Some FAQs About FAQs (and our first contest)
Ever wonder how companies dream up their FAQs? (No? Then maybe this isn't an FAQ.)
The Frequently Asked Questions section of any company's website is fertile ground for legendary bull. Arby's had quite possibly history's most inane FAQ last year: "Arby's sounds like exactly the franchise I'm looking for and I like the quality and uniqueness of the food as well as the new building design. Whom do I call for more information?"
Other personal favorites:
"What can you tell me about lettuce?" (A&P)
"How is the management of Nokia orientated: team Nokia or one-man show?" (Nokia)
"Does Dr. Pepper contain prune juice?" (Dr. P)
Clearly, something very very bad has happened to one of the most potent accessories in the business communications arsenal. This is problematic, because FAQs imply that you've thought about what the audience might ask. And readers are taking an enormous leap of faith, trusting you to be their agent, even though they know these questions were never really asked.
So what's a poor reader to do? Why, make fun of these companies, of course!
Researchers in the Bull Labs know they haven't found the worst FAQ offenders, which brings us to our first contest.
Please post in the comments section the most ridiculous FAQs you can find, and we'll post a list of the best (read: most god awful) next week. The person who brings us the worst post gets a free copy of the Bullfighter software, clad in red velvet, with gold lettering. Yes, you can download the software here, but do you have the legendary CD? We'll throw in a free copy of the book, too.
Get the bull rolling!
The Frequently Asked Questions section of any company's website is fertile ground for legendary bull. Arby's had quite possibly history's most inane FAQ last year: "Arby's sounds like exactly the franchise I'm looking for and I like the quality and uniqueness of the food as well as the new building design. Whom do I call for more information?"
Other personal favorites:
"What can you tell me about lettuce?" (A&P)
"How is the management of Nokia orientated: team Nokia or one-man show?" (Nokia)
"Does Dr. Pepper contain prune juice?" (Dr. P)
Clearly, something very very bad has happened to one of the most potent accessories in the business communications arsenal. This is problematic, because FAQs imply that you've thought about what the audience might ask. And readers are taking an enormous leap of faith, trusting you to be their agent, even though they know these questions were never really asked.
So what's a poor reader to do? Why, make fun of these companies, of course!
Researchers in the Bull Labs know they haven't found the worst FAQ offenders, which brings us to our first contest.
Please post in the comments section the most ridiculous FAQs you can find, and we'll post a list of the best (read: most god awful) next week. The person who brings us the worst post gets a free copy of the Bullfighter software, clad in red velvet, with gold lettering. Yes, you can download the software here, but do you have the legendary CD? We'll throw in a free copy of the book, too.
Get the bull rolling!
<< Home