Good evening, all.
Well, it's late at night from where I am writing, and I just HAD to get this little bit of information across before I turned in for the evening. Why? Because I have observed a humorous bit of truth related to a blog I posted earlier.
If you recall, I posted a rather scathing opinion of my experience with a social network marketing presentation I attended recently, pointing out that many who are involved with these programs would sacrifice personal and common relationships for the potential of earning quick money by trying to recruit people to become partners in the social network marketing business.
Well, not 30 minutes after I publicized that blog posting on Twitter, my "followers" count suddenly jumped from a modest 65 followers, to a presentable 85 followers. How in the world could some "Joe Shmoe" like myself become so popular from a written recap of a negative experience? Rants don't normally garner this kind of response.
After looking into my new found flock, I discovered that many of my new followers were actually involved with various forms of social network marketing, or multi-level marketing (MLM). They're the type of people who go around searching the internet and using broad forums like Twitter to find other people involved, in the hopes that they can recruit them into their own business partnerships. More than likely, they use the terms "social network marketing" in their search parameters, which just so happened to be words included in the title of the aforementioned blog post.
(Note: Please observe that I'm using the same three words in the title of THIS follow-up blog post, with the intention of further proving my argument in the future.)
You see, marketing is - and always will be - a numbers game. You can see it in the name: marketing. The object is to score sales by hitting up as much of the market as possible. In advertising, we put a lot of effort into research and testing so that we can be as efficient as possible to reach our desired audience, giving the client the best "bang" for their buck. Whereas in marketing, it's all about going up to each and every individual and pushing product on them. Marketers practice this method to the point where they don't even know who they are talking to. Case in point, I write a NEGATIVE article about their trade, and they add me to their social network hoping I'll help in their business.
Another example comes from that experience I wrote about earlier. The organizers of that Amway Global presentation thought that I fell into the same category with naive kids not yet out of college, when in fact I am an educated individual who could see right through their pitch, not to mention a guy who is trained to study the behaviors of the consumer.
Depending on IF my new Twitter followers read this blog post and the previous account, I'll probably drop in the number of "Followers." But no worries, I'll probably gain that number back, and more, because I'm sure more "MLM" enthusiasts will jump right in.
Also, (at the risk of self promotion) I'd like to invite you in on the experiment. Check out my Twitter page and take a peek the list of online and social network marketers who populate my Followers' list. At the time of this posting, I have a count of 83 total followers.
Another lesson learned. Good night, all.
AX
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Drowning Pool 'Fail' Whale
Being the newshound that I am, I first spotted this story over three weeks ago. I'm only writing about it now because it has taken me the entire three weeks to wrap my brain around the insane thing that happened - and I don't mean the rescue.
To summarize, a diver in China was drowning when her legs cramped up, and a beluga whale saved her life by bringing her to the water's surface.
A nice, feel-good story. Sounds pretty plain, doesn't it? Well, let me clue you in on the details...
It turns out this diver was competing in something called a "free diving contest", in which the object of the game is to stay underwater for as long as possible without any breathing equipment. Insane element #1.
Insane element #2, the reason the diver's legs cramped up (causing her near-fatal situation) was because the water temperature was near-freezing. The news article described it as "Arctic" temperatures.
Insane element #3, this competition was held in a 20-foot-deep beluga whale tank at Polar Land, a marine amusement park, WITH THE WHALE STILL IN THE TANK!
Okay, I thought that the 'Polar Bear Club' was maladjusted, but they just got trumped in the category of "Crazy." At least the Polar Bears know when to get out of the water before serious hypothermia sets in.
First of all, any competition that involves people underwater, trying to hold their breath the longest, will more than likely end up with someone drowning. Because you know what happens when you deprive the brain of oxygen. You pass out. In normal situations (outside of water) your body will immediately go on autopilot and you start breathing again. But underwater, your lungs would immediately fill up with water, hence an eventual death by drowning. It seems that this beluga whale was going to have to pull somebody out anyway, whether it be by cramps or being too competitive in a suffocating contest.
