Attended the “Masters Of Marketing Masterclass” in Sydney the other day (October 25).
Put on by the folks at “The Marketing Campus” it was billed as…
“How to write content that really sells. Everything you must know to thrive and survive in today’s over-heated and over-hyped marketing environment”
…the main attraction for me was to finally see and hear the great Drayton Bird LIVE!
And here is the great man with yours truly…
It wasn’t just Drayton who was speaking. His long-term business partner Malcolm Auld kicked things off with a clear, cold-eyed look at marketing in the digital world.
Echoing much of what Dan Kennedy reports, the data reveals that online marketing in general…
…and social media in particular…
…just isn’t living up to the hype.
That’s not to say that technology isn’t having an impact on marketing…
…as Malcolm revealed with some fascinating applications of new technology…
…used in the context of the classic direct response marketing model.
If there was one big takeaway for me from from Malcolm…
…it was that the next “Big New Thing” is….
…direct mail!
A message that Dan Kennedy has been presenting as well.
Don’t believe me? Fine, but then why is Google using classic direct mail campaigns extensively to sell it’s online advertising services?
Drayton delivered the major part of the seminar and provided a restatement of marketing fundamentals as applied to current conditions.
Lots of stories of real world campaigns and insights into what really drives buying decisions…
…along with general business tips from the “School Of Hard Knocks”.
More than lived up to my expectations. Sure, with all of the books and videos by Drayton that I already have, there probably wasn’t anything completely new.
BUT…it’s all about mastering the fundamentals and applying them successfully to new marketing challenges.
Really, that’s what the day was all about. Take the classic principles of direct response marketing as set out by Claude Hopkins in “Scientific Advertising”…
..and apply them to make sales today using contemporary technology and media.
Finally, John Hancock finished off the day with a somewhat scholarly presentation on the art and technique of clear and effective writing. A kind of mini Strunk and White “Elements Of Style” with an approach to grammar that I hadn’t seen before.
I confess I was losing my concentration by this stage of the day! Fortunately, John has a book “Write Like You Mean Business”…
…a copy of which is now in my library and on the “must read” list.
Highly worthwhile day. Nice as well to get out from my “lair” and meet other marketing professionals.
UPDATE (29 October 2012):
Here’s a short video presentation that kicked off Malcolm Auld’s talk. Neatly summarises some pertinent facts about social media…