If done right, conversational marketing can elevate a brand's appeal and create brand ambassadors, both on and offline. However, there are a few things to consider before engagement:

Authenticity
Marketers must be authentic with these conversations. Posting a series of press releases or white papers just won't cut it. Users can see right through the marketing fluff. A conversation is much more "real" and engaging when it is written by a real person. It gives personality to the brand and makes it easier for others to communicate back. In the era of user-generated content, being authentic is a necessity; otherwise, it will backfire like it did for Wal-Mart.

Consistency
One-night stands are prohibited in conversational marketing. In other words, marketers should not engage the community for a week and then abandon the conversation. Conversational marketing is an ongoing dialog between marketers (or the brand) and users (customers, general public and even the mainstream media). These conversations should never be neglected. They should be nurtured just like real-life relationships between human beings.

Interacting, listening and taking action
A successful conversation is always two-way. What that means for marketers is that they must not only listen and interact with their users but also take action. It doesn't necessarily mean that marketers must implement everyone's feedback about the product. Think of it as an ongoing, real-time focus group.