I got the Pink mailer from Joe and Lisa :shock:

[Mikey P]

I just got a pink mailer from JP with that title.

Some highlights:

"After just ONE listen to this EYE-POPPING FREE CD You'll not only be able to attract women cleaning customers as easy as a paper clip to a ten ton magnet, you'll also FINALLY communicate well enough with your wife/girlfriend to get the to do WHAT YOU WANT far more often........"

"....And if you are a single male, then "business" won't be the ONLY thing you'll be attracting with ease!"

My thoughts:

Great. If there ever was proof that our industry as seen as a bunch of geeky, socially awkward losers, this is it. It reminds me of "Bob" and the "Enzyte" commercials.

That's ok, I know the secret already........."Our Lisa" and Anne Bancroft both gave the same advice......

And if YOU want to know.........I'll send you my free CD!

 

[Fred Homan]

Will you send it to me too?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I received a copy of the flier as well.

I was amused by it at first, then I decided to share it with a variety of women I know:

A 21 year old computer geek (Final year in college)
A 37 year old mother of three (High School Education, grew up working in a family -multi truck heating and cooling business)
A 47 year old guidance counselor (Master's Degree, used to run a large cleaning and restoration business)
A 60 year old book keeper (Lifetime of work in clerical and book keeping;lots of street smarts)

All four were annoyed by the content. They laughed it off at first, then as they thought about it and read more of it, they became more irritated.

All four understand our industry either through business or personal relationships with me. They saw it as disrespectful........to men. In different ways each of them wondered out loud what kind of man would feel so socially inadequate to feel the need to want such a CD.

While they all agreed that there are things "guys do" that annoy them, overall the flyer inferred that most men are buffoons who don't know a thing about women, and that women are easily manipulated by men.

The part that they found to be the most offensive:

"After just ONE listen to this EYE-POPPING FREE CD You'll not only be able to attract women cleaning customers as easy as a paper clip to a ten ton magnet, you'll also FINALLY communicate well enough with your wife/girlfriend to get the to do WHAT YOU WANT far more often....These 5 women entreprenueurs reveal EVERYTHING & SHOW YOU what Women really want! And if you are a single male, then "business" won't be the ONLY thing you'll be attracting with ease!"

That particular comment (to them) went over the line of "professional salesmanship" and by its sexual innuendo crossed the boundary of taste.

 

[Mikey P]

Mrs Wagner, (who is Joe's speech writer these days) would be wise to stay away from the ICS party at Connections where there will be plenty of drunken, ten ton Carpet Cleaners just waiting to pick her up like a paper clip.

 

[Craig Lindquist]

Why pay for the Joe Polish program.

If you want "IT" Elliot Spitzer's program costs less and its a sure thing.

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Re:

I'll see you at the ICS party ... hopefully you won't throw your back out.


Lisa Wagner

 

[Jimmy L]

My wife questioned the mailer assuming it was some sort of PORN.

Then I said just read it, it's from some industry sleazy marketing guy.


My opinion is his whole marketing plan insults decent peoples intelligence.
More likely the ones to buy are the scum bag carpet cleaners of our industry.

 

[XTREME1]

I told all of you guys that my wife is offended not only by being married to me but by the way she, as a woman, is marketed to by some people

 

[Loren Egland]

I couldn't help but wonder how this postcard offering this free cd would ever be enough of a perk to get someone to spend the time and money to go to this conference. Do you really think this marketing piece will work at increasing attendance? But I could be wrong.

 

[truckmount girl]

"All four understand our industry either through business or personal relationships with me. They saw it as disrespectful........to men. In different ways each of them wondered out loud what kind of man would feel so socially inadequate to feel the need to want such a CD.

While they all agreed that there are things "guys do" that annoy them, overall the flyer inferred that most men are buffoons who don't know a thing about women, and that women are easily manipulated by men."

EXACTLY.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[Mikey P]

I met Lisa at the 06 ICS party.

We had a lovely chat and I was smitten with her feminine charms.


How that Lance Bass wanna be laid his claws in so deep is beyond me.

 

[gasaxe]

I met Lisa at the 06 ICS party.

We had a lovely chat and I was smitten with her feminine charms.


How that Lance Bass wanna be laid his claws in so deep is beyond me.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Mikey P]

This is VERY interesting ...
Posted By Lisa Wagner on 9/17/2008 at 1:50 AM

This is an interesting marketing test that maybe a few of you will find useful ... and maybe not.

So this piece - the pink postcard - was one of 6 different pieces sent out for a split test with 3 distinct offers: 1) recession-proofing your company, 2) the dream manager "no more help wanted ads" needed ever, and 3) marketing to women call by 4 top female entrepreneurs.

The splits were run by two distinct copywriters - one very much "hype-ier" than the other professional slant. Groups of 5,000 were mailed to, at the same time, with different colors, to test offers, copy, and size/color.

Now ... I ran the call with these women ... and it was such a valuable call, I was the one to push this out as a separate offer because of two reasons: 1) I feel that many men in this industry do lose money in this industry by not understanding how to market to and work for and with women ... and 2) I feel the women in this industry do not get enough exposure, acknowledgement, and appreciation - so I wanted a call to showcase 4 female entrepreneurs I admire greatly.

Now ... I wish that the "professional" benefits-driven copy for the women would have outpulled the "sexed up" hypey one ... but it didn't.

