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Recent thoughts and observations
Posted by Chris Knudsen on February 7th, 2008
Here are some random recent thoughts and observations I need to get out there…
- SEO services are so widely needed right now that you have to be really screwing up if you own an SEO company and you’re not having some level of success. Most companies I visit indicate that they need outside help with SEO and PPC management. Most of those companies have a real budget for SEO services.
- SEO companies are doing a horrible job of living up to their claims. Marketing people do not trust SEO companies.
- Most marketing people work off the philosophy that if they can just get more traffic then they will be successful, which is a false hope.
- Most marketing people don’t understand direct response marketing.
- Most CEOs are too detached from their company’s marketing efforts or they don’t let their marketing people make basic decisions without long drawn out justifications for spending money.
- Most marketing people are jaded
- Most companies run by engineer-types under perform in their market and frustrate the crap out of their marketing and sales people.
- Some Utah companies that appear to be doing very well in the media are sucking it up in reality. Some of the best performing companies in Utah go intentionally unrecognized - you may never have heard of some of these companies.
- Most marketing people don’t have the first clue about how to increase Web site conversion. If most companies increased their online conversion by just 1% they could increase sales by fifty to one hundred percent.
- Mainline traditional marketers are just getting interested in blogging. Yes, I’m serious.
- No one cares about podcasting (more on that later)
- Sales and marketing are not the same thing. If you have a VP of sales and marketing then you’re doing it wrong.
- Business development is not the same thing as direct sales or inside sales. Many companies use the VP of business development title for their sales guy because “sales” is obviously beneath their organization.
- Too many decisions are made by committee. Business is not a democracy.
- The recent employee shortage has elevated some people to positions they are not qualified to fill.
- People love to drop Steven Covey lines - most have never read any of his books.
- If you’re going to partner with people who have high expectations of you - make sure they hold the same high expectations for themselves. Be upfront with people about your own expectations.
- Make sure you’re in relationships that have a mutual exchange of respect and knowledge.
- No matter what you do - you’re going to offend and piss off someone.
- Virtual offices are bogus.
- Take advice from those who have earned the right to dispense advice.  Â
- Tell the prima donna’s, re-inventors, and self-promoters to get lost.
- Nothing is ever what it really seems. Your perception may not be reality. At the same time, there are things you think are right that are actually wrong. What are those things?
- Keep your overhead low, your costs variable and your sales pipe full.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The one about democracy is interesting because I hear people talk about our country as a democracy, and that’s why we are where we are. It isn’t a democracy, it’s a representative republic. Very different.
Couldn’t agree more on Podcasting. There’s only three I have ever listened to.
One about music, two that are filled with LDS talks. there’s too much bad advice out there to be downloading podcasts of people who really don’t know what they are talking about any more than the next guy. It’s a PR strategy that’s been used for years to “position people as experts,” with “position” being the key word.
p.s. I’ve become a huge fan of Buchanan. Thanks for the recommendations.
Left by Russell on 02/07/2008“Sales and marketing are not the same thing. If you have a VP of sales and marketing then you’re doing it wrong. Business development is not the same thing as direct sales or inside sales. Many companies use the VP of business development title for their sales guy because “sales†is obviously beneath their organization.”
So dreadfully true. One of the biggest beefs I have with having spent time in these types of jobs is that if you understand the dichotomy here, you shouldn’t be in that job. The term “BDM” should be abolished at every corporation that takes itself seriously.
Well said. Thanks.
Left by ThatOneGuy on 02/07/2008