So I received a marketing email from my web hosting service that started me chuckling. The exclusive offer was for 50% off the normal price of hosting. However, the promotion was only good for new accounts.
To my web host’s credit, I have just about unlimited everything. So rarely would someone need a second or third account. Meaning, I would have to create a second, completely unnecessary account to qualify for the promotion.
So why the odd offer?
I think the tagline under the headline was the real reason for sending the customer appreciation email:
(Psst…feel free to forward this email to friends and family, too. We won’t tell!)
Bam! This whole customer appreciation promo is actually about getting me to sign my friends and family up. Why else would you make me an offer that I can’t use and then ask me slyly to forward it on?
Rather than making a disingenuous offer hoping that I’ll go do some marketing for you, why not actually give me a great deal on my renewal that’s coming up and tell me that my friends and family can have the same great deal if I just forward the email?
Now that shows actual appreciation and is something I’ll forward.