Yesterday, ContentRobot participated in a webcast that featured Seth Godin, a marketing guru and best-selling author of nine books, as he discussed his latest effort: How to Avoid the Meatball Sundae. He wants to encourage marketers to change their tactics to reap bigger rewards in the Internet Age.

Background
We are in the midst of another industrial revolution. This time, it doesn’t involve the factories and the processes that characterize the 1920s; rather it takes advantage of the Internet and the new ways to sell products and services.

The Challenge to Marketers
Realize that the Internet is everywhere (and definitely not a fad) and Web 2.0 – blogs and other social media such as Facebook and YouTube – offers plenty of opportunities if you are willing to take a breath and embrace the changes.

Wrong approach: To hire a company (or invest in learning how) to get you ranked highly in Google searches. While it can be effective, it won’t fundamentally change your market position.

Right approach: To hire a company (or invest in learning how) to create a story. Craft one that is so compelling that someone just has to learn more about you and your offerings and even feel obligated to tell someone else about it.

What is a Meatball Sundae?
Meatballs are average products sold to average people: think of the everyday, regular items you see on today’s supermarket shelves. These commodities have been branded to death and have been marketed by repeatedly shoving those names down people’s throats. Some examples he gave included factories, television advertising, The Yellow Pages, and even turn of the century AOL.

Sundaes have toppings like whipped cream, nuts, and cherries. These all describe the new media activities (such as Google searching and blogging) that can help you to cultivate a community that can in turn help you market your wares.

The problem? Social media campaigns CANNOT go on top of meatballs. Why? Because marketing changes the way products are produced, but marketing doesn’t change the products themselves. Thus, it has become overwhelmingly apparent that companies must begin to reach out to consumers who now expect personal interaction.

It’s often difficult to adapt the marketing initiatives you are used to doing (one-way advertising) and expect to be able to address the desire for consumers to connect, In other words, you will have a miserable time “dressing them up” in new Web 2.0 clothes. Note: Budweiser’s Bud.TV was a miserable failure.

14 Trends that Challenge Marketing
Seth briefly describes the trends that marketing professionals should be aware of.

1. Direct Communication (Between Producer and Consumer)
We demand that our phone calls and emails be answered both quickly and by human beings.

2. Amplification (of Every Consumer)
Everyone is now capable of being a critic. You shouldn’t be surprised to discover that if someone has a negative experience with your company, he or she just might blog about it or even post photos, audio files, or videos if they have them.

3. (Authentic) Stories
People often buy based upon a story that resonates with them. This story, however, must be consistent and hold up between those who have heard it (so they all can repeat it back the same way). A lot of us covet Apple’s many cool products because we want to be part of their story.

4. Speed (Rules)
We have become spoiled by the concept of Amazon’s 1-Click Purchase option. We want what we want and we want it now. You can’t wait two days (or more) to respond to an email or phone call anymore.

5. It’s the Long Tail (that Captures Larger Segments)
It’s no longer important that songs are listed on Billboard’s “Top 40.” People can find music anywhere throughout the world and be influenced by not what the masses “like” but what they want to hear. Get used to the need for heavier involvement and personalization than ever before.

6. Outsourcing (to Minimize Costs)
The factory-centric model that supports every-day commodities is now obsolete. Let someone else own the building while you exploit more far-reaching opportunities.

7. Dicing (of Everything)
Google searching has allowed us to find information about anything in various places around the Internet. Realize that there is no longer just a front door to enter, but there are many accesses and entryways.

8. (Infinite) Choice
Back in the day there were 4 main television stations, but today there are hundreds. Products are not just found at the mall. It’s best to put the brakes the branding overload and concentrate on how interesting your products are, because it’s not just how loud you can yell anymore.

9. Consumer to Consumer (Communication)
eBay and PayPal has taught us that transactions can be easily done without a middleman (brick and mortar stores, agents, sales teams, etc.). People can sell, connect, and share experiences directly.

10. Scarcity and Abundance (Which Are You?)
You can expect success if you either (a) offer products or services that people want and you have little competition or (b) are ubiquitous and everyone knows your name. Jerry Seinfeld is both: you can find his show’s reruns everywhere but you also have to go Las Vegas to see him perform standup.

11. (Big) Ideas
Old advertising ideas, such as “Charlie the Tuna,” are dead. Consumers want companies to focus primarily on the products themselves along with their specific benefits – not gimmicky “spokesfish.”

12. (Permission-based) Marketing
Pushing marketing messages no longer works in a Web 2.0 economy. If you can continually provide superior products, services, content, etc., you can amass fans that are more than happy to give you their email addresses. When you consistently deliver personal and relevant messages, you’ll notice that they’ll complain loudest when you stop showing up in their inboxes.

13. The (New) Rich
Today’s affluent spawn not from old money nor are they limited to living in the good ole USA. If you are trying to sell to moneyed folk, your market is bigger than ever: from the 12-year-old inventor to the oil baron in Iraq.

14. No (More) Gatekeepers
Consumers will voluntarily follow you if you give them a reason to. Bust down the layers and let them into your organization – you might be surprised where you end up.

ContentRobot’s Take
We agree with Godin that “everyone is a marketer.” People are more than willing to talk about their experiences and tell stories about companies, products, and services that are important to them. ContentRobot is in the business of blogs and can help you to share your stories.

To learn more about Seth Godin, How to Avoid the Meatball Sundae, and even get yourself a copy.