Ar_home_b_search
 

Marketing Guru, Seth Godin, talks a lot about the woes and pitfalls of traditional 'Interruption' marketing.

 "Imagine going to your local mall. It's a nice carefree Sunday afternoon. You're just taking a leisurely walk along the various storefronts, when one of those 'island stall' carny-style hawkers approaches you, and shoves their beloved widget in your face."

"Now imagine that it's two days before Christmas, The mall is like a Japanese subway train, and you've gotten seriously behind on your list. As you push your way through the masses, this same hawker approaches you. You quickly dodge to your left, and another hawker appears. You skillfully dart aside to avoid them, only to be approached by yet 'another' hawker. And the really annoying thing, is that they're all selling the same widget!"

That's the essence of 'Interruption' marketing.

On his blog, Angelo Fernando makes this pronouncement against interruption marketing: "Fighting clutter with clutter creates information smog."

In his thought-provoking book, Permission Marketing, Seth Godin proposes that marketers have no right to sell to customers. They have to first gain permission to start a relationship that would, somewhere down the road lead to a sale.

"But Nurturing a relationship first is expensive." counters Fernando. We've become spoiled into the drive-thru, instant microwave, glasses in about an hour, marketing mentality. We want sales, and we want them NOW!

And so, we interrupt. We clutter. We annoy.

Fernando goes on to say, "The smarter consumers battle clutter by fine-tuning their media habits. They block or boycott channels, fast forward through commercials on their DVR, stor e Web sites on My Favorites, and toss out unsolicited (junk) mail without opening it."

This then begs the question: "What's the most effective strategy to reach the tech-savvy tuned-out consumer?"

Relational Marketing......

.......Enter the Blog

~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG, and Crabbing in the Hood.

Follow KitsapAgent on TwitterFriend Rich Jacobson on FacebookJoin Rich Jacobson's LinkedIn NetworkSubcribe to Rich Jacobson's YouTube ChannelListen to My Sweet Tunes on Last.fm

 
Post is included in group: Active Rain Newbies
Post is included in group: Blog Tips for Rain Drips
Post is included in group: Dedicated Bloggers
Post is included in group: The Art Of Marketing You

32 Comments on "Does Your Blog cause 'Interruption' or create 'Interest?" - B;pg Tips for Rain Drips

JAN
26
2008
1,256,819 Points 242 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich- My blog creates interest. I do not crowd it with nonsense or cuteness. It also takes pages time to load and the more stuff you have on the side bars will create impatience because of not loading fast enough and off goes the reader to someone else. I have a listing widget with our listings scrolling, our posts scrolling so they can click on any of interest and our google cluster maps which is a huge listing tool! Our sellers love our blog! Katerina
12:08am • #1
837,453 Points 163 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich - This is an interesting post.  As you said, our blogs are relational in nature.  Thanks for giving me something to think about tonight.
12:14am • #2
399,851 Points 12 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp
Hi Rich!  I am guilty of both!  I will work on being more interesting!
12:19am • #3

Amen. I hate snake oiled old school salesmen. Even though I am a Realtor, I am a community member first. As long as people know how to reach me, I am delighted to offer blog spaces that are geared toward improving the quality of our lives. That is a big difference from the people who only seem to care about gimme gimme (gimme sales, gimme your money, gimme leads, gimme your listings); bloggers who write for a love of information are much more trustworthy that those who spend their time worried solely about what the site (or advertising) is going to get them. What goes around comes around, and that includes pushy marketing being met with door slams.

1:06am • #4
168,640 Points 10 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Rich, certainly food for thought... I think consumers will be drawn to blogs that are continuously providing interesting information and are regularly updated.  I think consistency is the key.
1:16am • #5
304,169 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
Hi Rich,
Good food for thought.  I know how annoyed I get when I am bombarded with all the clutter--happens here on AR on some posts.  Most people do not have (or choose to take) extra time for lots of "stuff" to load on our sites.  We want it quick, concise and informative---so do the consumers in my opinion.
6:19am • #6
410,997 Points 21 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hey, Rich...did you disable a link to the rest of your blog?  I'd like to read the rest if there is more.

