I read an article in The San Francisco Chronicle today that I wanted to share here. Does it have anything to do with Internet marketing? Not directly. But the underlying message is relevant to us all.

The story deals with Michael Vick and the case surrounding his dog fighting / torture business. I’m not so much interested in discussing the intricacies of the case itself. But if you’re at all familiar with what’s going on, I highly recommend you read “The changing of a national mind-set” by Gwen Knapp.

The article made me think about the whole situation in a new way. If you’ve heard of Vick’s case, it might do the same for you.

But here’s the underlying purpose for even posting this: thinking leads to open minds.

So many of us are set in our ways. We have a certain approach that we take to our business, to marketing and advertising, and to life in general. Thinking about your business from a different perspective can lead to a more open mind and a deeper understanding of what you can do to expand and make more money.

Throw out your preconceived notions about what’s good for business… about what advertising approaches work and don’t work… and about exactly how you measure ROI. Step outside your box, open your mind, and really try to think about your business or your website from a new perspective.

When was the last time you really did that? When was the last time you really gave another business perspective anything more than face value?

- Matt