Many folks tout blogging as a part of Web2.0. Many of those same people have convinced the main stream that in order to succeed, you must ease your site ‘copy’, get shiny, change your colors and forget selling anything- we have to educate. I’ve even heard many say that to not follow this new thread of thinking will leave you behind in the dust.
It is all a fabrication in my opinion. Web 2.0 is nothing but a label placed on something investors blew off several years ago. I believe it’s a hype to increase values of technology companies. Why do I believe that? Austin is said to be the “silicon valley of the Midwest” and with a phrase like that, you would think more folks would know what a blog is. In fact, you would think that most of the advertisers in the Midwest would know what exactly web2.0 is. The reality is that everyday average folks have no idea what in the heck a blog or web2.0 is. Nor do they understand it.
When I look at it from a know-nothing position, I have to agree. I can understand the confusion that there’s been a sudden change, but no one bothered to take the consumer with them. Think about that from a marketing perspective- change in marketing is normally driven by consumer demand; doesn’t it stand to reason if they demanded it, they would understand it? The answer is a simple yes. In the case of Web2.0, techies demanded it- techies wanted to illustrate their spin on how the market should bear out, and we let them, we even helped fan the flames.
Should we follow tech demand? Yes. But we as businesses we should find a happy middle, not swing completely one way or the other. Change with consumers is gradual, not overnight, and in the race to be different, we shouldn’t leave the consumer behind- or jump off a bridge because a heavily leveraged venture company said so, and not to please Google.
Greg’s solution? Address the problem head-on. Go beyond where I had gone, which was to justify my need to know: Acknowledge that I’m in sales. Ask whether the client/prospect has had a bad experience with a salesperson and listen to the response.
Bravo Cathleen for asking the right questions and delivering relationship-centric ideas. Relationship2.0 has been here 1,000 years, beta tested and true.
Shailesh Ghimire
October 8, 2007 at 10:05 pm
There is more hype than reality in the whole Web 2.0 thing. The recent botched sale of AR is case in point. Also, I’m not sure if MySpace is making money for Murdoch or not. How about Facebook? How are these guys going to make money?
I started blogging back in early 2005 because I wanted to do something unique to get business. Problem is all my business was coming from off-line sources. Why would I blog? I never got serious about blogging until business actually slowed down 6 months ago. I have received some business from blogging but – in my honest opinion – not enough to really justify it, but its fun, and I enjoy it and it’s kinda work related. I have enough business to keep things going – so why not is my answer.
You hit the nail on its head, when it comes to where consumers stand. Most of my friends don’t know what a blog is – they know I blog but I have a buddy who says everytime he hears the word “blog” he thinks of me and smiles. One person even thought it was a bad word, kind of a kinky internet-sex variety. I’ve talked to so many people who don’t know what a blog is – one person asked me how you’d know if you’re on a blog. Good question, I said.
So, either we’re way ahead of the curve or we’re just blowing smoke. Either way in my opinion this whole Web 2.0 thing will go up in smoke like the bust of 2000 and we’ll be talking about Web 3.0 in 8 years. I still think the correlation between effort and dollars isn’t quite there yet to say this is a proven method. We’re all trying and all thinking of something innovative. However, as my economics professor used to say, “you can’t build an economy doing eachothers laundry” – and sometimes blogging feels that way. We’re just talking to eachother and every once in a potential client overhears our conversation and wants to do business.
benn
October 8, 2007 at 10:27 pm
excellent points!
Lani Anglin
October 8, 2007 at 11:48 pm
As BR noted, it’s worth jumping on in *case* the rest of the population catches up. As for blogging and the Web 2.0 feel being the ultimate universal tool for consumers, well, we all know that it isn’t so. As a blogger, when was the last time you walked into a room of regular consumers and said “I’m a blogger” and didn’t expect to have to explain yourself?
There you have it; I think BR said it best, “change in marketing is normally driven by consumer demand; doesn’t it stand to reason if they demanded it, they would understand it?”
Athol Kay
October 9, 2007 at 12:10 am
Great great image.