This evening, about two minutes ago, I unsubscribed from the Mountain Equipment Co-op newsletter. For those of you not living in Toronto, the MEC is a local institution, the ultimate shop for pretty much everything and anything outdoor related. Skiing, hiking, canoeing, they’ve got it covered. Staff is passionate and knowledgeable, the product selection is excellent and the prices are reasonable.
I am a fan. No, that’s not true. I am a huge fan.
So why did I unsubscribe from the newsletter of a company I love? Let me show you what it looked like:
The MEC is a special place. There’s the memory of late summer canoe expeditions in the air and early morning cross country skiing trips, across snow so fresh it crackles. It is not just a store, it is a place of memories and passion for the great outdoors. Walk through the doors and you can almost smell the forest, hear the cry of the loons, leaving busy King Street behind you. The MEC is unique, to both Toronto and Canada. Most MEC customers, myself included, love both the store and the buying experience.
Unfortunately none of these values are addressed in the newsletter they are sending out. Take a look at the headlines – a store locator, opening hours, and free rush delivery. This might as well be an email for Walmart or Sears or any other major retailer out there. There’s no passion being shared, there’s no knowledge being imparted, there’s no excitement communicated about all the stuff I know they are excited about.
So this newsletter is doing the opposite to what it was supposed to do – it’s doing the company a disservice. It’s hiding what makes the MEC unique behind the smokescreen of corporate communication.
It’s not always easy to remember what makes you special. But if you want to be successful as a business you take whatever it is you’re passionate about and you shout it from the rooftops. We call this knowing what you’re really selling and it’s probably the single most important thing you need to be sure of, it needs to be the internal compass that will keep your business on course.
So be brave. Don’t hide behind the meaningless, just because it’s the accepted and safe option, communicate what it is you love, what you care about, what your passion is.
And if you do that, I promise I won’t unsubscribe from your newsletter.