The old concept of marketing was based on limitations that do not exist on the information superhighway -- geographical limitations and bandwidth limitations. For example, if you were a stockbroker 20 years ago, you'd need to cultivate your clientele from your local area. There may not have been that many local people who shared your investment philosophy, so you had to persuade them, convince them, to use your services even if they didn't exactly agree with you. Then, you would provide your customers with limited information on investments because it was to expensive and time-consuming to give them too much information.
Now, as a stockbroker operating on the Internet, you can service clients anywhere in the world and provide them with extensive information on any investment that might be appropriate for them. You can make your investment strategies and philosophies known, and let the customers who share those approaches find you. No longer do you need to convince people to your way of doing things, because you no longer have the geographical and information limitations you once did. Your potential market is infinitely expanded, and your approach to marketing changes from one of persuading to one of sorting -- simply connecting yourself with the right group of people -- clients who will appreciate what you have to offer.
Marketers must learn to shift their resources away from convincing people to buy, and toward educating, informing and connecting with the marketplace. The great thing about marketing in cyberspace is that if you make the information available in the right way, the right people will find it. Your best customers are the ones who find you.
© 1995 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All rights reserved.