Echinacea and marketing have a lot in common. At least that's the conclusion I reached while 
listening to National Public Radio's Morning Edition a few weeks ago.

It seems that common cold researcher Ronald Turner has confirmed what other studies have already
concluded: the herbal supplement echinacea does not fight colds.

And yet, Turner told NPR's Allison Aubrey he expects people will continue to take echinacea. 
"I've given up a long time ago with trying to convince people that science should dictate how 
they behave," he said. "And so I don't imagine that the people who are convinced that echinacea 
works for them are going to be swayed one way or another by the results of our study."

It sounds a lot like the approach many businesses and organizations take to marketing. Don't get 
me wrong; I firmly believe that well-researched strategic marketing is essential to business 
success. And there is ample scientific evidence that strategic marketing can be effective.

However, a distinction must be made between two variants of the marketing herb:

1. Strategic Marketing: Research-based marketing strategy that utilizes a scientific approach 
in developing disciplined, targeted and effective marketing tactics.

2. Marketing Echinacea: Seat-of-the-pants marketing tactics based on intuition, gut instinct, 
or "industry experience" alone.

Colds make us miserable grouches, and when you've got one, you're usually desperate for a quick 
solution. Everyone from your mom to your taxi driver will give you advice on how to beat a 
cold ... perhaps with echinacea.

Business challenges - particularly unsatisfactory sales or market position - have much in common 
with the common cold. Like a cold, we are so desperate for a solution that we may listen to any 
advice that promises relief. Like echinacea, the lure of a quick "shoot-from-the-hip" advertising
campaign can be quite tempting.

Unlike the common cold, strategic business problems won't just "run their course" and disappear 
with the empty Kleenex boxes in your trash.

Strategic challenges may actually have more in common with cancer than with the common cold. 
They can kill a company if left untreated. Let the "C" word be mentioned in a doctor's 
examination room, and the patient is likely to drop their echinacea like a hot potato and 
immediately seek the best treatment science has to offer.

While many corporate and organizational leaders seek marketing quick fixes - such as tactical 
advertising or public relations - it is also true that many consultants are guilty of selling 
this marketing echinacea to their clients.

So how can you know the difference between the strategic marketing consultant and the tactical 
marketing herbalist?

1. No kissing on the first date: Beware the firm that pitches a marketing, advertising, branding 
or public relations solution on their first or second visit. It is highly unlikely that your 
strategic problem can be accurately diagnosed that quickly.

2. Beware the strategy that relies excessively on qualitative research, intuition and "industry 
experience" alone. Look for solid numbers that quantify your market position as well as that of 
your competitors.

3. Demand strategies that have sound goals and measurable objectives.

4. Don't be seduced by a consultant's portfolio of slick and creative advertising. Ask what 
quantifiable results their clients have achieved. If you like art, go to the museum or symphony.
If you want results, you will need great creative; but it must be obsessively driven by research-
based strategy.

5. Expect to pay for sound research and analysis as the first step and foundation for an 
effective strategic marketing solution. The alternative is to pay a marketing echinacea salesman
a 15 percent mark-up on every dose of the herb they sell you ... and pray your marketing head 
cold goes away.

Relational Gravity specializes in strategy development for companies and not -for-profits in 
industries ranging from healthcare to gourmet foods. For more information, visit their website 
at www.RelationalGravity.com or email Jeff at .

Source: http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/contributors.asp?ID=501. Jeff Hutson is the 
President of Relational Gravity, Inc.1