Connecting to a conversation is easy; more of a technical issue than anything else.  Connecting in a meaningful and productive way, one that gets the buzz going in the right direction and keeps it on track, is a little trickier.  With the right approach, you can increase your chances of being well connected to the C2C buzz.

Rule #1 – Give yourself enough time and resources

If you don’t follow Rule #1, then Rules #2 & #3, and just about every other aspect of your C2C marketing effort will be difficult to execute properly.  

As we said, connecting is easy – you can literally start in minutes.  You need two things:

a)      an internet connection               b) something to say

Presuming ‘a)’ is not an issue (if it is, how are you reading this post?!), having something, the right thing, to say becomes your focus.

If you’re like me, it’s not difficult to talk about your company or products – I can go on for days.  But who wants to hear someone prattle on about their product, etc.?  Connecting to a C2C conversation means knowing what is being said and carefully considering what to contribute.  In other words, your response needs to be pertinent to the conversation – not just another sales pitch.

Before you say anything, you must find, listen to and research the conversations.  It is easy to underestimate how much time it takes and that’s why this is Rule #1.  You might need to track blogs; watch videos on YouTube; learn about social media groups or find the right forums.  You will need time – and patience.

Rule #2 – Plan Properly.

A plan will give you focus and focus will make your C2C efforts more successful.  A proper plan will answer the following questions:

What do you want to talk about?  You need to be fairly specific.  Is it about your company, your products, a single product in your lineup, your industry?  A small company might get away with a single blog, but I count almost 80 Microsoft blogs!

Who is your target audience?  You can’t start a conversation without knowing to whom you speak.  The public, industry insiders, investors, sushi lovers – they will need to be kept constantly in mind throughout all your planning and execution. 

How will you be different?  Regardless of how unique you think your product/service/company is, chances are there’s someone talking about it and a lot has been already said – you need to bring something new to the table.  You will attract more attention if there is something remarkable about your content or the way it is presented.

How often will you connect? Obviously, connecting daily will take more time than doing so weekly.  Whatever you choose, it’s important to develop a rhythmic habit around your C2C marketing.  Connecting regularly not only gets you into the habit, but your customers (or should I say your extended sales and marketing team!) become used to regular new content and contributions.

Which is the right medium?  This is where you test your planning mettle.  The versatility of Web 2.0 means a wide variety of C2C marketing channels – determining which one, or the right mix, will require diligence.  To get the easy stuff out of the way, there are very few cases where having a blog and tracking forums would not be helpful.  Beyond that, whether you choose to start a program of podcasts, or develop a widget for FaceBook, will very much depend on everything we’ve spoken about so far – your answers to the previous questions in Rule #2 and how able you are to follow Rule #1.

Rule #3 – Develop the Right Content

Contrary to the popular axiom, with C2C, what you say and how you say it are equally important – oh, and better add where you say it.  In the confines of a single blog entry, or even a series like this one, it is impossible to say what message would work best, directed to whom, on which medium. 

So, maybe we can talk about what to avoid: 

a)       Very few people search the internet for advertising.  The mere whiff of it sends most surfers off to catch another wave.  Keep your message pertinent to the conversation.

b)      Old news is bad news.  Be current.

c)      Don’t go in half-baked.  Research the conversation before you decide how to contribute.

d)      They’ve seen and heard it all – so far.  Bring something different.

e)      Don’t leave them sitting there.  Get them to take action and pass your message along.  Stay in touch and develop an active exchange of information. 

C2C marketing is not possible without being connected.  Just doing so sends a strong signal to your customers.  In other words, the action is the message.  Connect, in whatever way you can, and your customers will see you in a new light – and they’ll tell their friends.  

I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.