Control...Alt...Delete

In business it's important to know when the best time and place to reach your customers is, whether it's for advertising purposes or for actual sales. Artists for the most part are pretty good at this in my experience. Most artists gear up for December, for Mother's Day, etc. But I think it's also just as important to know the most important times NOT to reach your customers.

I had a great example of when not to. On Christmas Eve as I was getting the dinner cleaned up and pumpkin pie served when my phone rang. It was a telemarketer. Not only that, but a very rude one too. When I asked him to call back at a more appropriate time (I should of just hung up really, but my marketing background obliges me to be nice), he said no and wouldn't let me ask questions either. I finally handed the phone to my husband who after a huge argument hung up the phone. Not only would I not listen to this caller, I will NEVER do business with them: 1. for having the gull to call at the time and 2. for allowing such rude people to put me in a foul mood for Christmas Eve.

They are not the only intruders over the holidays, (and that's how I think of them as intruders when they do it at such inappropriate times), but my unsolicited email went through the roof too! Which is really sad for them since there will be so much of it, I'll just delete it as a block and not read any of it.

So when you're thinking of sending your customers a note, a newsletter, or anything, make sure it is when they are wanting to hear from you. You don't simply want to be 'deleted'.