Thursday, December 1, 2022

Surveys as Marketing Tools

This "survey" e-mail arrived today.  What's up?

I received the e-mail above with the "survey" pitch.  I looked up the company and they seem legit.  They sell door and sill repair kits.  So I called them to warn them that someone is using their name for a survey scam.   It had to be, right?  I mean, I was never a customer of theirs to begin with.

The lady who answered said that yes, the survey was legit, so I should take it and get a "FREE $10 GIFT CARD!!"

Curious, I clicked on the link (bad idea, in general).   It was a typical survey, asking demographic information and then the pitch: Am I interested in a multi-point door locking system?  These are door locks that are like bank vaults - they have several closure latches.  A great idea if you are expecting a home invasion or a "no-knock" warrant anytime soon.  Since I don't run a 7-11 with cash receipts and unreported income in the home safe, and since I am not a drug dealer, the idea didn't appeal to me.

Besides, I live in a house with four glass sliding doors - how hard is it to just smash those in, if someone really wanted to get in the house?  The front door is the worse place to enter any home.  Heck, there are four large windows right next to it.  Home security systems are largely futile.

So anyway, I answered "No, I am not interested in a stupid door lock" and the survey said, "sorry, our quota for gift cards is full!  End of Survey!"

Fuckers.

What was the gag?  They are selling door locks.  And if you click on "YES, I want your stupid door lock!" they will sick a salesman on you to sell you one, and the "$10 Gift Card!!" I am guessing is good for $10 off on a door lock.

In other words, it is not a survey at all, but just looking for leads.

I figured it was a scam - but I assumed it was some offshore people looking to steal credit card or banking information, not a "legit" brick-and-mortar company in North Carolina, using surveys and SPAM e-mails to generated "leads."

Any business relationship you enter into based on a lie, no matter how trivial a lie, is bound to go downhill from there.

What makes people think that sending out SPAM like this will generate good leads?  Or are they hoping for leads from people dumb enough not to see all the red flags waving about?  I guess that is the goal.

It strikes me as an odd - and desperate - way to generate business, by sacrificing your goodwill.

Oh, well, get with the times Bob!  Being deceptive and shitty is the new way!