Lets pretend for a moment that the world is fast sliding into an economic downturn.  Lets also pretend that much of this is lead by consumers lack of confidence and reluctance to continue spending as they have in previous years.  Lets also pretend that the net result of this is companies  forced to tighten spending and that the marketing budget is the first to get slashed.  Now lets stop pretending.

For any of you who worked for a .com during the tech crash of 2000-2001 like I did, you will remember what its like to head in to work each day with the expectation that it will be your last.   Well here we are at yet another world economic crisis only this time its not just the IT crowd that are in the firing line, its everyone.

For marketers this is of particular concern as one of the first things to go in corporate “cost restructuring” is the marketing budget, soon after this comes the marketing jobs.

So whats the solution?  New media marketing.

For a concerned marketing manager heading down the new media path can be a lifesaver.  If the marketing budget has been cut to shreds and the company is no longer rolling out campaign after campaign eventually people within the organisation are going to ask “if we arnt really doing much marketing now, remind me again why we are paying a 6 figure sallary to our marketing manager?”.  This I’m sure is not a question marketing managers really want floating around the office.

The new media marketing solution is actually quite simple and has some very useful benefits.  By choosing this path a marketing department can achieve some very important outcomes:-

1. Stick within the constraints of a tight marketing budget.

2. Build a valuable set of new customers who feel a personal attachment to the brand.

3. Ensure the marketing department is still a hive of activity and new ideas.

Number 3 may sound a little strange but the old saying “perception is reality” is still very true.  If the perception within an organisation is that the marketing department are working on lots of new and exciting projects, then the idea of laying off staff moves to the back of the mind.  If however the perception is the marketing team don’t really have much to do, then heads will be rolling before too long.

New media marketing actually has an opertunity to thrive in this environment for one very simple reason.  Its cheap.   Now sure they may not attract the millions of eyeballs traditional marketing can achieve but they cost a fraction of the price (and in many cases cost nothing) to implement.  Podcasts, facebook groups, twitterers, blogs, there are literally hundreds of ways marketers can use new media tools to spice up an underfunded marketing department, keep active and still bring in new customers.

So thanks to a post on Techcrunch the other day I put my name down for the Blogger and Podcaster Media Network (BPMN) to find out what its all about.   It seemed like a good idea and being that we work in this field I figured it was woth finding out a little more about it.

From what I can figure its essentially a Co Op of bloggers and podcasters banding together to attract sponsors and advertisers (in a round about kind of way).  So far so good.  But then I got an email from them yesterday saying the following..

With over 100 million bloggers worldwide and more than 170,000 being added daily, a six-figure income is truly within reach. You can begin setting yourself up for substantial earnings by telling your colleagues about The Blogger & Podcaster Media Network and having them put your name in the “Referred By” field when they register for free at  www.bloggerandpodcaster.net.

Now I have had my fair share of network marketers telling me how I can reach a 6 figure income just by signing up people to a product/service/system/etc and the above sounds a little familiar.

I am by no means against the idea of referal income, infact I can see that the model is quite a good one to build a market, but something about “six-figure income is truely within reach” just makes my stomach turn a little.  This aside, I will be sure to keep an eye on the service as, it may well turn out to be a great way for the small fish to attract the sponorship they deserve.  I’m just not sure that I will be signing people up hand over fist in the hope escaping the rat race.

Wow a blog, I guess this must be the first one on the internet huh?

If you have stumbled across this page then rest assured this is not yet another forgotten corner of the internet.  The fact of the matter is I just uploaded the new template and in the coming weeks will start firing out all manner of posts.

Whats the blog about you ask?  Well this site will be dedicated to all things Gen Y, new media and podcasting.

In the mean time if you feel the need to contact us you’re welcome to send us an email at info@nudgemarketing.com.au and we will do our best to respond to each and every viagra ad and Nigerian money making scheme you send us.

Cheers,

Jake.