Comments on: control the conversation by improving the conversation http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/ "cartoons drawn on the back of business cards" Wed, 23 May 2012 20:07:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Barely Legal Substance http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2750 Barely Legal Substance Sat, 10 Dec 2005 03:40:13 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2750 <strong>"Peter Brinkerhoff Is a Sexy Beast": Tall Tales of Digital Reputation</strong> Scoble's comments about defending your name in the online world reminded me of a recent experience my friend had over the summer. An honorable, savvy fellow, he was interviewing at several organizations to run regional micro-economic development progra... “Peter Brinkerhoff Is a Sexy Beast”: Tall Tales of Digital Reputation

Scoble’s comments about defending your name in the online world reminded me of a recent experience my friend had over the summer. An honorable, savvy fellow, he was interviewing at several organizations to run regional micro-economic development progra…

]]> By: Katherine http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2749 Katherine Wed, 01 Dec 2004 22:48:24 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2749 Seems to me that an Alpha Male already knows how to crush little Beta Males like bugs. That's why he's an Alpha. He also knows that the best way to buy an Alpha Suit (or car, or boat, or airplane) is to ask other people who own them. Yeah, there's a conversation in there, but I'm not convinced it takes place online. Seems to me that an Alpha Male already knows how to crush little Beta Males like bugs. That’s why he’s an Alpha. He also knows that the best way to buy an Alpha Suit (or car, or boat, or airplane) is to ask other people who own them.
Yeah, there’s a conversation in there, but I’m not convinced it takes place online.

]]> By: Effern http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2748 Effern Tue, 30 Nov 2004 23:04:40 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2748 "Alpha males eh! Whats that all about? Where would the world be without the male sex drive?" Ca mon, this is a no-brainer: "You better stay away from him, he'll rip your lungs out, Tim. Huh, I'd like to meet his tailor." ( (c) Warren Zevon) And that's how peanut butter is made. Questions? “Alpha males eh! Whats that all about? Where would the world be without the male sex drive?“
Ca mon, this is a no-brainer:
“You better stay away from him, he’ll rip your lungs out, Tim. Huh, I’d like to meet his tailor.“
( © Warren Zevon)
And that’s how peanut butter is made. Questions?

]]> By: Greg Smyth http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2747 Greg Smyth Tue, 30 Nov 2004 04:57:25 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2747 Ok so what I know about advertising could probably be written on the back of a stamp and while I agree with the concepts of Blogs-as-Ads and the need for an authentic voice... I actually agree with Andreas in this (very particular) case. A blogging tailor is not what is needed, however the concept of being the subject of conversation is. I'd have thought that, with Saville Row tailors and that ilk, word of mouth is the key in the bespoke suit buying Alpha-male market. I just don't think that blogging is the be-all answer to that. I'd like to think that High-Powered-Businessmen are too busy being High Powered to read blogs... Ok so what I know about advertising could probably be written on the back of a stamp and while I agree with the concepts of Blogs-as-Ads and the need for an authentic voice… I actually agree with Andreas in this (very particular) case.
A blogging tailor is not what is needed, however the concept of being the subject of conversation is. I’d have thought that, with Saville Row tailors and that ilk, word of mouth is the key in the bespoke suit buying Alpha-male market. I just don’t think that blogging is the be-all answer to that.
I’d like to think that High-Powered-Businessmen are too busy being High Powered to read blogs…

]]> By: Gareth Jones http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2746 Gareth Jones Tue, 30 Nov 2004 03:43:33 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2746 Alpha males eh! Whats that all about? Where would the world be without the male sex drive? No skyscrapers, no forth rail/san francisco bridges, no saturn V space rockets, no men on the moon, no masters of the universe... All achieved by guys who wanted to make it with girls but just couldn't get the hang of playing the guitar... If every man was Elvis Presley we'd still be hanging around waiting for somebody to invent the wheel. Alpha males eh! Whats that all about? Where would the world be without the male sex drive?
No skyscrapers, no forth rail/san francisco bridges, no saturn V space rockets, no men on the moon, no masters of the universe…
All achieved by guys who wanted to make it with girls but just couldn’t get the hang of playing the guitar…
If every man was Elvis Presley we’d still be hanging around waiting for somebody to invent the wheel.

]]> By: Jonathan Washburn http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2745 Jonathan Washburn Tue, 30 Nov 2004 01:39:55 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2745 Directing a conversation with your customer base is a great idea. Assuming people fly to London to buy a hand tailored suit because they want to intimidate their beta male counterparts is silly. 90% of the suits on Savile Row are good enough for the most discriminating buyer. Its the buying experience that will make one tailor more successful than another. Make the experience memorable, scarce, or unique. P.S. The only people that want intimidating suits are lawyers and insecure executives. Neither are 'sneezers' that will help your brand reach the 'tipping point'. Directing a conversation with your customer base is a great idea. Assuming people fly to London to buy a hand tailored suit because they want to intimidate their beta male counterparts is silly.
90% of the suits on Savile Row are good enough for the most discriminating buyer. Its the buying experience that will make one tailor more successful than another.
Make the experience memorable, scarce, or unique.
P.S. The only people that want intimidating suits are lawyers and insecure executives. Neither are ‘sneezers’ that will help your brand reach the ‘tipping point’.

