The funny thing is, that I truly believe that marketing can be a force for healing (yes, I used the “h” word) on the planet- if it has this sense of integrity and connection - of being in the marketplace with equals.

If it’s just about making a buck, then… it’s clear those folks will lose out in the medium-to-long term. That’s okay. I can out wait them. So can my customers. We’re loyal to each other. While they’re scrambling around trying to ‘make things happen’- I’m in the souk, sitting back having a cup of tea with my customers…

Here’s one standard definition, Marketing is the process of understanding customer wants and needs and satisfying them efficiently and profitably. That last word ‘profits’ means that the merchant does not have to agree with everything a customer wants if they don’t make a profit. And at the beginning of the definition of marketing the definition describes how people use the term to understand or listen to customers in order to satisfy their needs. No real talk of partnership but in my mind that was how I always understood the definition. Sorry I really don’t see where the definition of marketing differs from what you are talking about. Now, reality in action is a whole other gambit I would agree.

Oh, people at the company formerly known as Macromedia gave me some really good examples of where customers gave feedback and made suggestions about a software product. The product builders at Macromedia determined the suggestions were not worth implementing because software production schedules would be put off significantly and the price of the software would rise too much. Rather than respond negatively to the answer ‘no’ from Macromedia customers were even more enthusiastic towards the company because there was an explanation that made sense, there was discussion. Saying ‘no’ when you have a good reason is something companies should not be afraid of. I had another example from Microsoft where Microsoft shut down customer service on a version of software, customers responded further online and stated they would pay more for a discontinued service, Microsoft reconsidered and both parties were happy, the customers with the old version of software had continued service and Microsoft made a profit on the service.

At the heart of every relationship is communication. At the heart of communication is conversation. Conversation is the new innovative discovery of an old business practice. Remember business deals made with a handshake and on someone’s word? Those de…

Brands have become democratized. Audiences have evolved into factions of people linked together by common interests. Messages have deteriorated into a lost language that no one cares to revive, not even Mel Gibson….

This has been said over and over, by various people, in a critique of the evangelism.

The proof that it’s all not a conversation is that YOU WON’T HEAR IT BECAUSE IT’S NOT MARKETED.

The evangelism is repeated over and over, because it serves marketing, because businesspeople can make money off it by emotional manipulation of the audience. The refutation is marginalized, since there’s no incentive for A-listers to echo it, except in weak response to the constant sales-pitch (or plain old reactionarism, there’s some of that).

I love this:

I believe that many web-based proprietors are trying to re-engage this aspect of ‘marketing.’ But, in order to succeed, the marketer has to prize the conversation as highly as the customer does. And, the marketer has to be willing to say ‘no’ to customers, as much as customers might say ‘no’ to the merchant.

This brings a sense of ease, equality and, yes, partnership to the experience.

And I totally agree.

I also have to wonder, addressing Matthew’s question, if the professionals we call “marketers” are ready and able to engage in this kind of dialog. Because that’s what’s really required. And not just of marketers. In fact, marketers should either — as Ted Turner so perfectly put it — lead, follow or get out of the way.

On the other hand, if marketers are just using the c-word to encourage “targets” to let down defences, woe is them.