The Seven Commandments of Great Marketing

Those of you who followed the 1980s police drama, Hill Street Blues, will remember Sergeant Esterhaus—the man who always admonished his officers to “be careful out there” as they set off to patrol the inner city.

For marketing executives seeking to build their brand in today's frenzied, message-cluttered jungle, the warning should be the same. Watch your back, start to hustle and trumpet the added value you bring to the table—or your stellar professional reputation and your brand will quickly lose their luster.

It wasn't long ago that resting on your laurels seemed to be enough—especially if you were meeting your goals, seamlessly executing ambitious programs, and keeping staff members happy enough to ward off corporate raiders. This year, conditions are vastly different. To prove your worth as a marketer and brand builder, you need to tap into your entrepreneurial side.

Seven commandments for marketing and brand building are being chiseled onto new stone tablets—with every commandment based on a fundamental for entrepreneurial success. Following them religiously is now essential for compelling customers to embrace your brand.

Heed:

Commandment #1: Embrace 3-D marketing. Entrepreneurs are obsessed with building lasting, face-to-face relationships, a principle that only 3-D marketers can leverage to full advantage. 3-D marketing—encompassing events, exhibits, displays, merchandising, premiums, target market research, prospect follow-up and much more—enables marketers to truly “touch” their customers in ways that traditional mass marketing does not. It's the most powerful tool in the marketing arsenal for creating customer relationships and building brand image on a face-to-face basis. If you're not fully exploiting 3-D marketing in today's cutthroat marketing environment, you are missing the boat.

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David Sudjian David Sudjian is CEO of Showtime Enterprises http://www.showtimeinc.com