Customers are more powerful than ever...

[David Parrish]

Customers are more powerful than ever. Because of changes in technology, particularly the interactive internet (Web 2.0), there has been a fundamental and irreversible shift of power in favour of consumers.

Creative business that embrace this change will thrive, by using new business models such as crowd-sourcing, viral marketing, crowd-financing, buzz marketing and plogging.

The bad news is that businesses that deny or ignore these changes by continuing to regard customers as passive targets will fail.

'New Business Models in the Creative Industries' was the subject of my keynote speech to the Media and Message conference of indepedent TV producers and media professionals in Finland.

We need to be innovative about how we do business and devise new business models centred on demanding, talkative and creative customers.

See full blog post and video of speech

[David Parrish]

Hi Colin

Thanks for your comments.

I agree that 'marketing' has become a posh word for selling, rather than an approach which looks at things from the customer's point of view.
See the Marketing chapter in my book (and free eBook) 'T-Shirts and Suits: A Guide to the Business of Creativity'.

Agreeing with your point about the value people get from your products, you might also be interested in my article 'What are you selling, really?'

Best wishes

David

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi David,
I've been saying this for a couple of years now - good for you, keep up the good work!

Marketing has become associated with sales, rather than associating the product with the value people get from them. Technology changes, human behavior doesn’t; use these new online social toys, keep informed, nothing replaces listening. People like to know they are being looked after and have a voice.