For many years I made an unpredictable living as an itinerant campaigner. Companies would hire me around the the world to come in and campaign. I would form a team and off we’d go. From a couple of months to a couple of years I was engaged to launch products, increase share, turnaround troubled brands, etc. But as I said it was unpredictable. You could go months between campaigns.
Three years ago I said enough is enough. I’d just returned from spending almost a year in LA on a campaign and rather than hitting the phones to scare up a new gig – I said screw it – I’m going to build a new business model. I’m going to codify all the tools and techniques I’ve developed over the years and sell them in addition to my campaigning engagements. The objective being to build a predictable and sustainable stream of revenue.
After about 30 months of experience I have built a tidy little ecosystem that is fed primarily by my blog. About 500 or so readers a day come to my blog more than 80% resulting from Google searches. And I have slowly, over the past 12 months, discovered an unintended consequence of my blog. Since almost all of my prospects see my blog first, and even though I have my campaigning credentials prominently displayed – visitors see my as a blogger who writes about campaigning – not a campaigner who writes a blog. Some might say what’s the difference? As it turns out there is a big difference.
I was talking to a prospect the other day about a campaign. A prospect who had signed up for my free newsletter and who had corresponded with me via email. He had a situation that was perfect for my methodology but he wasn’t giving me the time of day. Why? In his words – "you’re a blogger! We need an agency who does campaigns not a blogger who writes about it!" Hmmmmm…..
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Maybe you’re better off not to have to work with such a buffoon.
I’d rather learn that they’re unteachable BEFORE I invest my time in them, than after I shake hands.
I get 2000 or so readers per day and more emails than I care to try and read from people who learned all they know about marketing from their friends and family. They tell me I know nothing and that my methods don’t work, yet every month I produce hundreds of thousands of $$$ for my clients.
Be glad they opened their mouth and proved their limits, rather than having to probe for them.
Hi Mike,
Yea, he was not very bright. But he did trigger a notion that many of my “readers” see me first as a blogger – then as a campaigner. I’m not sure that’s a good thing. I wonder how many potential prospects I never even see because they assume “he’s just a blogger”. My stock in trade is doing stuff not writing about it.
I know the feeling. But I don’t know if I can tell you whether it’s better to write about your work or perform your work and not write.
As for me and my house, I sleep better when I can come in and release the content from my head and onto the screen.
As for my bottom line, blogging really only improves it marginally, but I don’t actually blog to attract clients, as I rarely accept new ones.
Maybe we need to create some interviews/audios and/or podcasts to help you clarify your intentions here ?
Maybe if we created some content for you to give away, we could showcase your unique skills, abilities and talents in ways that text will never be able to do.
What about an audio to go with the Campaign Planner ?
How about an audio eCourse where you share your knowledge about a ( or several ) facet of marketing ?
What if we allow your readers and others to ask questions and you answer them on a teleseminar ?
How much more powerful would those Campaign Engines be if you explained them in an audio, a podcast or on a teleseminar ?
I’m a marketer/salesman and I struggle to understand it all, yet I’d bet my farm, and I do live on one, that you could explain it so well a college educated marketer could understand it 😉
Maybe we need to teach the market to consume your expertise ?
You got my email, holler if you want to brainstorm this more or talk about any of the things I mentioned.
We’re Ad People First, Bloggers Second
Since most news-based firms (and many in entertainment) are now moving fast into blogging, reporters and editors have learned to respect the medium, albeit begrudgingly in some cases. On the flip side, Mike Smock’s recent experience with a potential cl…
Thanks Mike,
I’ll do that.
In the meantime here’s the flip side for me. A combination of old and new marketing…
Every day Google Alerts delivers 2-3 good leads for my campaigning methodology. I then background each lead and find out who the VP marketing is, and details on the market share battle they’re engaged in. I then write a one-page letter to the VP marketing and send it via fedex along with a copy of Boyd’s book and coordinates to several online web resources that explain more about vSente and my methodology. I then follow up with a phone call which they almost always take due to the letter and book. Total cost about $20 – and I’m in the front door talking to the right person – as a campaigner not a blogger.
Ok, so what I’m wondering here is maybe the blog and all the freebies devalue my offerings. I think marketing bloggers lead the pack when it comes to free content on the web. Maybe I take down the blog and eliminate all online freebies? Put a gate around all my content and let in either paying subscribers or qualified prospects.
Also, my price points and business model can thrive on a limited number of clients – it’s not like I need thousands of customers…
Yea I know this is heretical but…
Hmmmm…. I’ll need to think on this one for a bit.
Like The Governator said, ” I’ll be back.”