Comments on: Why Marketing Rules Are Useless

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:22:04 +0000

Thanks, Walter. Best of luck with the book!

- Greg

By: walter daniels

walter daniels — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:08:51 +0000

One of the reasons that rules don’t work, is an inadequate understanding of the basic laws behind the rules, or in how to apply the rules. A number of years ago, while on the Internet advertising list, I suddenly understood how Advertising, Marketing and Sales actually work together, after studying them for a long time.
It took me a few more years of dealing with pain and medication, to finally put it on paper. Of course, being rear ended by a PU truck doing 30 MPH on 12/4/2000, severely injuring my back, had something to do with it. Now, I have a book in final stages, explaining how to use my insight.
Basically, Advertising is the process of announcing to the world that you have a solution to a very general problem. Example, Ford makes cars, trucks and vans, for transportation.
Marketing is being more selective in what solutions are being offered. The Ford dealer usually offers car vans, or rarely cars and trucks. This is a the more specific solution to the transportation need.
Finally, Sales is a specific solution to the transportation need. Here the customer is offered the specific answer, whether it’s a car, truck, or van. Completed by choosing the particular color, options and type that fills the need.
Once these connections are understood and properly applied, they can all work together more efficiently. By understanding that it is not a series of discrete choices, but points along a continuum that have to work together.

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:59:41 +0000

Rodger,

Designing a bridge takes an enormous amount of judgment and you wouldn’t want to build one by rules alone. That’s why bridges are built by novice engineers but experienced ones and are stress tested.

- Greg

By: Roger Wilson

Roger Wilson — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:48:13 +0000

Greg- this one is a head scratcher for me. Aren’t rules simply useful? For example one of my rules is “trust the numbers” because I have found that we all tend to make excuses to explain away numbers we don’t like and we tend to allow anxieties and wishful thinking to color our judgment – I have seen “judgmental factors,’ particularly in forecasts more often lead to larger margins of error than consistently applied rules. I am trying to see how Wittgenstein’s Paradox would help me design a bridge for instance.

By: Greg

Greg — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:40:50 +0000

Yes, he is:-)

Thanks.

- Greg

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:33:03 +0000

Hi Greg,
Great article. In my opinion,the only place for rules – aka “Street Lights and Stop Signs” is when driving a car.
In business, I think the successful are the ones who broke the rules – just a little!
The “nod” is a tough one because it is very hard to say to an adult -”can you please repeat what I just said so I know you understand me” without insulting them.
But after-all, my husband broke every rule and won me – lucky guy!:-)
Lisa

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:34:35 +0000

Greg,

Thanks for getting me off my ass. The links are fixed and I now know how to do it for the future:-)

- Greg

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:18:26 +0000

Greg,

Good point about the links. I’ll work on that (but for now, right click).

Guidelines can be useful, but at the end of the day you have to use your judgment.

Thanks for your comment, both here and on LI.

- Greg

By: Gregory Ubigen

Gregory Ubigen — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:36:48 +0000

Dear Greg,

Refreshing article. I liked the way you presented your points.

There is one rule that, I think, you did ignore:

Your links should open to another tab/page and not replace your page. Example are the links to ‘Ludwig Wittgenstein’ and ‘Wittgenstein’s Paradox’ pages on Wikipedia. I should be able to click those links without leaving your page.

Your article highlights the essence of the paradigm: ‘There are three types of lies – lies, damn lies AND STATISTICS’.

Most poeple choose to interpret statistics in a way that resonates with the point they are trying to pass accross (which may or may not be correct) or to tickle the ears of their audiences (bosses inclusive).

I believe that some marketing rules are useful. I also believe that, in marketing, one has to be streetwise and seek to learn more about what works… and what works better. This is where technology plavs a big role.

Unfortunately. some marketing people are not awake to these realities and some of such people are still calling the shots in some organizations.

Please do I have your permission to reference your work in my blog?

Regards
(Another) Greg

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:42:35 +0000

Joni,

Good points. Even in purely mathematical systems, rules can either be complete or consistent – not both.

- Greg