It's now 2010 and do you know what period of marketing we're currently in? Well, according to marketing & PR guru Larry Weber, we're in the era of the social web -- the third period of marketing.

Marketing to the social web
In his new book, "Marketing to the Social Web: How Digital Customer Communities Build Your Business", author Larry Weber talks about the need to make the transition from the old marketing to the new marketing of the social web. Weber has spent the past three decades leading such global communications companies as Weber Shandwick Worldwide and the W2 Group.

Change your marketing mindset
Well, we all know that the web is where the action is today. And, while he certainly isn't the first to emphasize the need to change one's marketing mindset, he is the first one that I've read about to describe the "third period of marketing".

As a side note, I spend a good deal of time reading articles, e-newsletters, blogs, books, magazines, etc. and attending webinars to keep up with all of the information coming our way!

Periods of marketing
According to Weber, the first period of marketing was when national publications, national radio, and national television led to the rise of mass marketing. The second period, which is just about over, saw the rise of direct marketing through direct mail, telemarketing and catalogs.

Embrace new reality
Now, we're in the third period of marketing, the era of the social web. Weber explains that "your customers and potential customers are more in control of what they read, hear and watch. And, not only do they want to talk to other people, they want you -- the marketer -- to listen to them. It's time to embrace this new reality. But how do you make the transition from the old marketing to the new marketing of the social web?"

Old vs. new marketing
So, what are the differences between the traditional marketing of yesterday and the new marketing of today and tomorrow? Well, plenty. Before I highlight the changes, keep in mind that the role of marketing has not changed; but the techniques that were successful in the past will be less and less effective in the future.

For example, the "old marketing mindset" was to use one-way, one-sided communication to tell the brand story. The "new marketing mindset" is to nurture dialogue and relationships; be more transparent, earn trust and build credibility. Following are a few more:

Brand equity

• Old marketing - brand recall is holy grail.
• New marketing - brand value is determined by customers.

Targeting

• Old marketing - target by demographics.
• New marketing - target according to customer behavior.

Content

• Old marketing - professional content created and controlled by marketers.
• New marketing - mix of professional and user-generated content.

Strategy

• Old marketing - top-down strategy imposed by senior management drives tactics.
• New marketing - bottom-up strategy builds on winning ideas culled from constant testing and customer input.

If you'd like to learn more, check out the book - it's excellent!

Need a marketing communications plan for your business or organization? If so, please give me a call.

I've been working on a few new marketing plans for clients lately and recently developing a new planning process. The key to writing an effective marketing plan is disciplined marketing planning.

A good marketing plan is like a roadmap for success because it serves as a blueprint for action. Marketing failures are far too often the result of marketing executions that were not rooted in a well-thought-out, disciplined marketing strategy.

This new process includes four phases:

1. Discovery
2. Research
3. Brand positioning
4. Plan development

Please contact me for a free, no obligation meeting to learn more about this marketing planning process and to discuss your marketing needs and challenges.

Each day there are millions of conversations online -- many of which focus on social media marketing. This relatively recent explosion of information on social media has at times caused me to wonder what is "myth" and what is "reality"? Perhaps you've wondered the same thing too?

That's why my colleague, Bob McClain and I, created a presentation on the "Top Ten Social Media Marketing Myths & Realities", which we presented recently to a local Chamber of Commerce. Bob, of WordsmithBob.com, is an innovative and creative online marketer and copywriter.

During the presentation, we talked about some of the most common myths and their associated realities along with case studies that illustrate each one. For example, one common myth is that "social media will replace traditional marketing". The reality, however, is that social media needs to be integrated into your marketing strategy; and the best marketing strategy needs to include both online and offline marketing strategies.

Need a presentation for your group?
If you would like a one-hour presentation on this topic to your group, organization or Chamber of Commerce, please contact me at bmednick@bkmconsulting.com or at 651-486-7007. All attendees will receive a free eBook on the presentation.

Please visit our Social Media Myths web site and blog to learn more.