I received this semi-spam today. (I blanked out the name of the offering to protect the guilty.) I call it semi-spam because I do want to receive some stuff from this sender, but not these salesy messages; and I can’t end the spam without ending the stuff I want to get as well. That’s problem number 1.
Problem number 2 is that there’s a punctuation error that actually makes the copy read like it’s questioning the value of SaaS, instead of touting it as an application delivery platform. Sorry, spellcheck doesn’t catch everything, which is why, as I’ve said before, always get someone ELSE to proofread your marcomm.
But the biggest issue that I have with this is the special offer to new customers only. This firm is telling its existing customers, the ones who eagerly jumped on board the fastest, the ones who are already sending in money, that they’re chumps and should have waited until now. This kind of offer is insulting (and lame, because it’s so easy to get around). And not only is it demeaning to existing customers, it’s telling potential new customers that this is the kind of treatment they have to look forward to if they come on board.
There’s nothing wrong with a time-limited special offer, but this could have been done better in so many ways. How about:
* new customers only. Our pack-leading, smart and good-looking existing customers receive 30% off if they sign up for another year within the same time period.
brooXmark - Marketing Consultancy by Stephen Brooks 
May 25, 2008 at 6:33 pm
This sort of “new customers only” ploy is a big reason why I stopped using Telus broadband a few years ago. Incidentally, since I left in 2005, they have made no effort to entice me personally to come back either.
May 27, 2008 at 2:19 pm
[…] Your Clients Before They Ask May 27, 2008 — sbroox Derek’s comment on the post about some spam I received reminded me of my experience with the Bank of […]