Ignoring the audience
Online media has been a two-way conversation from the beginning. The directness with which those conversations have improved over time and the means by which contact can be made have multiplied.
Many of us expect people to be available via BlackBerry, cell phone, home phone, and email. The companies that expect to have relationships with us should be, too.
When putting together a media or marketing plan, be sure you've enabled the audience speak and that you are equipped to hear. But also differentiate your placements accordingly. Some should be for talking, others for listening. Not all media vehicles or the environments within them are suited for each -- some are suited for both. For example, search or a resource tool is for talking; social networking sites are a great place for listening; a blog can be good for both. But the creative brought to bear will tease out which can be used for what. Few media plans are so huge that you can't determine which is which in time for a plan's launch.
Some products and services simply don't lend themselves to conversation, though every one of them should give it a go. But sometimes there isn't anything to say. While there could be a great deal to say about Staples as a resource, there probably isn't a lot to say about binder clips. And sometimes a comment doesn't always need a response. Like any conversation, knowing when to keep quiet is just as important as knowing what to say.
