Three beautiful words. When used together, one of the most wonderful — if not most underused — phrases in our lexicon. Am I being hyperbolic?
Modern culture dictates that we claim to know, so we spend a lot of time knowing stuff. We expend much effort displaying our expertise. If we personally don’t know something, we rely on designated “experts,” who tell us they know (despite their unimpressive track record). We know where the stock market is headed. We know how countries will respond to “liberation.” We understand the ins and outs of other cultures. In relationships, we do not hesitate to state unequivocally the others’ thoughts, intentions and motivations. At some point in the past, we have “known” the world is flat, the sun revolves around the Earth and that spontaneous generation exists. Collectively, we know both that “God Exists” and that it doesn’t. We know that the people in our tribe are more intelligent, moral, and civilized than in theirs. Of course, they say the same thing.
Everyday, millions go to work knowing what their customers need and know how to market and sell to them. Getting feedback on business plans from a “panel of experts” is often an exercise of pure bloviatng. Executive teams sit at conference tables playing “pass the conjecture.”
Einstein wrote about a lack of knowledge being the key to learning.
Continue reading 'I Don’t Know'»
I don’t know who is more exasperated, entrepreneurs flummoxed by marketers or me, upset that another entrepreneur has been flummoxed by marketers!
People, language is for communication and marketing terms, abused as they are, fall somewhere within the scope of language. To communicate you need to learn the terms. To practice marketing or to hire a marketer you need to grasp some basics. Please.
Marketing Help Rule 1.
(<> means “not equal to”)
Blogging <> PR <> Brand <> SEO <> Logo <> Advertising <> Tagline <> Messaging <> FaceBook <> Positioning <> Twitter <>Lead Gen <> [Enter mktg term here]
Marketing Help Rule 2.
Trust me, you don’t need all the marketing tactics listed in Rule 1.
Marketing Help Rule 3.
The right marketing tactics for you, right now depend on WHO your prospective customers are and WHAT stage your company is in.
Marketing Help Rule 4.
All Marketers have a core competency (or two). Regardless, (almost) all Marketers will sell (almost) all marketing services.
Marketing Help Rule 5.
You need marketing to grow your business. And more likely than not, you need or will soon need help marketing. Admit it.
For a moment, forget everything you know or think you know or have heard about marketing. Start with a clean slate.
Now imagine you are a new customer of a particular product or service. You just finished buying. You are a bit giddy: Continue reading 'Entrepreneurs: Know Thy Marketing!'»
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Themocracy