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When I think of marketing I’m reminded of extreme sports.

I have surfed an 18 foot wave -Ya it was a rush. I have sparred with a 260 pound guy who had a left jab that felt like a right hook. I’ve SCUBA dove at 125 feet to watch the gray sharks. I have jumped off a 50 foot cliff into the ocean -and I don’t like heights. I do these things because I want to, not because I have a death wish. Sure each activity carried a certain amount of risk. But with training and practice I can make sure I’m prepared. This risk to reward ratio is also how I approach Extreme Marketing; and when the day is done the reward  is worth pushing the marketing limits.

What is Extreme Marketing?

Extreme Marketing is about creating new and imaginative ways to use the latest marketing tools to promote your brand or service. But before I go higher and faster I’m going to make sure to DO IT RIGHT! Sometimes bigger is NOT better. It is NOT about crashing …or failing. It is about correctly using every marketing tool available. This translates into:

• Search Engine Optimization -Being above the competition in Google.
• Social Networking -Using sites like Twitter to promote a brand, promotion or event.
• Traditional and Online Marketing -Coordinating a direct mail campaign with a landing page.
• Creative Promotions -Attract customers with a text messaging campaign.
• Email Marketing -Knowing how to contact customers using an email campaign.
• Logos and Branding.
• …and more

The owner of Caliber, Dan Ryan, has a quote he likes to say,

“If you always do what you have always done …you will only have what you had before.” -By the way Dan is the king of extreme automotive marketing.

This saying is what Extreme Marketing is about. It is why I keep pushing myself to stay ahead of the competition. I will not lie, it is not always easy to motivate myself. There are many days I don’t want to develop a new technique, or learn the latest marketing tool. But something in me will not rest and I’m always searching for the next best marketing technique.

The First Step To Extreme Marketing

Extreme Marketing means being in front. Blazing the tail and cutting a path “…being ahead of everyone to enjoy an unspoiled view.” For some clients the “Extreme” part starts with taking the first step on that untraveled path. For the conservative business owner who is still trying to learn how to email, I might start with a website. Later we might talk about a landing page for a pay per click campaign? However for the client that is ready to take their marketing to the next level, I can also create a marketing campaign that uses all the latest tools. This might include: designing a website and blog, create a promotion that uses text messaging and an online contest. Or, a client might want to coordinate a direct mail campaign that uses an online sweepstakes to generate a buzz around their product, service and brand.

The possibilities are endless. The point is that marketing does not need to stop at a direct mail postcard …at least not if you are into Extreme Marketing.

If you have a marketing technique that has worked for you make sure to share it with our readers.