Ford Saeks at Prime Concepts and I were discussing all the noise on the internet: the cacophony of emails, social media, blogs, spam, YouTube, et al. The internet has made marketing easier to do and harder to do effectively. What can be done easily isn’t always done well. Legitimate and important ideas can easily get lost in the din or faux information.
Which leads me to suggest that quiet may well be the antidote to all the noise. I don’t mean silence–that’s different. That’s the strategy of the cynic who gives up hope that his or her marketing will do any good.
By quiet, I mean softly spoken. When you try to talk to a large crowd, you have to shout. When you have a conversation with one or two people, you don’t have to yell. Quiet marketing means being specific rather than general; it is “me-marketing” rather than mass marketing.
Quiet also suggests wisdom. Some of the smartest people I know are also the lowest key. You listen carefully to what they have to say because they always seem to have good ideas.
Really good ideas don’t need to be hyped. The great ideas stand out on their own merit. Rather than trying to convince me that your product or service is good by shouting about it, show me through compelling communication and persuasive proof.
Don’t give up trying to be heard. Instead, re-evaluate how you go about doing it. I can’t make an iron-clad guarantee here, but quiet may well be your best marketing weapon in a noisy world.
I agree 100% Mark. When you stick to your niche for example you stand out. I think there is a tempatation to try to be too much to too many people. Consistency is important, so is focus. Nice blog post, very well written.
Excellent point, Mark.
Microsoft spent $100 million to shout ‘Bing!’ from the mountaintops, and how many people have converted from their Google homepage?
In a very noisy world, smart marketers aren’t getting louder, they’re getting softer. And tribes are forming around their tents.
So true, especially now when hollow claims are exposed as “____washing” Insert green, local, etc. in the blank.
We are conditioned to be skeptical of advertising claims. Personal referrals, actual proof, demonstration, samples, are all more effective persuaders.
It takes purpose, vision, time and persistence to create a credible case, plus patience not to resort to gimmicks that destroy it in the process.