Any marketer worth his or her salt can talk a great game. But once the talking’s done, every idea or campaign faces a point of no return, a Moment of Truth, when the potential for success, failure or total ignominy are placed squarely in the hands of the consumer.

Some examples (with names removed — we all know who they are):

• The beverage maker that “blinked,” changing the long-standing formula for its product, only to do a 180 and restore the “classic” version when consumers rebelled.
• The automaker that thought sponsoring a pre-Super Bowl contest featuring lingerie-clad models would drive brand equity, then quickly reversed course when it became obvious they’d, ah, dropped the ball.

Beyond the marketing department, Moments of Truth occur every day in business. It’s called the process of decision making — investing in a new printer, training the sales team, hiring a graphic designer.

Now a new piece of independent research shows that millions of business people choose not to face the Moment of Truth alone. Instead they consult a trusty resource — “the library,” that folder that most of us keep near our desk, stuffed with ideas, contact info and product details we’ve saved “just in case” for future reference.

Believe it or not, we’re much more likely to keep information like this in print format. So, as a smart marketer, you’d want to send the business decision-maker something they’re likely to keep for future reference: a White Paper, a document, a report or a direct mail piece with your company’s name and services on it.

Give them the skinny, on paper, and your communication isn’t just a momentary blip on the radar (or computer) screen. It’s there when they realize they need it — right there at the moment of truth.