The true pioneers are the ones who see the city before it's build, before others see it!

Not quite in the same vein, but it is old guard meets new media...

General Motors launched a blog so that one of their VP's could communicate what's going on at the company and open a dialogue via blog comments.

Thanks for posting this Mark!

Yes Mark

You punk-ass marketeer... That move to import the user's address book and email the automatically acquired, permission based list (see StartBlaze Informer) seemed to work just fine!

Today this tactic is driving some of the biggest social networks, there's even a 3rd part service (Plaxo) that facilitates this function.

The "old skool" who frequented a certain entrepreneurial success forum (which will remain nameless - but we both know who I'm talking about) went so far as to ban me and sent me packing to the hackers and crackers forums as soon as I suggested such a crazy idea as re-engineering a vb virus for permission based marketing purposes.

I gives me a buzz to see how many aspects of today's online industry has been shaped by the strategies you pioneered!

Note from MJ: Ha - I'm glad someone noticed! Every now and then something we did like 10 years ago comes up as a new invention. Ah, I'll get over it :-) The answer to people taking credit for your ideas is: invent more faster. Great to hear from you! Email me.

Dunn & Bradstreet has entered the online networking fray with its beta release of "Hoovers Connect."

Similar to LinkedIn, Hoovers Connect enables profile creation and search (other profiles, resumes and "skill sets").

What I find intriguing is whether or not D&B will then plug this information back into the information products they sell to businesses, thus reducing their cost of data acquisition since folks simply sign up and provide their own data.

Talk about organic lead generation...

Oh man, Mark!

Call Chet up, please, before he wins the Ugliest Profit-Pulling Site award.

Yes, the Old Guard could learn a bit more...

Hi Mark and all,

Do you think that the "old media" would want de-centralization?

Or is it in their best interest to have it centralized.

Their willingness to change and embrace de-centralization could accelerate results.

Koorosh

Hmm, since you ask, Mark... :-)

I recently attended Randy Gilbert's and Peggy McColl's Mentoring program about becoming an Amazon Best Seller. And now, since I'm in your "Space Monkey program" and see your post here, seems I'm going to focus on that in the near future, too.

But first...off to create a product out of thin air... :-)

-Marcus

This is great. A very inspiring blog, thank you Mark.
I think I'll add visiting this blog, to my Daily Praxis.
However I think more that I'll stick closely to my straight line actions!

Namaste, Thea

Hi Mark,I'm kind of new at all of this de/centralized marketing, but there is a company (http://www.marketamerica.com/dmt/)you may already be aware of but wothy of notice for their inovative 'mass customization' marketing approch. I think they will be bigger then Amazon ever dreamed of being.

Keep up the good work,

David.

Yes, but those clunky old dinosaurs fall on their ankles now. People don't want TV on the internet (so stop with the dorky next internet millionaire already), and those guys don't really get the subtlety of which the internet is capable. Really like they're like the cookie monster with his hand stuck in the cookie jar. If the don't let go they'll never get their hands out.

Seems like the internet can be worked with old business tactics, but that school definitely lacks the competitive edge. The buttoned up, single malt vibe has long engendered certain practices that are much less effective here than in the conventional mediums. And sometimes the blunders are rather amusing.