Over at Marketing Profs, Laura Patterson says too many marketers are like children.  Children get really excited about any new toy, and they want it before they have a chance to figure out whether it is right for them.  Marketers get excited about their new marketing tools as though they are new toys. 

Patterson is not arguing that marketers shouldn't use shiny new toys tools.  SEO, Internet marketing, social media--these are all practical, useful tools. Rather, Patterson says marketers should spend some time evaluating new tools before dedicating a lot of time and resources to them them.  Here are five things she says to consider:

1. Customer and market demand.

2. Skill level.

3. Payoff.

4. Vehicle stability.

and 5. Critical mass.

Read The Price of Chasing the Next Shiny Toy here.