That said, the analogy is interesting - but I would liken those mall guys to pop up advertisements on the computer.  Nobody is bugging anyone to click on a blog. 

6:19am • #7
18 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor
Rich - I dislike heavy- handed -beat- you -over-the-head style of marketing and by extension- the same style of blogs. I know (or think I know) what I need as a consumer. Telling me that I need something else, just irritates me. Am I unique? I doubt it. Is real estate, or real estate blogging unique in this sense? I doubt it. Yet so much of it is so heavy handed to my taste. It seems to work for many,so go figure..Thanks for a though provoking post.
6:57am • #8
200,475 Points 57 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Hi Rich,  this is exactly what we talked about for hours at the conference I went to the other day.  Create commotion to draw attention, yet be different and make them feel involved somehow.  Build relationships along the way.

Now, just need to figure out how to integrate that.  :)

7:35am • #9
1,481,908 Points 276 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich, this is such a good example of why it is so important to somehow convey who you are in your posts.  You're right - the stalking techniques many real estate people use scares off the buyers.  The blog is subtle and can be an attraction.
7:41am • #10
925,379 Points 97 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich interesting.  While I do not believe that we should be seen as the "pushy salesperson", I do not think that we should wait around for clients to call us either. The answer is in the middle and we all have to find that middle for ourselves.  For me that middle is to be aggressive without being annoying, and that can be a fine line.
8:12am • #11
240,949 Points 32 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Great post Rich ! You have give a lot of us something to think about...now off to get tips on writing more interesting post's !
9:17am • #12
848,842 Points 153 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Permission marketing is the way to go. However, if they sign up to receive information such as new listings then we have every right to send it to them in a timely manner. On every letter I send or listing I email, they can unscribe at any time, by checking the box. Easy...
9:20am • #13
302,355 Points 46 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Well, shoot. So you're telling me that all the "pop up", flashing, blinking ads I've been working on to snap open every time my blog is opened or closed is going to be annoying?

UGGG How I hate those things and I can't think of a more perfect example of "interrupt marketing". Personally, I feel that w/ good quality content and a nice balance between hard information and a little personality, readers will come to us when they are ready to take the next step. I like to think of it as the most active of the passive marketing options available to us.

Colleen

10:25am • #14
781,924 Points 71 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich those hawkers at the mall drive me nuts unless it is the gorgeous blond with the knock out body who is flagging me down trying to sell me something. As hard as I try this is a weakness - They seem to talk me in to buying something I will maybe try once and then never again :) Well I don't know if there is a good analogy to this story for one of my widgets but I hope so :) 
11:53am • #15
543,547 Points 39 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Rich,

Much good in this post to absorb and assimilate!!! Thanks,   Fran

11:54am • #16
Outside Blog
Rich this was an interesting point and I think why more of us are trying to focus on the localism side of blogging or at least for me it is.
12:17pm • #17
408,192 Points 12 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Rich, I enjoyed your post. I am still learning. I know I am blogging about interesting things in my area because of the email requests I have been getting for relocation packets and donuts. I am still trying to find an "edge" thank for leading me to the think tank once again!guamo
2:21pm • #18
1,546,135 Points 417 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Oh Goodness.  No question in my mind.  I practice "Pull" advertising all the way.

That said, I recommend that all Maryland and Northern Virginia agents competing for the eye of the consumer add widgets to their web sites and blogs. 

While they're at it, they should also add lots of Java Script, add many Pop ups and redesign their site with Flash.

Works for me. 

