About 25 years ago a man from Cincinnati came to Indianapolis for the installation of a truck mounted cleaning unit. His new van was professionally lettered and in a prominent place on both sides it said, "Award Winning Service." I asked him what award he had won and he replied, "Oh! It's one I gave myself. It sounds good and nobody will know the difference."
This man was a PR machine. He had done his homework on the cleaning business before he got into it and could talk intelligently about it. During class at Bane-Clene Institute he often took the floor and indulged us in speculation about his plans for success. In advertising class he gave his ideas freely and appeared to have some knowledge in the subject.
His business card said he was "bonded, insured, guaranteed," and that he had "10 years experience." In class he went into great detail about the importance of "blowing one's own horn." Before he advertised "Bonded" he should have talked to his insurance company and understood what it means because in his first year he was sued by a customer and lost.
It's not easy to tell someone who is spending money with us that they're wrong. But I tried to explain the "bonded" issue and to delicately point out that he was new in the business and advertising "10 years experience" and "Award winning service" was false advertising. The sad end to this story is that he didn't make it to his first anniversary.
