A good marketing tactic is the key to growing your business and getting more eyes on your products and services – but not all tactics will sit well with netizens. This local business owner tried out her marketing tactic to promote her products but netizens were simply not buying it.
Yesterday (22nd August), Neymabites, a local online business selling cookies, tried to expose a “customer” after “receiving” specific instructions. In the WhatsApp chat screenshots, the owner was conversing with a male “customer” about how she won’t accept the order of two boxes of cookies to two different addresses to avoid being an accomplice to a potential affair.
In the caption, the owner wrote, “Is it wrong if I don’t take this man’s order?”. While it could have been just a regular conversation with a customer, many netizens were unconvinced by the legitimacy of the screenshots. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the quick, less-than-a-minute responses between the two chatter that gave it away. Instead, it was the fact that this isn’t the owner’s first time faking customer conversations.
Previously, the owner had used the same tactic to bring more awareness to her business, which worked to some extent – so that could be why she’s giving the tactic another try. In response to her second attempt with the same marketing tactic, many netizens have called her out and said the cheap tactic is getting old.
Some even said she should find other ways to promote her business instead of trying to trick the public. However, many also backed the marketing tactic, saying that television advertising is also fake and scripted, so it should be okay for small business owners to do it too.
The owner did admit faking the WhatsApp chat, so at least she’s not doubling down on the tactic – but what do you think about this promotional method? Should the owner of Neymabites find another strategy? Or were netizens just overreacting?
Adleena contributed to this article.
