How to ruin your business reputation with one email

by ronr

Posted: 11 years ago 20 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

I just received an email from a car dealership 3000 miles away. Besides the dealership being on the other side of the country from me, all the emails (hundreds of them) are listed CC so everyone can see each others emails.

Sheesh at least if you are going to spam at least make sure the people getting them are in your local area for a local business and don't be such a rookie that you CC everyones email address to everyone on your scraped list!

I was curious so I called the dealership. They said they hire a company do do their marketing.

October 4, 2013

Dear Friend,

I'd like to share some very exciting news with you. I would like to introduce myself as an automotive sales consultant at

Since I can remember I have always loved anything to do with automobiles. I now have been given the opportunity to follow one of my dreams, working with cars and people simultaneously as a Sales Consultant for

For many years, friends, family and acquaintances have asked for my opinion on new or used car purchases. I always seemed to find the time to help out when ever possible. Now, not only can I advise, but I can also provide a quality selection of used vehicles as well as an inventory of new cars.

I want you to know that if you have any need for a new or used vehicle, please don't hesitate to call me. I'm sure you will agree that because we are friends you will receive more attention from me than you will from a total stranger who may not have your best interest at heart. To be honest with you, I have never believed in using friendship for business purposes, but if there is anything I can help you with, please, please let me know. I will give you the attention and service you would expect from a friend!

Sincerely,
Chip Leatherman

UPDATE:

I figured it out.

I was trying to figure out how I would end up on this guys email list if he didn't scrape it.

I looked through my emails and it looks like he opted in to an autoresponder list of mine back in 2007. It's an old list that I haven't used in a while but I've never had any contact with him.

He was probably told by his manager to contact all his family and friends or took the initititive himself and got a little over zealous.

So I'll give him a break, his big mistakes were sending it to everyone he had an email for no matter if he knew them or not or where they lived and of course using CC so everying got the the email list.

Ron

#business #email #reputation #ruin

ImtheBrilliantest 11 years ago

They hire a company...to mass email/spam people? Someone on WF should just offer to take over the marketing for that dealership.
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- ronr 11 years ago
  
  Maybe someone from WF is doing their marketing
  
  Originally Posted by ImtheBrilliantest
  
  They hire a company...to mass email/spam people? Someone on WF should just offer to take over the marketing for that dealership.
  
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DaniMc 11 years ago

Worst. Sales. Letter. Ever.
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- txmediaman 11 years ago
  
  Hands down one of the worst spam emails I've read this year. By the looks of it, the used dealership isn't putting much effort in their marketing. I'm guessing it's one of those "you get what you pay for" cases.
  
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- whland 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Dan McCoy
  
  Worst. Sales. Letter. Ever.
  
  Agreed. That sales letter doesn't make me want to buy from them. It makes me NOT want to buy from them.
  
  Chad
  
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- NewParadigm 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Dan McCoy
  
  Worst. Sales. Letter. Ever.
  
  yep, I put it through my patented iScan. It's all about him! Look at how many "I's" are in it.
  
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ronr

11 years ago

The content of the email was bad enough but what got me is the fact that it was for a local business but sent to a scraped list and sent to some people including me who live on the other side of the country AND they CC all the emails so everyone who got the email now has everyone elses email.

DUMB DUMB DUMB

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bizgrower

11 years ago

Originally Posted by ronr

If you have not already done so, I'd point the whole thing out to the dealer.
Some people and some of their real, local customers might get PO'd at them for
making the info available to the internet.

Also, guessing they have no idea what the "marketing" firm is actually doing TO them.

It might be an opening for you if you do that type of work.

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...-your-ass.html

Dan

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Jason Kanigan

11 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

I doubt this is the work of whatever marketing firm they've engaged. Could be wrong, but I think this amazing example of marketing is the responsibility of Chip Leatherman himself.

@ronr, is the dealership in West Virginia or close by? This Chip Leatherman is a candidate if so...the awesomeness of the website is a clear correlation.

Notice how he grasps the puny planet Earth and forces it into submission.

See how the dead link to "Learn more about me, Chip Leatherman" succeeds in its subtle effort to simultaneously entice and frustrate.

Our struggle is futile.

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Aaron Doud 11 years ago

I think Chip took that whole "Never Cold Call Again" guy (forget his name) a bit too seriously.

I wonder how he got the OP's email. Seems like he was sending this out to people who knew or semi-knew.
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bizgrower

11 years ago

Jason,

After googling Chip, me thinks you're probably right.
OP said dealership, so I ran with that.

You made me remember a job interview I had with a guy
who had email scraping software he was going to use
to spam people with his offer.

Now, if Chip works for a dealership, IMO they should know what he's
doing.

