Conversations and Markets: Cluetrain Manifesto’s 95 Theses Examined
After reading over the 95 Theses in the Cluetrain Manifesto several times, two words remained embedded in my head; markets and conversations. There were several underlying key themes and points and they all closely relate to those two words mentioned above. I thought these 95 Theses were very interesting and could be applied closely to situations today. However, all these similar themes and points could have been summed up in just a handful of Theses! Nonetheless, these 95 Theses really got me thinking about conversations and markets and how intertwined they both are, especially as new media expands and networks grows.
If I had to sum up all the Theses in a few sentences, I would start out by stating that markets and conversations have a human voice and it is this voice that drives activity and productivity. It is also important to emphasis the importance of “tone” of the voice; it has to be human and not contrived. It needs to flow naturally. People connect and relate to a voice that they can identify with and a voice that is honest. Conversations need to be honest so that they can remain continuous. These conversations build interactions which keep people engaged, informed and most importantly interested. Especially these days, when the consumer is more aware and involved than ever before.
This should also be something that companies pay attention to and monitor because consumer awareness and dialogue is vital for survival in today’s market. The last point that I think is important to remember, is that the internet is the primary “vehicle” for fostering these conversations and encouraging interactions and growth.
