Harvest Demand Or Create It?

Search marketing harvests demand, it doesnt create it (ht to Drew at Dropbox).

Most small businesses believe that theyre too small to have an impact on the whole market, so they resort to picking the fruit thats already grown instead of planting their own seeds. Its far easier to wait until someone is ready to buy than it is to persuade them to buy.

Except the answer isnt to poach demand at the last minute. The answer is to redefine the market into something much smaller and more manageable. You dont need to persuade everyone that you have a great idea, you merely need to persuade one person. And then make it easy for that person to share.

One last semi-related thought: Wenda Millard quotes a Mercedes Benz exec, If the only time I show you a Mercedes ad is just before youre about to buy a fancy car, Ive lost. The fact is, advertising to build brand and recongnition and demand is a very long-term proposition, not something you measure with clicks.

A last-minute swipe of purchase intent is a tactical win. Its not, however, a long-term way to build your organization