won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
Every half a year or so I get a marketing package, an envelope filled with Mercedes-Benz stuff, like this mornings’s “Prêt-à -conduire…the winter collection is here” (we are talking cars ….). The reason for this expensive, glossy 300 gr/meter square paper flood: I was once looking for a new car, right before getting a new job that forced me to drive some 150 km per day. Thus, I figured out a Mercedes Benz might be just the right car to get for this venture. Unfortunately, I was completely underdressed this Saturday 10 years ago, wearing blue jeans and the unfriendly sales stuff in Zurich’s largest Mercedes garage wouldn’t show me what I wanted. Lesson one: Wear a tie! I ended up giving them my address and not buying a car. On my way home in my cheap Volkswagen (Lesson 2: Get a rental Mercedes if you want to buy a Benz) I passed by a Saab garage, rather small, with a nice shiny black Saab, that I ended up buying this very day (Lesson 3: Never give up! ) I still own it, for sentimental reasons somehow, I love this car.
Why this little story? Because it highlights how important the first contact with clients might turn out. And how expensive and vain all marketing efforts are once this first contact failed. And it came to my mind this morning when reading a post on Shift’s blog without understanding a lot, except for Orris and Tauer and that Irisdofter probably means something like orris scents.
But I realized that quite a few perfume lovers visit my webpage after Shift’s post. I figured out they might be looking for Orris and I do not tell them. I will change right now.
September 26th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
Beloved, we innocents take awhile to come to that realization…
Years ago, when I first came to Geneve, I mistakenly thought that my impeccable manners, fluent [and then, flawless] French, German, and Italian, and 18 year old ballerina persona would help in warming vendors up…
Big mistake !
I didn’t smell, or look [although I was tidy] like money…
Nowadays, when I need to “mean business”, I drag out my simplest, most elegant frock and tasteful [yet unusual] jewellery- I even choose my perfume with the intention of soothing the individual I am about to contend with.
I had to do this dreaded task last week, and my own busdriver didn’t recognize me- no cleavage, no sandals, no yoga pants [sigh!] , no backpack… I was miserable, but it got the job done !
All the more reason why I find you to be a delightful, candid human being, Andy.
love you !
September 26th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Ah Chaya
Thank you so much for your post, sometimes even the best manners and everything else does not help. We live in a world of apperarances and I just learnt that you know the tricks, too. I have my suits that help , but I love my jeans much more and I would never wear my suits and ties on weekends just do to some shopping!
And now…hopp hopp off I go for the Perfume movie!
September 28th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
Andy, long ago when I was in college, I worked in a high-end boutique. One day when we were about to close, a woman came in to browse. She was wearing shorts and an old t-shirt, her dirty hair pulled back into a ponytail. I walked over to say hello, and two hours later had sold her almost an entire new wardrobe. As it turned out, she was staying the hotel adjacent to the boutique, had just finished exercising, and decided to do some window shopping. From that day on, whenever she came back to town, she came to see me. I’ve never forgotten that day, as it speaks volumes about how appearances can be deceiving, and truly, everyone deserves respect and attention. You never know who you might be talking to, who they know, or how they might be able to help you in return someday.