I ran into one of my bankers the other day, in the hallway, and we started to chat.

“It’s hard to get in front of people these days,” he said to me, “They don’t even want to talk.”

I knew what he meant. Unsure about what action to take next, some business people sink into inertia. When someone should at the very least be out front painting the sign, she is instead… moping?

Let’s travel back in time… to the Great Depression. While we’re at it, let’s have a bowl of cereal – from Kelloggs. Why Kelloggs? During the Depression, while Post was taking the “logical” course of pulling in its reins, Kelloggs doubled its ad budget, got on the radio and promoted the heck out of Rice Krispies. In fact, Snap, Crackle and Pop got their start in the 30s. By the time the economy recovered, Kelloggs was the predominant player. While market share was dwindling, Kelloggs grabbed more and more of it.

Can that work for your firm? Will top management allow it? What are your greatest concerns and hopes? We’d love to hear from you.

The words above have inspired me more times than I can count, not just for business but for every effort in which inertia or failure of nerve threaten to take the day.

I’ve been thinking that courage in business (and it’s safe to call it that right now) typically accompanies an inventive, independent approach. Just as I suspect that brave investors are buying into appropriate stocks while they’re in the dregs, energetic businesspeople are grabbing the chance to get their company name and products dancing in the minds of their customers right this very minute. They feel even better as they observe their competitors in hiding, afraid to spend money until “everything is all right again.” (And when will THAT be? If you know, you’re one of very few seers who does. Why wait?)

This may not be the time for an extravaganza of spending or a great show of flash-and-bluster. We agree on this. But public relations, sponsorships, interactive marketing, online surveys to show customers you’re listening… moves like that point out that your firm is a winner – in all seasons and through all conditions.

23 years running this business (Good grief!! Note to self, erase that indicator of my age before publishing post) have taught me that “thinking different” and being a marketing contrarian are signs of business intelligence.