Chicago Sun-Times published this deansguide article 7-24-09
What is your social media, marketing or sales pitch pet peeve? Is there anything worse than over taxation, misrepresentation by politicians, horrible reality shows, celebrities with no talent, or interruption marketing? Yes there is one: Interruption solicitation. What is this Interruption Solicitation and how does it work? The following is a description of what I consider the worst type of hard sell marketing sales pitch known to man: Black Hat Marketing.
Black Hat Marketing: Interruption Solicitation
- Intrusion or interruption phone call for marketing or sales purposes
- Solicitation to join, buy, or listen to an offer
- Unclear message that has no detail, description, or story
- Pitch is all about “passive income”, money making proposition
- Declaration from caller that they are “making money” hand over fist and it is just “rolling in”
- Commonality is their reference point, as my recent Interruption Solicitation came from a former high school peer who I never knew in high school or had any kind of relationship
Our Perception
- Desperate sales pitch
- Trick, gimmick, or scheme to enrich the marketer while costing you money
- Attempt to lend mystique, secrecy, or exclusivity in order to create the illusion of desirability for a product or service
Legitimate businesses invite questions and provide forthright answers. They covet people’s willingness to perform due diligence as a way of proving the worth of their offer through honest investigation. Interruption solicitations via Black Hat marketing is anything but legitimate.
