If your figures are wrong, your marketing will be disasterous

[Joss]

I am a bit of a gardener - not a very good one, but I try hard!

My main thing is veg up at my allotment, but I have a crappy memory and can never remember what I am meant to be doing to what, when and how.

So, I was pleased to see that the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK has released an "app for that." The RHS is internationally renowned for their huge knowledge on all things flora.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be iOS only and I use a Kindle Fire (Android)

They do like feedback however, so I duly fed back a note saying, "please, please, please, can we have an Android version?"

This morning, I had a chatty little reply from them opening with "Dear Joss" and closing with "RHS Webmaster." So nice to know they can't be bothered to say their name.

The reply says:

"Unfortunately, at the moment we do not have any immediate plans to release an Android version, since Android is still used by relatively low numbers of people in the UK."

WHAT???

Which complete idiot is advising them? A sales rep for Apple perhaps? A dev who does not know how to develop for Android so is spinning them rubbish?

I have quoted to them two facts:

At the end of 2013, iOS made up 47% or the existing UK market and Android 35%

When it came to new sales at the end of 2013, Apple made up 29% and Android 54%!

Which part of those figures indicates that the number of Android users is too few to consider?

By relying on false statistics and bad advice, the RHS is ignoring a minimum of 35% of their potential market, and probably a lot more.

Advising clients as to what they need to consider is a vital part of any advertising strategy, whether it is web design or local press or TV, but if that advice is inaccurate or plain rubbish or worse, based on self interest, then the client might as well be throwing their money down the sewer. 

Meanwhile, my veg are growing, despite the lack of good communications from the RHS....

http://www.foodloversdiary.com

Joss