We can also come to the conclusion, considering where this event was held and the temperature of the water, that not only the participants were head cases, but the promoters were, too!
But now that I think about it, wouldn't it have been hilarious if those promoters didn't have any concerns because they had already designated big 'Mila', the beluga whale, as the lifeguard? In their minds, having a whale in the same tank at the same time wasn't a liability, but in fact an insurance policy.
It gives a new meaning to the term 'fail whale'. This could have been a "survive fail".
Remember, the only reason this is funny is because no one died. Cheers to 'Mila' for saving that poor girl's life.
But we have to think of a smarter way to cheat death and get our kicks.
AX
To summarize, a diver in China was drowning when her legs cramped up, and a beluga whale saved her life by bringing her to the water's surface.
A nice, feel-good story. Sounds pretty plain, doesn't it? Well, let me clue you in on the details...
It turns out this diver was competing in something called a "free diving contest", in which the object of the game is to stay underwater for as long as possible without any breathing equipment. Insane element #1.
Insane element #2, the reason the diver's legs cramped up (causing her near-fatal situation) was because the water temperature was near-freezing. The news article described it as "Arctic" temperatures.
Insane element #3, this competition was held in a 20-foot-deep beluga whale tank at Polar Land, a marine amusement park, WITH THE WHALE STILL IN THE TANK!
Okay, I thought that the 'Polar Bear Club' was maladjusted, but they just got trumped in the category of "Crazy." At least the Polar Bears know when to get out of the water before serious hypothermia sets in.
First of all, any competition that involves people underwater, trying to hold their breath the longest, will more than likely end up with someone drowning. Because you know what happens when you deprive the brain of oxygen. You pass out. In normal situations (outside of water) your body will immediately go on autopilot and you start breathing again. But underwater, your lungs would immediately fill up with water, hence an eventual death by drowning. It seems that this beluga whale was going to have to pull somebody out anyway, whether it be by cramps or being too competitive in a suffocating contest.
We can also come to the conclusion, considering where this event was held and the temperature of the water, that not only the participants were head cases, but the promoters were, too!
But now that I think about it, wouldn't it have been hilarious if those promoters didn't have any concerns because they had already designated big 'Mila', the beluga whale, as the lifeguard? In their minds, having a whale in the same tank at the same time wasn't a liability, but in fact an insurance policy.
It gives a new meaning to the term 'fail whale'. This could have been a "survive fail".
Remember, the only reason this is funny is because no one died. Cheers to 'Mila' for saving that poor girl's life.
But we have to think of a smarter way to cheat death and get our kicks.
AX
'Boiler Room' 2009 - The Social Media Marketing Smokescreen
Beware the newest manifestation of the "door-to-door" salesman: the social media marketer.
We know that times are tough these days. I, like most people, are looking into opportunities to earn a little extra cash. But after a recent experience, I learned that fulfillment from a job is more rewarding than earning easy money at the expense of the relationship with friends or people you know.
A couple weeks ago a friend referred me to a gentleman from Dallas who offered opportunities in online advertising and marketing. After a few phone conversations that included the words 'online', 'team', 'think tank' and 'creative', I was under the impression that this gig might involve designing ads for the next generation of online advertising. However, I did keep my guard up, because much of his business jargon was vague. Nonetheless, I figured there was no harm in attending the information session to figure out what all was really going on.
The second I entered the presentation hall, I knew what was up. There was a professional speaker scheduled. Many of the other 30 people in the room were college kids. There was even a high school senior. And aside from the six or seven "professionals" standing in the back of the room, I was the best dressed out of all the candidates. I had stumbled into a sales pitch - a sales pitch aimed at the ambitious, yet naive masses. I knew what was coming, and I could have simply turned around and walked out of there. But, I didn't want to be rude to the host, and I figured I could learn a thing or two on how these "network marketers" appeal to an audience that will eventually drive the market in the near future. So, I chalked it up as research and took a seat.
