
In tough times, cocaine dealers have to turn to cold-calling - cwan
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2009/09/tales_from_the_recession.cfm
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rrival
Describing that as 'cold calling' is a bit misleading.

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JacobAldridge
Yes, it's really warm database management, which is a smart tactic for
established sales businesses experiencing a downturn.

I've had a number of "we haven't seen you lately" letters and emails over the
past 12 months. None from my dealer though.

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byrneseyeview
The "cold" part of "cold calling" means that it's someone you don't know. This
would be warm-calling.

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mikeryan
If you want to get to the actual article without clicking through two blogs.

[http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/08/hit_by_recession_cocain...](http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/08/hit_by_recession_cocaine_deale.html)

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jbm
Although I realize it is nothing more than a detail, I found it quite amusing
when the drug dealer attempts to reassert his masculinity at the end by saying
"I don't like small talk. I don't like having to ask them how their day was."

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sutro
It would seem that cocaine dealers are starting to engage in Steve Blank's
oft-heralded customer development process.

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hristov
If I were ever dumb enough to do coke, I would be very concerned if I
discovered that my dealer has a little black book with my name and address in
it.

~~~
jrockway
Possession and dealing are the things you will be prosecuted for. "Is in a
notebook owned by the drug dealer" is probably not the number one enforcement
priority.

~~~
gjm11
But once they've busted your dealer and taken a look in his little black
notebook, they're more likely to come after you, and that's when you get done
for possession.

~~~
mikeryan
Yeah - but that's no where near as likely a story as your name getting out and
egg on your face.

Cops could usually care less about who's buying drugs for self use (which in
many cases isn't even a felony). There are bigger fish to fry.

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electronslave
Given the number of Economist articles that involve this particular stimulant,
I'm starting to wonder what their writing pool is up to on Friday nights.

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noelchurchill
Maybe they have a good idea of who their target audience is.

~~~
brownegg
In current events conversations, participants can usefully be divided into
"those who read the Economist", and "other."

There isn't a better magazine, period. And I'm not a banker, or a Tory. I am
just under 40 though.

~~~
evgen
Don't forget the people who claim to read it but really just use it as
intellectual bling.

