World's Dumbest Sales Model

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  oakye01/09/08 Report as spam
  1

  how do they do their research??

  If any of the Gartner folks spent any time within Second Life, they would realize that the concept is great but the current realities and implementation of this are a long long way off. And they should also note the many companies that jumped into SL creating virtual storefronts that later closed down (or in one case, I think a Second Life virtual terrorist group bombed or hijacked the store.)

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/10/08 Report as spam
  2

  Research

  I think it this case, it's just an analyst trying to build a practice in a new technology area. There wasn't any formal market study that I could see -- only the opinions of some analysts.

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  Sassy Sales Girl01/10/08 Report as spam
  3

  RE: World's Dumbest Sales Model

  Unfortunatley there will be those companies that will continue to take the advice of one of hte top high tech research firms out there instead of using common sense. Sure personas are created online, I have several deepnding on what im doing online. It definitley dosen't mean my persona is going to buy something. I agree thath there are people out that live in fantasy worls, but hopefully when it comes to buying decisions those "fantasy" characters are not the ones making those buys,( that would be scary and a creepy)or somthing that would be a good law and order episode. The scary part is that they are actually advising people to shift the way they are doing business??? That is ludicrous. "Shift Investment from known customers to unknown ones. Focus on the influencers within the meritocracy"
  
  I will not be one of these influenced by this and I hope their customers see the same.

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  ingoodcompany01/10/08 Report as spam
  4

  Dumbest Model - Maybe Not....

  You know, my first reaction was a little confusion about the concept itself, thinking about "how" something like that could evolve. But then I switched over to the "why" and what might lead people to even consider making purchases that way, and how marketers would tune into it....but then....
  
  I recalled that years ago this little thing called Dungeons and Dragons created a whole world of "personas" that brought people into not only online worlds of faux personalities, but folks were physically engaged in that game, taking on much more than just some aphysical accouterment associated witht the characters they chose. A quick Google tells me that folks are still playing.
  
  Consider this: in a world where identity theft is growing exponentially, and things like online/email fraud, online bullying, internet sexual predators and more are growing as well, everyone is looking for ways to put a layer of security between them and the bad guys. (Well, many people, anyway.) Today's web-savvy youth are engaged in online gaming on a global scale that involve taking on a persona and competing with others around the world who are playing the same game through their online persona. In fact, they may actually choose their animated "game face" based on what they percieve as characteristics relating to their own.
  
  From a technical standpoint, it really isn't a stretch to see how this could be commercialized, allowing people to do some demographic, psychographic, and even physiological profile of themselves that could create an online animated persona with a suitably matching profile through which they could be marketed to.
  
  Is it just some analyst trying to build a practice in a new technology area? Sure. Why not? Computer animation art is highly sophisticated these days, and getting better at realism every day. Commbined that with an artful use of artificial intelligence and a good marketing mind, and it is entirely within the realm of the possible to create a "virtual you" that would have roughly the same psyche and even physical atributes that would allow sales people to find you and sell to you without ever having to meet you, talk to you. If something doesn't match your profile, your online persona could even automatically perform the rejection for you with a nice virtual "No thank you!"

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/10/08 Report as spam
  5

  Your scenario...

  ...actually suggests that argument that anonymity on the Internet may be impractical in the long term. If the abuses continue to grow, then there may be demand for verifiable identity at all stages of the process.
  
  You should read the press release, though. (The link is in the post.) It contains a bunch of stuff about "Generation V" which was too silly even for me to post.

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  lalitdevgan01/10/08 Report as spam
  6

  RE: World's Dumbest Sales Model

  Good for us.

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  ptiseo01/10/08 Report as spam
  7

  b

  "Does anybody actually believe that people are going to buy ???real world??? stuff based on the personality of the cartoon character they???re playing in a computer game?"
  
  First, Gartner does not say that the person buys on the *basis of* the persona definition. Rather, Gartner is saying that people will use personas to interact with vendors. Now, where Gartner may be hyperbolic is saying "the majority of people" or "ten years". I don't think the "best case scenario" is anywhere near this. However, sales reps need to adapt the the buyers, and if buyers in ten-to-twenty years operate like my teenager niece does now, then "virtuality" will be a big aspect to contend with eventually. I don't think she's ever used her cell to actually talk to anyone. It's all texting or face-to-face communication.
  
  Second, the use of personas is orthogonal to security on the net, as another poster brought up. in many cases, there is no reason that the seller needs to know who I am; the bank needs to authenticate buyer and seller. In B2B, the persona may eventually be dropped after the initial efforts so as to be able to create that lasting bond.
  
  Third, a direct answer to your question is that, yes, people will be buying stuff based on personas... in many different and still-unanticipated ways. For example, see http://www.figureprints.com/ for a company that converts World Of Warcraft personas into real-life figures. Given one or two million WoW players, that's not a small market!!
  
  We all love the status quo. It's hard work to keep your trade up to date. And, I understand that change is scary. But a good sales rep should be a highly adaptable beast that evolves to meet the market, rather than gives in to their Inner Curmugeon and fails.
  
  PS: Nice umpteenth jab at Marketing at the end...just can't let it go, can you?
  
  - alphadogg

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/10/08 Report as spam
  8

  Go right ahead...

  ...base your marketing model on the idea that more than 50 percent of all sales will be to cartoon characters. Frankly, it's exactly the kind of idea that I thought would appeal to you.

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  ptiseo01/11/08 Report as spam
  9

  True Colors

  Geoffrey:
  
  I think I pretty much have you understood at this point: You seem to blog not to discuss, but rather to see your own opinions confirmed. With blinders on, you thank those who agree 100%, and put down any disagreement. Balck and white world. When faced with facts, you resort to veiled insults.
  
  Nice.

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/11/08 Report as spam
  10

  Actually...

  ...Would you feel better if I told you that I'm just a cartoon character and not a real person?

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  ptiseo01/11/08 Report as spam
  11

  Difference?

  Actually, I've been wondering if there was a difference...
  
  - alphadogg

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  chucksink01/11/08 Report as spam
  12

  RE: World's Dumbest Sales Model

  Heck, if a picture of a snowman can ask a question of real presidential candidates, why not this model? We're all just big kids anyway.
  
  Chuck Sink

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/11/08 Report as spam
  13

  Wrong!

  Those weren't real presidential candidates. At least three of them are cartoon characters. And one was a robot. So there.

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  robbinsj@...01/11/08 Report as spam
  14

  World's Dumbest Sales Model

  This is really the O'Reilly Factor, isn't it? Bill, are you out there? Are you now the Marketing Culture Warrior?

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine01/11/08 Report as spam
  15

  My secret revealed

  The so-called blogger "Geoffrey James" is actually a cartoon avatar of Bill O'Reilly. There -- now everyone knows. I feel so much better!!!

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  gpadley@...01/18/08 Report as spam
  16

  Back to Basics

  Why do some jump on the new technology band wagon so quickly? It may actually make sense for some but at least do your due dilligence before starting a Second Life. Please, let's get back to basics! Media is media - new old or othewise. Look before you leap...
  http://5691gerg.com/?p=51