My friends have been asking me "why doesn't Wall Street believe Steve Ballmer?"
That's an easy one. Cause he didn't convince the grass roots influence networks first. Why have Google and Apple done so well in the last three years? Cause the grassroots loves them. That's the powerroot of the industry. Ideas here don't come from the big influencers and move down. No, they start on the street and move up. Anyone miss how Google got big? Not by throwing a press conference.
Phooey. What is Steve Ballmer going to say to the grassroots? Nothing! Because Microsoft has not come out with an innovative product in 10 years, with a nod and wink in the direction of Bungie.
You are waiting for the Network Marketing tie in?
Here you go...it all starts with the product. The product must be remarkable. If you don't have a remarkable product, you have nothing. A remarkable and innovative product will make people notice and talk about you. Interviewing Steve Ballmer about Vista is not going to make Vista remarkable, it's still just an operating system that looks a little more apple-ish.Talking to people about your company and product will not have the same results as letting people experience your product. People receive far too much information in today's world. If you want to set yourself apart, you need to let your potential customers and business partners have an experience.
I gotta hand it to you, Ty...bucking the opinion of Scoble is gutsy.
I'm not saying that everyone agrees with everything Scoble says, and probably shouldn't without their own research; but after you have written many times about what Scoble calls the "blogging life"..i.e. start a blog...become an influencer...be a part of the "grassroots" that Scoble further explains in his article...and then to ignore that point is bold.
And while I DO agree that product is important and Microsoft has stumbled; that doesn't change the fact that back long ago Apple produced a better innovative product and was trounced in the market by Microsoft.
A "remarkable" product can be great; true.
But, Scoble's point(I believe) is that remarkable marketers(like bloggers) can make ANY product "marketable" and "remarkable."
But, you posit an interesting spin and perspective. I enjoyed reading it.
Dave
Posted by: David Robison | June 20, 2006 11:14 PM | Permalink to Comment