There is always the need to seek out new marketing platforms. New technology is appearing daily and existing technology is improving and changing daily. You need to stay on top of the changes.

1. Look for current information on social media trends. You can get updates directly from the different social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook by receiving e-mail updates from them. Also you can get trend info by joining any number of different groups through LinkedIn. Two of the groups worth checking out are eMarketing Association Network and American Marketing Association. Discussions by members in these groups can give you good marketing information on current trends. Finally, I still like sites like mashable.com or a new site I came across marketingland.com to update me on new trends.

2. Always be open to using additional types of marketing platforms. If you come across a new marketing platform make a note of it. When you have time, do a little research and get more information on the platform. But, make sure to distinguish between trends and fads. Spending time on a fad that never really gains mainstream momentum isn’t a wise use of your time. Examples of other platforms worth checking into are Vine, YouTube, Pinterest, or Manterest (Pinterest for guys), Foursquare, or QR codes.

3. You can test out additional marketing platforms by incorporating them in a specific marketing campaign. Some platforms are more stand alone platforms. Others are really meant to be used in conjunction with another platform. Always ask yourself whether by using an additional platform you are improving your marketing campaign or is it just a “cool” throw away to show you are a trend setter. Trend setting without a clear direction doesn’t improve your campaign. Remember you are always working with limited resources so use them wisely. Also, use of too many platforms can sometimes detract from the actual message you are trying to get out to your potential customers. Sometimes fewer platforms is better.

4. When you come across information about a potential new marketing platform, save the information in a computer file or bookmark it on your browser. If the platform looks interesting see if a course is available, either through the company or a third party vendor. If you look you can usually find inexpensive or free introductory classes on different platforms. Check your new platform list each time you are ready to start to a new campaign. Based on the type of campaign decide whether the time is right to add a new marketing platform. You may not use a new platform today or tomorrow but it might come in handy in the future for the right campaign.

5. Always keep an outline with notes on each marketing campaign you complete. A simple Excel spreadsheet is enough. Track what you did, what marketing platforms you used and your ultimate results. Over time you should be able to build a marketing campaign resource library from which you can pull up information that you’ve saved on prior marketing campaigns. This can help you to quickly determine how you want to handle the marketing for each different type of campaign or provide you with a starting point for a new type of campaign.

Next up – managers and managees (yes managees)