Today, brands are no longer de\ue000ned by marketers. Although the 60-second
commercial and Web-site descriptions will always be a part o\ue001 the buy-
ing decision, these traditional marketing channels are just a small voice
among other more compelling sources o\ue001 input. In the Web 2.0 world,
brands are de\ue000ned by the very people who are infuenced by them\u2014cus-
tomers. Brands are built by the countless conversations taking place\u2014pri-
marily online\u2014between current and potential customers. Without a road
map to navigate through this uncharted digital expanse, marketers are
understandably anxious. But the truth is, the Web and the growth o\ue001 social
media have created an opportunity that will catapult marketing to a new
level o\ue001 e\ue001\ue001ectiveness and infuence.

The new world o\ue001 marketing takes advantage o\ue001 the online social phenom-
enon by participating in the dialogues and \ue001orums that many marketers \ue001ear
otherwise are undermining the traditional approaches to branding. The new
world o\ue001 marketing acknowledges that buyers are driving the brand, and it
invites buyers to de\ue000ne the kinds o\ue001 marketing they will receive. The new
world o\ue001 marketing listens as o\ue001ten as it speaks. It understands individuals,
not just audiences, and it pre\ue001ers anticipation over interruptions.

Marketers must become adept in this new world to stay competitive.
This white paper o\ue001\ue001ers strategies and tactics \ue001or implementing programs
that create a dialogue with prospects and customers to build brand value,
increase customer loyalty and drive revenue

Like many words that \ue001all victim to overuse, \u201cengagement\u201d is in danger
o\ue001 losing its meaning \ue001or marketers. \u201cEngagement\u201d is more than just an
industry buzzword; it is becoming the cornerstone o\ue001 savvy marketing.
Along with the Web 2.0 technologies that enable marketers to understand

the digital era, an exciting new landscape o\ue001 marketing channels and
one-to-one relationships is emerging. With the rise o\ue001 the Web, empowered
consumers have unprecedented access to a vast array o\ue001 product and
company in\ue001ormation, as well as control over the marketing messages
they receive. The surge in social media use has given voice to hundreds o\ue001
millions o\ue001 people who are \ue001reely sharing their thoughts and opinions through
social networks, photo and video sharing sites, blogs, community \ue001orums,
wikis and more.

and communicate relevant messages, engagement makes it possible \ue001or marketers to cultivate vibrant brands, legions o\ue001 loyal customers and \ue001ans, and ever-increasing revenues and marketing returns on investment.

Engagement is a marketing approach that\u2014in contrast to traditional
brand and direct marketing strategies\u2014allows a brand\u2019s customers
and prospects to shape the company\u2019s marketing. People choose what
messaging they will receive, and in what channels. Engagement marketing
begins at the moment someone takes an action and initiates a dialogue,
such as by signing up \ue001or an email program or reading a product review
and requesting more in\ue001ormation.

Engagement is a worthy pursuit. But it is also a practical one. Interactive
content must be combined with power\ue001ul branding and clear calls to action
in order to achieve your business goals. As you implement an engagement
mind-set into your marketing programs, keep in mind that:

person in order to persuade him or her to buy or become a \ue001an and brand
advocate. Content itsel\ue001 can be engaging, but as many now-\ue001amous engaging
videos or Web sites have show, the actual brand, as well as the call to action, can
get lost in the excitement around the content. There\ue001ore, engagement alone is not
su\ue001\ue000cient \ue001or sales. To drive revenues, you must also have an end in mind.

tactics that drive someone toward measurable li\ue001etime customer value
and/or provide opportunities and impetus to participate in dialogues,
interact with your brand, and infuence others to become buyers.

Ultimately, the goal o\ue001 engagement marketing is to create relationships that bene-
\ue000t both customers and organizations. In a survey o\ue001 1,300 marketers, 38 percent
said the value o\ue001 engagement marketing is that it increases customer li\ue001etime
value. But nearly the same percentage (34 percent) said it is about increasing the
value the company delivers to the customer.1 In \ue001act, it is both.

Given the stormy \ue000nancial situation
\ue001orecast \ue001or the immediate \ue001uture,
companies will be \ue001orced to \ue001ocus on
existing relationships and customers
more than ever. Embracing a
marketing philosophy that
enables you to connect deeply
with customers is a smart
way to build brand loyalty
and weather the storm. And
when the economy eventually
rebounds, the bene\ue000ts o\ue001
engagement marketing
will put you in a position o\ue001
strength compared to your

While studies \ue000nd that marketers recognize the importance o\ue001 customer
engagement, the December 2008 \u201cOnline Customer Engagement Report\u201d
\ue001rom Econsultancy \ue001ound that \ue001ewer than hal\ue001 o\ue001 organizations actually have
put a de\ue000ned customer engagement strategy into place.1 How to go about
establishing a deeper and more bene\ue000cial relationship with customers and
prospects eludes most organizations.

not only need to give your customers the messages they want, you need
to deliver it through the channels and at the times they pre\ue001er. Today that
means a multiplicity o\ue001 channels in addition to email, including RSS, mobile
and direct mail. Your messaging in these channels or any other touch points
should be uni\ue000ed and support each other.

tination \ue001or your customers and prospects. It should encourage participa-
tion, \ue001oster dialogues, and deliver unique content based on past customer
behaviors and pre\ue001erences. Place an opt-in \ue001or your marketing messaging
program prominently on every page. O\ue001\ue001er user reviews, customer \ue001orums
or other methods o\ue001 \ue001eedback and commentary. And approach Web sites
as a personalized communication channel that you can use as part o\ue001 your
two-way dialogue with customers. By \u201clistening\u201d to the exchange o\ue001 ideas,
you can better understand the needs o\ue001 your customers and potential
customers and truly engage them.

channels, marketers will need to view and act on data \ue001rom across these com-
munication vehicles. The email database is morphing into the communications
dashboard \ue001or a wide variety o\ue001 relationship marketing touch points. Today, this
centralized database can be used to personalize messages sent to customers
in a variety o\ue001 channels including email, RSS and mobile. Additionally, in\ue001orma-
tion can fow into this database \ue001rom these and other applica-
tions, such as Web analytics plat\ue001orms, and be used to
trigger personalized messages that then go out
to customers in the channel o\ue001 their choice.

drive engagement
levels very high i\ue001 you
talk about a product
at the same time that
a person is interested
in making a purchase.

Targeting is a one-way conversation in which you send messages you
believe the customer will \ue000nd relevant. Engagement marketing is a two-
way interaction in which you ask customers to participate in the dialogue,
there\ue001ore assuring that these customers are waiting to hear \ue001rom you.
Although targeted marketing is an essential part o\ue001 any savvy marketing
plan, it\u2019s no longer enough. As customers gain more control over the brand,
it\u2019s imperative to engage them too.