Lessons In Marketing 2 of 2

Here is what Pundita would like you to know:

If I asked you what you thought of your state's department of motor vehicles, what would you say? Most likely, they suck, yes? And why? Bureaucrats, politics, life time employees, so forth, so on and etc ... ad infinitum.

Multiply that times 1,000 in scope and complexity and you have the US State Department. That didn't matter when the world was the US versus the USSR with China as a lever to be played by both sides for their own ends. But it matters today because the playing field has changed.

Among others, Bolton at the UN, Goss at CIA and Rice at State are no longer only important as international hand shakers or titular heads of vast agencies on cruise control along a pre-defined course.

The US needs to re-think it's larger, outward-facing, bureaucrat-based governmental organizations to come into line with inevitable globalization, or run the risk of critical foreign policy being directed by lobbyists with dollar signs in their eyes, or some civil servants now working mostly for their retirement accounts.

If you as an American don't start paying simply some attention to these doings, you will have no right to bitch when your job goes to China, our missiles wind up being sold to the next potential Iraq, or too much of the world tells us to go pound sand the next time we want their military co-operation to save some American lives in whatever the next armed struggle against global terror might be.

Think about it.

And I'll get back to you with more and put it in terms designed for you and not some life long DC insider ... if I'm ever of a mind to, of course! ; )  The End

No amount of good marketing sells a poorly designed product - in this instance that product being valid information well-meaning individuals wish to convey to the public at large. The challenge for such people is not to figure out how to change America and Americans, or for God's sake condemn them for some perceived lack of interest, it is to learn to craft their message in packages which, in effect, sell. It is called the marketplace of ideas for a reason, afterall.

Yet not with all your smarts, Dan Riehl, not with all your smarts and marketing experience, can you squeeze out a higher percentage of interest among the American electorate about the doings at Foggy Bottom. But you sure gave it one hell of a try, which I find to be of great cheer.

Understood, but unacceptable. And for readers, Pundita is a blogger I admire and genuinely like much more than the average. But she and her colleagues in kind fail to understand the real challenge at hand from a marketing perspective. Consequently, they consistently blame the would be reader, instead of taking responsibility for what they so nobly desire to achieve.

They have incredibly valuable insights the average American, or even citizen of the world needs and would ultimately welcome. However, the majority of it is packaged in an unacceptable form.

Comments

[Pundita1]

Dan, I agree with your analysis and criticism wholeheartedly. It's just that I am in a self-pitying mood. I started out blogging thinking that I could explain where others couldn't. I've learned a lot (which I have not applied!) from studying how you put things; you know I admire your knack for pithy summary.

But it is one thing to 'know' what is going on, and another thing to fight it. There is an old saying that you fight at the level you can see. It takes a huge investment of time and energy to see enough, in this case, to fight well.

I did the best I could within my limitations to explain. If I were staying on, then I would apply lessons learned from studying your approach. But the wheel has turned.

I am not going to close with something damn silly, such as "You carry on for me, Dan" or I will get another Raspberry from you. I'll just say I am damn lucky our paths crossed.

[TheAlamo]

They have incredibly valuable insights the average American, or even citizen of the world needs and would ultimately welcome. However, the majority of it is packaged in an unacceptable form.

Posted by Dan in Politics | Permalink

Sometimes. But for the most part "political analysts" either totally ignore economics, or only look at it from a corporate perspective. The idea of "globalizations" has nothing to do with a better standard of living for the masses. It is a complete hogtie of the free market to eliminate competition.
Of necessity in elimination of possible future competition, it means, that when globalization is acheived, then you can kiss the Bill of Rights good-bye....which is what they have been working on diligently in the last two presidencies.

The answer to world growth and prosperty is not found in any governmental plans, for government has proven for thouseands of years, as an economic "planning" institution it is a total, abject failure. It will always be so, except for the monopolies that seek to use government to keep and maintain total market control Of course, when that happens, quality will go down the drain, and we have seen that already since competition from slaves in China have all but eliminated our own industrial base. And whose standard of lviing has improved? The Chinese slaves? Don't think so. The American consumer. Yeah the product is cheap, and it is useless after a year or so, and you have to buy another. No quality, because of no competition. So we get junk, China is able to keep its slaves under thumb and the world's standard of living is lowered...once again, by liars and/or idiots, who continue to harp of the same lies that "things are improving," when all one need do is to have been alive for 30 years to see things are on the total decline.

Globalization is the answer for corporate monopolistic parasites and government parasites.
Free men, and free markets are the answer for the rest of the world. And that is, as they say, the rest of the story.

[splashtc]

I read it. Didn't comment. That packaging thing. What is she saying- the State department is responsible for outsourcing?
China is probably our last resourse for cheap labor -but already this season(clothing business) their prices are too high and our customer is sourcing locally-and they are free to do so. Remember when made in Japan ment cheap chit. Bolivia is legalizing coca leaves for you know what. We better get in there fast so they can make some cheap crap for us.

[Mister Snitch!]

Well put Dan. It truly is a MARKETPLACE of ideas. Presentation counts. Quality (is the post lucid? to the point? polished? unique? spelled with reasonable accuracy?) keeps readers coming back (or not). Then there's service, packaging, graphics, marketing (trackback parties, Carnivals, comments posted elswehere, etc.) even community service (helping another blogger) and courtesy (not everyone who disagrees is corrupt, a fool, or a corrupt fool who deserves foul language).

Gee, this subject is worth a post in itself. Anyway, your point is well-taken: You don't just toss up a post and have the world come to your door. (In my 800 posts to date, that has happened exactly once. Not a good percentage.)

[Dan]

not everyone who disagrees is corrupt, a fool, or a corrupt fool who deserves foul language

Well, at least we agree on the rest of your comment. LOL