Seth Godin has continued to inspire me since I read Permission Marketing and Meatball Sunde. Marketing is not the same any more. No longer is it cool to throw spaghetti against the wall to see what is going to stick. Spending your way to profits and into the hearts/minds of consumers is like throwing a jart into the Grand Canyon or playing in traffic. It just does not make sense.
The old boss was television, radio, print, direct mail and billboards. Those methods of reaching massive audiences worked at one time (they did…I know because I was alive way back then). I imagine the idea was; spread your brand and message as far and as wide as possible and just get eyeballs on it and they will buy. With the advent of the Internets and World Wide Webs things have changed in a big way.
I guess any person with an ounce of knowledge about the Internet and traditional marketing would have a sneaking suspicion that some thing really BIG was happening. And that it may be possible that things are not what they once were. I find it a little mind blowing that there are still some many non-believers in the Internet and the power of one-on-one marketing. I can hear it now…”Oh, the Internet is a fad,” – yeah, so was television.
Yes, it is true. There are those that believe that marketing on the Internet is nothing more that whizzbangery and voodoo with a twist of magic juice. The truth is…the math is not there any more and the audience isn’t either. Traditional forms of advertising just don’t pack the punch they used to. The 24 hour news cycle and living life so fast we fail to live at times, have seen to that [oh, look a bright shiny object].
What I’m saying here is; traditional marketing worked because there were no other distractions for the masses. Life was more simple, marketing was simple and getting people to buy the wares and charms we sold was simple. We the people had nothing more to do. Now time are much different. We are spending hours, days or weeks online and you can add in a child or two with some pets and top it off with just about anything else you like…responding to other forms of media not directly related to your life can become over whleming.
So what in the hell has changed all of the good times? What has changed the simplicity of one message to millions? The Internet. I live and breathe as a searchologist spending most of my waking hours online. Me and all the others like me (around 65% of America) are online. Around 65% of all buying decisions are made based on research or items found online. Marketing is not one to many…it is one on one.
If I’m right…and Seth is right and Justin Sanger is right…and so many others like us are right, then we need to do a little math for the others that need to catch on a little better. Running an ad in a big city newspaper is going to cost BIG. Not only will that ad cost around $20,000 to $25,000 it will only run for one weekend. As Internet marketers, we can run a national campagin for a full year if we don’t blow budgets and we can account for every visitor, lead, CPA and tons more. What can the newspaper account for? ZIP.
This same scenerio can be applied to all other forms of traditional media. What is more, the cost per lead or aqusition…is going to be really big. Possibly 10x more that what it would cost to generate the same lead or conversion online. So, that is the new boss…Internet marketing. The new media is crushing the old media like a Viking on really good ale seeking a hot snack.
I’m not saying that there is not a place for the old media…not at all. I still love the commercials at Super Bowl time more than any other time of the year. I do respond to some ads in the newpaper when I have one in my hands. But not all messages speak to all people. Not when you can hop online and throw in a few keywords and find just about anything – EXACTLY anything you are looking for.
Point is…times have changed and this post is directed at those who are refusing to get on and begin the road to understanding and acceptance of online marketing. Do I think it would make the world a better place? No. Do I think it would make user experience better on or off line? It could. I’m simply saying for the old markeitng is not totally out and never will be…but I’ve gotten pretty tired of defending my chosen industry of search markeitng.
It’s not all about the frustration of trying to explain Google Ad words or search engine optimization for the millionth time…nope. It is the frustration of working with very smart and knowledgeable marketers who refuse to accept and adept to Internet marketing. I willing to help…but they have to be willing to accept and listen. Until then…it is going to be the old boss for them [who is very cranky and sleepy].