The speaker was very good - a man by the name of Mike Brown who proclaimed he was a millionaire and retired at the age of 25. His energetic and excited tone hit a chord with the young'uns, but his jokes were corny. At least to me. For about 20 minutes he prattled on about how no one should be working for anyone else and people who earned a paycheck were suckers. The crowd listened, probably unaware that there was still no mention of a product or service being sold.
For the next ten minutes, Mr. Brown went off on how internet marketing is the future of the economy, and companies are figuring ways to get the biggest piece of a $50 billion market pie. He mentioned that referral techniques are driving customers to online retailers more than any other method. And he was right. But to this point, there was still no mention of a product or service, or even responsibility. The crowd still hung in there, though.
Then, he got around to the business plan and how we could use our networks in Facebook and MySpace to make money. Lots of money. It was finally at this point when he scribbled the word 'Quixtar' on the whiteboard beside him. For a few people in the room, they realized what I had already figured out. Shoulders dropped. Sighs could be heard. I could sense eyes rolling. 'Quixtar'. Does the name 'Amway' ring a bell?
Right then I snickered to myself as I was reminded of that scene from the movie 'Go', when Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf are being given the same pitch by William Fichtner.
"Wow." I thought to myself, "I now know that 'social network marketing' is the new fancy word for 'pyramid scheme'."
And we all know how those turn out. I actually think this new form of marketing is even worse, because it tempts you to look to your friends and family as potential sales partners.
Again, I could have just walked out right then, but I wanted some satisfaction. So I went up to one of the hosts and started asking the awkward questions.
So, I left the building laughing to myself. I also came out with three ideal lessons learned.
1. Network marketing is the exact opposite of advertising. There's nothing creative about it. It's driven by ambition only. No research. No strategy. No art.
2. People are already at their wits' end from all the junk that gets posted on Facebook already (i.e.: quizzes, surveys, applications). Can you imagine how pissed at you they'd be if you started pushing hygiene and beauty products on them on a regular basis? You run the risk of losing those friends. Soon, your 400 or so connections will dwindle down to just your core group or clique. That is, if you're smart enough to avoid asking them to jump on board.
3. It's easy to be a motivational speaker when most of the audience is already motivated - by "quick and easy" money.
I have to admit, it was the second time this year that I got sucked into a presentation like that. Back in the spring a neighbor invited me over to watch some sporting event, but when I arrived, I found a table with literature and what seemed like bottles of wine. It was, in fact, a networking sales pitch for an acai drink product called Monavie. They showed me a video about the product that actually looked more like an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", as it featured the high-end cars and Hummers the elite sales teams drove. Watching the video with our hosts standing beside the television, I felt as if I was restrained and my eyelids were held open by clothespins. It was THAT awkward.
So, for you out there who are looking around for a little extra cash, make sure to avoid anything that says 'social media network marketing' or 'make money with your Facebook and MySpace.' Also, steer clear of those job descriptions that are vague as hell.
I do hope you leave this mountaintop a wiser person.
Take care, all.
AX
We know that times are tough these days. I, like most people, are looking into opportunities to earn a little extra cash. But after a recent experience, I learned that fulfillment from a job is more rewarding than earning easy money at the expense of the relationship with friends or people you know.
A couple weeks ago a friend referred me to a gentleman from Dallas who offered opportunities in online advertising and marketing. After a few phone conversations that included the words 'online', 'team', 'think tank' and 'creative', I was under the impression that this gig might involve designing ads for the next generation of online advertising. However, I did keep my guard up, because much of his business jargon was vague. Nonetheless, I figured there was no harm in attending the information session to figure out what all was really going on.
