Newsletter/Blog
Elevate Your Pitch
When I moved up to Boston after college, I knew few people in the area. I found my roommate Judy through a service called the Roommate Connection. Luckily she and I became fast friends and she kindly took me to parties that her friends threw. Occasionally I met someone at a party that would lead to a first date.
One first date that sticks out in my memory went downhill faster than an Olympic skier.
His name was Joe and he was a PhD candidate at Harvard. Not a medical doctor, but an eventual doctor from Harvard nonetheless. So far my grandmothers would have had thumbs up.
We went to a casual restaurant and ordered our meals. And then Joe began to talk.
Teenage Wastebrand
“I don’t think I want to shop there anymore,” said my 13-year-old daughter Fiona three weeks ago after learning of Abercrombie & Fitch’s latest offense. This time, their target was one of her favorite singers, Taylor Swift.
In case you haven’t heard, Abercrombie was selling a t-shirt that said “# more boyfriends than t.s.”. Teens knew the reference to Taylor Swift immediately. And Taylor’s fans – “Swifties” – were not amused.
Dueling Dance Brands
For the past two winters, I have gone away with friends for a few days to take a break from the bustle of life. And to try some new experiences.
Last year my friend Kristen and I went to the Cranwell Resort in the Berkshire Mountains. We tried spinning and Zumba classes.
Zumba is a combination of salsa, merengue and other Latin dance moves to high energy music (Latin and otherwise). Our class leader did the routines and occasionally called out moves, but didn’t teach them. We had fun and got a cardio workout, though we didn’t know what we were doing.
How Not to Talk to Customers, Revisited
Last month I wrote about the annoying experience of having a Honda dealership try to influence my rating on their customer satisfaction survey.
My annoyance prompted me to write that article. Boy did I spark the passion of others, including the dealership marketers themselves.
How Not to Talk to Customers
As I learned to drive, my father not only braved my initial road experience, he also tried to teach me about the way a car functioned.
He opened the hood of our 1969 Buick Le Sabre and pointed out areas where you add fluids. There was a carburetor and a radiator. He even showed me how to change a tire.