As you’ll realise, because it’s part of my job, I’m active on many social media platforms and therefore get to meet people from different parts of the globe and all walks of life on a daily basis but one thing that seems to be a new constant is the scream of ‘BUY MY STUFF’.

Their idea of marketing is to constantly talk about themselves, bigging themselves up and ramming FOMO down everyone’s throat all the time – something I’m not very over-particular about.

These marketeers seem to have this uncanny knack of turning every conversation around to them.

“My aunt came over at the weekend, we haven’t seen her for a while due to illness”
“Oh, that’s nice, and I touch on a similar experience in my new book … have you bought a copy yet? It’s on Amazon …”

Every post is a link to their latest course, book or project.
Never interacting with anyone unless there’s direct payback for them.

I’m comfortable with what I have to offer and feel people don’t need to be told every 5 minutes, but, of course, we know that’s not how it works these days.

We are all signed up and logged into a crazy amount of constantly updating streams of information, alerts and signals and it’s easy to get left behind. Those that shout the loudest seem to win, on the surface, but, boy are they annoyingly vacuous.

When you visit a website, you’re sometimes inundated with pop-ups smacking you in the face begging you to sign up to their ‘amazing’ newsletter – I detest them but, people say they work.

People are also, naive –
‘Send me money now and I guarantee you’ll MAKE 10,000% RETURN FOR DOING NOTHING!’
‘The first 20 people to sign up RIGHT NOW will win!’
‘RUN TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM NOW FOR THIS ONE TIME OFFER!’
Etc.

And, don’t get me started on so called ‘Instagram influencers’ … no seriously, don’t …

Shoving a special deal in your face, calling you dumb for not taking up ‘this amazing new offer’ or buying something simply because another famous human told you to, is the new marketing method.

Tell me, does it not stink of desperation or is the old school way of marketing long gone?
A short while ago, we only had newspapers, TV/radio and billboards – all which cost a fair whack but it gave those that could afford it, room to breath.
Now, we all, you, me and the multinational conglomerate in the City have access to a global advertising network and all for pennies.

When it comes to selling my stuff, you’ll find me sitting at the back quietly observing and now and again I’ll pop up with some useful advice or a self promotion, but it’s all done, in my eyes, respectfully. I’d love you to buy my stuff, but, if you don’t, that’s also cool.

I don’t get a kick from shouting at you to ‘BUY MY STUFF’, I don’t enjoy being pushy and I certainly aint gonna beg anyone – but it does seem to be the way ‘marketing’ is done these days.

No matter how rich or poor you are, technically, we’re now all on the same marketing playing field which presents it’s own set of problems – we’re now all on the same marketing playing field – which means the field is now very crowded, we all need to shout, much louder, much clearer and more consistently than before. Being reserved gets very limited attention.

Hopefully, like the vinyl LP, quality customer service and handmade goods there’s a resurgence in old school marketing … and soon.

And, so, with all that said … how many would you like to order, sir?

 
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