Jeremy left a comment on my online vs. offline marketing post. Just to be brief, he mentioned that offline marketers will soon be obsolete because they don’t want to do the work of engaging in conversations – like online marketers do.
I admit, to write new content on a blog, or in autoresponders, or wherever, is much more difficult than writing one sales letter and distributing it to 5000 people or so.
But I did want to take a few days to think about what Jeremy said to see I agreed with him, or if I can refute his argument. (I’ve spoken to Jeremy before, and he’s a brilliant marketer. Check out his site spidvid.com if you need videos on your website.)
After taking a few days, I think I’ve figured out a way to refute his argument. My wife, like most women, loves shoes. If Macy’s were to send a post card that said “40% off any pair of shoes in the store” there is no extent to which she will rearrange her schedule to make sure she is at Macy’s ASAP.
Macy’s has earned the right to have a conversation with her. In fact, I argue that the conversation between my wife and the sales associate is more impactful because it’s face-to-face.
I think the reason that most “offline” marketing sucks is because it’s all about features and benefits, and about how great the company is, etc… If the strategies that work so well in online marketing – helping out your customers, and being there before the sale – were more present in offline marketing, I think it would thrive again.
How cool would it be if a company like Black and Decker produced a show like “Home Improvement’s” “Tool Time” and ran it on the Home and Garden Channel? I think it would work.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.
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Thanks for the shout out Greg, myself and Spidvid both appreciate the attention
I don’t necessarily think that offline marketers will be soon obsolete but their market share is diminishing, and I’m not so sure that these people will migrate to the online world since their “bad habits” may carry over with them. Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
What offline marketers do has a larger impact per campaign (because of audience reach and scale), but I really like micro campaigns that the online marketers get into to build sustainable brand value over time.
One thing I really do believe in is that we will see the average offline marketer’s salary drop (or see big time layoffs), and we will see online marketers really get rewarded for their hard work connecting directly with consumers.
So to all the new potential marketers in colleges and universities… will you subscribe to offline or online marketing opportunities? I guarantee it’s much more personally rewarding being online than offline.