Measuring charlatanism

Charlatanism might be a very aggressive word, but honestly this is the way I feel about those marketers who claim to have the secret or the solution for one’s marketing needs. They don’t, as simple as that. With very few exceptions, I hated almost every single minute spent on workshops, luncheons or anything else people who are (well) paid to instruct those who pay (a lot) to receive these people’s advice.

Once I remember, among other cases, of a former HP marketing executive talking about strategies for EA sports. The content was highly sophisticated, very deep into details and the whole strategy made total sense. But please tell me how could I apply a marketing structure and resources coming from HP and EA to my “corner bakery” small employer?

If you think paying 100, 200 dollars for a day with these people will solve your marketing problems, just take a break and unwind because it won’t. They cost a hell of a lot more than that. Actually I even doubt this will some day lead to an insight.

Recently I spent some time planning a corporate blog and the publication of some articles, and it became more explicit that people who read these articles are looking for a free or at least cheap way to solve their marketing problems.

At least in some cases what is annoying can become entertaining. Last year I went to a workshop where the last speaker of the day was a major Canadian marketing and education character. The guy is really smart, and had a terrific oratory. I was even more surprised when he told all of his mental difficulties in his childhood and teens. But he prevailed after all.

I hadn’t checked the program, but at the end of his speech the host came up to the microphone and he seemed pale and very surprised. Then he said: “It wasn’t actually what we were expecting, but it was certainly interesting”.

The topic had been changed by the mental difficulties of the speaker. He was supposed to talk about customer relationship management, but ended up speaking about creativity and how the human being is losing the power to innovate.