My mother received the email posted below this morning. She’s good with computers – she shops online, keeps in touch with her friends via email, and uses Google to look for medical information. She’s comfortable, in short, with the internet.

When she got this email, she was outraged. She thought it was an attempt to prey on the poor and uneducated, and that citing medical authorities must be some kind of unethical.

I thought it was hysterical, and asked her to forward it to me so I could read it and snicker.

To be fair to my mom, neither of us remembered it was April first. She might have had more of a sense of humor if she’d remembered. I’m not sure, though. I think this email was a misjudgment of their audience. Allegro medical sells home medical supplies like walkers, heating pads, and adaptive technology. Most of their target market is either old or sick. How many of them have the kind of lives that remember and enjoy April Fool’s day?

Lesson: Know your audience very, very well before you send your message.

——————-

From: Craig Hood
Date: 01 Apr 2008 00:17:25 -0700
Subject: Breakthrough Study Reveals Important Link
To: xxxx.shaikh@gmail.com

Hello Marylin,

The New England Medical Center in conjunction with the Harvard Journal of Medicine published a document today noting that people who shop at AllegroMedical.com tend to be smarter and better looking than most. The control group of non-Allegro shoppers were also found to exhibit poor hygiene skills in addition to lower cognitive abilities. “More studies are required as we can’t yet pinpoint whether smart, good looking people simply choose to shop at Allegro Medical or people who shop at Allegro Medical somehow become smarter and better looking,” says researchers conducting the study.

Upon learning of this groundbreaking study, the team at Allegro Medical is here to celebrate your “smarterness” by offering all smart Allegro Shoppers $10 off their next purchase of over $100. It’s no joke, Just use the code “Smart10” today through Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

Good hygiene, like smart shopping is a learned skill. So if you know anyone suffering from poor shopping practices, help’m out by forwarding this limited time deal on to friends or family in need.

Sincerely,

Craig Hood
President/Founder
Allegro Medical
800-861-3211 ext 121

Hopefully this is the most interesting email you have ever received. However, if you would rather not receive future e-mails or advertisements from me or the crew, please visit the opt-out link here: click here. Allegro Medical, 1833 W Main St, #131, Mesa, AZ, 85201
Please note that this message was sent to the following email address: xxxxx.shaikh@gmail.com