You hate being interrupted with calls, banners and spam messages. Wouldn't it be easier if you could only engage in business-related interactions with people you like and have a previous relationship with? Well, if that's what you want, you should definitely apply this pattern to your customers.
Conversational marketing (initially coined as a phrase in The Cluetrain Manifesto) is that cool place that incorporates exchange of ideas and co-created value, where consumers and marketers join forces to form a new context for brand engagement and sales to take place. Where there's no control over what messages get known in the public space, as they can come from the brand itself, from participants in the conversation or even from outsiders.
Get on a personal level with the people who USED to be your audience.
The differences between building a constant (and consistent) social media presence and simply marketing your business to people are pretty much self explanatory:
- already happening vs. you starting it (this is your opportunity to jump in those talks that are already happening around your name and nurture that free buzz)
- others promote you vs. you promote yourself (people are able to hear about you because of a recommnedation, not because of a promotional message)
- true vs. staged (there's a greater feeling of authenticity)
- "it's the little things that count" vs. "strategy, objectives, outcome" (sometimes, you going out of the way to help a customer may mean more than sticking to the rules)
- friendly voice vs. stiff voice (crafted messages have a bigger chance of not getting listened to)
- broadcasting vs. two-way communication (talk with the people, not at the people)
- static vs. interactive (would you waste your time surfing a website or would you rather get information about a brand you like from a blog where you can comment on the ideas?)
- market research vs. participatory marketing (succes only comes when your implication is genuine)
Scott Stratten's Unmarketing book created a movement that preaches for a "Pull & Stay" strategy (instead of "Push & Pray").
To him, marketing is something that's already happening, everywhere we go, and there's no need to transform it into yet another assignment you have to check at the end of the day.
Watch Scott's inspiring TED Talk right here: