Never BEAT a Subscriber In Scrabble...

[Jeremy Kelsall]

It could get ugly!!!

On Wednesday I sent out an email to a list of ours, in the IM niche wishing them a good holiday etc...

At the bottom of the email I put a P.S. In saying that if anyone had an iphone and facebook that maybe we could hook up and play scrabble.

Well, I got more takers than I thought I would

So, I set up times with 3 of them and we played, but something went COMPLETELY wrong in the second game.

I won the game pretty easily unlike the first game, where some nice lady from Texas was kind enough to thoroughly kick my ass

Only thing is, this guy isn't a very good sport lmao - I've now received 3 emails where I've been called a cheater, a rotton MF'er, etc...etc...

The last email was well over 600 words long and contained more insults in it than I've ever seen in my life!

Moral of the story?

Don't play Scrabble with your subscribers

[greenovni]

Subscribers are clients, not friends. When you befriend a client, the whole dynamics of the relationship changes and usually go south

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by greenovni

Subscribers are clients, not friends. When you befriend a client, the whole dynamics of the relationship changes and usually go south

I agree 100%. You never mix business with pleasure. More times than not,
it will end up blowing up in your face. Kind of like working with your wife.

You're just looking for trouble.

[John Rogers]

Are you sure it wasn't Don?

[GuerrillaIM]

Man, you gotta be a total retard to get bent out of shape over loosing a game of scrabble.

Sounds like the guy is lonely and wants some attention. Either that or his sense of humour is hard to read.

[Jacer]

And you weren't playing for money?? I would have never imagined someone getting that upset over losing a scrabble game with money on the line...

[Lisa Gergets]

What're you up to?

ETA: What's a 9-letter word for "sales letter"? LOL

[Jeremy Kelsall]

Originally Posted by Lisa Gergets

What're you up to?

ETA: What's a 9-letter word for "sales letter"? LOL

lol

Yeah...Yeah....Yeah....

[Jeremy Kelsall]

I can understand what everyone is saying about subscribers not being friends....but, I really don't think the same way on that particular issue.

I've been to breakfast with people on my list, had 2 of them as guests in my house for an afternoon, talked on the phone to a few and none of those things ever included them paying me like it some sort of business arrangement.

More importantly, none of those things ever resulted in them sending me a 600+ word swear fest either lmao

I've read it at least 20 times now and every time laughed harder than the time before lol

[gbd]

"Don't play Scrabble with your subscribers " sounds like a triple word score!

[Kevin Riley]

Kelsall

You cheating, lying, scum-sucking, dirtbag MFer, I wouldn't play a game of TiddlyWinks with you.

[timpears]

Maybe you wouldn't have these type problems if you didn't cheat when you played Scrabble.

Sorry, I know that was a sick joke, but I am weak and I just can't help myself.

That is really weird that someone would get that upset about losing a game of Scrabble. I guess it just shows to go you that the world is full of crazy people, and you are bound to run into some of them from time to time.

[Diana Lane]

Scrabble is best played with an old Amstrad CPC6128. It doesn't answer back, unless you input a word like 'QXJIPNZ', in which case it will ask "I challenge your play. Are you sure? Y/N".

You then respond with 'Y', before it awards you a dazzling number of points and attempts to cobble together a legitimate word from something like 'PEEECVL'. Don't ask me how I know this - I wouldn't dream of cheating a computer

[Anita Ashland]

I've learned the hard way not to play Scrabble with anyone (client or not) unless they play at the same level that I do. Otherwise they get too mad and frustrated. If they don't even know what a bingo is then I know to avoid playing with them.

[Kevin Riley]

Originally Posted by Anita Ashland

I've learned the hard way not to play Scrabble with anyone (client or not) unless they play at the same level that I do. Otherwise they get too mad and frustrated. If they don't even know what a bingo is then I know to avoid playing with them.

OK, I have to ask. What the hell is a "bingo"? I thought that was a different game, played by geriatrics like Ken Leatherman, Elmer Hurlstone, Chris Sutton, and Paul Myers.

[adamv]

I'm one of the people on Jeremy's list who has also been on the phone with him. He gave me some good tips and advice and has helped me quite a bit.

But, if he ever beats me at a game of scrabble I now have his phone number and can call him names and say horrible things to him until he has to switch phone carriers.

[Steven Fullman]

Originally Posted by greenovni

Subscribers are clients, not friends. When you befriend a client, the whole dynamics of the relationship changes and usually go south

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

I agree 100%. You never mix business with pleasure. More times than not,
it will end up blowing up in your face. Kind of like working with your wife.

You're just looking for trouble.

Sorry, but I call "Jaded BS" on this one.

Do you remember the JOY you felt the first time someone joined your list, or bought your first ebook...?

Didn't you email them personally to thank them?

"Clients"...? My customers aren't my clients.

They're people who have trusted their hard earned dollars in me.

They deserve my respect, and my time. They're like family.

Tsk,
Steve

[Anita Ashland]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

OK, I have to ask. What the hell is a "bingo"? I thought that was a different game, played by geriatrics like Ken Leatherman, Elmer Hurlstone, Chris Sutton, and Paul Myers.

A bingo is when you use all 7 letters in your tray to make a word. You get 50 bonus points for this in addition to the points for the word. If someone wants to play Scrabble with me and I don't know how good they are at Scrabble I always ask, "How many bingos do you get during a typical game?" If they don't even know what a bingo is then I know not to play against them.

[Lisa Gergets]

Do you remember the JOY you felt the first time someone joined your list, or bought your first ebook...?

That joy NEVER goes away. I agree with you 100%.

[Kevin Riley]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

"Clients"...? My customers aren't my clients.

They're people who have trusted their hard earned dollars in me.

They deserve my respect, and my time. They're like family.

Tsk,
Steve

100% Agreement

I have members. As far as I'm concerned, they are all part of the Product Creation Labs. Many have become friends, and I'm always honoured when one of them writes me or Skypes me and tells me they consider me as their friend and teacher.

I remember names of members who joined the Labs years ago, and can often tell you what they do, where they live. Like the nurse in Arizona, the horse Reiki lady in California, the sweet grandmother in Ontario, the retired dentist in Texas, the young fellow who suffers from a debilitating condition in the UK, and so on. I picture them whenever I write my newsletter or one of my guides.

[kottke]

Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim

I agree 100%. You never mix business with pleasure. More times than not,
it will end up blowing up in your face. Kind of like working with your wife.

You're just looking for trouble.

I'm not sure about mixing business with pleasure, but you've sure got the wife thing right. I get enough bossing from her at home. I definitely don't need it in my working life too ;-).

Mark

[Diana Lane]

Originally Posted by kottke

I'm not sure about mixing business with pleasure, but you've sure got the wife thing right

"I challenge your claim. Are you sure? Y/N"

[Sissy76]

A 600 word swear-fest, just imagine the look on their face when they were typing it. Anger can be so funny sometimes when you're on the outside looking in.

Sissy

[Gail Sober]

He probably found out about your "Super Sneaky iPhone App That Will Beat Anyone at Scrabble" wso.

[Lance K]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

"Clients"...? My customers aren't my clients.

They're people who have trusted their hard earned dollars in me.

They deserve my respect, and my time. They're like family.

Respect, yes. But do they really "deserve" your time? Was your time part of the deal? What value do you assign to your time? I get helping out on occasion on a case by case basis, but to say that all customers "deserve" your time seems a bit counter productive to me (for both parties).

[Lance K]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall

More importantly, none of those things ever resulted in them sending me a 600+ word swear fest either lmao

I've read it at least 20 times now and every time laughed harder than the time before lol

So, the most important question...

Did they unsubscribe or not?

[Jeremy Kelsall]

Lance,

They have not unsubscribed yet

I'm with Steve Fullman and Kevin here.

I can't look our subscribers as a "number", if I did that, I don't think doing what I do would be as much fun or as fulfilling as it is.

[zerofill]

Originally Posted by John Rogers

Are you sure it wasn't Don?

Nah...I would have just logged into his computer at the office remotely and ruined it...

[Jeremy Kelsall]

Originally Posted by zerofill

Nah...I would have just logged into his computer at the office remotely and ruined it...

That and you're not 733t enough for an iphone

[Alan Petersen]

That would have never happened back in the old days when phones where just for making phone calls.

I've become friends with a few of my subscribers. We chat on skype every now and then so I agree that there isn't a need to draw this line of the sand with your subscribers. Although I probably won't be playing competitive games after reading the OP.

[Jag82]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

Sorry, but I call "Jaded BS" on this one.

Do you remember the JOY you felt the first time someone joined your list, or bought your first ebook...?

Didn't you email them personally to thank them?

"Clients"...? My customers aren't my clients.

They're people who have trusted their hard earned dollars in me.

They deserve my respect, and my time. They're like family.

Tsk,
Steve

Agreed. Clients and friendship aren't mutually exclusive.

In fact, the personal relationship can strengthen the business bond.

Even if they stopped buying from you, the friendship can still remain.

[James Campbell]

Drunk client on a holiday lol Good job JK

Forget the not being friends with your customers, look at JMO, he is visiting his customers and I can bet that he isn't worried at all about being friends with his customers.

People need to move outside the traditional ways of doing business, it is what will set you apart and make your name for yourself. Good on you for doing the unconventional.

Best Regards,
James Campbell

[Paul Myers]

geriatrics like Ken Leatherman, Elmer Hurlstone, Chris Sutton, and Paul Myers.

[ahem] Which of us is older, McSan?

Methinks Monsieur Riled needs a pound or two of Hamster Helper...


Paul

[KarlWarren]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Methinks Monsieur Riled needs a pound or two of Hamster Helper...Paul

Is he particularly angry today?

Further tip... never CHALLENGE Mr Myers to a game of scrabble, I predict a whitewash.

[AndyBlackSEO]

Jeremy, that is quite funny, although can you even cheat with that app? Surely it will only let you play legitimate words? It is amusing though that someone can turn like that after getting beat. Lol. Can't you send me the email via pm with the name removed. Could do with a laugh today. He's probably cutting letters out of a newspaper right now... He hasn't got your house address has he??!?

[BIG Mike]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall

Lance,

They have not unsubscribed yet

I'm with Steve Fullman and Kevin here.

I can't look our subscribers as a "number", if I did that, I don't think doing what I do would be as much fun or as fulfilling as it is.

I agree with this too....over the years I've gotten to know a lot of interesting people on my lists.

It's not just strangers that can be poor losers...I learned a few weeks ago that a very good friend of mine is a horrible sport when it comes to losing. Hell, even my wife was getting mad at me, LOL.

Just email the guy and tell him to stop being such an ass about it. Otherwise unsubscribe him...with that kind of mentality, he's not going far anyways.

[MaryT]

in advanced direct Sales tactics, the anger is the last emotion you resort when everything else failed.

Did you tried to challenge him to buy your higher items,
usually it goes on the line:...
"....you don't have the balls to lose a scramble game, you probably are not the guy who can join my VIP coaching club for only 4,999$/month only valid for the next 10 minutes. By the way 10 minutes is the maximum time a real business person give to take a groundbreaking decision. These guys have nerves and ...... Anwyay the forum in my coaching club had a scramble section, and they will whoop your ass......"

jeez i loved these mlm sessions, too much fun

[sbucciarel]

too funny. Can't imagine getting so wound up over a game

[JohnMcCabe]

Jeremy, were there any good double or triple word score combos in that letter?

Originally Posted by Anita Ashland

A bingo is when you use all 7 letters in your tray to make a word. You get 50 bonus points for this in addition to the points for the word. If someone wants to play Scrabble with me and I don't know how good they are at Scrabble I always ask, "How many bingos do you get during a typical game?" If they don't even know what a bingo is then I know not to play against them.

Anita, I'm disappointed. I was thinking more Ann-Margret in the opening to the movie "Middle Age Crazy"...

[Lance K]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Kelsall

I can't look our subscribers as a "number", if I did that, I don't think doing what I do would be as much fun or as fulfilling as it is.

I'm not saying to look at your subscribers as a "number". Perhaps I misunderstood Steve. I took his comment to mean having an open door policy where customers have free reign of your time.

[Nathan Alexander]

I'm friends with a lot of my clients. Heck I need all the friends I can get. As a stay-at-home dad I don't get out much. I hate to say it, but the folks at Target are probably sick of me as I go there just to get adult interaction. They see way too much of me. I usually make up reasons to go buy something (one can never have too many paper towel rolls).

So in my case I probably scare my customers too much as I keep them on the phone probably far too long ("Can you believe those women on The View? I mean, what was Whoopi talking about? Oh, you got to go back to work? Yea....that's fine.")

Of course, as a part-time entertainer I do repeat some shows year after year and get to know my clients fairly well. I suspect my time is just around the corner for beating one of them at scrabble online - we've played for years and I'm *ahem* "first place challenged". I don't think my relationships would change if I finally won. But I also don't think I'll ever win. (Stupid smart people.)

I enjoy letting them into my personal life, it builds trust. And like I said, because I rarely get to be around people, I don't have to fake interest in them. Those relationships have paid off in lots of work over the years.

[slovatt]

LOL...Don't you just hate a bad loser.

[Jeremy Kelsall]

Originally Posted by Lance K

I'm not saying to look at your subscribers as a "number". Perhaps I misunderstood Steve. I took his comment to mean having an open door policy where customers have free reign of your time.

Trust me when I tell you, I COMPLETELY understand what you are saying here

In addition to making some great friends, I've also lost a "few" that couldn't understand that I can't always give them my time. So, it is definitely a balancing act.