Are you a pick up artist?

Having a teenager in the house means we watch some pretty interesting TV shows. A recent VH1 offering is called The Pick Up Artist. It features 8 lovable losers who have never had any luck with women and a Pick Up Artist named Mystery.

In the hour long show, Mystery teaches the guys some slick language and practiced "gambits" as he calls them. Then, the guys walk into a crowded bar and look for possible "targets." It doesn't matter who they are. Any woman will do.

The guys fumble through the gambits, trip over themselves in their eagerness to sell themselves to just about anyone….and in the end, usually leave the bar alone, tail tucked.

They're not there because they care about the women or even want to get to know them. They're just trying to score before the other guys do. It's about the win, not the person.

Pretty sleazy, isn't it?

I was feeling pretty high and mighty until I realized that what Mystery's teaching isn't all that different from how many companies approach marketing.

Use slick language
Have a practiced "gambit"
Identify a target
Run the gambit, hoping to score
It's not about the other person, it's about the score

It's an easy hole to fall into when you're trying to make this quarter's projected sales numbers or feeling the pressure of a CEO's scrutiny.

So before you dismiss Mystery and his pick up lines are you sure you're not a pick up artist too?