Integration Marketing and the Nature of Power in the 21st Century

[Mark Joyner]

Hey guys,

First, thanks for all the kind words and well-wishes.

I thought I'd mix things up a bit with a little question to get our brains moving ...

If you've read the last chapter of Integration Marketing you know that I think business can be a powerful force for good.

But the nature of business, and power itself, is a constantly changing thing.

Before we had "social contract" it's theorized that the mightiest (in raw physical power) of us had all the power.

Now I would argue that power rests primarily with those who are the most adept at twisting public perceptions to their benefit.

Is it possible that we can engineer the world in such a way that the spinning and manipulation of the past will no longer be as effective?

Perhaps it's happening now ...

With the democratization of media, and with the public increasingly educated about the ways of spin and manipulation, where are we headed?

And if spin doctors become the chest-pounding strongmen without any real power in the future, who will hold the power?

(Hint: I think the answer has something to do with Integration Marketing.)

MJ

[drmani]

Interesting question, Mark.

Just yesterday, in another discussion on the subject of global
micro-brands, I said this:

"The ONE real asset all of us have - and can still retain no matter
what else happens - is our own personal MICRO-BRAND.

That is still under our control, to a large extent.

Back it up with a loyal audience who buys into your brand, and
you'll be one of the few who withstand a shakeout which will
very likely happen sooner than later."

Integration Marketing will be a VERY powerful way to manage a
micro-brand while still gaining massive reach over a wide
audience base.

I see incredible potential from applying some core concepts your
ebook has revealed so far - and I'm sure many more ideas will
emerge during a revision (and then, re-revision).

All success
Dr.Mani

[johnmorris]

Maybe, I'm abstracting a bit too far, but I would argue that genuine power doesn't lie with those able to twist public perception.

Sure, temporary power does... but, not genuine long-lasting power.

Ultimately, I believe that genuine power does, and always has, lie with those most able to create value.

I'll take YOU as a perfect example.

What is it that makes you TRULY powerful?

Is it your knowledge of marketing tricks?

Is it your charisma and charm?

Is it your undeniable good looks?

Or, is it your ability to continually CREATE values that others want and are willing to ACT in order to get?

Ultimately, I believe power is value creation... in all its forms.

In caveman days, things like intelligence, strength, and speed were the values that ensured survival... the values that people at that time were seeking.

So, the big, strong, smart guy won.

In recent years, I would say it was intelligence. In the information age, people were seeking information. Information is what increased our chance of survival.

So, the smart people with the good ideas and information won... Gates, Ford, Rockefeller, Carnegie, and so on.

But, with the rise of the internet, that's changing. Information is so prevalent that all of us are smart now... all of us have good ideas and information.

I believe now the tide is shifting and PRESENCE (or keen situational awareness) is the value that most of us are seeking.

Why?

Because, our society is growing in complexity... and fast. As that complexity increases, it can seem chaotic and overwhelming...

And, most people, FREEZE.

Or, act without a keen awareness of what's really going on.

However, those who possess a strong presence... those who are able to BE PRESENT to the moment... see it... understanding... and act on it are the ones who will be able to create the value needed for the situations they encounter.

They will be the ones who win.

That is the value that will increase one's chance of survival.

Which is funny, because Integration Marketing, to me, is exactly that. It's about business presence. It's about SEEING the landscape... about having a keen awareness of the situation... understanding it... and knowing exactly what actions to take as a result.

I'm really taken back by all this, because I've been working on a similar system for fitness... and, to see, someone lay it out so perfectly is inspiring to me.

I had my doubts about whether something like PRESENCE could be explained conceptually... but, now seeing you do it with business, I know it can.

Anyway, brilliant!

John Morris
Untouchables Underground (http://www.UntouchablesUnderground.com)

[skember]

Value is indeed vitally important ingredient if one wishes to have ands to develop 'Power' but to create meaningful impact it has to be part of a multi prong attack: i.e.: having something unique that enables you to stand apart in the first place is a pre-requisite; then having something that really adds value in the direct context of that uniqueness to targeted users is the second and thirdly, and critically importantly, it is essential that you are able to communicate this 'uniqueness' and this 'value' to those whom you wish to serve.

Having achieved this then the key to driving your 'power status' rests on the final driver and that is 'innovation'. The only constant in business life these days is 'change'; it is one's response to change that determines whether you attain and sustain a position of power.

Therefore the real question has to be how do you adapt to change?

It is your ability to innovate in response to this changing environment that provides the key to the next and the next and to the next power levels.

[bkprice14]

Power is most of the time about resources. The resource you need to fill some need at that time or moment in life will dictate the person or group you deem powerful.

The niche markets has shown us that at different points of interest and learning curves people will choose to gravitate toward resources that help them fill that desire.

Now, resources were controlled at one point by the few, as Mark pointed out long ago, a pipeline of knowledge and resource were controlled by the few, the masses did not have the ability to push a button and start learning and getting real time information.

