to prevent this from repeatedly happening. Or maybe it's one of those situations where you just shut up and deal.  Either way, it's extremely annoying before coffee, any way you look at it.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

At our house if we let the machine pickup, usually no message is left if it is an advertising firm. However, when I visit some sites while surfing the net(I know I should be writing!) just to check something out and then for days, weeks and months I get ads relating to that item. Luckily my spam folder catches most of it, but I still have to go clean that out every now and then. Don't like spam. Hey, on another note, enjoy your coffee and have a great day!!!

Charity said...

I work in marketing and let me tell you…there is no end to the cyber marketing bullying! You would be blown away at how geo-targeted you can get with running an ad. It is insane. You’re only hope is to clean your cookies as quickly and frequently as possible. But seriously, who wants to do that? It is all such a pain. It scares me to think of how much more specific advertising will get in the future! Have a great rest of the day.

Marie Harte said...

Yeah, Diana. I normally let the machine pick up. But ever now and then I figure to thin out the calls by telling them not to call. sigh.

Marie

Marie Harte said...

Now you're really making me worried, Charity. haha I know. Every time I surf the Net, I wonder who's tracking what I'm doing. A scary thought...

Marie