How NOT To Promote Your Services

Recently, I got the following email:

“As a { }, are you interested in following SEO, SMO and website redesigning services at this time for your company by industry experts:

$500 SEO services includes: Keyword Research, Website Theme Review, Navigation Review, Images Review, Page Development Review, Website Content Review, Search Engine Tag Review, File Name Review, Finished Layout Review

$500 Social media optimization includes: Article Submission, Press Release Submission, Social Bookmarking, Video Submissions, PPT Submissions, RSS Feed Submissions, Social Network Marketing and Posting on Forums

$500 Website redesigning and maintenance includes: Competition updates their website regularly with latest updates, SEO friendly site, new technology contents, Memorable Logo, Simplistic Catchy Design, Who You Are and What You Do, Samples of Your Work, Link to Relevant Blogs, Additional Testimonials, Update Contact Information

Thanks and let me know.

Olivia Miller, Digital marketing consultant”

This email is an excellent example of how NOT to contact potential customers!

1) This person mined my email from LinkedIn. If you want to drum up business, use the “promotion” tab in various groups. Spamming people like me by mining our emails is counterproductive.

2) The first sentence asks me if I am "interested in following services for my company by experts". This sentence is poorly written.

3) Who are the "industry experts"? Why the overuse of capitals?

4) This person uses pricing to hook me. This is a common mistake. She should understand that potential customers want to see a portfolio and testimonials – price is just a secondary parameter.

5) The offered website redesigning and maintenance includes: "Competition updates their website regularly with latest updates". Does this mean that I would pay for the website updates of my competitors?

6) When I wanted to visit their website (www.mantizemarketing.com), I found out that (1) the website is a parked domain at GoDaddythat is (2) registered by a certain Subendu Ghosh located in Bangalore, India.

7) The only reference to Mantize Marketing that I could find was on the LinkedIn profile of Michael Smith who states that he worked 10 months for the company in 2009/2010 providing database marketing solutions. I could not find any "Olivia Miller" working for Mantize Marketing.

My advice to anyone else that got this email - mark it as spam.

How to Choose Your Chinese Company or Brand Name

Once you decide to enter the Chinese market as a western company or brand, you need to think of a Chinese name.

Localizing your company or brand name is complicated. You need a Chinese name as soon as you start selling on e-commerce sites and start using local social media. You also want to use WOM to promote your brand.

It involves in-depth knowledge of the local language and culture, sensitivity towards local customer attitudes and willingness to adapt the company/brand name. Gap and IBM decided to keep their short name, expecting Chinese consumers to learn them. This is not a clever way to build a brand in China.

How to choose a Chinese company/brand name:

1. Your Chinese name must tell your brand’s story.
2. Examples: BMW (bao ma) means “precious horse”; Subway sandwiches (sai bai wei) means “better than 100 tastes.”
3. The characters in the name must look good together.
4. The Chinese name must be legally available.
5. The name should work well in Mandarin, Cantonese and Shanghainese that are three dramatically different languages.
6. The name should only have positive connotations.
   LinkedIn‘s brand name in Chinese also sounds like the word for the ghost of a dead infant.
7. Make sure the name has meaning.
   McDonald’s (mai dang lao) kept its name although the Chinese characters represent wheat, should and labor.
8. Hire an expert with a solid track record to help you. 

Success!