I just finished reading “No One Size Fits All – From Mass Marketing and Mass Handselling” – by Tom Hayes & Michael S. Malone.  This book is about the changing marketplace – that mass media marketing will become less and less effective.  That the Internet is returning us to a world of smaller, more insular communities.  That companies need to change how the interact with customers – from telling them about their products to engaging in their communities.

Overall it’s a book worth reading – but it’s a little dry.  There is a lot of research that the author references to make his points – a lot of sociological research.  While I’m not fully on board with the author – I think it’s worth considering how the world is changing how to market to customers.

Like in some of my other Book Reviews – I will talk less about the book and more about some observations about it.  I see some of what the author sees – as the growth of online communities is large and growing.  I’m on Facebook a lot, read Twitter posts a lot and support a number of online forums (from a technical perspective).  I see trends in TV watching – that people are using the DVR, watching things online – that old days of everyone watching the same thing are over.

One of the fascinating things the book points out is the human need to form groups – to find a sense of community.  One of the things I find fascinating is how much money (hundreds, even thousands of dollars) people will spend on their hobbies.  I can’t imagine spending that much money (probably because I don’t have it) on a hobby – but I see it over and over across many hobbies.  I’ve often wondered why that much money is spent – is it just because they enjoy the hobby that much – or is it about a sense of community?  About how by joining other in that hobby – of that shared passion – they find identify and comfort in that shared community.

Another area that’s interesting is how the business environment has changed – in that the cost of doing business in many ways is drastically lower.  The Internet allows cheap and pervasive advertising – technology allows customization (print on demand), small one-person shops to compete, etc.  You can “broadcast” cheaply, sell stuff on eBay or Amazon, create a “FAN” page on Facebook for free, advertise on Twitter,  craigslist (also all for free!).

If you’re a large established company with a large cost structure your new competitors (especially those overseas) can be a definite challenge.  Look at traditional media companies – especially newspapers – and you have an example in the making.  The future will likely require companies to be more nimble to adapt to the marketplace – to engage with their customers – not just talk at them.  For those companies that adapt and engage- the future will be fascinating - for those that don’t it will be frightening.

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