Comments on: Perspective on 10 Years of Internet Marketing

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:34:27 +0000

Nice, Mario. Thank you for adding your perspective.

By: Mario Vellandi

Mario Vellandi — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:43:07 +0000

I find online marketing like a tree that has grown new branches and leaves over the years, each of which has slowly grown more mature. What’s interesting is the growing human/personable aspect. There’s much to be learned and grown into – great promise lies ahead for sure.
Happy 2008!

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:17:52 +0000

Harry: You are quite right, of course. Technology changes the speed and reach of a basic marketing tooklkit, and therefore infuses our customers and consumers with a stronger voice. That’s the main difference, in my mind, between your Mom’s social networking and, say, yours or mine.
Courtney: Once again, we live in interesting times, again full of promise and possibility. And just like during the 90s, it helps to be discerning.

By: courtney benson

courtney benson — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:52:09 +0000

Ann -
I recall the push-back that I got from Fortune 500 companies when I headed a New Media consulting practice back in 95. I observed senior executives fighting internally about the marketing value of developing a website. But as their sites became successful, I watched them fight over who’s idea it was to put a web site up in the first place. From experience, we can see the same comments happening once again. So while it might be an up hill battle at first, keep trying and good luck to all of us spreading the word!

By: Harry Hallman

Harry Hallman — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:53:47 +0000

Thanks Ann, it is always good to slow down once in a while and gain perspective. By the way, Caroline is a beautiful young girl. As you continue to assist her as she grows, I am sure you are imparting some Handley family values and traditions. Over the years, your family has maintained these traditions because they, in some way, benefited the family as a whole.
This is a point we should apply to our work with Internet marketing as well. Blogs or journals are a lot older than 10 years and it was software developments 10 years ago that allowed it to work for the masses. User generated media is nothing new. We discussed this on a blog past this past year on Marketingprof. People were sending in photos, writing essays, and other materials for contests many years before Al Gore invented the Internet My mother spent many an hour social networking on the phone when I was a kid and my grandmother did hers when she went shopping everyday.
My point is that there is a basic set of marketing and business traditions that we should take with us when we adapt new technology that enhances our abilities to communicate. One is that business must make enough many to sustain themselves and, if at all possible, make a profit. This is a point that was overlooked by many during the Internet Bubble. Marketing’s job, whether it is creating messaging that gets printed in magazines or on blogs, is to move the customer closer to making a purchase and eventually get them to buy (donate, act in a certain way).
I am wondering what you and your readers believe are the values and traditions we should bring forward as we adopt the next generation of communication tools.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 21:50:34 +0000

Mack — When have YOU ever not been ahead of the curve?! You practically invented the concept of “community.” : )
Josef — Thanks for the kudos, and for stopping by.

By: Josef Katz

Josef Katz — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:27:50 +0000

Happy New Year. Excellent post. Too often we lose perspective as we go about our daily routines. The opportunities ahead make each new day more exciting then the one before.
Keep up the great work.

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:19:56 +0000

I agree with Drew that it’s cool that this stuff isn’t mainstream yet. I like being ahead of the curve for a change

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 14:39:26 +0000

David & Drew & Gavin — Thanks for your comments here and for validating the post (felt like I needed it). Happy New Year to you both, too!
Paul — I agree. That’s why I think perspective is so important here. These are exciting times, and things are moving quickly. It’s important to put it all in a context.
p.s. And finally — isn’t it interesting to have a spam comment pop up on a post all about perspective? Oy!

By: Dom King

Dom King — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:16:30 +0000

I agree perspective is an important thing to pay attention of. Do you ever use any tools to promote your business? I currently use http://www.Glyphius.com

By: Gavin Heaton

Gavin Heaton — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 10:28:33 +0000

Beautiful post Ann! So often I feel like we are all newborns, learning all this social media stuff anew each day. That is the exciting part!
Here’s to a great 08!

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:59:36 +0000

Ten years ago, I remember when internet marketing meant putting up a glorified electronic brochure online, referred to then as a “website”. Then came dot com buildup and flame out. We’re going to enter a real era of productivity and value from the internet in the next five years. Just you wait and see!

By: Drew McLellan

Drew McLellan — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 01:48:15 +0000

Ann,
Perspective. That’s exactly the right word for us to keep in the back of our minds as we forge into 2008.
I love that all of this isn’t mainstream yet. What fun would that be?
Happy New Year!
Drew

By: David Reich

David Reich — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:25:42 +0000

Ann, great post. Perspective is something we (hopefully) get as we have more years behind us. Not everyone, unfortunately, has the wisdom, or as David A. says, discipline, to use that perspective as a learning tool. Those who do can benefit tremendously.
Have a wonderful New Year, my friend.