Recently the website and book The Cluetrain Manifesto showed up in my Google Alerts. Creepy, since I only have alerts for things like “small town,” “rural,” and “rural economic development.”



The Cluetrain Manifesto was originally written in 1999 as a warning to corporations about the new Internet marketing revolution that was beginning to rock the world.

Was this appearance in my rural-oriented Google Alerts a cosmic kick in the keester for small business owners who are dragging their feet about jumping on the Internet marketing train??

I remember running into the Cluetrain’s 95 Theses years ago as tourism director for a small rural California county with a miniscule marketing budget. I was thrilled at the idea that we could compete effectively with anyone on a level playing field through the Internet.

It’s ten years later, and every one of these 95 Theses is more relevant today. Read them, substituting “small business” or “micro-business” for corporation and you’ll realize that what’s changed in ten years is trickle down relevance.

When the Cluetrain Manifesto was written, it was targeting corporations and big business. Now, when everything predicted in this book has come to pass, the 95 Theses are shouting just as loudly at your small business.

It’s not a huge leap for small and micro businesses. You live by Theses #1 and 2 and always have. The question is, are you paying attention to Thesis #95?

Update:

Last week I wrote about Trazzler.com in “Is Your Small Town Tourism Destination Featured on Trazzler?” I urged you to get your business or town listed. Check out how Andrea Morgana did just that, posting a nice article about Best of Mt. Shasta. Thanks for the heads up, Andrea. I hope more of you are encouraged to post a story at Trazzler.

Photo by @boetter on Flickr

You can read and comment on all of Joanne Steele’s posts on Rural Tourism Marketing on her Rural Tourism Marketing Blog.

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