I believe that most people can get real time information about changes and new breakthroughs as fast as the elite among us. This water shed of information will allow us all to surf the big wave of success and knowledge.

The consumer in the not to distant future will be all powerful, they will deem what is a resource and if it truly is important.

Business will now have to deliver on any promise, their customers can can communicate at light speed and give real time feedback on any product or service.

[tmsilvers]

Hey everybody:

MJ, when I read your question, the first thing that came to mind was as long as one "positions" him/herself and offer "true value" to his/her audience, that will be the person who lasts.

As I kept reading the replies to your question, I actually saw that come through from a number of people's responses.

I firmly believe that to have business sustainability, business owners should offer their wares both online and in their local areas simultaneously.... "in addition" to strong business positioning so they will be the "authority" their industry seeks after -- providing they offer superb and superior products and services.

So if I loved to cook and wanted my own catering business for example (and this just off the top of my head as I'm writing this; I'm not in the catering business), I would not only write a cookbook of my favorite recipes, but I would do the following:

Locally: Offer cooking classes at a local school, write short columns in recipe magazines on a regular basis, write a few "advertorials" for local newspapers around the holidays, perhaps on a quarterly basis donate my best meals to a local shelter and mingle among the people and ask them their favorite recipes (and give credit for it), sponsor little league teams' special events (followed by press releases, of course), etc., provide local (print) newsletters with other people showcasing their best dishes, etc.

And,

Online: Offer monthly "webinar" cooking classes, teleseminars interviewing famous chefs and making the pdf transcript and replay of call available to the listeners, provide tons of CD/DVD cooking classes via a monthly membership, write numerous recipe ebooks, participate in real-time cooking events, etc., etc., etc.

In other words, I would provide the very "value" you and others have previously shared.

By being viewed as an expert in my field both online and locally (simultaneously), and constantly improving myself and showing others how to do the same, I'm pretty sure that no matter what happens in business, if I stay on top of and adapt to change (like the numerous ways of social networking and "integration marketing") plus being geniunely interested in my target market and creating products and services that serves "their" best interest, I have no doubt I would be one of those who lasts during any kind of business shakeup.

And as mentioned by an earlier post, to me, this is *seeing* the landscape and taking action.

[sylviaheins]

It is rather wondrous how the power of business looks to be shifting. The 'Captains of Industry', who were way smart, granted, but highly ruthless (and perhaps connected in ways that 'ordinary people' of the time didn't even suspect), had the power to mold markets and use natural resources as they willed with no permission, with impunity. Now, thousands of acres of trees, millions of indigenous species and peoples etc. later, many feel that it's time for a whole different way of being in the world as well as for a different business-and-making-money paradigm to emerge.

Power, in the old age, has justified itself by using an assumed mandate from a Christian (or other) God. That mindset is starting to fade and people are thinking for themselves, looking for their own answers and clarifying their preferences instead of having them dictated to them (making long-tailed searches too). Maybe they just finally want to be free from dogma and propaganda and to experience every moment on its own, not through a filter of doctrine.

And even though things are progressing nicely, it will take continued dedication and vigilance to democratize media via the internet; Ron Paul gets his hits diminished by the YouTube stats and myspace refuses to enable any links of Alex Jones' page, lots of things like this happen. But the grasp of the Centralized Media is probably getting fatigued and ready to slip sooner than later with all that keeping track the leaks which multiply exponentially.

Integration marketing is simple and beautiful because it is about choice - you can choose integrate with a cool nano-solar company, putting their ads on your thank you page when your customer orders a water cachement system or cobb house-ebook if you see fit. It is also about getting a message out through a bunch of different channels that you determine, giving it more exposure than a superbowl ad, just maybe not all at once. It can help permanent change happen quietly and under the radar also. For now that seems important.

[coops]

An interesting question indeed..

It is also interesting to note that the perspective of many of the respondents was from that whom they perceived to be creating 'value' and thus gaining power.

As Micheal Porter, Harvard Business Professor wrote in his book "Competitive Advantage, Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance", value, either perceived or experienced is adjudged by the consumer of the product or service, not by the creator of said product or service. This suggests ultimately the power rests with the consumer not creator.

Individual consumers often however lack the combined power of communities.

As internet marketing, in particular, evolves we are bombarded with messages regards Social Networking as the new medium. It can sometimes be hard to keep up with all IM'ers jumping onboard, but recently I was fortunate enough to witness the power of the "community / tribe" in action.

I was attending the 'Renegades of Persuasion' seminar in Las Vegas, hosted by Dave Lakhani (http://www.boldapproach.com/) and co-presented by Dr Kevin Hogan (http://www.kevinhogan.com/), Ben Mack (http://www.thinktwoproductsahead.com/home.html), Deborah Micek (Twitter Handbook (http://twitterhandbook.com/) / Tribal Seduction (http://tribalseduction.com/)) among others.

