Marketing Services Are Like Shopping For Flowers at Home Depot?
Over the weekend I visited the local Home Depot to pick up a few things. As I pulled into the parking lot I passed the “garden center” and noticed rows and rows of flowers just waiting to be purchased and planted in the front yards of homes all around the community. You would think that’s a good thing, right? Not me. I was mad. Here’s why…
Home Depot is pulling out all the stops to sell people the flowers they need for their yards. That’s fine except for one little thing…they’re selling the flowers a full month before they’re really supposed to be planted. Most folks who plant flowers in this area recommend you wait until after May 15. That’s an entire month from now, but Home Depot is more than willing to sell you flowers a month early and is doing a great job of creating a really attractive display to convince that it’s just fine to get them now. You should see the spread of flowers they have out there. It’s beautiful. It looks like exactly what I would love to have. It’s also way too early to buy them. The likelihood they’ll die between now and next month is pretty good. Tonight it’s going to get down to almost freezing…so case in point!
Here’s why I’m talking about this. Some marketing firms and ad agencies will sell you flowers a month early. They’ll be happy to provide something you want without telling you how and when to use it. It may be good for business, but it’s bad for customers. I understand there’s a level of responsibility on the part of consumers, but when you expect someone to know more about a topic than you do, you also put some trust in their hands. That’s why I’m appalled that Home Depot is selling flowers a month early as if to say, “Go ahead, get you flowers early. The smart people won’t be doing that, but you ignorant folks can give us your cash now.” I’m equally appalled at marketers who sell services to people when they don’t need them.
The bottom line is this: just because it’s available doesn’t mean it’s the right time. Just because they’ll sell it to you doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Just because you bought it doesn’t mean you should use it. That would just be doubling the number of wrong things you’re doing.
Tags: marketing, new media marketing, social media marketing
April 15th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Thank you, thank you. So right on the mark. Very insightful
April 15th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Great post here. So very true. People who sell before the need is established will never be really successful. And when it comes to technology, the gurus seem eager to just load you up with things that may not be effective at all.
April 15th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
David,
Thanks for the feedback. Your encouragement is appreciated.
Dan,
Agreed, and meeting the need correctly is sometimes the hardest thing for a consumer to discern. They may know what their need is but aren’t sure how to fulfill it. Therein lies the possibility for someone to guide them well or guide them poorly.