In marketing, there's a huge difference between what you want to sell someone and what that person wants to buy.
Take Tidal Wave as an example.
Beautiful Spring morning. Time to wash the winter's dirt off my car. So, hey, thought I'd spin by this place to give it a whirl. Pull up, and there are no customers. Just two teenagers in their uniforms hanging out.
So, with no crowd to fight, it's my lucky day, right? Until I pull up to the automated terminal.
Let's be clear. My car is eight years old. I don't want to buy a membership. I don't need the deluxe package. And I certainly don't want to come every other week to hose off this vehicle of mine. And, most of all, I don't want to blow $30, $25, or $20 to do it.
All I want is a basic car wash. $15? Okay, fine. Whatever.
Oh, wait. I have to enter my phone number? I can't opt out? Shit. I don't want to get text messages from Tidal Wave car wash from now until Doomsday. You're a car wash. When I want to wash my car, I'll do it. I don't need weekly texts from you. I'm already getting too much junk as it is.
Needless to say, I backed out of there. The two teenagers twenty yards away just watched me go as if this stuff happens all day long.
I drove three minutes to the car wash on 4th Avenue. $10. No gimmicks. No requirements to enter my phone number. Just swipe my AMEX and get my car cleaned. The way the process is supposed to be. read more