We Get Hate Mail! (And How My Dad Paved the Way for Social Media Marketing and Word of Mouth Referrals)

I get lots of email sometimes, mostly from camp directors seeking marketing advice. Other times people try picking fights and criticize me. Some of them are funny, some are angry, some are educational, others are written by idiots. I appreciate them all. The reason I’m telling you this is because I just got home from Las Vegas to find this one in my inbox:

Dear Eric,
I usually don’t read your blog because you don’t have any qualifications. For instance, you often write about social media marketing for summer camps and getting referrals. But you don’t know anything. I’d probably take your advice if you had any qualifications but until you can prove otherwise, you have no more marketing knowledge that the next guy won’t even consider taking your marketing advice because I don’t think you know anything else than the next guy. Sorry buddy!
Sincerely,
Ed Banks
New Mexico

Here’s my response:

Dear Ed,
Thank you for writing to me. You sound like a kid but I’ll respond anyway. I don’t know if you’ll agree, but since you’ve focused on social media and getting referrals, here’s the story: Much of what I know I learned from my dad, who 42 years ago (pre-internet, mind you) conducted a pioneering psychology experiment called the Dr. Fox Effect which basically laid the blueprint for people like you and me to understand how social media works and how influential people can help your ideas spread. It’s all over the internet, but here’s a few links for more information (and be sure to watch the video, too):

1. Hugh Garry.com
2. Wired.com
3. Wikipedia
4. New York Times
5. Weird Experiments

When people click the “LIKE” button on Facebook, “retweet” you on Twitter or share your content with their friends, THAT’s today’s word of mouth marketing. I’m not gonna sit here and toot my own horn because I definitely have a lot more to learn about all kinds of marketing. I read and experiment all the time so I can share what I learn with you. And certainly from a social media standpoint, I think I know what I’m talking about. But if you don’t want to read this blog, no worries, nobody here will miss you miss you. Happy Holidays! 🙂