Photo by Craig Finlay

In a recent interview for Life & Style Magazine, Simon Cowell said that “he would have kicked Lady Gaga off the American Idol stage if she’d auditioned for the talent show before becoming a superstar”. Whether or not you’re a fan of Simon Cowell or Lady Gaga is immaterial – what’s important to notice is that a person who’s an expert at spotting talent wouldn’t have spotted her. If you’re looking for marketing advice for your business, be careful who you ask.

If you’re simply trying to evolve your marketing by doing such things as: improved website SEO, an updated logo, new business cards, a better newsletter, etc. – then by all means talk to the experts. They’ve seen lots of businesses like yours, and know which changes to your marketing can result in big results to your bottom line. Their advice will give you a needed reality check and you’ll understand which changes make sense, and why.

However, if you’re doing something revolutionary, then be prepared to hear a lot of people try to dissuade you from taking action. They might mean well, but if you’re doing something truly new/different, then the experts might not be the best judge of your plans. By all means, consult with them to understand where your ideas diverge from the commonly held best practices. Then, test out your different ideas yourself on your target market. Be prepared for a lot of confused people. But be ready for those that “get it” – they understand what vision you’re painting.

Evolution is easy. Revolution is hard and risky. Make sure you understand your goals and then use the right tools to achieve them.