Junk Mail

With no fear of heights, I’m not worried about climbing up on a soapbox for a good rant. Here goes:

I’ve written previously about the struggles of my aging parents. If we’re fortunate to have our parents around for much of our adult lives, it’s something that we all have to go through. Think of it as an educational opportunity to prepare for our own aging – should that actually occur.

One of the tasks which my parents have asked that I assist with is to go through their mail, which I’ve been doing for a couple of months now. And what I have to rant about today stems from that mail-opening experience.

It is absolutely abominable what some so-called “marketers” will do to trick the gullible (in my parents’ case, elderly)! Using envelopes with borders similar to the IRS’ official mail. Using business names (in the return address area) which closely imitate an official government entity. Using stationery which closely approximates what you would expect from a government entity. These are all very common, and frequent, occurrences I’ve experienced in going through my parents’ mail. Much to the chagrin of the mail marketers (they didn’t expect that some educated 40-something would actually read their material), I just chuck it all in the trash, cursing their businesses all the while. So far, I haven’t resorted to a common mail-marketer revenge tactic – to mail all their junk back to them in their postage-paid envelopes – but that’s coming!

No, I didn’t take photos of examples of these offending mail pieces – I didn’t want to run afoul of the law. No doubt, though, that those b*****ds know full well who they are! And if you’re in the “appropriate” demographic for their marketing efforts, you’ve seen their proffering already. Again, I say, B*****DS!!!

No Realtor® worth their MLS would ever disdain the use of mail in their own marketing efforts. It’s one of the many effective marketing efforts that we use in our daily business. But stoop to the level of those mail marketers who prey on the elderly and gullible with their shameless approach? Never!

Let this be a lesson to all Realtors®. Use the mails, but use them with respect for yourcustomer, your profession, and yourself.

OK, I’ll step off the soapbox now.