First of all, let me be clear, this article is not about winning an iPhone. If it was, would you be more likely to read this article. If yes, than that is exactly what this article is about!
I received a whining e-mail today because I haven't ponied up $44/year to pay for a subscription to an on-line magazine that I never wanted in the first place.
I am quite certain that our dysfunctional relationship started at a trade show, where my wife, who loves to win stuff, put a card in a fish bowl to win a free iPhone.
There seems to be an unwritten code at trade shows: put your card in our drawing, and you give us permission to spam you for the rest of your natural born days.
This same dysfunction exists in social media too. Right?
If I were giving away a new car, would you give me your name, e-mail address, and perhaps even your first born child?
But what does that say about the value proposition? Can I buy your loyalty with a free gift?
Or, more likely, are you willing to give me your subscriber information for the chance to win a new exciting prize, and then unsubscribe once the prize is won by someone else?
If I have millions of those kinds of relationships, just hanging around, ready to unsubscribe at a moments notice, is that a valuable relationship?
If I continue with this win a free prize behavior, hoping that enough of you stick to the wall, is that a fair thing to do?
Yet, it is clear, the crowds have spoken, give me free gifts and we will come.
Interesting isn't it. We all want value, but flock in massive herds to any, and all, sites that offer us free stuff.
What do you make of this?
