Inspired Business Growth:

With the advent of social media and user-generated content, the way that consumers interact with companies and brands has changed drastically.

And, dare I say it, permanently.

In March, the Chicago Interactive Marketing Association held a panel dinner with some of leading companies involved with user-generated content. Video, Blogs, RSS, Social Networks and Interactive Agencies all spoke with a united voice on the following point:

If you’re waiting for this social networking - user generated “fad” to go away before you market online, you’re sunk. The next ‘new thing’ will evolve directly from social media, and if you aren’t getting into a conversation with your customers now, your customers will soon be conversing with your competition instead.

So What is a Marketing Conversation?

A marketing conversation embraces the following:

• An open invitation to interact vs. a pushed marketing message
• A willingness to hear honest feedback vs. a censored or scripted review
• A trust in the customer vs. a controlled brand image

Companies who have done this successfully are finding that even when they mess up or get negative PR, their customers and clients speak up and defend the brand. Why?

These companies have built trust, loyalty and they have empowered their customers to turn into evangelists.

So How to you Create a Marketing Conversation?

1. Create a place for online conversations to happen
   Create a company blog, forum, social network or review section. Consumers want to talk to you - so they need a place to do just that
2. Use conversation starters
   Use questions instead of statements and add value to the site experience. Offer help and resources and make it easy for people to get the information they are seeking.
3. Listen to your customers
   Don’t delete or censor comments or bad reviews. Respond to them - if you messed up, admit it. If you are in the right, find a way to make both you AND your customer look good.
4. Create a company, product or experience worth talking about
   Most entrepreneurs are remarkable people - hopefully the company they started is just as remarkable. Remarkable companies and products create their own buzz - so make it easy for people to talk by being innovative and different from start to finish. It’s hard to get people conversing about dog food - but you can get creative. Find ways to get people talking about their dogs instead - and if they want to talk about your dog food, they will.

For more about marketing conversations, you can download Ian Lurie’s book Conversation Marketing for free (the printed version is $20).

And I’ll even keep the conversation going: Ian, what would you add to this post?

Update: Ian answers fast. 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 at 2:57 pm and is filed under Social Media, Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Forget the Campaign, Start a Marketing Conversation”

1. Conversation Marketing Says:
   May 16th, 2007 at 4:31 pm

   Wendy Piersall Talks Conversation Marketing

   Wendy Piersall of eMoms at Home just finished an insightful post about the evolution towards marketing conversations. One point that really struck home with me is the resilience that good conversation-focused marketing can really bring your brand. Ame…

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