Mar 14, 2009

Ushering In The Age Of Interactive Marketing!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had it up to my eyelids with people trying to pitch me on their business opportunities. Lately, it seems as though the intensity and frequency of solicitations have reached a stage of irritation for most.

It’s getting to the point that people are acting desperate (I’m not unsympathetic to the economic situation affecting many, I know some are desperate) and that desperation is causing them to treat people like a commodity. It’s causing them to put self above the needs of others when meeting the needs of others is one of the fastest ways to overcome desperate circumstances.

The irony is that the people who are finding success as a home business owner, using the Internet, are tired of the onslaught of ads… they are tired of being pitched! Engaging in conversation online only to have it go from “Hey, how are you doing…” to “I want to tell you about some so exciting…” is enough to make anyone want to hang up the phone, block people on Skype and remove “friends” from social networks. Nonetheless, there is a new wave of marketers coming.

Even the television news media is talking about Network Marketing (see here) and how people are turning back to MLM during the soft economy. This, of course, is going to bring a new wave of would be marketers, to the Internet, looking for a way to market their business to a larger audience than they can reach in their local communities.

Those of us who have been around the industry for a while understand that this wave of upstart entrepreneurs is going to bring with it tremendous opportunity. From experience, we know that those who are looking to the Internet to replace or supplement income (recently reduced or lost) are going need and be seeking information that will show them “the way.”

What does this mean for the new home business owner who is turning to the Internet as their market place? Hopefully it doesn’t mean heartache and frustration as it has in times passed. It’s actually gotten to the point, with me, where I’m not sure I want my name even associated with phrases like “Internet marketing” and “home based business” if the “norm” is going to be this continuous assault of unsolicited advertising and spam.

While I know that this industry is always going to have its “quirks”, I do believe that, with a concentrated effort, we can bring about a new way of thinking and doing to the world of Web 2.0 that defines it in its purest form… “Interactive marketing.”

Think about it. Twitter, Facebook, Ning (wow, how about the changes today, awesome), Plurk, Ping.FM, FriendFeed, and all of the resources that continue to bring us all together… those who are having success with these resources know that “relationships” are key. Social networking isn’t about quantity, it’s about quality. You can continue to chase numbers or you can come into direct content with the one key element that we all need to be successful… people. It’s the “interaction” we have with people, using these resources, that bring about results.

I’ve been telling my group for months now that when it comes to doing business in the world of Web 2.0, that if you do things correctly, business just happens… and it does! It doesn’t need to be forced, it doesn’t need to be pushy, rude or desperate. By simply using the right tools and resources you can set up a system of management that will allow you the opportunity to be part of the solution and not the problem.

I’m here to help however I can… look me up on Twitter: @rexharrislive.

Cheers!

Rex
Thanks Rex, Frank Tocco Twiiter Me!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is some very sound advice and a good observation!

Anonymous said...

Frank, I thought you had written this! Well... I followed you on Twitter anyways :)

Frank Tocco said...

Thanks Devon,
I'm following you on twitter too.
I've written most of this blog but some articles are so good I like to share them. Do you write articles and if so, would you like to contribute to this blog?