One Response so far

1. 1. Steve Buchheit on Apr 3rd, 2007 at 10:38 am

   I think this ties into the advertising concepts of coupons. The article starts with the presumption of the “golden key” to sales and examines if a CC release is that key. While there are many, especially young people, in advertising that also believe in that “golden key” concept (do this, and the product will sell sell sell, and you’ll be rich rich rich), it’s a false business plan (there’s a little of this with the discussion on getting a mention on BoingBoing). CC can be used to generate interest, but only if people know about your release. That interest can then be translated into sales, but only if the product is matched to those who you’ve peddled to with your “interest hook.” That is, I could advertise and discount blue shirts to where I’m selling at cost, but if the market I’m selling to doesn’t want blue shirts, I’m SOL. Now, if the market is nuetral toward blue shirts, I can make a dent and sell them. If the market really likes blue shirts, but you priced the shirts too high, you’ll get the sales on the discount, but then not for next year’s blue shirts (until they’re on sale too). What needs happen is to market to the people who have a propensity to buy blue shirts, and then sell them as many as they want, in a style they want, for a markup that makes it worthwhile, but without pricing yourself out of the market. At that point it becomes a “quality of the materials/feeling about the sale” that will determine if you sell blue shirts next year.