By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter
(Here's hoping you've got great troll barriers, Yvonne - with a title like that! ;-)
From my "roll the eyes and sigh" file of stupid marketing tricks...
This past week, I wrote a post over at my blog about companies selling lists of bloggers. (There are several, touting qualified lists, targeted by subject matter, such as "women's issues.") I normally don't get that much unsolicited email, but God, she has a sense of humor...and apparently reads blogs. No sooner had I published the post than this pops up in my email box: "This Week's Female Orgasm Debate."
There's a debate? What are the opposing views? Hey, put me down in the "pro" column. But, jokes about God aside, why on earth am I getting this email from a PR firm, pitching an interview? “While scientists haven’t even scratched the surface of the female orgasm..." Okay, I AM SO NOT going there. I can only surmise that I somehow got on a blogger/writer list, perhaps even because I write here on "women's issues." Yes, indeed. and I'm sitting anxiously by my computer hoping to be pitched, something, anything! Not.
I'm sure Ansell Healthcare (the client being pitched) paid 5W Public Relations big bucks for help. And, I'm guessing that 5W sold them a whole "new social media...reach thousands! Create viral buzz!" campaign.
The problem is that 5W is using the same old Mad Men push, shove, interruption techniques. (Another tip-off that the agency ain't exactly a web marketing leader is their web site. It's all about them.)
If you want to create buzz, get the word out in today's truly new Social Web, then it's all about the old-fashioned relationships. Know your customers. Know your target media (who are people too). Have something worthwhile to share. Junk is junk, no matter the method by which you deliver it.
(At least Kristin at 5W sent the email from the 5WPR email address. I got another PR email this week with an AOL address. Um, dear, are you really a PR firm or are you living in your parent's basement?)
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