]]> By: Nia http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2744 Nia Mon, 29 Nov 2004 22:19:10 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2744 Wow. You're making _me_ want to have a suit. Wow. You’re making _me_ want to have a suit.

]]> By: Hamish http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2743 Hamish Mon, 29 Nov 2004 20:30:47 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2743 Was in a meeting somewhere and I put a (perfectly respectable think it was a Boss jacket) jacket on the back of a round backed chair and it fell on the floor as happens from time to time. "Break my tailors heart..." I joked. Senior pin stripe type retorts. "If I were you, I would break his f****** neck..." Heh. Actually tailoring does matter, for the same reason that officer's uniforms are better cut than the enslited men's... Now I know that in this mileu that should not matter, but if you have to go into legacy meatspace where some of the money is still being released, if not directly managed, then that sh*t still matters... Since then I've been a Jermyn Street and expensive off the rack buyer. Was in a meeting somewhere and I put a (perfectly respectable think it was a Boss jacket) jacket on the back of a round backed chair and it fell on the floor as happens from time to time.
“Break my tailors heart…” I joked.
Senior pin stripe type retorts. “If I were you, I would break his f****** neck…“
Heh.
Actually tailoring does matter, for the same reason that officer’s uniforms are better cut than the enslited men’s…
Now I know that in this mileu that should not matter, but if you have to go into legacy meatspace where some of the money is still being released, if not directly managed, then that sh*t still matters…
Since then I’ve been a Jermyn Street and expensive off the rack buyer.

]]> By: Andreas Duess http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2742 Andreas Duess Mon, 29 Nov 2004 18:10:10 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2742 Ok. Deep breath. My opinion: People like Tom need a blog as much as a fish needs a bicycle. The typical Saville Row customer is not a blog reader. He, in all likelyhood, doesn't even know what a blog is. And even if he'd knew, why read about what one's tailor has to say? He's there to make suits, as long as he does that well he'll have a market. Tom needs to offer superior service and style to a market that tends to be extremely loyal to 'their' taylor, once that relationship has been built. Ok. Deep breath.
My opinion: People like Tom need a blog as much as a fish needs a bicycle.
The typical Saville Row customer is not a blog reader. He, in all likelyhood, doesn’t even know what a blog is. And even if he’d knew, why read about what one’s tailor has to say? He’s there to make suits, as long as he does that well he’ll have a market.
Tom needs to offer superior service and style to a market that tends to be extremely loyal to ‘their’ taylor, once that relationship has been built.

]]> By: hugh macleod http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2741 hugh macleod Mon, 29 Nov 2004 03:20:32 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2741 "Sure, a blog designed to support business may focus on some things more than others, but I still want to hear the authentic voice of the writer." Yep, Johnnie, I agree 100% with that. The "Authentic Voice" (kudos to Evelyn Rodriguez for coining the term) is key. “Sure, a blog designed to support business may focus on some things more than others, but I still want to hear the authentic voice of the writer.“
Yep, Johnnie, I agree 100% with that.
The “Authentic Voice” (kudos to Evelyn Rodriguez for coining the term) is key.

]]> By: Johnnie Moore http://gapingvoid.com/2004/11/28/control-the-conversation-by-improving-the-conversation/#comment-2740 Johnnie Moore Mon, 29 Nov 2004 02:16:20 +0000 http://gapingvoid.com/?p=1040#comment-2740 A Tom Mahon blog would be interesting. I'm not sure if his customers are the horn-locking sex-crazed beasts you describe, I haven't (as far as I know) met any. I hope that if Tom blogs he does so to talk about the things that he cares about. If finding ways to humiliate beta males and pick up girls are what he's passionate about, that would be an interesting blog. But equally, if his real passion is finding the ultimate mothball, then I hope he writes about that. What makes a blog slide up the list in my newsreader is my sense (faulty though it may be) of the authenticity of the voice. I want to know what gets Tom going. Some of his customers might identify with his love of a particular cloth; others might want to know about some of things he struggles with. Sure, a blog designed to support business may focus on some things more than others, but I still want to hear the authentic voice of the writer. Tom need look no further than Gaping Void to see these principles in practice... A Tom Mahon blog would be interesting.
I’m not sure if his customers are the horn-locking sex-crazed beasts you describe, I haven’t (as far as I know) met any.
I hope that if Tom blogs he does so to talk about the things that he cares about. If finding ways to humiliate beta males and pick up girls are what he’s passionate about, that would be an interesting blog. But equally, if his real passion is finding the ultimate mothball, then I hope he writes about that.
What makes a blog slide up the list in my newsreader is my sense (faulty though it may be) of the authenticity of the voice.
I want to know what gets Tom going. Some of his customers might identify with his love of a particular cloth; others might want to know about some of things he struggles with.
Sure, a blog designed to support business may focus on some things more than others, but I still want to hear the authentic voice of the writer.
Tom need look no further than Gaping Void to see these principles in practice…

]]>