Positives, not negatives

Doug points us to: Verizon to prospective iPhone buyers: 'Stay near a plug'.

It's basically a memo designed to help Verizon reps denigrate the iPhone. I think this is bad marketing. If someone is going to switch carriers and you've done your best to denigrate their choice, you've not only lost a customer, you've also lost credibility and respect going forward. (Because your criticism of the phone is also criticism of my judgment.)

What I'd try instead? How about this:

"The iPhone will cost $500, plus a new battery next year, plus $50 a month. If you spent that money with Verizon, you could have x, y and z..."

Then I'd spend the rest of the conversation selling x, y and z. I'd talk about a superfast network and a more reliable coverage area and all the cool gimmicks and features in the phone I can buy for $350...  (Remember, before now, all you could talk about was cheap phones, not great ones. Apple raises the ceiling).

The iPhone is a gift for every cell phone marketer in the world. Why? Because it creates a problem where there was none before. Now, a cell phone is not just a phone. Now, a phone is worth spending money on. So, since Apple created that 'problem' in my mind, how are you going to solve it?