Business owners, online marketers, and sales professionals who stick with their old ways of interruption marketing are the source of their own problem and victims of the system they’ve blindly beholden to. They’re “stuck on stupid“… and happy being there.

Some blogging evangelists and many self-anointed New Media saints have developed the same mindset with astonishing speed. Already stuck in their ways after just a few years of the New Media Marketplace coming into existence, they dole out (and rigidly adhere to) “rules” and “commandments,” many of which hurt and confuse business people.

I think it’s safe to say that these “bureaucrats” on both extremes of the marketing scale are a large part of the problem in newcomers developing effective strategies for marketing online. And it all has to do with being stuck in a singular mindset.

Here’s a good story based on behavioral experiment to illustrate this point…

Years ago there was a purported research study on “group think” done with apes. In the study, the researchers started with a cage containing five apes.

In the cage, they hung a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape went to the stairs towards the banana, but as soon as he touched the stairs, all of the apes were sprayed with cold water.

After a while, another ape made an attempt with the same result – all the apes were sprayed with cold water. This is done a dozen or so times and then the water is turned off, and the apes are left alone. From then on, whenever another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes try to prevent it, even though no water sprays them.

After some time, the researchers removed one ape from the cage and replaced it with a new one. The new ape saw the banana and moves towards the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, the researchers removed another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one. The newcomer went to the stairs and was attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.

Now the researchers replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.

Finally, the fourth and fifth original apes are replaced. At this point all of the apes which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs.

Why not?

“Because that’s the way we do it around here.”

Sound familiar?… Be a smart ape

When it comes to marketing with New Media, think for yourself! Remember, as we lay out in our book Secrets of Online Persuasion, there are really only three things you need to remember to be successful marketing with New Media.

They are the Three P’s: People — Participation – Persuasion.

If you’ve got a good idea for marketing that internet marketing gurus or New Media Evangelists tell you won’t work. Just cross check your idea with the Three P’s.

If it doesn’t violate the Three P’s — or better yet, your idea actively applies one or more — then test your marketing idea, measure your results, and modify your approach till it works.

Be a smart ape, and don’t let others who have been brainwashed in “THE way things are” keep you from YOUR banana!

John Paul Micek is a co-founder of the international business coaching company RPM Success Group ® Inc. He and his partner Deborah are authors of the hit book Secrets Of Online Persuasion and creators of BLOG i360™; the pushbutton easy system for small business owners, marketers, and sales professionals who want to get more customers and cash online using New Media. You can reach J.P. at [krazycapitalist@gmail.com]