That line caught my attention too, and it looked superficially true. I have certainly never purchased a tool based on a phone call from a vendor. However, that only pertains to cold-calling, which is the absolute worst way to sell anything.
Advertising is a trillion dollar market for a reason – it works. The trick is to find the correct message and media for the audience.
Effective advertising takes a lot of skill, a lot of money, or both. A large portion of HN posts (including this one) are contain "hidden" advertising, and they absolutely work.
I have purchased more than one developer tool based on reddit and HN reviews, which originated as posts by the seller. On the "lot of money" side, a poster in the arrivals tunnel at SFO is an excellent way of raising brand awareness; even for developer tools.
Advertising is a trillion dollar market for a reason – it works. The trick is to find the correct message and media for the audience.
Effective advertising takes a lot of skill, a lot of money, or both. A large portion of HN posts (including this one) are contain "hidden" advertising, and they absolutely work.
I have purchased more than one developer tool based on reddit and HN reviews, which originated as posts by the seller. On the "lot of money" side, a poster in the arrivals tunnel at SFO is an excellent way of raising brand awareness; even for developer tools.