A Well-Balanced Marketing Meal

I am witnessing the heat of the summer outside my window…which, inevitably, leads to thoughts of the garden…which leads to eating food…which leads me to this blog. So how do I go from summer gardens to blogging on a balanced marketing meal? Let me explain…

I read a Gartner report this morning offering predictions for 2010, one of which focused on the potential impact of e-marketing regulations. The report suggests that regulatory bodies could stifle e-marketing to such an extent that those companies that rely too heavily on the medium will find themselves in one of two camps: becoming ineffective or the last man standing.

You don’t want to be in either camp. You want the money you spend on marketing to generate leads/revenue/traffic…whatever. You also don’t want to be the only one still using e-marketing as a primary engine (after all, who wants to invest in a shrinking market?)

But now I come full circle…

Being healthy requires eating a well-balanced meal (like those from my garden). The same is true for marketing. An effective marketing plan depends on a good balance of social media AND traditional marketing efforts. There is certainly benefit to weaving e-tactics into a larger marketing campaign, but at the end of the day it’s focusing on content, face-to-face program development, and creative thinking that sells.

It’s not always easy to find the right balance, but it’s necessary. And, I think you’ll find that when you do, your sales team will eat it up.