Too far or nah?

[13COBRA]

On an average business day I receive between 350 and 500 emails. About 10-20% of them are worth reading, the others are junk. I'm ALWAYS in the market to better my team or myself, so I typically at least read the training/seminar garbage to see if there's a chance I could pull one thing positive from it. Well today, I received an email soliciting some training, and it was absolute garbage. 99 times out of 100 I would've just deleted it and walked away, but for whatever reason I couldn't this time. I had a few minutes to spare so I replied.

Original email:
We have a trainer in your area this week and have an opening on Thursday and Friday, October 12-13 for 2 days of In-Dealership Sales Training on Negotiations and Objections.
To fill this spot, we are offering it at a discounted rate of $1,980.00, plus travel.
This opening will not last very long.
For more information, please visit our website at www.davidlewis.com/negotiations
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Director of Sales
XXXXXXXXXXX & Associates, Inc.
Melbourne, FL 32940
Office: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, ext. XXX
www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com



My reply:

Hello.

Several parts of this situation really bug me.

1. I would never hire a vendor that operates so inefficiently that they're trying to schedule training for the current week and are supposedly already in town, from half the country away (Florida to Missouri).
2. I don't believe there is a trainer in my area, but even if there were, why would I be asked to cover their travel expenses? Assuming they are in town, sounds like a poorly spent operating cost. I'm not sure if I would feel more negative knowing there isn't a trainer in town and I was lied to, or if there is a trainer in town and the planning is just that poor.
3. "This opening will not last very long" is the weakest call to action I've ever heard from a training company trying to get in front of a sales team; reminds me of the "Call for price" CTAs from the early 2000s.

Normally I would just kindly ask to be removed from your email list, as I have no intention of ever hiring your company, but for whatever reason a sales training company operating and 'selling' so poorly really rubs me wrong.

I offer a consulting service for sales training for $300/hour with a 6 hour minimum. I'd be more than happy to jump on the phone/video conference etc. and assist David Lewis' employees to set them up for success. Comes out to a minimum of $1,800 with no travel expenses and a guarantee that all participating members will come out as better salespeople than when they go in.

Have a great day.

Nick Anderson

 

[Rb0891]

Hilarious

 

[BlckBox04]

definitely wasn't scathing enough I would have went ham on them for asking me to cover their expenses

do you think they actually monitor responses?

 

[13COBRA]

definitely wasn't scathing enough I would have went ham on them for asking me to cover their expenses

do you think they actually monitor responses?

It came from a lady's email...so I think it's a true account.

I hope it was, because if that was a canned email and went out to a bunch of people, that's even WORSE haha That would show the whole company is inept rather than just a rogue employee.

 

[BlckBox04]

It came from a lady's email...so I think it's a true account.

I hope it was, because if that was a canned email and went out to a bunch of people, that's even WORSE haha That would show the whole company is inept rather than just a rogue employee.

dude AI is taking over everything. My buddy does computer securities and he uses chat GPT to create all his emails. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a general blast

 

[VegasMichael]

"This opening will not last very long"

Reminds me of those old late night product advertisements on television where they tell you that if you call within the next hour and order you will get a great discounted price but hurry because this item will sell out quick! And then, of course, you see the same commercial ad airing for weeks after that with the same "deal". Hysterical.

 

[sleek98]

Had a recruiter call me today about an ad we have for a tax preparer, I am the tax manager for the company but the ad clearly states to contact our HR department.

Could be that I was in the middle of reviewing a return and just a bit grumpy today but I basically said since she cant full read an ad and is bothering me while I am busy just days before a tax deadline she must not be the brightest and I don't really want to see any candidates she has conned into signing with her.

Sometimes I think people are just plain stupid and in their own world.

 

[gimmie11s]

I like it

Did they respond?

 

[13COBRA]

I like it

Did they respond?

Yep! I was just coming to update.

"Mr. Anderson,

We'll remove you from our mailing list. Have a great week!"


Hahahahaha

 

[Rb0891]

Yep! I was just coming to update.

"Mr. Anderson,

We'll remove you from our mailing list. Have a great week!"


Hahahahaha

Hundred bucks says you get 10 more emails from them.

 

[72MachOne99GT]

Yep! I was just coming to update.

"Mr. Anderson,

We'll remove you from our mailing list. Have a great week!"


Hahahahaha

So…that’s a no.

Too bad. $300 an hour is pretty solid gig.

 

[blk02edge]

That Nigerian prince will be so mad

 

[SolarYellow]

Whatever happened to the crew wanting you to give money to their kids' sports team?

 

[13COBRA]

Whatever happened to the crew wanting you to give money to their kids' sports team?

They never responded

 

[Tezz500]

On an average business day I receive between 350 and 500 emails. About 10-20% of them are worth reading, the others are junk. I'm ALWAYS in the market to better my team or myself, so I typically at least read the training/seminar garbage to see if there's a chance I could pull one thing positive from it. Well today, I received an email soliciting some training, and it was absolute garbage. 99 times out of 100 I would've just deleted it and walked away, but for whatever reason I couldn't this time. I had a few minutes to spare so I replied.

Original email:
We have a trainer in your area this week and have an opening on Thursday and Friday, October 12-13 for 2 days of In-Dealership Sales Training on Negotiations and Objections.
To fill this spot, we are offering it at a discounted rate of $1,980.00, plus travel.
This opening will not last very long.
For more information, please visit our website at www.davidlewis.com/negotiations
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Director of Sales
XXXXXXXXXXX & Associates, Inc.
Melbourne, FL 32940
Office: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, ext. XXX
www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com



My reply:

Hello.

Several parts of this situation really bug me.

1. I would never hire a vendor that operates so inefficiently that they're trying to schedule training for the current week and are supposedly already in town, from half the country away (Florida to Missouri).
2. I don't believe there is a trainer in my area, but even if there were, why would I be asked to cover their travel expenses? Assuming they are in town, sounds like a poorly spent operating cost. I'm not sure if I would feel more negative knowing there isn't a trainer in town and I was lied to, or if there is a trainer in town and the planning is just that poor.
3. "This opening will not last very long" is the weakest call to action I've ever heard from a training company trying to get in front of a sales team; reminds me of the "Call for price" CTAs from the early 2000s.

Normally I would just kindly ask to be removed from your email list, as I have no intention of ever hiring your company, but for whatever reason a sales training company operating and 'selling' so poorly really rubs me wrong.

I offer a consulting service for sales training for $300/hour with a 6 hour minimum. I'd be more than happy to jump on the phone/video conference etc. and assist David Lewis' employees to set them up for success. Comes out to a minimum of $1,800 with no travel expenses and a guarantee that all participating members will come out as better salespeople than when they go in.

Have a great day.

Nick Anderson

Its so hard sometimes to ignore the trash... especially when it hits home... E.I. you are in sales and they gave you the shittiest canned pitch imaginable.

Props to you for keeping it toned down IMO.

 

[bdcardinal]

We had to sit through a Tommy Gibbs class. Which was awesome since I am parts counter and it left our department with 2 counter people who were overwhelmed while I was stuck hearing about used cars being in the lot longer than 90 days.