Conversation Marketing:

Building brand and making good decisions

The Internet has unique features and limitations. The Web’s interactivity gives it far more in common with a conversation at, say, a cocktail party or business meeting than it does with flipping through a magazine. It requires a unique strategy. I call that strategy Conversation Marketing^TM

Think about a party: When you show up at a networking event, you’re judged first on your appearance (C’mon, admit it – would you dress like a slob for a black tie event?), then by your conversation, and then you’re invited to continue – or not continue – the conversation another time. You meet someone, speak to them, gauge their reaction, and then respond accordingly. That’s conversation.

Internet communications should work the same way. A visitor comes to your web site. If the design doesn’t drive them away (most do), then they read, or watch, or listen, or all three. If your content doesn’t confuse them (very common) or bore them (even more common) then they stay. If they’re really interested, they give you their email address, or call you, or purchase something, or vote for you, or take some other action that continues the conversation. At the same time, you watch page views on your web site, and perform other analysis, to gauge audience response and react accordingly.

That’s the power of the Internet – next to air, it’s the best conversation medium there is. Whether you make cars, houses, legislation or software, conversation marketing plays to the strength of the medium, and makes the most of your investment.

If you want to learn more, you can read my article:
Conversation Marketing

Talk to you next month,

Ian Lurie – President, Portent Interactive

Other News

Ian Lurie Published in PRSA Tactics: PRSA published my article about streaming video this month. You can read it on the Portent web site: Click here.