Cheers,
j

We can do loads of stuff, but rather than pushing out in all directions, we’re going to concentrate on two things and do them really well.

Everything else we do can still be done, but we’re not going to spend time and money promoting it or letting it take over.

…

Good points. On an SME level one clear message remains from all the stories – communication is the key to it.

Apple gets away with what they do because their products are:

A) World renowned brands with a dedicated audience

B) Sexy as f*ck

I’m not sure how many other companies can get away with it…

Ryan Air fall into the same category. Their approach to the blogosphere: Up Yours.

Does this highlight that marketing really comes down to the right product at the right price. Create your evangelists and the sales will follow? It has to be part of the equation but obviously isn’t the whole story.

In the examples above is it that the “products” are different? In the painter example the product is a “painter who turns up and paints”, where as Apple’s is a dam fine phone. In the painter example the product didn’t work. Apple’s does work (pretty much anyway!).

My wife (to use an example close to home) has ran her gift making business for nigh 6 months through, purely through Facebook. No need for a website, tried Twitter, no joy. She may come back to these and other methods of marketing, but right now, FB is a winner.