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Last week, I wrote about the dangers of online ads (Don’t click ‘em) and QR codes (Handy and Hazardous).
A few subscribers got in touch to say I am becoming the enemy of marketing teams around the world!
Not a bad outcome 🙂
Marketers and Cyber Scammers
The feedback got me thinking about the similarities between marketers and cyber scammers.
After all, they are both skilled social engineers.
They spend their days finding ways to increase convenience and reduce ‘friction’…
Because they know…
Inconvenience and friction increase the likelihood that we will stop and think.
That’s why they use many techniques to convey urgency and to provide convenience to ensure we don’t stop and think:
- Sale ends TODAY!
- Your password is about to EXPIRE!!
- Your parcel is UNDELIVERABLE!!!
- CLICK HERE NOW!!!!
Because they know…
If we believe something is urgent and convenient, we may buy / open / download something without thinking.
So what?
Let’s be the tortoise rather than the hare.
Slow and steady will win this race.
PS Thanks to everyone who submitted their views to my recent subscriber survey. As the Dublin Convention Centre is unavailable for a live event, I’ll summarise the feedback in my next email.