Education is a journey, not a destination. So, why do so many marketers forget to remain learning and keep their marketing skills up to date?

Unfortunately, myriad marketers are still working with outdated info and approaches from the pre-digital era.

To contrast marketing in the past and marketing in 2012, I wrote and illustrated the following slide show.

If you'd rather a quick look at the info---and miss out on the colorful illustrations (why would you do that, though?)---you can read the transcript below the slide show embedded here.

1960s Advertising
1. Focus all your efforts on one client.

Today's Marketers
Your clients (current and would-be) vary in their likes, wants, and approaches. Smart marketers develop personas to reach various buyers in various companies.

Learn more at the Buyer Persona Best Practices to Make Your Marketing Programs More Effective track at the B2B Forum.

1960s Advertising
2. Your team should be just art and copy.

Today's Marketers
Modern consumers expect more from ads. They want to be able to connect online with a brand, offer their opinions, share images, and more.

So, a smart marketer's team consists of folks who also know about search, coding, social media, etc.

Learn more at the 8 Essential Content Marketing Initiatives You Shouldn't Be Without track.

1960s Advertising

3. Rely heavily on last-minute brilliance.

Today's Marketers
Last-minute brilliance is fantastic when it happens... but last-minute thinking can also lead to last place in your customers' minds.

Smart marketers plan. They know their goal, form a strategy to reach the goal, then employ tactics to execute their strategy.

Learn more at the Creative Digital Strategy That Works keynote at the B2B Forum.

1960s Advertising

4. Know that you are more important than anyone else on your team is.

Today's Marketers
Everyone on the team matters. Great marketers know that they need to play and work well with others to produce exceptional work. And excellent companies share the power with their people.

Learn more at the Empowering Employees as Social Media Brand Ambassadors track at the B2B Forum.

1960s Advertising

5. Keep your knowledge focused.

Today's Marketers
Smart marketers today know that education isn't a destination but a journey. They keep learning and growing and discovering.

Learn more at the 7 Minutes of Awesome: 7 Awesome Insights From 7 Awesome B2B Marketers track.

1960s Advertising
6. Limit your choice of medium.

Today's Marketers
Smart marketers experment withy webcasts, podcasts, apps, slide shows, radio, TV programs, and cartoons, too.

Learn more at the Content Worth Sharing: What B2B Marketers Can Learn From Cartoons course at the B2B Forum.

1960s Advertising
7. Persuade---don't engage.

Today's Marketers
In our digital age, conversations abound. Marketers need to engage in conversations, from the hesitant beginning of a buyer's journey to even after a purchase has been made.

Learn more at Creating Conversations in the Content Marketing Continuum track at the B2B Forum.