We are a nation of talkers. Have you ever noticed that?
When was the last time someone publicly put it all together and followed through? So many public claims are just too good to be true. Marketing appeals to your emotions – makes you promises. It’s almost like everybody is running a political campaign on us – promising us the world, but never living up. Here are a few ways I’ve witnessed the “hype machine” running rampant, and nobody accounting for it.
I’ve got business partners in the marketing world that have offered me various positions. Recently I was offered a killer position that would ensure me some much-needed steady revenue. It was hyped up for weeks – the opportunity to be a part of a revolutionary technology that would transform the blah blah blah blah blah, etc. I negotiated my share, we worked it out, and then I sat. And waited. Three months have gone by and I haven’t heard anything solid regarding it. So much for that idea. I bought into the hype, prepared myself for the influx of new work, and got stiffed.
Related to work, I was handed the opportunity to run a marketing campaign for a growing film company. They wanted me to keep costs as low as possible, so I crafted a marketing plan for them that would be low-cost but as effective as I could make it. They loved it and we worked out the agreement. All of a sudden, they called me and said they are getting funding, so I should put together a plan with whatever budget I want. I put together a plan worth $250,000 and would take advantage of every great marketing strategy around. They loved it – and then I heard nothing. Weeks later, they tell me they are still working on getting funding, and that I should start with whatever I could start with immediately. With no money. I told them I couldn’t start without money. They said, “Let’s talk about it next week.” That was three weeks ago. Yup, so much for that “great opportunity”.
The problem is that I bought completely into it every time. I spent hours of my time working on this stuff and got nothing to show for it. It doesn’t stop there – just look at politics. Every four years, you get a new crop of guys standing around telling us how they are going to save the world, and then they wind up not living up to their expectations. For example, regardless of your political leanings, we all know that President Obama was elected because he ran a marketing campaign on this country – he had branding, a logo, celebrity endorsements, and a host of viral marketing campaigns online. It was a brilliant strategy. And while some voted for him based on his political views and stance on issues, some voted because of the hype he created. Think of the woman who told a news reporter, “Now I won’t have to worry about paying my mortgage, because he’s going to pay it for me!” Now, a sensible person knows that voting in Barack Obama isn’t going to eliminate your mortgage bill. But the Obama camp didn’t get up in front of people during the campaign to correct those misunderstandings. They let it ride – because the Hype Machine was in full force, and it was getting him to the White House.
Americans are suckers for a good marketing campaign. But are there times when hype is a good thing? Of course! For example, if the hype is backing something that truly lives up to the expectations it creates, then it absolutely is a good thing. I can’t tell you whether or not President Obama will live up to the expectations his hype created – history will bring that out eventually. But I can reflect on the hype in my life and see when I bought into it and it backfired.
What about your life? It doesn’t have to be anything HUGE. Look at your relationships. How many of you found yourself dating someone who seemed like a wonderful person, only to find out that they didn’t live up to their expectations at all? Have you wound up getting a job that looked amazing, but then became an awful chore after 6 months?
People are taking advantage of the Hype Machine everywhere. Just browse the internet – everybody is a “guru” and they all know how to make you millions of dollars with little-to-no work involved, right? People are making their dishonest livings based on pushing the Hype Machine as far as it will go. The world is focusing more on selling you something rather than actually following through with it.
So how do we respond to this? I want to see a movement back to letting your actions speak louder. Teddy Roosevelt (one of the most quotable men of all time) said we should “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Basically he meant, “Quit talking about what you are going to do and just do it already.” Are you one of those people? Do you find yourself spinning more stories rather than carrying them out? Let’s all start walking the walk, shall we? If you say you are a good worker, go to the office and find a way to make yourself indispensable to the company. If you tell that girl that you want to make her happy, put her needs ahead of your own and show her how happy you can make her. Stop talking about how great you are and show the world through your actions instead.
And then, stop buying into the hype. Instead of buying something based on its marketing, check out some reviews online. Ask questions of the person who is hyping up their latest product/service/doodad. Let’s make the world a more honest place, where people have to be accountable for their words.
And if you disagree with me, send me $97 and I will show you the path to financial freedom.
Have you fallen prey to the Hype Machine? Do you see others making the same mistake? Share your story in the comments!
Tom is an entrepreneur and freelance writer, working out of his apartment full-time, or wherever he feels like taking his laptop. He doesn't take long European vacations or blogs on the beach. He's an Average Joe that took control of his life. He wants you to do the same.