3:31pm • #19
143,367 Points 2 Featured Posts
Rich- thanks for the lesson. I think it is a good reminder to keep the clutter away from the consumer in order to pique their interest.  I am always amused by adsense and other ads cluttering folks blogs. It's not a Little Nickel newspaper! It's a blog.
4:08pm • #21

Rich,
the clutter is tremendus. I believe you need to know some clutter to be socially aware.  But, filtering out the needless information is very time consuming.  Awh, but what if all my marketing is clutter.  What if everyone is filtering out my message.  No big loss. I market by building relationships, personal relationships.  Brian Buffini said one (or more than once) if you put your picture on a park bench, the homeless, the derilicks know you and your marketing message.  It is always a pleasure.
aj

10:12pm • #22
JAN
27
2008
648,220 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master
There is nothing more boring than a post all about statistics.  ZZZZZZ
4:23am • #23
JAN
30
2008
504,099 Points 39 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master
Rich, I've never understood the concept of a drip e-mail marketing campaign.  All it does is annoy potential customers.  I was immediately attracted to the marketing aspects of blogging because the reader is making the choice to come to your blog.  It is harder than sending out mailings or e-mails, but I do think that a relationship has to exist in order to do consultative selling.
11:17pm • #24
FEB
03
2008
548,980 Points 110 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Gracious Rich...

Here's my take on this...

FUN...Make it FUN...And the rest will take care of itself :)

No one can resist someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously :)  

Seems to work for us. Humor...Is a form of pushing...Assuming of course someone knows how to work it :) 

TLW...ROAR!

9:28am • #25
597,371 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Over information has become such a problem that rather than subscribing to a blog, many readers just want to subscribe to a particular channel.
11:18am • #26
I agree with the pull advertising, but I also agree with the comment regarding the importance of also making the call to anchor them to you.  And you can't forget the call to action.  You have to ask for the business!
8:19pm • #27
FEB
04
2008
105,006 Points 6 Featured Posts
I don't deal with the inteuption marketers, but it apparently works because I see people in thier booths at the mall..In Real Estate, interuption marketing may not be working now either, until I see one that says, I can get your buyers done today....Oh yeah...thats what put us in this mess...nice post Rich
8:43am • #28
FEB
06
2008

Rich,

Great blog topic.  What I find amusing is that we as real estate professionals are constantly telling our sellers to declutter so that the buyers can truely see and appreciate the quality and feataures of a home, yet as marketers we are more apt to cluuter our message.  Is it because we are afraid that what we have to say or what we sell isn't enough?   Just a thought. 

If your substance is thin or non-existant, you better be nice to look at, just like the blonde that get's Bill's attention.  She might be built like a brick house and have a pretty face, but she left her gray matter at home.  

Disclaimer: This is not to say that all pretty, well built blondes lack intelligence or value in any way, I have two well educated, good looking blonde sisters.  I will say, however, that blondes don't neccesarily have more fun.  Brunettes just keep secrets better.

10:24am • #30
493,748 Points 222 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Della - Brunettes work just fine! Love your analogy about staging declutter. The whole point should be to provide 'substance' in our writing. That's why promotional 'clutter' doesn't work. There's nothing there to engage the consumer. It's like commericals on TV. We ignore them and head for the fridge!
11:18am • #31
FEB
10
2008
133,890 Points 18 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor
great post Rich, as always, the mouse is like the cliker and RSS is like Tevo, make sure you are on the pre-set mode and to stay there, RELATIONSHIPS and CONTENT are key!
10:47am • #32
APR
16
2009
815,674 Points 7 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I like to put in links, but I have them flow from a natural read of the material.  I push my links at the end and at the beginning.  Numbers and stats can be boring as mentioned above, but my market reports have been drawing more readers than most post and a fair amount of comments.  Make them meaningful is the key.  I am going to try doing charts too.

12:51pm • #33

What does the graphic say?

Leave a response…



(optional)
What does the graphic say?
 
May_2010_049 Ambassador_large

Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker

Silverdale, WA

More about me…

Keller Williams West Sound Realty

Address: Silverdale, WA, 98383

Office Phone: (360) 499-6367

Cell Phone: (360) 440-4758

Email Me

Providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation of Real Estate Clients throughtout the Western Puget Sound, including all of Kitsap County WA, and portions of Mason, Pierce, and Jefferson Counties.

"Helping You to Successfully Achieve Your Next Adventure in Life!"

Rich Jacobson
Rich Jacobson
Create Your Badge



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog