FUD Gone Wrong

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) has always smacked of desperation on the part of the perpetrator, usually when a deal is peceived lost.  I'll cop to having used FUD as a tactic to at least delay deals or continue conversations in the past.  Responding directly to it, though, sounds even more desperate to the prospect.  Most reps I've heard in this situation sound like they're whining when they try to apologize out of it. 

However, this HAS to be the first time I've ever seen a response on this scale of silliness.

Yes, this is McAfee headquarters in Santa Clara, just off US 101 at Great America Parkway.  Starbucks card to Larry for being first to identify the company.

According to a friend that works there, apparently Symantec is throwing a lot of FUD around in the market because of Intel's acquisition of McAfee.  "They're going to be subsumed by Intel.  It's a total disruption, no one knows what they are doing.  Do you want to risk your security on a company with an uncertain future." And more MABUSHI like that.  These are weak comments and shame on Symantec for trying this.  Certainly they could do better.

But shame on McAfee for responding this way.  It makes them look silly and detracts from the really tight message they have: Securing Your Digital World(TM).  

A good repsonse would be no response.  A better response is to call it what it is: MABUSHI! - or whatever invective the situation calls for. 

Here's an example of how to respond:
Prospect: "Symantec says, "Scary thing 1, scary thing 2 and scary thing 3."
McAfee rep: "Hogwash.  McAfee is still the leader in (supportable statistic 1).  Our <product> is still the (supportable statistic 2).  Plus, (reputable analyst or publication) said that McAfee (product) was better than Symantec.  Now let's get back to the problem you're trying to solve."

McAfee's painting the side of their building has just two small benefits: some of their employees get a chuckle out of it when they come to work (more, I suspect, are embarrassed by it) and some painting contractors got a nice little extra job at the end of their busy season last Fall.

Key takeaway: FUD, and apologetic responses to it, is just more MABUSHI.  Don't fall for it.

Next up: I'm NOT the lead gen guy!