Christmas Guilt

Christmas Guilt

How much money did you spend this Christmas? And how much of that Christmas spending is the result of your guilt? And of the gifts you receive how much of that will be the result of guilt?

We would like to think that Christmas is a time of love and peace-on-earth wishes. There is no question that those thoughts are present. However I believe they are the not the drivers of the Christmas season. Guilt is.

From a business perspective, the Christmas season is about shopping. Most retail businesses count on the Christmas shopping season to make or break their year. And that retail success spills over to manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, logistics providers, advertisers, hospitality…

Even the church counts on your guilt to attend their Christmas service and your Christmas contribution. How many “good Christians” do you know who attend church once a year – at Christmas because of guilt?

In today’s economy if there was no mad frenzy of shopping there would be no Christmas for many businesses and their staff. Instead there would be massive layoffs and bankruptcies.

So guilt is good for the economy. If you are still feeling guilty – spend more money. The stronger your guilt – the more you should spend. Have you ever wondered why the Mafia are so extravagant for their rival’s funerals? The one who bought the biggest flower arrangement must have been the one who whacked the deceased.

The marketing lesson is that guilt is a powerful motivator.

How can you use guilt to your marketing advantage?


George Torok

Marketing Expert

Motivational Speaker

Marketing: You are being watched

You are being watched

Hello. If you work in customer service you are being scrutinized. You are being examined and your business is being judged. Perhaps you don’t own the business but it is still being judged based on your performance.

If you own the business are you aware of how your staff influences the perception of your business?

It’s the little things that annoy or delight your customers.

Consider these experiences on a recent ski trip to Ellicottville, New York.

Most of the chair-lift attendants cleaned the seats of snow – yet some ignored the snow covered seats. That few left us with wet bottoms. It only takes one or a few to make the experience a bad one. Do you know how annoying a cold wet bottom is?

As we paid for our onion soup the cashier pointed out that we could have bread with our onion soup. She was so good that she walked over and reminded the guy at the soup station to put out some bread. We were delighted to have her speak on our behalf. Then we waited several minutes as he wrestled with the plastic wrap before he finally sliced several pieces of French bread. Mean while our onion soup was getting cold. And he didn’t apologize for his slow service.

It was billed as the most popular place in town – so we dropped in for a beer. We sat at the bar and ordered a beer. While sitting there we examined the menu and decided that we would eat dinner here. We told the bar tender that we would eat and would move to a booth. Instead of thanking us for our business he rolled his eyeballs. I guess we inconvenienced him.

Imagine that – customers annoying the customer-service staff.


George Torok

Marketing Systems

Motivational Speaker

Dirty Hotel Glasses

Dirty Hotel Glasses

Do not drink from the glasses in your hotel room! The little paper cap on the glass does not mean that the glass is clean or sanitized. It seems that the hotels have been scamming us.

Before you visit another hotel watch this video exposé. And if you are relaxing in your hotel room right now – be prepared to puke.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a7f_1194813218

This revelation is certainly both a problem and an opportunity.

How would you react to this marketing opportunity?

I welcome your comments.


George Torok

Personal Marketing

George Torok in the media