They say all publicity is good publicity.

They are wrong. A glance at the newspapers should give you a list of celebrities who would have done better to remain obscure.

The same is true of marketing in general. There are places where you do not want your company name.

There are forms of promotion which undoubtedly make an impact, but which are ultimately counter-productive. The impact is entirely negative.

This may be because the means of promotion is so intrusive that the customer is irritated, or because it is associated with businesses of bad repute – or both. Either way, the presence of your company name in such a context will actually put the customer off.

Here are some marketing tools that are usually counter-productive:-

1   Pop-ups on the internet;

2   Spam from unknown e-mail addresses;

3   Leaflets that fall out of your newspaper or magazine when you pick it up;

4   Telephone canvassing;

5   Cold calling door to door; and

6   Unsolicited faxes that use the paper you pay for.

Who buys from the people who do these things? Does anyone? One supposes someone must – anyway, but best not encourage them.