The old way used to be having a nice, glossy company brochure to give to people inquiring about your business. Then white papers came into vogue. Everyone is an expert at something and sharing that knowledge draws attention.
If you put the white papers on your Web site so they could be downloaded, you could get a sense of how many people were interested in a topic.
The first web sites were online brochures, designed and written like brochures, only you could turn the pages with a mouse. I've seen several software applications that will allow you to read a magazine and book online. Many companies still use static, brochure-like web sites -- and there are reasons why in some cases, this still works.
We figured out that online meant we could use dynamic content, so we updated more frequently. And with the updates we also learned to write for a new medium: shorter and more to the point. We also learned to have forms and contests to drive traffic to extranets and gain permission to send more information to customers and prospects. Yet all of these activities were one way.
Quick poll: how many of you have received a personal, topical response from an inquiry posted through a company web site?
Today we have an array of tools at our disposal to interact more with customers, partners, and colleagues. So why is it so much harder to speak to a real person? Have we forgotten that all of these tools are but ways to start conversations and the potential relationship(s) are still our goal?
That is one of the reasons why small consulting groups and teams will continue to have a competitive advantage over large conglomerates. You get to talk to and work with the principals: there are no second teams. The power used to be inside the ivory tower. In a marketplace that demands more authenticity, honesty, and contact than it ever did before, the power resides at the meeting of the minds. Now, let's talk about business...