Banner Ads! Press Releases!

This might sound crazy, but go with me for a minute.

With the advent (and proliferation) of the internet, it's a lot easier for people to communicate. It used to take days/weeks/dog years for companies to get information about a new product to potential customers. But now it can be on a website in a matter of seconds. Two clicks and a dozen keystrokes and you're poised to view all manner of content from any brand you can think of.

Wild, huh?!

With so much info available to so many people at all times, the ways businesses interact with the public is changing. Social media is the new black: it looks good on everyone and can be as formal or as casual as the situation requires.

Which is cool....except it totally changes the way most companies are interacting with the public. Banner ads and press releases are no longer the communications vehicles du jour. In many cases, customer service is the marketing and knowing who and when to engage online is as mission critical as an effective business model.

At yesterday's IABC morning session, this was the topic up for discussion. Rob McMurtrie (resident measurement guru) and Brad McCormick (Austin-based social media nerd) shared some guidelines and some pitfalls to avoid when interacting with customers online.

Stay tuned for the full content of their presentation and the reaction from local business communicators!