The second I entered the presentation hall, I knew what was up. There was a professional speaker scheduled. Many of the other 30 people in the room were college kids. There was even a high school senior. And aside from the six or seven "professionals" standing in the back of the room, I was the best dressed out of all the candidates. I had stumbled into a sales pitch - a sales pitch aimed at the ambitious, yet naive masses. I knew what was coming, and I could have simply turned around and walked out of there. But, I didn't want to be rude to the host, and I figured I could learn a thing or two on how these "network marketers" appeal to an audience that will eventually drive the market in the near future. So, I chalked it up as research and took a seat.
The speaker was very good - a man by the name of Mike Brown who proclaimed he was a millionaire and retired at the age of 25. His energetic and excited tone hit a chord with the young'uns, but his jokes were corny. At least to me. For about 20 minutes he prattled on about how no one should be working for anyone else and people who earned a paycheck were suckers. The crowd listened, probably unaware that there was still no mention of a product or service being sold.
For the next ten minutes, Mr. Brown went off on how internet marketing is the future of the economy, and companies are figuring ways to get the biggest piece of a $50 billion market pie. He mentioned that referral techniques are driving customers to online retailers more than any other method. And he was right. But to this point, there was still no mention of a product or service, or even responsibility. The crowd still hung in there, though.
Then, he got around to the business plan and how we could use our networks in Facebook and MySpace to make money. Lots of money. It was finally at this point when he scribbled the word 'Quixtar' on the whiteboard beside him. For a few people in the room, they realized what I had already figured out. Shoulders dropped. Sighs could be heard. I could sense eyes rolling. 'Quixtar'. Does the name 'Amway' ring a bell?
Right then I snickered to myself as I was reminded of that scene from the movie 'Go', when Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf are being given the same pitch by William Fichtner.
"Wow." I thought to myself, "I now know that 'social network marketing' is the new fancy word for 'pyramid scheme'."
And we all know how those turn out. I actually think this new form of marketing is even worse, because it tempts you to look to your friends and family as potential sales partners.
Again, I could have just walked out right then, but I wanted some satisfaction. So I went up to one of the hosts and started asking the awkward questions.
"If people ask what I do, what do I tell them?"
"Is there any kind of fulfillment that comes with selling people a business
concept?"
"How big of a net do I have to throw out there to get 4 or 5 ideal sales
candidates? 100?"
"Would I be getting a call from my sales partner every week asking if I'm
working?"
"Would I have to call all my sales partners all the time to get on their
case?"
"How did you get over risking your friendships with people by pitching them
this program?"
So, I left the building laughing to myself. I also came out with three ideal lessons learned.
1. Network marketing is the exact opposite of advertising. There's nothing creative about it. It's driven by ambition only. No research. No strategy. No art.
2. People are already at their wits' end from all the junk that gets posted on Facebook already (i.e.: quizzes, surveys, applications). Can you imagine how pissed at you they'd be if you started pushing hygiene and beauty products on them on a regular basis? You run the risk of losing those friends. Soon, your 400 or so connections will dwindle down to just your core group or clique. That is, if you're smart enough to avoid asking them to jump on board.
3. It's easy to be a motivational speaker when most of the audience is already motivated - by "quick and easy" money.
I have to admit, it was the second time this year that I got sucked into a presentation like that. Back in the spring a neighbor invited me over to watch some sporting event, but when I arrived, I found a table with literature and what seemed like bottles of wine. It was, in fact, a networking sales pitch for an acai drink product called Monavie. They showed me a video about the product that actually looked more like an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", as it featured the high-end cars and Hummers the elite sales teams drove. Watching the video with our hosts standing beside the television, I felt as if I was restrained and my eyelids were held open by clothespins. It was THAT awkward.
So, for you out there who are looking around for a little extra cash, make sure to avoid anything that says 'social media network marketing' or 'make money with your Facebook and MySpace.' Also, steer clear of those job descriptions that are vague as hell.
I do hope you leave this mountaintop a wiser person.
Take care, all.
AX
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