Marketing is too important to be left to Marketing
Sorry I have been slow with my blogging. If blogging is my broccoli, then I have not eaten my vegetable. If it is my R&R, then I have just been too busy to take a break. Either way, it's not a good thing.
Since I am currently in Marketing (note that I don't label myself as a marketing person), I want to talk a little bit about Marketing.
First a very interesting quote by a renown VC and Marketing guru, Bill Davidow: "Marketing is too important to be left to marketing." This insightful quote illustrates both how important as well as misunderstood Marketing is. In my opnion, Marketing is the most misunderstood function, not just to outsiders, but even to Marketing people themselves. To outsiders, Marketing is nothing more than sales and promotion (such as advertising) and evokes the images of slick talking car salesmen type with expensive suits. Even among the professionals, folks in other departments don't really have a lot of respect for Marketing either. The sales guys and field support and application guys don't think Marketing knows jack because they are not as close to the customers. The executives don't trust strategic planning to Marketing because they don't think Marketing have the smart to think strategically. You can almost hear Marketing folks signing that song, "R. E. S. P. E. C. T., find out what it means to me..."
I found a great blog entry that explains well what technology marketing is about. Here are the first three elements of this top-ten list:
Marketing is not a department. Marketing is a combination of elements that creates the environment in which it is possible to meet a customer need (starting right back at product development). Promotion and sales are just sub-sets of marketing.
Marketing is a conversation, but most people don’t speak geek. Successful technology marketing must translate the creations of the uncommunicative into the needs of the untechnical. Spin is not good marketing. Lucid two-way communication is.
Simplicity does not negate complexity. Reductive marketing that simplifies ideas does not undersell your complex creation. It facilitates an entree to your world. You can’t have passionate users until they start using.
Truer words have never been spoken. The rest of the top-ten list is here:
http://makemarketinghistory.blogspot.com/2006/08/geek-marketing-101_115529822564302037.html
Sometimes it's hard to understand someone's job until you are in it. So don't worry if you can't fully appreciate that post. It is also quit possible that I am just hyping up Marketing to justify my two hour commuting each day for my current job.
While I like this list, I don't think it's complete. A very important piece of marketing that is left out is strategy - what to do to win against the competitors. That's what Davidow was referring to with the first "Marketing" in his quote.
Since I am currently in Marketing (note that I don't label myself as a marketing person), I want to talk a little bit about Marketing.
First a very interesting quote by a renown VC and Marketing guru, Bill Davidow: "Marketing is too important to be left to marketing." This insightful quote illustrates both how important as well as misunderstood Marketing is. In my opnion, Marketing is the most misunderstood function, not just to outsiders, but even to Marketing people themselves. To outsiders, Marketing is nothing more than sales and promotion (such as advertising) and evokes the images of slick talking car salesmen type with expensive suits. Even among the professionals, folks in other departments don't really have a lot of respect for Marketing either. The sales guys and field support and application guys don't think Marketing knows jack because they are not as close to the customers. The executives don't trust strategic planning to Marketing because they don't think Marketing have the smart to think strategically. You can almost hear Marketing folks signing that song, "R. E. S. P. E. C. T., find out what it means to me..."
I found a great blog entry that explains well what technology marketing is about. Here are the first three elements of this top-ten list:
Marketing is not a department. Marketing is a combination of elements that creates the environment in which it is possible to meet a customer need (starting right back at product development). Promotion and sales are just sub-sets of marketing.
Marketing is a conversation, but most people don’t speak geek. Successful technology marketing must translate the creations of the uncommunicative into the needs of the untechnical. Spin is not good marketing. Lucid two-way communication is.
Simplicity does not negate complexity. Reductive marketing that simplifies ideas does not undersell your complex creation. It facilitates an entree to your world. You can’t have passionate users until they start using.
Truer words have never been spoken. The rest of the top-ten list is here:
http://makemarketinghistory.blogspot.com/2006/08/geek-marketing-101_115529822564302037.html
Sometimes it's hard to understand someone's job until you are in it. So don't worry if you can't fully appreciate that post. It is also quit possible that I am just hyping up Marketing to justify my two hour commuting each day for my current job.
While I like this list, I don't think it's complete. A very important piece of marketing that is left out is strategy - what to do to win against the competitors. That's what Davidow was referring to with the first "Marketing" in his quote.
posted by Fear at 2:55 PM
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