Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Yinka Olaito at The Branding Gravel, a blog about personal and corporate branding with an international focus on Nigeria.

About two months ago, I started a series on marketing and web 2.0 on my weblog with regards to how web 2.0 conversations have changed the face of marketing and by extension public relations, branding etc for good. The response I got propelled this article. Some called to say that discussion is out of context in Nigeria.

Even though some may argue that Internet is not part of us yet, but it is knocking hard on our door. This may be true to an extent, but the mobile marketing that is today becoming a threat was not part of us until the entrant and changes we witnessed when Telecoms companies were licensed in Nigeria: the lesson is that what works today may not work tomorrow. As a result, this has placed a demand on marketing activities that will be relevant in the next seven years to embrace Marketing 2.0.

Marketing 2.0 is web or internet-enabled. It is participatory marketing unlike the monologue that has been the old order. Dr. Rob Marchant enthused that Marketing 2.0 or that which is web-enabled can mean several things to several people depending on the state of their minds, and if I may add, on the level of their exposure, knowledge, mindset and attachment to tradition.

The essence of Marketing 2.0 is that it makes customers to be part of the team. The practice of today’s Marketing 2.0 demands that marketing activities cannot exist without the consumers or all the stakeholders. Marketing 2.0 has abandoned the old 4 Ps and adapted what I call the 4 Cs.

1. The first C has to do with conversation building. Building conversation requires a level of sharing, exposure which empathize dialogue and not monologue. It is a two-way communication not information passage. A conversation builds solid relationship among peers while a level of trust, confidence is built along the line.
2. The second C demands that a community is created. A community is not just agglomeration of individuals, but individuals who are bonded with common goal, vision. A typical community that comes to mind is that which is obtained in the old African village setting where there is ethos, ethics and a well structured system that makes co-habitation becomes pleasurable. This kind of community makes every individual in it to be a proud ambassador and representative who understands what roles he/she has to play to make the community stand out.
3. The third C is collaboration. Collaboration has to do with great association, partnership. It does mean that marketing is no longer a one party show but a joint effort of both the customers and product producers. When there is collaboration, product, and services success are often guaranteed. Interestingly what we have now is noise making. The noise level has become so bad that we hardly hear anything again. The higher noise level has made marketing activities to become like the proverbial young man that is winking at a lady in the dark.
4. The fourth C which I think is important is the principles of co-creation. This becomes easy when marketing activities has established and followed the above process. The co-creation works better because each party is now concerned with the success of the offspring that is produced.

Having said this, Marketing 2.0 is the goal post of the future. As we know, a great scorer does not stay where the ball is but he is always running towards where the ball will be. Marketing professionals and by extension public relations, branding experts should embrace web 2.0 to remain relevant.

Staying at the old web 1.0 practice of monologue, customer service, pushing commerce from one point will make a professional outdated and non-relevant. According to Rob Marchant, Marketing 2.0 requires that we build an ecosystem and I strongly agree with him.

• Marketing 2.0 is more of networking, making customers much more relevant to decision making, working together in a flow that is two-directional.
• Marketing 2.0 will require having solid conversation and harnessing collective intelligence among all the stakeholders.
• Marketing 2.0 allows what I call feedback management, communications, comments, interaction, sharing, and modifications where necessary argument.
• Marketing 2.0 may not be devoid of promotion but this has to do with content transfer and brand education.
• Marketing 2.0 will build a customer community through social media, customer engagement among other vital requirements.

As much as Marketing 2.0 demands a lot of responsibilities, it has a lot of dividends that will make up for the time, energy invested. Looking at the following benefits will encourage those who are determined to go for Marketing 2.0.

But in the face of present realities, I strongly believe professionals have no option. But let someone take courage in the benefits below.

1. Marketing 2.0 will bring new customers with ease. Through adequate education, people understand the product, services better and are more receptive.
2. The level of interaction that Marketing 2.0 offers will promote a lot of trust; confidence building and many will be lured to the offerings.
3. Marketing 2.0 will also increase the pool of knowledge in the hands of service providers as the interaction will provide a platform that will place customers’ desire in the hands of the producers.
4. Marketing 2.0 will eventually reduce the cost in terms of advertising and legal fees etc. This will result because the products, services are co-created and a sense of responsibility is laid on both parties to protect the offering. Words-of mouth spread faster with the use of Marketing 2.0.
5. Marketing 2.0 also makes the hurdles in marketing and public relations become easy to cross.
   Finally, Marketing 2.0 makes your products, services and offerings become a web start. When you engage Web 2.0 with right utilization of keywords, search engine optimization, it helps Google to push you to the top searches.

My question is where are you now? Marketing 1.0 or Marketing 2.0? If you are at Marketing 1.0, I dare say you are too late as Marketing 3.0 is already around. Operating in Marketing 1.0 today is pathetic. Marketing 3.0 will focus on speed and seamless communication of devices which promote higher sense of interactivity.

Now think: Will your customer be there for you if you are going to jump from Marketing 1.0 to Marketing 3.0?

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About The Author
Yinka Olaito is a multi-faceted and multi-skilled professional in the areas of branding, public relations, training, public speaking and consulting. He is Chief Consulting Officer for Michael Sage Consulting and has helped several individuals as well as organizations to maximize values in their brands/ideas through effective brand positioning to their target audience. You will find his blog an excellent read.