How desperate can they get? First I received a very long-winded, 10+ page e-mail from Motley Fool with the following sales pitch :That's why I'm offering you the chance to join Motley Fool Stock Advisor for just $79 -- that's 60% OFF our regular membership rate. But a word of warning: This special discount will be available for a limited time only!
Two days later, I received another 10+ page, jargon-filled e-mail blabbering on about the virtues of the newsletter while trying to create a sense of urgency because the clock was ticking and I was going to miss out.
I was not afraid of missing out and decided I would save 100% by not subscribing. However, the Fools were so concerned for my financial well-being that the next day they blasted out another 10+ pager pleading their case, informing me I only had 48 hours left.
No doubt they were concerned that, perhaps in a moment of haste, I did not read their promotional material in its entirety -- and they were right. So I suppose it was naive of me to be offended by receiving a final notice 24 hours later about this "life-changing opportunity" that would be gone at 11:59 PM -- oh my gosh, I missed it.
I have written favorable comments about the Motley Fool in the past, but I was quite unhappy about their strong-arm spamming and inflated view of themselves, stock picking in general, and their ability to scoop other sources. Naturally the trial offer automatically reverts back to the regular price if you do not opt out. And of course it discloses in fine print that once they have your credit card number you can expect periodic increases at their timely discretion.
Let me simply conclude by repeating something from Malcolm Forbes I: The sellers of advice usually make more money then the takers of advice.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture and planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money.
Twitter finally reveals revenue ambition, wants to be Google -- but not yet
Google says: Chrome for Christmas
Why is gold marching higher? Ask the central bankers
Add your comments