Do you sell camels?

Nearly every time I give a speech someone says: "But my buyers aren't online. My buyers don't use Google to find answers to problems or to research products."

When I hear this question, I immediately think that the questioner is just fearful of social media and is making an excuse so they can stick to the traditional marketing they've done all along like billboards, yellow page ads, and direct mail.

Some excuses (markets purported to not be online) I've heard recently include:
- people who donate money to humanitarian non-profits
- government agency workers
- senior executives at large companies.

I always say: "Nonsense! These days everyone is online. Executives use Google, government workers read blogs, people who donate money watch YouTube videos. And even if they don't go online at work, they do at home. Stop making excuses and reach your buyers in the way they want to be reached."

But I was wrong.

Today I am giving a keynote at a conference sponsored by Gulf Marketing Review Magazine in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Yesterday, in the outskirts of Riyadh, I finally found a market that really isn't online. I shot a short video in the middle of a raging sandstorm to explain. So I apologize and stand corrected. I'll now admit that not all buyers are using the Web.

If you're selling camels at the Riyadh camel market, then keep marketing the same old ways.

But if you're not selling camels in Riyadh, then you need to stop making excuses and implement ways to reach your buyers directly with great online content.

NOTE: Here is a direct link to my video Do You Sell Camels? on YouTube

Comments

[Mark Hinkle]

The irony here is that by virtue of your post your one example is now void. Next time I am in Riyadh I now know where to get a camel ;)

Safe travels.

[Michael Ray Hopkin]

David, you're spot-on; people are generally fearful of change. Either they will change or they will find themselves doing something much different in a year or two (or less). Maybe they'll end up selling camels. -Michael

[Michelle Riggen-Ransom]

Interesting article on similar topic published by Mike Volpe at Hubspot today: http://tinyurl.com/3zobyj

More to the sellers than the buyers in this case, but still. Camels and Maasai and marketing, oh my!

[Kevin Behringer]

David;

Great post. I think that what often happens is that a person/company may TRY something online, it doesn't work and they just assume that their business isn't built for online.

What would make them more likely to be successful would be the hard work of creating content that DOES work online. I think too many companies aren't successful online because it reveals weak "value propositions" like no other form of media.

It's important to do the hard work to find that thing that makes you unique or no one will pay attention and you will fail online.

Kevin

[David Daniels]

David, this is awesome! For those companies that think social media doesn't work for them, pay attention. My bank, USAA, which absolutely rocks has MySpace pages for recruiting and connecting with kids. USAA!

I am only half way through your book that I found at a little library in Villa Park, IL. They didn't have it here in Santa Barbara, CA, so I got it through Amazon. I LOVE your consistent message about, don't fear change, and everything can be sold on the web.

Oh yea, even though I am not in the market,the camels caught my eye.

Keep up the good work.

"B"

[George]

Hi David,

I think the camel traders could use QR Codes to integrate their signage with the Internet. QR Codes are a special type of barcode that is optimized for use by mobile phones. By using a QR Reader, such as a mobile phone with camera and QR software, one can jump from the print world to the online world.

For example here is a QR Code to the wikipedia link to camels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camels

To generate the QR Code for the link go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com

Regarding giving, the mobile web is probably the best way to go to reach a broad audience with an easy way to give. Roger Carr at http://www.everydaygivingblog.com/2008/05/mobile-giving.html descibes his experience with www.mGive.com.

He says
“Making a donation by sending a simple text message is convenient. This convenience is available to the 250 million mobile phone users in the United States alone.”

Thanks,

George

[Operário 04940]

"If you're selling camels at the Riyadh camel market, then keep marketing the same old ways." - but be carefull: there's always a guy selling camels made in china via a indian network based in mexico, with deliveries in one hour at your premises. It's just about switching your browser on...

Great article!

[Paul Dettman]

I don't think you were wrong at all! Don't these guys have mobile phones? The sustainable development people are always telling me how Kenyan fishermen use SMS to track market prices - maybe the Camel guys can do the same?

[angel dawson]

hello David! You are absolutely right. Traders should use internet in their trading because this is the easiest way to got your customer.
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Angel
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