We now live in an information-rich economy where consumers expect to be well informed before they make a buying decision.

In the past, we could throw simple feature-based messages at people and they'd respond. Whether the messenger was mass media, direct mail or a salesperson, didn't matter. The message was simple and uncluttered.

Unfortunately, things got cluttered.

Marketing became entertainment. Much of the product message got lost because marketers felt the need to entertain people simply to get them to stop and notice them. This took place both in mass media marketing as well as in direct sales. We all had to work harder just to get people's attention.

Now we find ourselves facing buyers who don't really want to be entertained, who are busier than ever before, who have access to the same information we do (for the most part) and who expect to be treated like individuals rather than like nameless, faceless, generic, mass-market buying units.

In the context of advertising, we have evolved from "short-form advertising" to "long-form advertising". If this is all true, what does this mean for our marketing and sales? One thing is that we have to recognize many of the old ways do not work anymore.

For example, look at consumer based telemarketing. This industry has been wiped out in the last few years. It got to the point where it created too much noise and not enough substance. It no longer added value to people's lives. It didn't do enough to help people make better buying decisions. It conflicted with the way people live and the way they want to interact with those who provide them products and services. It became a dinosaur.

Take some time to apply these criteria to how you market your business.

Is your marketing going the way of the dinosaur? Or, are you using methods that acknowledge this new world we live in? Are you reaching people in ways they want to be reached, with the information they want? Are you helping them or bothering them?

If you're helping potential customers make informed, educated decisions about your product or service then you're on the right path.

If not, you probably should ask yourself why not. Think about how to make your marketing more helpful to your potential customers. You'll see a better return on your marketing investment if you do.

Kevin Stirtz has developed a unique concept called