Be bold, be effective

I’m writing a lot these days about New Year’s Resolutions, and wrapping that concept around marketing and branding.

You know, being topical.

I’m giving people advice about how to make and keep New Year’s Resolutions for their brand.  I came across two blog posts that are apropos to the subject of making plans for 2009.  Both offer great advice about how to approach your marketing this year.

The first is from the Bad Pitch Blog.  Blogger Richard Laermer implores us to take risks.  Be bold, be distinctive, stand out.  Being ordinary isn’t going to cut it in 2009.

…being a wimp … is no way to do business when you’re hired to be a communicator of messages that are at least a little distinctive. Risk taking is all that matters in a society where people used to care more than they do today.

Sage advice, indeed.  I know those words will be at the back of my mind as I dream up more ways to make myself and my clients remarkable.

Blogger Jim Connolly on his blog talks about the difference between movement and progress.  His point is that we better be focused on things that work and forget about the things that don’t.

Progress is not the result of hard work. If hard work were the secret to success, our grandparents would have been millionaires! Progress only comes when we work hard doing the right things!

So do your darndest to make sure your marketing time and dollars are well-spent.  There’s less room for error than there ever was.  Don’t be afraid to try something new, but if it doesn’t work and doesn’t show signs of working any time soon, move on.

But don’t keep doing the same old things that aren’t working, either.