Exponential marketing

( Short link http://wp.me/pAEbu-83 )

In earlier posts I discussed Demand Generation and Is marketing for companies with sucky products? It generated a variety of questions on which marketing is right for you.

So I herewith present the Grand Unification Theory of Marketing.

Marketing^1 (that’s Marketing to the first power, HTML is a bit limited here).  Linear marketing include most marketing programs and provides proportional results. Direct marketing and sales are examples.  It’s not going to catapult your business.  But it’s well understood, measurable, and comparatively safe.  This is the type of marketing that can be manufactured and optimized through Demand Generation for steady revenues.

Linear marketing is not a fit for funded ventures where investors require hypergrowth.  This is what Venture Capitalist Fred Wilson bashed in the sucky product article.

Linear marketing can be enjoyed by all companies.  It’s particularly suited to any organization that can’t, or doesn’t want to, attempt higher order and higher risk marketing.

Marketing^2. OPR (Other People’s Resources) generates outsize returns beyond standard programs.  By leveraging the customers, contacts, and other assets of other companies you bring your costs down and increase sales beyond your own capabilities.   Marketing and sales partnerships, co-marketing, distribution, and PR can have this effect.  It’s an effective way for  companies that are small or have limited resources to quickly grow.

Marketing ^n. Exponential marketing encompasses product, viral,  social, and crowdsourcing programs.  Typically you’re investing in your product and leveraging your users to generate accelerating returns.  Exponential marketing is highly risky.  Sucky products need not apply.  It’s where new ventures must be focused to meet investor expectations and fulfill stratospheric financial projections.