I recently read an article by Martin Lindstrom about how retailers "prime" consumers to think certain ways about their shopping experience.

Martin lists a number of fascinating examples in the article. Besides getting me to buy his book, it got me thinking, as most things do, about webinars. How can we, as marketers and event hosts, make and benefit from such subtle gestures throughout the event process? How do we emphasize the value of working with our organizations?

Whether you are a $1 million firm or $100 million firm, you need a marketing plan that balances your thought leadership with marketing outreach.

You'll leave this thirty-minute on-demand webinar excited about the potential of your firm, understanding how to use thought leadership with marketing outreach, and a plan ready for you to implement.

Chances are, if you work anywhere in marketing or media, you’ll have read something like this at some point over the last two years.

The advent of social media has changed the communications landscape forever. The old rules of advertising – in which brands pushed marketing messages out to consumers – no longer apply...

OK, I made this example up, but could easily have been pasted together from scores of white papers, blog posts and conference presentations. It’s the kind of rhetoric that makes us feel we can see the future, and that the future is nothing like the past.

Just one problem. It’s wrong.