Release the leash: I've got plenty of Elmo Band-Aids.

Recently in my daddy blog I wrote:

Okay, I know Bea's only 19 months old and the Pacific has a relentless rip tide, but do we really need to put our little surfer girl on a leash?

I mean, none of the other kids wore a leash.

"Oh yeah, Daddy? If all the other kids jumped off a cliff, would you follow?"

No Mama. No.

Safety first. That's the rule.

Now, I'm not advocating feeding your children to riptides, but as a metaphor for strategic risk in marketing and PR and business development, I say release the leash.

We get so caught up in doing the same safe activities over and over again -- adding helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, mouth guards, safety harnesses and leashes -- and then we wonder why publicity, traffic and leads fall away like scabs from healing knees.

Your knees will look pretty, but will anybody care?

You've got to take ambiguity head on and be able to manage risk. That's what market leaders do to not only survive, but to flourish.

Are you participating in these activities?

• Social media including blogging
• Participatory Unconferences
• Participatory Webinars
• Backyard marketing (face-to-face when possible)
• Mobile marketing
• Content marketing
• Video channel marketing
• Social media press releases and RSS-friendly news rooms
• Tweet chats
• LinkedIn groups
• Professional online networks
• BlogTalkRadio shows
• SEO and SEM
• Extreme customer service including outbound contact

What else? There are tons more I'm sure that haven't even been tested yet. Oh, and check out these lessons for B2B marketers.

Trying something new and falling down is imperative to success.

Get busy with your bad selves and bring on the bloody knees. I've got plenty of Elmo Band-Aids.

Post by Kevin W. Grossman (join me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - and now join HRmarketer on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!)

Labels: business development, marketing and PR, social media, strategic risk