Did I screw up?
December 18, 2008 – 1:33 pm | by Burke Jones - The Internet MLM Pro
Well the responses to my last post got me thinking….how professional do we need to be in our communication with our subscribers?
I prefer to just sit down and write, I write like I talk - so there are mistakes. I don’t proof it more than once.
So in my last post, I used the word “B*(*X”. Within minutes I had this unsubscribe confirmation email in my inbox…
“Unprofessional email. No need to use the word “bitch” to get attention.”
So was I using the that word to get attention? Maybe, but isn’t that what we should be doing as marketers?
I know that I am subscribed to a couple of lists where everyother word is a four letter word - but I stay subscribed because of the content. I do not run around cussing all day long - but in this instance I used the word for emphasis.
So let me know in the comments section below how you feel about this whole subject! Did I offend you? Did you enjoy the post? Should all communication be “perfect” and “professional”?
Chime in via the Comments section below….
Your partner for success,
Burke Jones
MLM Traffic Lab:
=> http://MLMTrafficLab.com
My Personal Biz:
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10 Responses to “Did I screw up?”
By Travis on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Burke, I think it depends on the person. I personally don’t think you screwed up. Some of the most positive influential mentors in my life have “kept it real”, cussing and all. However, that would usually be in a one on one, or all male setting.
When speaking to a group, I have learned to avoid such words for the very reason that we are discussing now. I would have used “whining or belly-aching” myself. In my opinion, its the same impact but less offensive to some.
I’m not really a fan of the softer, politically correct aspect of our society. I don’t think it’s being “real”, but it’s what we got and we gotta work with it.
My $0.02,
Travis
By Warren on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Surely you must be kidding! I hear worse than that anywhere kids are together, even grammar school. Let the old goat take a hike.
By David Reid on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Roger, seems like some folks are more concerned about political correctness (linquistics in this case) than the message you were sharing.
Maybe they should get some of Randy’s Rants. He also tells it like it is. A little too plain spoken for a few but the message gets there. You did good. The ball was in their court but they were too busy looking at the other players form to realize the ball had just gone by. David
By David Reid on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Burke, Sorry about Roger. I had just read an email from Roger and my brain had not shifted gears yet. But I know you won’t bitch about it.
Webster defines “bitch” first as a female dog, second as a lewd woman and third as a complaint. Logic seems the person complaining about your unpofessional use of the word…just wanted to bitch.
Cheers David
By Takuya Hikichi on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Perheps those people were on the verge of subscribing and looking for the right reason to do so. Unless it’s too frequent, I think it’s okay depending on the publication and style. Sometimes people do that in public forums, and it’s hard to always dicern what can be perceived professional and unprofessional. Personally - I wouldn’t care.
By Rick on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
No problem. You used the word as a descriptive verb in a particular context, but it seems your unhappy reader may have only read and interpreted it as a noun.
By Bill on Dec 19, 2008 | Reply
Hi Burke, as others have said, it depends on the individual. It is therefore “more professional” / safer to not use obvious words that may offend. I like your down to earth approach and presentation. Surveys have shown that a too perfect presentation can put people off. We are all human and prone to err. Keep it up Burke.
By BadAssMarketingPro on Feb 24, 2009 | Reply
I think that if the words or style of writing or talking does not fit the person saying it, then it shouldn’t be said. It’s incongruent, and doesn’t fit the personality of ther person saying it.
When this happens, people will call you out on it.
I actually tried to be a stuffy type of business guy, but I knew that it wasn’t really the way I enjoyed doing business and having fun.
So, I started doing more of what I enjoyed in the way I actually talk with people in real life.
Do I swear like a sailer? no, especially when it comes to doing business, but I’m okay with letting the F*** slip every once in a while.
josef Benjamin
By Best MLM Opportunity on May 11, 2009 | Reply
There’s a time and place for everything. Yes, as a marketer you should be drawing attention but at the same time as a marketer you need to have appeal. If you gain attention as you lose appeal you won’t be able to turnover as many which indicates you may be drawing the wrong kind of attention. Personally I’m a liberal guy but when you’re in a line of work which requires others to be attracted to you its best to analyze your attractiveness.
By David on May 18, 2009 | Reply
I did not read your article, but I was curious
to see the commments. If this comment was OK,
why was there a sense of defending what was said. May be you could have expressed it differently and still made your point. People
sometimes see something like this and make a judge of our entire character, don’t they. It’s
just a word, right? Our tongue and our brain
are sometimes difficult to control, but control them we must. Just like you train yourself to say the right things, we must also train yourself not to say the wrong things.