Sorry if you get two emails from me today but I had to warn you about some BAD marketing
behavior I’ve become aware of and it relates to the email recommendation I sent you last week.
Please read this if you are going to buy the WordPress Backup plugin I recommended –
because now I don’t recommend it and I’m going to tell you why.
because now I don’t recommend it and I’m going to tell you why.
The plugin itself is pretty awesome, but as a customer myself I’m very bothered by the marketing
tactics used by the two dudes who are selling it.
Here’s what happened:
- I bought it. (this: www.MyBackupCreator.com << yes that is my affiliate link)
- I started using it and LOVED it – so easy to use and fast.
- I got excited and signed up for the affiliate program, made a video and bought a domain
to promote it (the one above). - Then I told you about it.
Then, a bunch of things went wrong:
- I realized I had gotten on the lists of not one, but two, internet marketers. (OK, I can deal
but I wasn’t happy) - They started immediately sending multiple un-related emails promoting other products.
(not cool) - Marketer #1 sent me an ‘I goofed’ tactic, seems like a lie. (obvious too)
- Marketer #2 sent me an ‘For your eyes only email’ that he worded to make it look like was accidentally sent to me. (enough!)
So – I’m frustrated, insulted and just plain annoyed as a customer. NOT a good thing. The other
thing I don’t like is that I recommended it to YOU. I don’t want to subject you to the kind of
marketing tactics, tricks and tomfoolery I would never send you myself and so I had to write this
retraction.
thing I don’t like is that I recommended it to YOU. I don’t want to subject you to the kind of
marketing tactics, tricks and tomfoolery I would never send you myself and so I had to write this
retraction.
- I’m taking down my video where I showed how to do a move in 10 minutes.
- I will not be recommending them further.
- I recommend you think carefully if you want to buy the product. It’s really good, I admit,
but I personally don’t like being treated like that as a customer.
Another note: They are offering 100% commissions on this sale so I guess that’s the reason for
the aggressive marketing. Personally as an affiliate I’d rather take 50% and have them treat their
customers in a much better manner.
the aggressive marketing. Personally as an affiliate I’d rather take 50% and have them treat their
customers in a much better manner.
How should they have treated me to make a happy customer and affiliate?
Well, in case the creators are reading this here is what would have made me happy as a
customer and an affiliate:
customer and an affiliate:
- Put me on your customer list, yes, fine. ONE list – not one from each of you.
- Send me relevant offers, sure.
- Wait until I’ve used your current offer before sending me stuff I don’t need to use it.
This is why you should always buy products you intend to promote as an affiliate. I did that part
right but I probably should have waited a week or two before promoting it to make sure all was
good. Live and learn.
right but I probably should have waited a week or two before promoting it to make sure all was
good. Live and learn.
Finally, My apologies to anyone who bought it and was also annoyed like me. I’ll tell you what.
To make it up to you contact me and I will send you a coupon code for one free product up to
$47 from Marketers Mojo.
To make it up to you contact me and I will send you a coupon code for one free product up to
$47 from Marketers Mojo.
Talk to you soon,
Angela
Hi Angela,
I just wanted to contact you because I know that you WERE happy with our plugin, but have somehow decided that because of our marketing strategies the plugin does not work?
I just want you to know, that Robert and I mail a lot, us… and we have a lot of fun.. yes..
(everyone on our lists will agree to that)…
But the emails that you are getting are all for our products.
We totally understand that you may not like our marketing, but you can opt out of the mailing list and still get updates in the members area (we have been releasing a ton, with new features being added).
I guess I would just like to reach out to you, especially because you don’t have a problem with our product and can easily opt-out of the marketing and still receive the benefits of the product.
Hoping we can make this right for you,
Lance
Twitter: AngelaWills
says:
Lance I really appreciate the reply.
Actually I still love the plugin, I really do and I indicated that in the post (It’s really good, I admit, but I personally don’t like being treated like that as a customer.).
My concern is that most of my market is not into the ‘internet marketing’ niche and they don’t expect to get a lot of email blasts about other products.
My post really was my sentiments as a customer. I was frustrated to be added to two lists and to have two products marketed right after I bought seeing I’d been on your lists for only two days. I also didn’t like what seemed like a couple of little email tactics.
Ultimately I’m not sure how it could be made right other than you listening and adjusting your marketing as you see fit.
Of course you can market your products in your style and you have that right.
I just felt it my duty as an affiliate marketer to tell my market that your style is VERY different from mine and I felt I needed them to know that BEFORE they bought from you. I would hate for them to feel as I did and then blame me for referring.
After all that being said, I think your response says a lot. I intentionally didn’t add your names to my blog because my point was not really to blast anyone personally but to indicate that I recommended something I wouldn’t of had I looked into it further – not because of the product (it’s good!) but because of the follow-up.
Angela
Angela, I appreciate your concern for those who trust you and understand why you would want to recant your recommendation.
From a marketers point of view… I would have done the same as you in this situation. If I recommend a product to my list I want to know they are well taken care of, give what I recommended and not taken advantage of on the backside.
I know the seller will continue to market to them – but hope it will be done in a relevant, respectful way.
From a consumer’s point of view… when I buy a product, I expect to get emails in regards to that product – I don’t like it when the creator takes it as permission to market to me on unrelated concerns. And with TWO marketers both feeling like they now have to right to blast you offers from separate camps – that’s really pushing it over the edge.
Wouldn’t you know I’ve just run into this myself? I bought Platinum Popup, a WordPress Plugin that I really wanted and am very happy with – but now I’m getting daily emails from the seller – unrelated to the plugin.
I’ve written to let them know I’m not happy and asked if they could separate me out from the general marketing – they have replied that they can’t. I either have to opt out or stay and get all of the emails.
It’s not a good situation! I want to get emails about the plugin if they issue an update, etc.
These marketers have got to get this under control. Product/customer lists need to be kept separately and not automatically merged into a master marketing list.
Twitter: AngelaWills
says:
It’s a bit of an epidemic it seems with the ‘internet marketing’ types.
I totally agree with you about not merging them AND with Aweber it’s soo easy for them to do so there’s no excuse (except bad practice) to do it.