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Secrets to Success
Deborah Cole Micek
and John-Paul Micek
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Think for yourself with new media
Business owners, online marketers, and sales professionals who stick with their old ways of interruption marketing are the source of their own problem, victims of a system to which they are blindly beholden.
Many blogging evangelists and self-anointed new-media saints have developed the same mindset with astonishing speed. Stuck in their ways, even though the new-media marketplace is a recent phenomenon, they dole out (and rigidly adhere to) "rules" and "commandments," many of which hurt and confuse business people.
These "bureaucrats" inhibit newcomers from developing effective strategies for marketing online - just because they are stuck in a singular mindset.
Years ago, there was a purported research study on "group think." For this study, researchers used a cage containing five apes.
In the cage, they hung a banana on a string and placed stairs under it. Before long, an ape went to the stairs towards the banana. As soon as he touched the stairs, all of the apes were sprayed with water.
After a while, another ape made an attempt, and again, all the apes were sprayed with water. After about a dozen attempts, the apes were left alone. From then on, whenever an ape tried to climb the stairs, the others tried to stop it, even though no water sprayed them.
Eventually, the researchers removed one ape from the cage, replacing it with a new ape. The new ape saw the banana and moved towards the stairs. Suddenly, all of the other apes attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he learned that if he tried to climb the stairs, he would be assaulted.
The researchers removed another of the original five apes, replacing it with a new one. The newcomer went to the stairs and was attacked. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
A third original ape was replaced with a new one; making it to the stairs before being attacked. Two of the four apes that beat him had no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they were participating in the beating of the newest ape.
When the fourth and fifth original apes were replaced, all of the apes that had been sprayed with water were replaced. Nevertheless, no ape approached the stairs again.
Why not?
"Because that's the way we do it around here."
When marketing with new media, think for yourself! As stated in "Secrets of Online Persuasion," there are only three things to remember to be successful in new-media marketing: people , participation and persuasion.
If your idea actively applies to one or more of the Three Ps, then test your idea, measure your results, and modify your approach until it works.
John-Paul Micek is the lead business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. Reach him at
JPM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.
Deborah Cole Micek, chief executive officer of RPM Success Group, is a business success coach and life strategist. Reach her at
DCM@RPMsuccess.com or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.