Does marketing and sales have to be so complicated? I think not.

Why when I go to the gas station and I opt to pay with my credit card am I asked 5 questions about coffee which I don't like, donuts which I don't eat and a car wash which I won't buy because I have a subscription and a full service provider? Yet the same gas station is always out of paper to provide me with a receipt?

Why when I go to Mcdonalds to pick up some Happy Meals for the 4th time in one busy week, do they include a loaded double cheeseburger when I asked for plain 3 times. And why do they stare at me like I am slowing down the line as I am checking the bag as 95% chance it is once again an inaccurate order?

Why at the airport do I have to walk 1/2 mile thru winding empty ropes when nobody is there at 5 am?

Just because others make it difficult to do business and buy from them…. don't follow suit!

If you want to send me an eblast… don't spend the first 200 words trying to convice me that you are NOT selling me something. Instead just sell it to me and get on with it. Chances are if you are honest, real and can inspire me in one single Blackberry screen then chances are I might actually read the bottom half (maybe) and maybe visit your site, follow you on Twitter, Friend you on Facebook and kick your butt at Foursquare.. LOL!

If you waste the top half of my Blackberry screen on an eblast that is fake, complicated and shows me no value… then chances are I will return the same.

Today I received a long list of eblasts from some top blog and media sites on the internet. I was amazed at how many provided me nothing of inspiration.

If you don't know what you should say when you fill my Blackberry screen then you probably need to get to know me, your target customer a little better. If I am not your target customer then why are you trying to sell me something? Why don't you try writing some content that educates me, helps me, cheers me up, makes me laugh and inspires me? Connect with me emotionally as a person… not just as an unknown subscriber to your blog or website.

Content matters folks! There is so much noise on the internet, Twitter, Facebook and the million other sites. Use your time and mine wisely. Make it easy to learn from you, follow you, connect with you and do business with you.

If you don't know where to start or how to enhance your content, get some help! There are many agencies that can help you develop a quick message platform that will pay for itself over and over again.

Don't be the noise… the complication… the clutter. Be the simplicity and the inspiration that makes somebody's day a little bit brighter!