Why Advertisers Still Don’t Get It
Blogging is all about conversation, right? So let’s converse about how Advertising companies still, in general, don’t get it. One of the key reasons why blogs have taken a more central stage with businesses is because “getting the word out” can be taken away from the PR people who insist on shoving their products down consumers throats and instead, places value on conversations. In other words, talking to consumers and finding out what is needed and what is effective. The power shift from traditional advertising that tells you what you want to blogging where businesses ask what you want has revolutionized business.
So why am I so turned off by advertisers today?
It’s simple really. Advertisers still, in general, don’t “get” that dynamic. Leading up to Ad Tech, I have gotten dozens of requests from companies who want to tell me about their products. They want me to know that they are the best service out there. They want me to see their new offerings and buy in.
The problem with this is that no one has asked me what I want. As I’m representing both Technosailor as a member of the press and b5media as a leading consumer of Advertising as a main revenue source, no one (save one with whom I have agreed to meet with) has taken the time to understand what I need and what I want. For instance, I could care less about television advertising. So why are you product pitching to me?
A word to all the advertising companies out there, whether I/we do business with you or not, understand your customer before you try to pitch your product. There is nothing that turns us off more than being told what we need. In an age where companies are turning down VC funding because the VCs don’t “get” the company and simply want a piece of the pie (this is different than the late 90s when no one was turning down VC for any reason), it would server advertising companies to do less “carpet bombing” of adverts and instead using some “precision guidance systems” to get your word out.
After all, one size doesn’t fit all and it’s better to have a quality business relationship than to have any ol’ business relationship that carries the potential of going south when the two sides find out they don’t mix well.
Thoughts?
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Written by Aaron Brazell on November 1, 2006
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This is unrelated, but one thing I never understood is how some advertising companies hold on to their ads branding copyright laws when they are being copied and distributed. That’s the basis for viral marketing. Why should they care that the most people see their ads? For free.
This is unrelated, but one thing I never understood is how some advertising companies hold on to their ads branding copyright laws when they are being copied and distributed. That’s the basis for viral marketing. Why should they care that the most people see their ads? For free.
While I see your point I do think it is difficult (read: costly) to have an individual conversation in advance with every potential customer.
All a company that is doing advertising cares is that they get a certain percentage of people by trying to talk to people that are in their market.
I’m very leery of the language of “getting it” since business realities are driven by profitability, or math. At some point things either work or they don’t and getting it may not be part of the equation.
While I see your point I do think it is difficult (read: costly) to have an individual conversation in advance with every potential customer.
All a company that is doing advertising cares is that they get a certain percentage of people by trying to talk to people that are in their market.
I’m very leery of the language of “getting it” since business realities are driven by profitability, or math. At some point things either work or they don’t and getting it may not be part of the equation.
We’ll agree to disagree. I know what you’re saying about converting a percentage of pitches, but the reality is that this is not a one way dynamic. Advertisers need to provide us something effective that makes sense. Blanket pitching isn’t really very effective.
We’ll agree to disagree. I know what you’re saying about converting a percentage of pitches, but the reality is that this is not a one way dynamic. Advertisers need to provide us something effective that makes sense. Blanket pitching isn’t really very effective.
Both type of salesmen are needed. You need to do blind advertising, and without knowing what a potential customer needs, suggesting can sometimes pop ideas in the customer’s head. However, I believe, like Aaron says, that for more straightforward type of entrepreneurs, it’s not the best approach.
Like in anything, one size certainly doesn’t fits all.
Both type of salesmen are needed. You need to do blind advertising, and without knowing what a potential customer needs, suggesting can sometimes pop ideas in the customer’s head. However, I believe, like Aaron says, that for more straightforward type of entrepreneurs, it’s not the best approach.
Like in anything, one size certainly doesn’t fits all.
I can certainly agree that I don’t like it if I get a sales pitch for something that I don’t want. Perhaps my head is stuck in a point of view based on having a product in one hand and a telephone in the other hand?
Perhaps part of the problem arises due to forging a new path?
I mean, the issues faced by collaborative blog networks within a period of rapidly changing advertising models are probably still at the point of needing customized solutions.
Anyway, certainly not trying to be disagreeable, but maybe there simply is no market yet? Perhaps you could get in touch with product development, instead of sales, and twist their ears for a while.
I can certainly agree that I don’t like it if I get a sales pitch for something that I don’t want. Perhaps my head is stuck in a point of view based on having a product in one hand and a telephone in the other hand?
Perhaps part of the problem arises due to forging a new path?
I mean, the issues faced by collaborative blog networks within a period of rapidly changing advertising models are probably still at the point of needing customized solutions.
Anyway, certainly not trying to be disagreeable, but maybe there simply is no market yet? Perhaps you could get in touch with product development, instead of sales, and twist their ears for a while.
We used to call this one-way sales approach an “info-dump”. In my experience, it was not effective at all in B2B. Only extremely analytical people reach a buying decision by poring over spreadsheets of comparative product features. The only exception I can think of is if you have a product feature so revolutionary, so captivating, and so broad in appeal that people will stand in line to hear you sing its praises.
We used to call this one-way sales approach an “info-dump”. In my experience, it was not effective at all in B2B. Only extremely analytical people reach a buying decision by poring over spreadsheets of comparative product features. The only exception I can think of is if you have a product feature so revolutionary, so captivating, and so broad in appeal that people will stand in line to hear you sing its praises.
This’d probably be better if there was a quick way to categorize companies, and then send them email based on what they’re looking for.
I’ll be honest, I’ll listen to real partner opportunities and real income generating opportunities (where it doesn’t take me 20 emailsto figure out how it works) all day long.
But I dont’ really care about the latest web 2.0 startup’s “industry redefining” product.
This’d probably be better if there was a quick way to categorize companies, and then send them email based on what they’re looking for.
I’ll be honest, I’ll listen to real partner opportunities and real income generating opportunities (where it doesn’t take me 20 emailsto figure out how it works) all day long.
But I dont’ really care about the latest web 2.0 startup’s “industry redefining” product.