Inbound Marketing Zen

Are You Becoming the Wal-Mart…

Worse Yet, the K-Mart of Inbound Marketing?

There is a homogenization taking place in inbound marketing!

Yes, an endeavor as diverse, complex, and complicated as inbound marketing, and within it social media, is becoming nothing more than white bread. And sadly enough, it’s not even Wonder Bread, the stuff that “Builds strong bodies 12 ways!”

Talk about a USP and brand awareness!

Nope!

It’s just plain old, store bought, generic, shot with air, grocery store brand white bread.

Day after day, article after article, video after video, blog post after blog post, tweet after post after plurk, Google Alert after Google Alert, and expert after self-anointed, or is that self-appointed, expert. They all rehash the same comment, the same material, and the same party-line.

On…and on…and on…amen…and hallelujah!

It’s all the same restated jargon, I wouldn’t even call most of it content. Nothing exciting, nothing provocative…nothing in the least bit different.

Even when we discuss positioning and differentiation?

We hear the same old – same old!

There is no Ying and Yang in inbound marketing and social media. Sadly, there is very little in blogging, which is seemingly controlled by something akin to a high school clique…

…there is only Yap!

Yes, marketing is indeed a battle of perceptions. However, inbound marketing, social media, and even blogging have become all about following the follower, lock step and don’t get out of line, all behind a select few individuals and a few select companies.

Geez! Doesn’t that sound like high school?

If you get invited to the best parties, guestblogging, you’re in! You get some traffic, a few links, and for a time you run with the popular kids.

There is all this talk about moving the free line, giving away the house in the hopes you are viewed as something of an authority, a guru if you are really lucky…or not.

The Commoditization of Inbound Marketing is in Full Gear

Prices are stated before the inbound marketing consultant has any idea what the client’s needs are!

Jump in line, who wants to be the next Wal-Mart of inbound marketing? Wal-Mart, perhaps shooting for Target status. Sadly, there is very little in the way of Saks and Tiffany’s or The Four Seasons when it comes to social media management, inbound marketing consulting, and/or blogging.

We are indeed witnessing the homogenization, worse yet the commoditization, of inbound marketing and social media management.

Want 12 blog posts a month?

That will be $600!

Want the super duper ultimate premium inbound marketing package with all the bells and whistles?

That will be $6000 a month…and we will wash you car for free!

We have obviously learned little or nothing from the dismantling of the automobile industry?

Is everyone so eager to be the Wal-Mart of inbound marketing?

I would argue most can’t even get close to being the K-Mart of inbound marketing, much less the Wal-Mart.

Heaven forbid and shoot for the moon…the next Target!

The passages and lessons of our lives repeat themselves over and over again. History repeats itself as well.

So, the question is a simple one…yet the answer seems illusive:

Will we learn from the lessons of our lives?

Once established:

Do you want to go the way of K-Marts of the world…or do you want to be remarkable?

One thing is certain:

If you play follow the leader, or worse yet follow the follower? You will never have an identity of your own and you will never do anything unique and remarkable!

Food for thought!

Inbound Marketing Zen