How to drive away business: Marketing Fail 101

I know, I know…In this robust economy you as an office/retail/showroom center and your tenants are doing soooooo well! All those overstocked showrooms with crowded inventory and huge tenant vacancies says “Who loves ya, Baby?’

And look how nice and open all the occupied tenant spaces are! No nasty clients cluttering up the pristine design space in this location!

I was planning on doing a nice Neighborhood Crusin’ Video and blog piece about Gentry Design Center; home to interior designers, kitchen and bath developers and miscellaneous furniture showrooms. Write up some nice background about the development in the ‘90s, a smart reuse of old Dole Cannery industrial space by developer Tom Gentry.

But much to my dismay as I was walking into the Center, a security guard accosted me and said “We don’t allow no pictures in this building!” (What, is this the Louvre? I was filming potted palms…) “Management has to approve all pictures first. Turn that camera off NOW!” Um…I walked right past this security guard into the Center with camera rolling, how courteous of them to wait several minutes to wake up and follow me down the hall! Nowhere is it posted that photography is not allowed.

I see… good publicity and positive word of mouth promotion about Gentry Design Center is not allowed, they are all doing SO well in there. Alrighty!  The Rocket Scientist Secrets behind the totem pole of showerheads in the middle of the hallway floor will remain safe with me!

And to top it off, I was hosting a @Bytemarks Lunch in the Private room at Eat, when the security told Chef Dave “Somebody needs to move a black Toyota or we’ll tow it”. Um, License plate? They didn’t know. Model? They didn’t know, but they were going to tow it!  The vast Mojave Desert expanse of empty asphalt was too much for one car parked wrong! Car belonged to our out of town guest from the mainland, here for a visit. How about that Aloha Hawaii Hospitality!  Yea, he’ll be back…NOT! Oh, and if you park for more than two hours, you will be towed. Seems to me it might take longer than two hours to meet with a designer to plan a new kitchen.

I don’t blame security, as it seems that they were just following orders from management. Hello, Management? This is a great example of not supporting your tenants and not encouraging the public to come in and spend money. *SHEESH*

Later,

Biz