I needed some painting done at the house. I am not sure if you are familiar with the jobs boards out there in the world, things like Thumbtack and Angie's List (now just Angi). You make a post of what you need done and then DOZENS of contractors for whatnot start calling you and emailing you and texting you. Turns out those contractors pay a fee for those leads - no matter what. Plumbers, Landscapers, Roofers, you name it - all pay $$$ for the chance to call, text, and email the same folks! It's like a food fight. Same goes for Facebook Marketplace. It all feels kinda dumb.
I'm old enough to remember www.Craigslist.com - the popular online classified advertisements website where people can buy, sell, trade, and find local services, jobs, and housing.
Focus: The site is organized by specific cities, regions, and countries so users can find listings nearby.
Categories: Listings are split into clear sections, including jobs, housing/apartments, items for sale (furniture, electronics, cars), services, gigs, and community discussion forums.
Simple Design: The website uses a basic, text-heavy layout without flashy animations or graphics.
Direct Communication: Most browsing is free, and buyers and sellers deal with each other directly via email or phone without the site processing payments or managing delivery.
Founded: Started in 1995 by Craig Newmark in San Francisco, initially as an email list for friends about local events before moving to the web in 1996.
Reach: It operates in hundreds of cities worldwide, though the vast majority of its users are in the United States.
I was 35 when Craigslist was born. I am old enough to remember using the Yellow Pages to find contractors. Some of the ads were BIG (expensive) and some were tiny. But if you were in business, you had to be in the phone book - THE Yellow Pages. And now, not so much.
Back to painting my garage: I saw a painter's van parked in my neighbor's driveway. I took out my phone, took a picture, and called them. "Do you service Boonton Township, NJ?" I asked. Of course I already knew that they did, but it was a conversation starter. Fast forward to today: best hire ever.
As I sit here today I am reflecting on how Craig Newmark started with an opt-in email list - a vetted proven list of trusted relationships. It was simple, clean, and valuable.
I have been in business since 1983, pre-email. Today we have thousands of lists of zero spam, 100% opt-in currated relationships that get a 50% open rate to our email newsletters - because they are the opposite of spam. These lists are NOT social media, not AI slop. They are real people, who want to be in (and on) the list.
I think the future of marketing is found in the past. I think we are due for a Yellow Pages | Craigslist reboot. Slow it down. Humans connecting with humans. Because you need to call 'my guy' - and everyone has a guy (or gal).
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