"It seems to me that this is the time when marketers should be pushing the envelope, yet it seems like most aren't," says DJ Francis in a post at the iMedia Connection blog. Instead, he says, they are buying into several recession-marketing myths that could do them more harm than good.

Among the common misconceptions he cites:

Things are stable; we shouldn't rock the boat. "The boat is already rocking," he contends, "you just haven't noticed yet." The market is changing, and will continue to change, even in a recovery. If you cling to the status quo while everyone else adapts, you'll wind up even further behind.

We'll let others forge new ground—and learn from their mistakes. "What you consider mistakes are actually learning opportunities," says Francis. "Sure, some missteps are more [serious], but consider the experience your opponent is gaining while you sit on the ... sidelines."

Our customers aren't interested in social-media interaction. "This is sometimes true," allows Francis. "Not many people want to chat up the guy who makes their ball bearings." But many customers will be interested in a behind-the-scenes view of your company, or learning something new from your specialists. "Employees frequently have the potential to be amazing brand representatives, given the proper encouragement."

→ end article preview
Read the Full Article