During the seminar one presenter declared they only share their knowledge and experience with those who would use that knowledge appropriately, and stated a specific criteria to determine whom those in the audience were.

There was one in the audience who chose not meet the criteria, so the presentation could not proceed.

During the ensuing 'stand-off' it was evident the mood of the community / tribe (the rest of the audience wanting to hear the presentation) was shifting from one of questioning the motives of the lone individual to resentment that the individual was preventing the group from something they desired and perceived they woudl gain value from. Ultimately, after approx 15 - 20 mins, the lone dissenting individual left the room and the presentation started.

Later during a break I saw the lone voice of dissension across the lobby of the hotel and members of the community still frustrated and angry at him for the disruption.

This left no doubt in my mind the community / tribe held the power, and as they become more informed will take back even more power.

Communities / Tribes may be small, they may be numerous but used wisely integration marketing could bring together many smaller non-integrated communities as a larger more cohesive power.

Just some thoughts

Best Regards

Coops

[DennisBarker]

who held control of resources. The "old money2 families of medieval europe held the land and resources - and still do to a large extent in europe. In the USa it is the entrepreneurs of a couple of hundred years ago who hold the resources and form the families which offer each other joint venture deals today, oilmen and railroad barons etc.

The internet presents us with an opportunity to form alliances which will be the equivalent in a hundred or two hundred years time. It opens up the partnering opportunities and gives anyone with enough drive and creativity the option of capturing a niche market.

The power still lies at the top of a hierarchy but it is a new hierarchy which has to be inclusive to generate opportunities (at the moment). As each market becomes dominated by a few people then the openness will diminish (possibly).

Regards
Dennis

[adamg]

Is it possible that we can engineer the world in such a way that the spinning and manipulation of the past will no longer be as effective?

Perhaps it's happening now ...

With the democratization of media, and with the public increasingly educated about the ways of spin and manipulation, where are we headed?

And if spin doctors become the chest-pounding strongmen without any real power in the future, who will hold the power?

(Hint: I think the answer has something to do with Integration Marketing.)

MJ
Just had a chat with an online buddy about this post. We got quite deep and when you contemplate certain questions it can be invigorating...

Adam:yeh Mark is on the ball it's a great set of questions

Grant:well it's all about questions in this day and age... who asks the best questions will be the winners

Adam:hehe u gotta funny way of putting it... yeh u r right

Adam:What is the best question?

Grant:1. Category?

Adam:mmm that's a good one to start

Grant:gettin back to the post you're right Mark has asked some super questions

Adam:yeh great I say.... 1. yes, 2. to a better place 3. who ever markets themselves and provides real value to others

Grant:of course when everyone answers are similar what a world this will be??? nice simple honest ethical way to live/market/earn/spend ahh life!

Adam:cool... it's not about marketing budget and manipulation... subliminal control haha

Grant:unless corps start hiring the right socialbytes who sellout without knowing it. manipulated to sell

Adam:wouldn't work nice honest socialbytes (luv that one) will do their thing or support who they are interested in. attracting like minded to buy and sell with

Grant:jeez that's true imagine being 20 years younger

Adam:17 wow uhhmmm no thx

Grant:na

Grant:Mark sort of sees things from above or mmm big picture

Grant:when you come in with a perception from the top I think you could see things how they really are more and more where does it stop

Adam:yeh i get a sense of that sometimes

Grant:BS

Adam:haha

Adam:yep mark really is a guru it's not just marketing

Adam:info age allows easy access to info including the truth

Grant:the info age brings with it easier access to info yeh and the truth and that does change the world

Grant:delivery, almost instant access, rich media, real people can be bloggers etc etc allows the masses to penetrate the shrouds or veils that could maniplute so easy in the past

Adam:What a great time to be alive

Grant:dinner cya :)


Thanks Mark and for others taking part in this thread... it does get the ticker tinking

[JAMESBUTZEN]

Neocheaters will be no more.... Unless they decide to turn to a world of true honesty. Integration Marketing / Neo-Think-- (True Honesty) .
I believe true honesty will develop more and more over time which is exactly what we need in order to accomplish our most important goals and be able to do business the way Mark describes in Integration Marketing. Bring the world together in peace and harmony. Rid of all the HOAXS and the HOAXTERS. Manipualtion no more. We are on are way into the New Age or Era. Its time to Integrate!

[sylviaheins]

well, but maybe some lies are pragmatic; and marketers have to lie, because people lie to themselves day in and day out, and its the only language that can reach them, supporting those lies, even as your nudging them 'into the light'.
seems like the saving grace will not be about honesty or dishonesty, but rather sustainability or non sustainability. thank goddess the time has finally come when having information trumps the ability to conquer and pillage. If you can learn how to grow an organic garden catch your water and get along with friends and enemies, no one can really own you. wish I understood it better, but it looks like Integration Marketing is also sustainable in itself as its cooperative; it doesn't exhaust itself because it rides with other things.