[You're reading http://BenMartinCAE.com. Yeah, you rock.]

Here in Richmond, one of the major topics of conversation is the financial woes of Richmond-based consumer electronics chain Circuit City. You probably know all about the 150 stores being closed nationwide, but you might not know that they’ve laid off 500-800 workers at their corporate headquarters. In a mid-sized city like Richmond, that’s a pretty big deal.

You also probably know all about their demise… Competitor Best Buy revolutionizes the industry, Circuit City slow to adapt, Circuit City lays off 3000 of their best salespeople as a cost-cutting measure in early 2007, recession hits, Circuit City closes stores, lays off more staff, declares bankruptcy etc. etc. etc.

Well, across the street from our office is one of the remaining Circuit City stores. Last Tuesday, two co-workers and I strolled into this store after a pizza lunch in search of a BlackBerry Storm to play with (no such luck, didn’t come out until Friday). Deciding to stay inside for a few minutes to avoid the unseasonably cold November in Richmond, we browsed around looking at other gadgets.

Then we started to notice something: Whereas you could barely get a sales associate to look you in the eye two weeks ago, now every red polo wearing human in the joint was walking right up to us and asking if they could help us find anything.

At first this was a novel and welcome phenomenon. But after being approached by the fourth associate in less than five minutes, I began to get irritated. Even after shooing one of them away, he insisted on handing me some kind of pamphlet. I reluctantly took it and put it down on a display a few moments later.

After returning to the office and settling in at my desk, I discovered an e-mail from Circuit City in my inbox. It was one of several from them that had arrived in the past week. That was the last straw. I unsubbed from their e-mail blasts. I’ll continue to shop Circuit City because it feels good to support the local economy, but less altruistic shoppers won’t. Circuit City’s intentions are good, I’m sure, but you know where the road paved with good intentions leads.

Simultaneously, this week I’ve received more than one blast e-mail per day on average from an organization I belong to, and not a week goes by that I don’t get an e-mail inviting me to attend a particular upcoming conference. Enough already!

Trying too hard makes you look desperate. And desperation doesn’t do you any favors. Not with me, anyway. It makes me wonder what problem you have that you’re overcompensating for, and if I should be worried about doing business with you because of it.

In these tough economic times, you may be tempted to try a lot harder on the sales effort. Tread lightly. I submit to you that you should try a lot harder on the design effort instead.