Marketing and advertising can be an extremely creative and invigorating thing. It can really reach out to our consumers and touch them in ways we couldn't imagine. Look at the environment created by Starbucks, the cult like following fostered by iPod, or the air of exclusivity that Mercedes owners feel. For some reason though, many business owners try to force their marketing into a little box that it often doesn't fit into, forcing it to bend and deform in an attempt to fit into a model more suited to a larger business with deep pockets and a sizable consumer base.

This is very similar to the ancient Chinese tradition of binding young girls feet in cloth to prevent them from growing. While this allowed the girl's feet to distort to meet the image of beauty in a particular culture. Unfortunately, this also basically crippled the girl, severely limiting her mobility and her ability to enjoy life.

Many people, in a misguided attempt to emulate a larger company's successful marketing tactics, attempt to fit into a pattern not suited to their business, and as a result, cripple their business. While you're limping along trying to increase your market share, feet bound in cloth like everyone else in your industry, your more aggressive competitors are ignoring what others expect of them, and as a result, growing by leaps and bounds. Don't be afraid to get you kimono dirty and offend a few people — it's far better than not getting anyone's attention.

Like it or not, just like you're probably not an ancient Chinese person, and probably don't find tiny deformed feet attractive, what works for a big business with a big budget probably won't work for your small business with a small budget. You're going to have to resort to different tactics if you want to stand out from your competitors. Tear off those cloth bindings and really get out there with your advertising and marketing. Get aggressive, be a guerrilla, do what other companies aren't doing (or are afraid to do) and don't be afraid to offend a few people — nothing creates more buzz than a handful of pissed off people!