Sunday, February 26, 2012

The New Marketing Revolution

This New Marketing Revolution is complex. At its core it is based on the ability of the previously faceless customer and consumer to talk back, to have a say through the use of new Information, Communication and Social Technology. As a recent Occupy Wall Street poster said....it is the 99% talking back.

But it is more than just two way communication. It is also the ability of companies to better serve and add value, to innovate, to create a constant stream of new products and services in collaboration with this now vocal customer. Not just the business but each employee of the business.

As an employee today or as a small business owner we also have to use the New Marketing Revolution to market our services and our companies’ services. Companies today now need each employee to also market its services. To do this requires that every one of us has to add new marketing skills to our existing skill set.

Recently, I had the good fortune to co-chair a half year Company Sales Planning session and one fact came out quite clearly, that each sales person also has to develop a personal marketing plan to sell themselves. As it turns out, a salesperson without a personal brand name cannot rely on the company’s brand name to get them past the gatekeepers. I have now started to insist that all my MBA students develop a personal marketing plan to sell their services.

This New Marketing Revolution, if used wisely, can also be a source of leverage for small business owners. The new technologies that are driving the revolution also make it possible for small businesses to punch above their weight class. So whether your small business is a dentist office, a lawyers office, a communication production studio or a training and development service, you also have the opportunity to market your services on par with the big guys.

This ebook is intended to be your personal resource on how you can use this New Marketing Revolution to grow your career or small business. I encourage you to follow us on the Blog by clicking the RSS icon or on Facebook and Twitter and to comment with suggestions, successful techniques or questions. As I said in the earlier blog, all comments will form part of the final ebook.