Don't blame the economy. Good old days of marketing are over.

There's been a fundamental shift in the way people buy products and services. It affects small businesses and mega-brands alike. Sadly, just about everyone is missing it. If you're involved with a small or medium-sized business, understanding this shift may mean the difference between success and shutdown. I have a friend here in Ohio named Bill. He's been running the same local business since I was a kid. Things have become a lot harder for Bill the past 10 years. He recently lamented to me over breakfast. "Do you realize how much easier this stuff used to be, Jeremy?" "What stuff?" "Advertising! Marketing! All of it. I could buy weekly ads in the local newspaper or magazines and the phones would ring. We tweaked the ads over time, but as long as you knew what you were doing, it always worked." "Yeah, I remember those days." "Back then, every marketer looked like a genius.

But today, we think long and hard before we buy any advertising. ROI on our marketing used to be a sure thing, but today it's a crapshoot." "So what have you done about it?" "We've tried everything. We tweaked our offers in the papers and magazines. We tried radio. We bought mailing lists and used direct mail. We tried cold calling for a while. We spent more than I'd like on a new website a few years ago. We tried email blasts, blogging and Google AdWords. Now we're trying Facebook & Twitter." "Nothing?" "Not enough! Some of it works for a short while, but since this recession hit it got even harder." Are the good old days gone for good? Over the past decade there's been a fundamental shift in the way people buy products and services.

You may, like most people, blame an unpredictable economy. Can you afford to wait it out? Make no mistake. The economy will bounce back. It always does. But when it finally starts booming again, will your marketing strategies still work? Others pour all their time and money into whatever new online trend the experts are buzzing about this month. But that misses the point. Without understanding this shift in how people buy products and services, it's all a waste. To finish reading this article, visit our blog! 4 Steps Savvy Marketers Use To Double Sales Jeremy Harrison is an experienced marketing expert with a passion for helping leaders at small organizations get results. He owns Spire Advertising, an Ohio web design and internet marketing company. Get a free web marketing training video at www.SpireAd.com/video