Day 34 - How to UnMarket Review by Ann Handley, Duct Tape Marketing

How to UnMarket

 

Oct 14, 2010 -

As an editor, I get a lot of free books tossed my way from publishers who want me either to review or recommend. A lot of them are good; some of them are very good. But I can’t say that I’ve found many of them truly engaging. 

 

Why is that? As a magazine editor told me years ago: Magazines belong to editors; only books belong to writers.  In other words, the editor ultimately shapes a magazine’s tone and perspective and voice; writers generally have to conform (unless they are very well-known scribes or otherwise famous).

 

Books, however, offer a singular opportunity for a writer, unshackled from editorial guidelines, to let him- or herself go.

To Find Out How Read the Rest of Handley's Review on the openforum.com

I don't know about you but Handley's review made me want to find Scott Stratten's book and read more even though the concept of building real relationships instead of collecting lists of customers isn't new to me.

It was one of the principles presented in Ed Dale's Challenge 2010 and later in the Challenge Plus and Immediate Edge. Ed isn't alone in this belief either, many marketing gurus are talking about building trust by becoming a known expert in a field before attempting to present your prospects with a product.

It makes me wonder though just how sincere folks are. How do we know now if offers for free videos and live chats are a sincere interest in helping us build a business or just a thinly veiled version of Think and Grow Rich philosophy? Wasn't it Napoleon Hill who first suggested we pay attention to clues about the clients personal likes and family members and show an interest in them?

Guess I sound a bit cynical. I shouldn't. I have met hundreds of really nice folks online and many of them have been very generous of their time and talents, putting up with my "dumb questions" and offering much free advise.

These are the kind of folks that practice the principle of market leadership and draw folks into their inner circle of friends. When it comes time to buy something, they are the people I would turn to.