If Google Jumped Off A Cliff...

If Google Jumped off a cliff, would you? If your answer is no, you should probably think again. Chances are there is a pile of cash over that cliff.

Google Knows You!

No one will argue that Google has the most accurate and efficient market research information on the planet. Because a majority of people use their search engine, email, free apps, and even their own web browser (Chrome) they have some serious insights into your behavior. Have you ever noticed the ads on the right column of your mail that just so happen to coincide with your mails content?

Google, Don't Jump!

Businesses are jumping onto the Twitter, Facebook, and SEO bandwagon at a break neck pace. They believe these avenues hold the keys to new marketing efforts, without traditional cost. These companies should take notice, however, that Google doesn't agree. As a matter of fact, in a move to fully promote their ad words service, Google has turned to direct mail! In the words of Nathan Kring over at Catchfire Media, these digital avenues aren't "the Whole Enchilada"

Traditional Avenues Actually Work?!

Like Nathan, Google understands that people still react to these traditional marketing avenues. That is why they spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to send business owners print-it-and-put-a-stamp-on-it mail. Paper and Ink are certainly not dead, and when Google in all their superiority launches a direct mail campaign, that alone should confirm that maybe web advertising avenues aren't quite the "magic bullet"* we are looking for. At least not by themselves.

Take The Leap

It feels odd to say, but for the businesses who arrived to quickly into the social media soap opera, or those who are considering joining in, don't forget the good ol' printing press; Google certainly hasn't...

*Magic Bullet reference also taken from Nathan Kring's article.

Defeat The Villain!

Victorious Villains?

Remember the last action flick that you watched? The villain and hero have been battling it out, and both are tired and near collapse. The villain pathetically delivers blow after blow, but the tired and breathless hero just seems to sit there and take it -- lacking the energy to defend himself. Sitting in your easy-chair, you clearly see the villain is close to defeat. If the hero could muster just enough energy to finish him off, the world would be rid of evil forever! Instead, the hero has to journey through a 2 hour series of events to finally come to the same situation as before, where NOW he has the energy to win. "Well Batman, we meet again"

What about you?

Even though you aren't Batman and don't parade around in spandex, has your company found itself in this same situation? Maybe you feel weakened by the economy, and your competitors are delivering blow after blow. Maybe times appear hopeless, but are you finished?

Are you going to take that?

One national trend we have taken notice of in this questionable economic time, is a significant decrease in a company's will to keep fighting. The marketing budget has been cut. By cutting marketing budgets, they find themselves acting like our hero: curling in a ball and trying to survive. What would happen however, if they fed more money into their marketing budgets and gained just that little bit of additional energy to defeat the villain, once and for all?

Your foe is weakened. Are you going to sit there and take it, or are you going to put the proper marketing in place to defeat the villain?