In fact, this card - the one which was the only one of the 6 to make it up on bulletin boards, and generate some "my gosh, I'm offended" calls and emails, was the one to generate by far the most activity ... and even with these posts today (well after the mailing) more sales today.

So ... does this say something about Piranha, or does it say something about the industry?

Obviously, if this card was targeting women consumers, it would be completely different. But it was not. It was targeting cleaners who are men.

So this brings up the question of do you do what you think "should" work ... or do you look at the data and do what you "know" works.

This is a crazy busy world, and to try to get someone's attention ... much less MOTIVATE them to check out a website, is a huge task. How many times have you said "yeah I'm going to look into that" ... and you haven't?

So - this card worked. I was going to say "unfortunately worked" ... but that's just a fact - it did. And those who have listened to the call, have learned a completely different perspective of their clients and their business from these women.

It's the saying - You sell them what they want, and you give them what they need.

So the cheesy pink postcard seems to be the winner. Can I be embarrassed about that? I guess so ... but actually, I find it pretty funny.

Thanks for posting up the postcard for me ... Evan would have never allowed me to do that. You might get labeled a shill now.


See you in October!

Lisa Wagner

If it sells, do it.

Is that right Lisa?






Good god woman, Joe should have just hired Larry Flint to write his crap.
K Blachford is rolling over in her grave, I'm sure.


Your answer/justification makes my skin crawl to be perfectly honest.

Very disappointed to say the least.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I didn't get a flyer. Nobody sends lonely-boy a get chicks and market to them CD? You guys really do hate me.

On a more serious note; is that actually Lisa Wagner that posted that? I find it hard to believe she has only posted on this board 6 times and just manages to show up to respond to this thread about her. Double check and make sure it's not somebody posing as her.

It wouldn't be hard for me to create a profile that said I was Joe Polish and start posting in this thread.

 

[Cameron1]

It sure has everybody talking........ hint....... hint

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

"Great. If there ever was proof that our industry as seen as a bunch of geeky, socially awkward losers, this is it."

Come on. That freakin' vacuum cleaner logo SCREAMS "geeky, socially awkward losers".

 

[Ken Snow]

From the little that I know about Lisa I believe that was definitely her who posted. She nailed it right on the head and I am sure she is a little saddened that it did in fact pull the most. Clearly more of a statement about the industry at large than her or JP.

Ken

 

[Dolly Llama]

sleazy manipulative marketing employed and endorsed by Slime Ball Hucksters Inc

such is the "anything for a buck" sales game


..L.T.A.

 

[Wayne Miller]

Adding to Jim P's comments...

The first line of the postcard, the line designed to entice you into reading the entire piece says, " FREE CD ! ! ! Yours For The Asking . . . " when it's not FREE it's $1497 if you pay now or $1597 for 3 payments. Nothing like a little distortion to get the ball rolling.

Discover the Secrets Most Cleaners
will NEVER Know About
How To Get Women
To Do What You Want"

reads the same as,

Discover the Secrets Most Cleaners
will NEVER Know About
How To Manipulate Women Customers
To Do What You Want.

And, then it goes on to talk about "what it takes to get them to trust you."

Wouldn't this sound attractive to those "Uninformed, Uneducated, and Sometimes Downright Unscrupulous Carpet Cleaners" some cleaners are telling consumers to "avoid?"

As a cleaning professional who markets to women, not to mention a husband and a father, it's the pinacle of bad taste.

Sad reflection on who?

 

[Brian R]

I got the card. Didn't read it all because it smelled of "give me your money for nothing".
Maybe I should read it and get a good laugh.
Think I threw it in the office trash.
I might go look for it.
Ah crap, I tore it up so it would take up less space.

Hey Joe, can you send me another one?

 

[Jimmy L]

The card and its true meaning is that sadly most consumers look at us as merely janitors.

What a wonderful thing to do, send your money to Joe to agree that you are a low life.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Jimmy said it better in two lines than I did in several paragraphs.

 

[hogjowl]

Ahemmm ...

 

[Wayne Miller]

Reminds me of those old Popular Mechanics Spanish Fly classified ads.

 

[B&BGaryC]

The card and its true meaning is that sadly most consumers look at us as merely janitors.

I always feared saying this because I thought it might get me booted...

You ever listen to the way carpet cleaners talk about their jobs, and how big and powerful their equipment is, how complicated and professional their job is, how physically demanding the work is? Do you ever see how the training is directed and slanted for our egos? We are merely maids, doing a woman's job. That's why we need the world's most powerful cleaning machine. Granted the Vortex does a better job, I think the real draw for owning a big bad cleaning machine is so you can feel less like a little servant girl cleaning up after your master, and more like a professional businessman.

And before you ladies jump down my throat, no I don't think vacuuming is a woman's job, or that men are better than women, or that maids are not valuable human beings either.

 

[Jim Martin]

That was about the dumbest damn thing I have ever read on this board...............

 

[Royal Man]

Sounds like a great CD for Todd to use.

 

[Cameron1]

Reminds me of those old Popular Mechanics Spanish Fly classified ads.

Hey Wayne, did that stuff work?

 

[Wayne Miller]

I took the whole bottle and nothing........

 

[Jim Martin]

I don't think no one is going to touch that one......