October 2009 – Cossin's Corner

by: Kenneth Cossin

photo: Lushpix

In a sluggish economy, can you really afford to be humble? Some may say that self-pride and aggressively pushing your agenda is the answer to survival in times like these. I want to provide a different perspective, and I would like to put my alternative idea to the test, humble marketing.

What is humble marketing? I would define it as unwavering belief in your individual opinion, yet remembering that you are human. Humans make mistakes, incorrect assumptions, and fail all the time. For example, is Seth Godin humble? I believe he is. He strongly believes in his contributions to marketing, but he is human. He admits his mistakes and learns from them, and thus has become one of the most well-known, current marketers. In addition, he has, in effect, build sustainability and credibility into his life by being unpretentious yet responsible.

I believe that humility is what drives forward movement in marketing. Humble marketing opens our minds to new ideas, differing opinions, and removes the “my way or the highway” mentality that often stifles creativity. Also, it opens many avenues of knowledge and growth both personally and on the corporate level. Admitting not only our faults and weaknesses but also our strengths and successes helps foster life-long learning. Continuous learning breeds wisdom, self-esteem, and success. How humble are you willing to be regarding your marketing?

Photo: Maksymenko

by: Kenneth Cossin

As bloggers, we all are word-of-mouth advertisers to some extent. Therefore, we may occasionally find ourselves in the seemingly wonderful situation of receiving free gifts, products, services or even monetary rewards for “advertising” or endorsing a person, product, or service.

These situations will turn from wonderful to ugly if bloggers do not follow the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) rule that goes into effect on 1 December 2009. We must remember that both advertisers and endorsers must create a level of transparency. That is, we must disclose any material connections that we may have with any individuals, companies, corporations, celebrities, etc.

From a blogger’s perspective, it is just good practice to cover yourself. From an advertiser’s perspective, you may want to be even more conscientious regarding transparency regarding any material connections.

The moral of this story? Be as honest and ethical as possible in any way that you decide to do business. Remember, nothing in this world is free, and if there is a claim that it is, steer clear.