Comments on: Can marketing be conversational?

By: Social Media Marketing in 30 Minutes a Day — keithmonaghan.com

Social Media Marketing in 30 Minutes a Day — keithmonaghan.com — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:20:24 +0000

[...] Can Marketing Be Conversational? [Doc Searls] [...]

By: Is advertising on Facebook called Social Media Marketing? « Windchimes - a social media agency

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:47:00 +0000

[...] particularly like what Doc Searls has written on his blog about conversational [...]

By: Lotus

Lotus — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:01:47 +0000

Perhaps participants instead of partners. A conversation requires the active participation of two or more people and can have an audience that listens but does not engage. People do not have to be partners to have a conversation but there does need to be a give and take, a back and forth. In the blogosphere virtually all can actively participate in, or passively watch, these conversations. This does not mean that participants don’t attempt to control conversations though. The impetus for a marketer vs. a friend to engage is often quite different although I’m sure we’ve all had friends who’ve tried to “sell” us something in the context of a conversation.

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:49:14 +0000

This is a great conversation! Yes, the pun is intended. Conversation in marketing in today’s world can happen in many ways, including in a blog as this. New technology has given us the opportunity to converse with our customers in a way that was not possible before. A blog can have 200,000 visitors a day and be a conversation vehicle with all the visitors. The vistors, however, have more power to decide not to respond by using the power of the “click”.

By: Doc Searls Weblog · Proof the advertising bubble is at full stretch

Doc Searls Weblog · Proof the advertising bubble is at full stretch — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:45:10 +0000

[...] is to drive the advertising business. Seems diametrically opposed to the ClueTrain Manifesto and marketing as conversation. Hugh Macleod, where are [...]

By: Jarrett Interaction Design » Mix 08: Keynote Presentations

Jarrett Interaction Design » Mix 08: Keynote Presentations — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:54:11 +0000

[...] is to drive the advertising business. Seems diametrically opposed to the ClueTrain Manifesto and marketing as conversation. Hugh Macleod, where are [...]

By: The Expectation Economy «

The Expectation Economy « — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:49:56 +0000

[...] build relationships.Businesses have to value conversations equal to transactions. Or as Mark Silver said in response to Doc Searls question “Can marketing be conversational?” “I believe [...]

By: Screwed by Virgin? « Boma360

Screwed by Virgin? « Boma360 — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:09:16 +0000

[...] by the old roles. Now the Changs have shown Virgin Mobile the consequences of their inability to hold a conversation with the community, by branding them with a new role: [...]

By: Mark Silver

Mark Silver — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:17:02 +0000

I agree, Doc- woe is them. Unfortunately, our culture has become very materialistically driven, and the mistaken belief that more money will make you happy pushes making the sale up to the top where it doesn’t belong.

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…

By: John Cass

John Cass — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:35:53 +0000

I think people have too much of a hang up with the word marketing. Most people think it means sales or advertising rather than what is really means. (Though I could be convinced that if enough people believe a word to not mean the dictionary definition then its time to change the definition.)

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.