Over the weekend we sent a special email to the early adopters of the nearbuy mobile app
It entitled them to Rs 300 of credit once they upgraded to the new version of the app. Because they have given us the best feedback so far.
It was a thank you gesture. From us
One of those users copied the sexy part of that email. And pasted it on an affiliate forum. Craftfully omitting the conditions or the fact that this was for a limited audience.
The forum went viral.
We got 5000+ downloads
And 33 one-star ratings
in a day
The brickbat was all about how they didn’t receive the 300 credit on downloading the app.
It wasn’t meant for first downloads
It wasn’t meant for the forum
It wasn’t meant for the world
Let’s replay this
Someone made a false promise on your behalf
Without asking you
And when the promise wasn’t delivered, the world went against you
Reminds you of something?
Each day, we meet people. People we influence. People we leave some impression upon.
They, without knowing us, spread these impressions around. Unknowingly make promises on our behalf.
And the world, when it meets you, isn’t a blank slate. It is already clouded by these promises. It is not trying to figure who you are. It is trying to figure if you are what they think you are.
And at that stage, you have got to ask yourself
Will I be me?
Or will I do what they want?