Comments on: Customers Are People First. Marketers Are Fundamentally Flawed.

By: What Is Social Media? I Mean Really. | Kyle Lacy, Social Media - Indianapolis

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:25:24 +0000

[...] the ROI some business gets for investing in social media — it will be about the ROI that a consumer person gets for investing in a brand. (aside: i’m not talking about a financial investment, I’m [...]

By: Eric Prugh

Eric Prugh — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:20:52 +0000

I don't think it's market*ers* that are fundamentally flawed as it is market*ing*. You see a lot of marketers using Social Media and other outlets to understand their customers at a personal level. Yet, no business (marketing department in this case) will scale by targeting every person in a unique way with a unique campaign. That's where data analysis (demographics, etc.) comes in, where sales people come in to align solutions to specific businesses, and where marketing becomes the support team to people in the field actually dealing with people. When you go to social media, when you interact & engage the community, when you talk to "people," you become a salesman, like it or not.

By: kylelacy

kylelacy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:20:51 +0000

Well, I will not go as far as to say I despise selling but there is a fine line to draw between hard selling and client relationship development. There will always be a place for selling. Always.

By: kylelacy

kylelacy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:18:08 +0000

I agree with you completely. Although… only the social media people seem to be paying a HUGE amount of attention to the social media world. Always get back to the basics.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:17:19 +0000

I agree Kyle. I absolutely despise "selling." We must treat each one of our customers as the unique individuals they are. Not one customer will be just like the next. When we interact with them and build that relationship we must ask each one of them what they want. We should never assume we already know what they want because they fall into a certain category created by marketing departments.

By: Arik Flanders

Arik Flanders — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:41:48 +0000

Very interesting and thought provoking post, Kyle. Marketing and social media especially is being driven by trust created through actual relationships.

By: Lindsay Manfredi

Lindsay Manfredi — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:10:53 +0000

Excellent post, Kyle! I too agree that we have to focus on the PEOPLE problem. It's not about sales anymore. It's about serving to give people what they NEED. Fill the need, create the relationships, solve problems. I'll pick up that book, for sure.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:17:19 +0000

Kyle…great post. I wrote in my blog a few weeks ago that I am concerned TOO much attention is being paid to social media and we are forgetting the basics. Great blog.