“Email Players” subscriber Christine Hanson sees first hand the power of never rewarding bad behavior:
Got my first EP as you know from below. I wanted to take action.
One dance parent out of line (bad sportsmanship) and another from a month ago threatened to quit because I discontinued a perk from 6 MOS AGO.
And I’m all pumped up from EP newsletter.
I re-write the competition team policies and turn up the volume and basically go Dance Nazi 2.0 on them to address some of their recent crappy parent behavior.
“send” (secretly I’m a little terrified but decide to train my brain)
The results…
* The mom with bad sportsmanship signed the policies and found two emails to respond to (for no reason) with “thank you!!”
* The mom who threatened to quit called me twice to get reassured that I “wasn’t mad at her.” I told her I was old and gonna call it as I see it and want it. And I said, I can do what the public schools can’t to stop parent crap. She laughed and said if she’d sent the same letter to parents as I had, she’d have been fired.
* A mom who just yesterday was late with a payment and we made her pay a late fee wrote a glowing email praising our services.
* A gossipy momma-drama drummed up two pointless emails just to be sugary sweet.
So appreciate, Ben.
I’m sending you virtual hugs.
Then, she sends an update keeping me in the loop on further success:
a. After Feb EP (my first as you know) I created for prospective clients this hardcore “you have to tell me why you want to be at my dance studio” and we don’t take just anyone and then in Ben style I call out the troll-entitled behavior of some newbie behaviors that I’m now screening against. Got an inquiry about class. Sent my new policy with “answer these questions” and why do you want to be at my prestigious studio? The mother LOVED it, answered everything and begged to get accepted. You, sir, are a gift from above (at least for me). I told my staff to send it out from now on.
b. Following your podcast advice, I responded to the Dr Steve opening with a sample copywriting email and he’s asked to talk to me. Do you want to see what I wrote?
That’s my fangirl for the day.
There’s a lot of lessons packed in her testimonials anyone can use.
(I hope you caught them all…)
Anyway, your milage may vary.
But, it can be a bit hair raising following my unruly ways.
And, in many cases, once people get over the initial resistance, and do it, and see the results, they not only don’t mind it, but learn to welcome it — because it often means more sales for ye olde piggy bank.
All right enough of this.
The March “Email Players” issue goes to the printer soon.
To get in before the deadline, go here:
Ben Settle
