Corporate College East - e Marketing Techniques

It has been almost a week since I attended this conference and I am still digesting its information. This is the second annual e Marketing Techniques conference and my second time attending it. It's affordable and the value eclipses the price. Two nationally known authors and speakers on the subject: John Jantsch (Duct Tape Marketing) and David Meerman Scott (the New Rules of Marketing and PR) who linked to a packed luncheon via the web (talk about "e"). The remaining speakers were local professionals who have developed a high level of expertise in their respective fields around e marketing. In addition, all attendants received a book by one of the keynote authors.

The takeaway, in summary of the day, was this:

• It's not about me (or you!) it's about serving the community
• Its about raising all ships
• It's about mutually beneficial giving for free (say goodbye to your intellectual hording)

And to answer the one question that must plague everyone's entrepreneurial mind - "How on God's green earth do I make money?". The question posed by one and only brave participant at lunch was answered in three steps by David Meerman Scott:

1. Step One - Give away your knowledge for the good of the community (it takes up a lot of space, has psychic weight, AND let's face it - there really is nothing new under the sun).
2. Step Two - Write a book by pulling your stuff together around YOUR approach (which is more of a marketing tool than it is a money-maker).
3. Step Three - Sell to clients who can use your services and like your approach ($$$$$$$).

To see my visual notes from the day click here.

BTW, if this seems like a "no-brainer", I have have been in countless meetings and even one since last week where the concept of letting go and giving away was met vehemently with traditional market thinking and warnings of "BE CAREFUL". What do you think: No-brainer or can you poke an eye out? I welcome your comments.