Communities, not audiences
As communicators, we tend to think of ‘audiences’ and ‘messages.’ But now audience members are listening to us and trusting us less and less, they are talking during the show.
If they don’t like what they are hearing, they tell each other about it. If what we say isn’t relevant, they won’t let it interrupt them.
The mindset of the time-poor consumer in an over- communicated marketplace is not that of a passive audience member.
Consumers are now much more likely to trust a recommendation from another informed consumer than a paid advertising message. + find reference for this.
We need to win the trust of consumers by thinking of them as informed, questioning communities rather than audiences. We must begin to think in terms of engaging them in two-way conversations rather than trying to smother them with marketing messages.
This new approach is a challenge for many reasons, the Thirdway can help provide cost effective strategies and tools to help you make the switc