New Media Manifesto: The 10 Rules Successful Businesses Must Follow In Today’s Era

Marketing has evolved from its humble beginnings with limited mediums like print and radio to encompass dozens of channels across television, direct mail, and billboards. Today, the digital age has ushered in thousands of platforms, primarily online, where brands interact with consumers. The rise of search engines and social media has empowered consumers, turning marketing into a two-way conversation.

Now, brands must broadcast their message and actively engage and respond to feedback, as consumers hold them accountable in this dynamic, interconnected landscape. Interestingly, those in the social media industry believe everything occurring with respect to social media is new. Looking back on direct marketing, database marketing, networking, and advertising, I don’t believe our business goals differed. There are a lot of doom-and-gloom stories about how every business must adapt or fail.

I don’t believe that’s true.

While I agree that the mediums have changed (and improved), businesses are still trying to achieve what they always have. The goals for business have never been different, it’s the mediums and the expectations of consumers that have changed. Companies are now held accountable for the advertising, marketing, and sales expectations they set.

New Media Manifesto

If I were to write a manifesto for business, it would probably have these ten goals:

1. My business will be available where prospects and customers are looking for us.
2. My business will be available when prospects and customers need us.
3. My business will respond when prospects and customers make a request.
4. My business will set realistic expectations for prospects and customers.
5. My business will deliver what customers expect.
6. My business will deliver when we say we will.
7. My business will admit when we made a mistake.
8. My business will fix our mistakes.
9. My business will be honest with you.
10. My business will effectively communicate progress along the way.

In return for being open, honest, accountable, and available, businesses hope that prospects and customers will return the favor by communicating how well they performed. This isn’t just good marketing or new marketing; it’s good business. These have always been the goals of the businesses I’ve worked with.

As you review these goals, you will notice that nothing is mentioned about new media, experiential marketing, social media, search, search engine optimization, Twitter, Facebook, email, or any other marketing medium. While those mediums make it much easier to achieve business goals, they don’t require that every business adopt them.

Your company may find that good old-fashioned cold calling does the trick. Remember—it’s still true that the majority of the business world has not adopted social media, and many are successful, growing, and even flourishing businesses. Take Apple, for example. I don’t see Apple being open, transparent, or overwhelmingly engaged in social media, but they’re doing quite well, aren’t they?

My point isn’t to discourage companies from adopting and utilizing social media. Quite the opposite. Suppose your business wants to adopt the goals of the above manifesto. Given the proper resources and the right strategy, I do not doubt that social media will accelerate your business. If those goals are not your company’s goals, social media may not be a fit.

Think before you leap! The water is cold and deep. 🙂