Dear all Last year I contacted a very high-end luxury magazine to
enquire about advertising in their monthly magazine. We exchanged
many emails and my telephone number was on his file…whoops! To my
surprise, he called me at my home number to investigate when I will
send him money for just one month of advertising space…$2,400.00. He
kept exchanging emails with me and I tried to control my anger and as
it was starting to brew! I, being a gentleman, I wrote to him that
those funds were not forth coming at the present time…Again, more
emails, more phone calls. Well, I told him once and for all, I don’t
have the money ($2,400.00) to waste at this time. Apparently he
didn’t read my English emails, as he sent me another letter last
Monday. His company had a “wonderful one week only, fixed-rate for
new subscribers” of only $1,800.00 for one month. I must just send
him a photo and “he’d do the rest”…good grief! That ticked me off
totally now 100%. This fellow, and his magazine company are now
"ancient history". I’ll send him a kite for him to fly. What I hear
is that these high pressure tactics are well known with this
magazine. I won’t mention their name! “One door closes, and another
door opens!” I just found a decent & nice advertising company. “If
the milk turns sour, change the milk, not the container!” I’m
creating a very expensive, high-end item, I must be at ease with the
advertising medium at all times…Gerry!
When you continue to engage with people like this, they take it as a
sign of hope. Send one last email and answer one last phone call
with this: “No, thank you. I will not be advertising at this time or
anytime in the foreseeable future. Please remove me from your contact
list.” Then stop interacting. Period.
If you continue to get calls and emails after that, I would also
send a brief, to-the-point letter to the publisher of the magazine
and to the ad sales agency he works for (if he’s part of an agency).
Something like this: “I contacted your advertising sales
representative, Joe Smith, in January 2009 to inquire about
advertising rates. After consideration, I chose to not advertise in
XXX Magazine and conveyed that decision to Mr. Smith and asked him to
remove me from his contact database. Mr. Smith continues to email and
call both my business and my personal telephone with a frequency that
is bordering on harrassment. I must ask that you have Mr. Smith
immediately cease and desist all contact with me and remove all of my
contact all databases, whether they are yours or his.” Or
some such. Be direct, unemotional, and factual. Show that you are
serious.
Then set up a filter on your email so anything from him goes
directly to the trash. If you have caller ID and you recognize the
number when he calls, don’t answer and simply delete any message he
might leave. If he’s calling your cell phone, chances are there’s
some way to set up your phone so the call is blocked, or at least you
should be able to set a ringtone specifically for him that is silent
(or at least distinctive so you know to ignore it).
Best,
Lori
Lori Paximadis
virtuallori.com