Dan

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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

Now, if Chip works for a dealership, IMO they should know what he's doing.

Sending an email to all his family and friends explaining that he is now selling cars?
I'd give the kid $100 bonus if I didn't tell him to do it. And if I was his sales manager I would have told him to send an email like that.

Read the email he was sending this to people he knew. There is no problem with telling people you sell _____ and sending such a mass email to people you know. I have no idea why the OP is in his personal email list and doesn't know this guy.

Though it would be funny if we found out that the OP sent out random spam in the past and that is how this guy got his email.

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Jason Kanigan

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Aaron Doud

Netiquette, netiquette...bcc everyone and address the email to yourself.

If he'd done that, it wouldn't be so bad. But the copy would still be awful.

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bizgrower 11 years ago

Aaron,
I meant if he was scraping and spamming.
Also, you'd want to BCC your friends and family, not CC.

I just read OPs post again and he did say he called the dealer
and they did hire a company to do their marketing.

Dan
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Aaron Doud 11 years ago

He shouldn't have CC'd or BCC'd actually.

He should have made a basic email than copy and pasted it into each email and sent each separately.

I doubt he is scraping as a few hundred sounds like a personal email list or that of a small business.

As for the copy I actually don't mind it. It should be real and that feels real. I could make a better email but it isn't bad really.
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- ronr 11 years ago
  
  I figured it out.
  
  I was trying to figure out how I would end up on this guys email list if he didn't scrape it.
  
  I looked through my emails and it looks like he opted in to an autoresponder list of mine back in 2007. It's an old list that I haven't used in a while but I've never had any contact with him.
  
  He was probably told by his manager to contact all his family and friends or took the initititive himself and got a little over zealous.
  
  So I'll give him a break, his big mistakes were sending it to everyone he had an email for no matter if he knew them or not or where they lived and of course using CC so everying got the the email list.
  
  Ron
  
  [ 2 ] Thanks
  
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Aaron Doud 11 years ago

How I would have done it.

NAME,

I am sending emails out to all my friends, family, and social/business contacts to let them know I just started working at Green Chevy in East Moline. As you know I have always loved cars so I feel this is a great fit for me.

I wanted to ask two favors of you. Both I hope will benefit you as well.

First since I am new to selling cars I do not yet have a client base. I'm not sure if you have a car salesman that you normally work with but if you don't I would like to ask you that when it comes time to get your next vehicle that you come see me. Hopefully I can find you the right new car but at worst it will give us an opportunity to catch up. Depending on when you come maybe I can even buy you lunch or dinner as a way of thanking you.

The second favor will not only help me but will also put a few extra dollars in your pocket. You know me. You know how important taking care of my clients is. So what I am asking is if you would be willing to send people my way. We all know people who are looking for a new car. They will mention it in passing.... They will ask our opinion of the new blank from Chevy..... They will ask us if we ever bought from blank dealership.....

All I am asking is when those situations come up if you would send them my way. At Green Chevy we have a great referral program and this is how it will benefit you as well. If the people you send over buy Green Chevy will send you a $50 check. And because I know you I will personally throw in a $25 gift card to a restaurant. Easy way to make $75 bucks, right?

If you are interested in helping let me know. I'll send you some cards of mine and on the back you can fill out your info. Also you can send me a quick email or text me to let me know who you are sending my way. That way I can track it to make sure you get your referral bonus.

Once again thank you. And please know that if you already have a salesman that you work with I understand perfectly. I have one myself. So there will be no hard feelings if you don't buy from me. But if you need someone to help you or know people who do I would love to help.

Thanks in Advance NAME (add something short & personal here),
Aaron

Examples of final line
Thanks in Advance Nate and I promise that this year we will get together more this year,

Thanks in Advance Julie and I know you are in OK now vs. IA so maybe you can't buy here but please send your local friends my way,

Thanks in Advance Kyle and hopefully we can send some referrals to each other.

Thanks in advance Jon and yes I remember I owe you $60. Text me and let's do lunch when you are East Moline.

Thanks in advance Paula and thanks again for helping me buy my house,

Thanks in Advance Angie and have you been seeing the pictures of Belle on Facebook?

Thanks in Advance Brian and just to let you know your store on Blackhawk road has been doing better with my orders, pass that on to the manager there.

I do not work at Green Chevy I still sell RVs.
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Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
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misterme 11 years ago

I would think if you want to make a career of selling shiny brand new cars, you'd want to change your name from "Chip."
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Aaron Doud 11 years ago

Yeah the kid is really amateur about it but not a bad idea.

That email might be worth $10k of commissions in his first year.
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Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
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How to ruin your business reputation with one email

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