When I was in high school, I was in the nerdiest of the nerd classes.
But even in the nerd classes, we had a hierarchy of nerdiness. And the most nerdy were the kids who were smart, while also having zero understanding of (or interest in) what it meant to be “cool.”
Unknowingly nerdy.
Like Patrick. Patrick was very smart, and he came into 9th grade from a private school. He never got in trouble in class (unlike yours truly who was sometimes in trouble for major offenses like talking and my shorts being 1” too short).
Anyway, one day we had a school fair, and there was supposed to be a kissing booth. Don’t ask me how this was a thing at a high school event, even back then I had my doubts about the adults in charge.
One girl (also in our nerd classes) thought it would be funny to ask Patrick to go to the kissing booth… and then stand him up. As a joke.
“That seems pretty mean,” I said.
Saying that had an interesting effect on her…
She did NOT trick Patrick into the kissing booth, so that was good. But she did spend the rest of the year pointing out anything I said that she thought was mean. For example:
Me: OMG, Rachel was really annoying me in class today.
Her: “That’s SO MEAN!”
There’s just something about people tricking others or “getting one over” on them that’s always bothered me. It makes me physically uncomfortable.
I remember feeling that same discomfort in a mastermind I attended several years ago. A marketing bro was sharing his latest tactic, where he would add “Sent from my iPhone” to the bottom of some of his autoresponder emails.
That way, your subscribers would think you’re really interacting with them! But you’re totally not! And then they buy from you!
He was so clearly proud of his idea, it didn’t even dawn on him that some people might think it was sleazy. Or that we might make a mental note about never working with or for him in the future.
Hopefully most marketers have moved on from this old iPhone hack, but new hacks are always replacing the old ones.
And my question is… why not just create a real relationship with subscribers? See them as human beings first, and not potential sales figures?
Look, autoresponders are great — I don’t mind getting them in the least.
And in fact, the First 7 Days Formula I developed is an autoresponder. I created it as a way to provide value, share more about yourself with a new subscriber, and welcome them into your world.
Autoresponders aren’t the problem. Selling isn’t the problem. Making money isn’t the problem. The problem is trying to deceive your subscribers, thinking it’s a clever way to fake that you care so you can squeeze money out of them.
Relationships first. Sleazy tricks never.
On another note…
Now I’m really wondering who TF signed off on a kissing booth… when my shorts being too short was a reason to send me to the office and make me miss math class.
I do NOT miss high school, y’all.
