Business owners, online marketers, and sales professionals who stick with their old ways of “;interruption marketing”; are the source of their own problem and victims of the system they are blindly beholden to. They're stuck on stupid - and happy being there.

Some blogging evangelists and many self-anointed new-media saints have developed the same mindset with astonishing speed. Already stuck in their ways after just a few years of the new-media marketplace being in existence, they dole out (and rigidly adhere to) “;rules”; and “;commandments,”; many of which hurt and confuse business people.

I think it's safe to say that these bureaucrats are a large part of the problem in newcomers developing effective strategies for marketing online. And it all has to do with being stuck in a singular mindset.

Here's a good story based on a behavioral experiment to illustrate this point:

Years ago there was a study on “;group think”; done with a cage containing five apes. A banana was hung on a string in the cage with a set of stairs beneath it. Before long, an ape went to the stairs towards the banana, but as soon as he touched the stairs, the scientists sprayed the apes with cold water. After a while, another ape made an attempt with the same result. All the apes were sprayed with cold water. This was repeated about a dozen times. Then the apes were left alone. From then on, whenever another ape tried to climb the stairs, the other apes tried to prevent it, even though no water sprayed them.

After some time, the researchers removed one ape from the cage, replacing it with a new one. The new ape saw the banana and moved towards the stairs. All of the other apes attacked him. After another attempt and attack, he knew that if he tried to climb the stairs, he would be assaulted. The researchers repeated this with another new ape. The previous newcomer, with great enthusiasm, took part in the punishment of the new ape. This was repeated until the original apes that had been sprayed with cold water were replaced. Nevertheless, even though none of the new apes had been sprayed, no ape ever again approached the stairs.

Why not?

“;Because that's the way we do it around here.”;

Sound familiar? Be a smart ape. When it comes to marketing with new media, think for yourself!

There are only three things you need to remember to successfully market with new media: People; Participation; Persuasion.

If you've got a good idea for marketing, but you read or have been told that it won't work, just cross check your idea with these three Ps.

If it doesn't violate the three Ps; or better yet, your idea actively applies to one or more of the three Ps, then test your marketing idea, measure your results, and modify your approach till it works.

Don't let others who have been brainwashed in “;THE way things are”; keep you from YOUR banana!

John-Paul Micek is a business coach at RPM Success Group Inc. He can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).