are you using media?

How is your business or organization using media?

If you answer “we are not using media” - then why not?

As a business owner you need to fuse together media and marketing for your products and services. No ifs … ands … or … you get the idea.

It’s not enough to have a website with a few photos and testimonials. Not anymore.

Customers want to interact with you through your blog. They want to be educated by your through your audio or video podcasts. And they need to discover you by using viral video and search based advertising.

What?! You don’t have a blog or podcast or do search marketing. Why not? Do you realize the untapped revenue you are missing from not doing these things?

Welcome to the new world of branding and communications. Think branded entertainment - where you and your brand are the marketing. You interact with the customer directly rather than tagging your ad in-between someone else’s message.

So here are five quick tips for creating that compelling marketing message in the new millennium:

1. Create a Story

Everyone loves a story and this creates an identity to what you do. Your story is your content.

2. Make it personal

If you start a blog – make sure it is a person writing the blog - not from “the company.”

3. Give value

Value is not money. It is more than money. Add value by giving the customer information. But not just any bit of information – but useful targeted – contextualized information. This is the most valuable.

4. Pinging & Threading

Keep pinging with little bits of info rather than trying to write an entire article or do a one hour podcast. Keep things short, useful, and to the point. A five minute podcast packed with educational content is better than a longer format. Think – “threads” that weave a “sweater” of branded content.

5. Interaction

Interact with your customers. Turn on the comments of your blog. Get listeners and viewers to comment on your podcast forum. Keep the lines of dialogue open.

Customers have unlimited options for products and services – but limited time, attention, and capacity for choice. To cut through the clutter – businesses need a compelling message beyond the 30 second ad.

But think of it this way. We now have the tools and capacity to communicate in a way we never had before. This is exciting.

Welcome to the new millennium.

Let’s enjoy the ride.