Your Marketing IS Interactive
For today’s online and connected consumer, your marketing strategy IS interactive. You have no choice.
Even if your marketing strategy includes glossy brochures or television/radio ads, the consumers are responding to your marketing. Your campaign is interactive, even if you are only taking part in the conversation by releasing your brochures or ads.
For example, Company X decides to release a new ad campaign using television commercials. Within a few minutes of the first commercial airing on local or national stations, someone has probably uploaded the commercial’s video to YouTube. Within the days, weeks, and months to follow, other people are commenting on that video and perhaps uploading their own video responses to YouTube. A conversation is taking place online about Company X’s ad campaign and product.
Unfortunately, since Company X has decided not to use social media in their marketing strategy, the conversation is continuing without their input. They cannot answer questions that potential customers are asking, and they cannot respond to disgruntled customers in a timely manner… and online, timely is measured in minutes, not months.
Customers will tweet about a problem before they call the 800-number help desk. If they are placed on hold or have to navigate through a maze of electronic voices, they will write a blog about their experience. If they are considering a purchase, they will read the comments left on YouTube or Facebook before they ask a sales rep.
Today’s market IS interactive… but each company must make the decision to become a part of that conversation.
