It was interesting being at an online marketing show yesterday and seeing the traditional ways of marketing still in abundance. In fact, it was a little like being on holiday in Greece, being hassled on the street to go into a particular restaurant for dinner! You know what I mean. It all smacked like desperation, with some of the people on the stands looking a shade bemused and uncomfortable. The two seminars I attended were a similar experience.

Too much sameness, no distinction between products and over hyped sales pitches do nothing for an industry supposedly at the forefront of marketing tactics. This one just stunk! Promotional pens, pencils, stress balls, sweets and highlighter pens are so 80’s I felt embarrassed. Our attention is so much more valuable now than it was five years ago because we have become so much more savvy about what we pay attention to. You need to do more than just free gifts…..blowing my mind with useful information would have been far more inspiring!

Old style sales and marketing died years ago. Some exhibitors will argue that they got a ROI, but was it the right ROI - return on influence, Chris Brogan and Julien Smiths point. Brogan and Smith argue that ‘attention is currency,’ they are right. There was little to grab the attention of business out there. Too much like any other exhibition, seminars not cutting edge enough, too sales pitch orientated and no where near enough ‘wow’ factors.

Perhaps the online sector is moving into just another form of marketing (which it is) mode having been around a while now. The important thing is not to fall into the same tactics that throw out little differentiation, compete on price and add no or little value. I wasn’t left wanting a little more from the day…I was left wanting a load lot more and significantly disappointed!