No Thanks

The other night I got a knock on the door. McKay and I answered to find a teenage boy standing out in the freezing cold. He immediately started his speech. "I am so and so from the local newspaper wondering if you would like to receive a free trial...blah, blah, blah, then after the trial you would just have to pay ten dollars a month to receive incredible news coverage delivered right to your doorstep. This ten dollars will be put directly towards my college fund and I know you don't want to see me up there working at the Taco Bell when I graduate..." Hmmm? I explain that we've tried getting the newspaper and that it just piled up on my doorstep and added bulk to my already bulging trash bags. We didn't read it. I felt like it was a huge waste of paper for us. He then goes on to say that he needs to go to college; this would help him out a lot and he didn't want to get into trouble like many teenagers his age. What? Am I really responsible for this guy's future? Since when did product marketing take on a personal- accountability-to-the-customer approach? I kindly told the kid that I just wasn't interested. He was a nice kid. I want him to go to college. I admire him for trying to make it happen. But I just don't get this new soliciting tactic.

It reminds me of another situation I was put in this summer. There was a girl from New Jersey or something out here trying to sell the most fantastic cleaning product for every household! She was a very energetic girl, actually probably close to my age. She had all sorts of fun sayings and one-liners that she threw around while showing us this miracle product. The one she used most frequently, aside from "Jesus is the reason for believin," was along these lines, "I'm just trying to stay out of trouble. You wouldn't want to see me living on the streets would you? I'm selling this stuff so I don't get into drugs or alcohol like so many young people do..." She used the same method, trying to make us feel responsible for her life and her future. If we didn't buy that product she might resort to life on the street. Well, we didn't buy her apple smelling cleaning product and she wasn't happy with us. In fact she was quite rude after we told her no. But that's not the point. I just am in shock that kids these days (as if I'm so old) use this guilt trip style of marketing. I don't get it and it sure doesn't work on me.