Marketing activity gone bad - help!

BusinessNewbie_2

Please help! I took an ad out in a well named magazine last year. As you can imagine the sales guy was very accommodating and promised the earth (without promising it on paper!)

Once the mag was published they started on at me about paying up for the next year. I told them that I would rather wait until I could see what the results were from this year but in true sales fashion they told me that they wouldn't be able to hold the same price tomorrow, etc etc so I booked. I know now that I shouldn't have been duped by this but I'm a new business and (painfully) learning. A couple of weeks later I emailed them asking to cancel but they told me that I couldn't cancel and if I was unable to pay they would get their lawyers involved.

They now keep asking me for payment even though I have written numerous emails and repeatedly called them asking them to cancel and that as a small business I simply cannot afford it! Last year I paid them £3600 and all I got back in business was £200 and I have told them this but they don't care. I cant afford to pay them £3600 again knowing that I won't get pittance back. I simply cannot afford it! I didn't even make that much money as a business last year. I really don't know what to do and if anybody is able to advise I would be really grateful.

paddyrg

You're probably stuck with it to be honest, you agreed it and there is no automatic facility for buyers remorse, especially in b2b transactions.

colino

Sadly it does sound that you have filled in enough paperwork for them to chase the debt and I hope you can negotiate terms on this.
Unfortunately for most start-ups, non-targeted marketing is an unaffordable, scatter-gun means of just buying you an invoice. For years a certain Police linked magazine/diary/calendar has fleeced companies around here in this way.

trailingspouse

How big is the ad? How often does it run? You might not be able to get out of the contract, but you might be able to negotiate the size/frequency down to a more reasonable level.

Tomby1

I've found the vast majority of businesses who sell advertising to be willing to work with you to resolve any ROI issues you are having with their service.
If you remain calm and suggest a couple of reasonable alternatives that you would be more comfortable with (e.g. having a smaller ad for a longer period of time) then you'll often find they will at the very least return with feedback that should increase the amount of business you pull in through the advertising.
You're committed to the purchase, so you may as well work with them to maximise your potential revenue from it.