MeaningfulNoise.com

I went to a specialty store the other day looking for running shoes. I did some research prior to my visit and walked in with an idea of what I wanted. Consequently, the sale person left me alone, but not so for the poor 50-something next to me. And I essentially got to watch the sales pitch as a bystander… biomechanics this, biomechanics that, and now, you want to buy the most expensive shoe which supports your biomechanics. The guy was so out of his element with “biomechanics” I’m fairly certain he just bought the shoes because he was told to, not because it was right. Now, the reality is the sales person doesn’t want a return and the store has a good reputation so they probably steered the guy right. But I think they did so without educating the customer.

This scenario is by-far the most common offense I see committed in marketing organizations. Most organizations are mostly setup to data mine, compile, model, and then send the package off to important people - and they don’t understand and make silly decisions. We’re not taking the time to say “your feet are rolling out so get a shoe with support to correct your walk otherwise you legs will hurt after walking.” Instead, we say “you’re over-pronating causing tension stress in the lower tendon lending to possible plantar fasciitis… and you need to give me more money.” Our unwitting executives do it not knowing why. And when ‘it’ doesn’t hurt - there’s no need for you. Bye! We’re down-sizing.

So, let’s say instead we stop trying to be the smartest people in the room and start expressing our business challenges to important people in terms that even our friends and spouses would understand over a couple of drinks. I don’t know about your organization, but the executives just need to make decisions. Clear communication imbues trust. Trust makes you valuable even if there isn’t immediate pain.

Take a look at this…

Center for Media Research: Twelve Years of Internet Advertising Revenue Reach 2nd Best Quarter Ever
With a little extra data behind the release, the Interactive Advertising Bureau announced that Internet advertising revenues reached $5.8 billion for the first quarter of 2008, an 18.2 percent increase over the same period in 2007, and represents the second highest quarter ever recorded, after the 4th Q 2007… Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO of the IAB “We continue to experience significant growth and vitality in interactive marketing, media and advertising… (and) expect growth to continue, as… marketers find more and more innovative ways to reach them through digital media.”
http://blogs.mediapost.com/research_brief/?p=1735

Now, take a look at this that came into my email box moments later…

OPA: Online Advertising Growth Slows in First Quarter
Is it a bump, a dip or the start of a downward trend? That’s the question as almost all research pointed to a slowing of growth in online ad sales in the first quarter. The IAB, in particular, said that online ads actually were down 1.7% sequentially from the fourth quarter, dropping from a record $5.9 billion to $5.8 billion. The year-over-year growth was 18.2%, not bad in economically challenged times, but that’s down from the 26% growth in Q1 ‘07.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/18/AR2008061800216.html

Same source, same data point, very different perspective… I’m working in media right now where ad revenue is on the decline. If I relied on the first article as my source, I’d start changing my site, search program, a/b test because “it’s obviously me.” The latter article says this isn’t necessarily the case. What’s the difference? The business objectives and how the data speaks to those objectives. Both are factual but the first is very generalized and meets no specific need. The second is a plausible hypothesis for the decline in the media industries advertising revenue.

So, stop the rhetoric, be specific to the solutions for the problem, and speak in a way that is clear to everyone involved. This goes double for reporting - you may not always be present to walk the viewer through the hand-outs. The economy is not terribly healthy and the axe is going to fall on those without proven positive results. Let’s use the tools and talents to make a meaningful difference.