Speak With Them, Not At Them

I usually present this idea to clients in terms of 'At', 'To', and 'With'.

For years advertising has been dominated by the approach of crafting a mass communication (a 30-second spot) and delivering via mass media (network TV) to the masses (people watching M.A.S.H. or Three's Company). The message we sent was (is) static, direct, and to the point, "buy my product and your life won't suck (anymore)".

With direct, and ultimately interactive, we have the opportunity to talk to the consumer instead of at them. We can greet them by name. We know what their past purchases were. Where know where they live (or at least their zip, we don't have to be creepy about it). So we can deliver a message that doesn't just fit their age demographic, but is relevant to their buying behavior.

With social media we have the opportunity (or privilege as it should be treated) to speak with the consumer. This has various implications.

• Tone down the sales pitch and take a conversational tone
• Fight the urge to promote. You can simply agree with people who "get it" and contribute information where they don't.
• Use the vernacular of the community.
• Be clear and transparent regarding your connection to the brand or business

So why care? By joining the conversation, you have the opportunity to raise awareness of your brand (be careful here), shed light on questions and issues surrounding your brand, and identify and confront false rumor and conjecture. But most importantly, it is about incubating a forum of discussion with your consumers.