An Effective Message Seen ONLINE Motivates People to Buy NOW —

[6] An Unprecedented Capability for
Social Networking AND Marketing!

The true power of the Internet – for business – is its unprecedented ability to reach your target audience on a one-to-one basis, in the privacy of their home or office, when and how they choose, within their "comfort zone."

Unlike any other mass communications medium ever created, the Internet can deliver your company's advertising message directly, in an "up close and personal" manner.

Marketing IS "Social Interaction" —
Social Interaction IS "Marketing"!!!

If there's ever any doubt in your mind about the truth of this statement, just observe the rituals of a young girl preparing for her first school dance.

She will spend many hours doing whatever she believes will improve her image with the boys.
Similarly, the boys will spend hours engaging in similar activities, for similar reasons.

By instinct, adolescents already know what the American Association of Advertising Agencies has been trying to teach the business community for years:

"You Never Get a Second Chance To Make a First Impression."

And those bright little girls who have the ability to quickly attract — and hold — the undivided attention of the most desirable boy at that dance have already proven themselves to be highly skilled communicators, destined to grow up to become the next generation's entrepreneurs, business owners and managers, and marketing directors.

A Socially Interactive Medium that is Up Close and Personal — Like Never Before

The Internet's interactivity and social interaction capability have been two major driving forces behind the explosion of Internet usage that has taken place so rapidly in our society.

"The first recorded description of the social interactions [that could be readily achievable] through networking was a series of memos written by J.C.R. Licklider of MIT in August 1962 discussing his "Galactic Network" concept ... In spirit, the concept was very much like the Internet of today." — ISOC, "A Brief History of the Internet"

For years before the World Wide Web was "invented", some of us now at BFC were using the Internet to facilitate our marketing projects, opinion research, and also for social interaction, which was sometimes work-related, and sometimes not.

And even in those "pre-Web" days, various forms of social interaction (or "networking") had quickly become the most popular Internet use by the early 1970's for growing numbers of Americans. Although it may have initially been our work that brought many of us online, it was the Bulletin Board services (BBS), the threaded USENET discussions, the chat rooms, E-mail, the gaming servers, the "instant messaging" services (ICQ, MSN, AOL, etc.), and other such socially interactive resources that kept Americans online, often for hours after their work was finished.

In those early days, we saw the Internet's awesome potential as a communications medium — and advertising venue — that was more immediate, more equalitarian, and destined to become far more powerful, than anything the world had ever seen before.

The Proven Power of the 'Net as an Interactive Agent of Social Change:

Some sources have cited the Internet's social interaction capabilities as one of the most important factors in the downfall of Communism in many parts of the World.

We still recall early morning online "conversations" we had with people in Iron Curtain countries who were hungry for information uncensored by "official" news sources; eager to practice their English and to learn all about America firsthand from real Americans: "What is life in America really like?" and "Do some American families really have three cars?"

For a prime historical example of how the Internet has matured as a social interaction medium, one need look back no further historically than the Presidential Election of 2008. Both of the major "Teams" used the various marketing tools of the Internet more intensively — and more effectively — than had ever been done before: To recruit and help organize volunteers; to present each candidate's positions clearly; to solicit donations; and to persuade voters.

The combined online efforts of both Democrats and Republicans in this instance created an unprecedented interest in the political process, especially among U.S. population subgroups who had been traditionally regarded — and many of whom had previously regarded themselves — as "apathetic" or "marginalized." The socio-political "playing field" had finally been leveled like never before in history, and everyone could play.

And a higher percentage of Americans than ever before in history were motivated to actively participate in the political process during 2008, due in large part to highly effective use of Internet technology combined with effective use of other more traditional media.

Brief Excerpts from Pew's Commentary About the Social Aspect of the 'Net:

"Other social technologies have radically changed societies in recent history such as the automobile, telephone, radio and television. However, unlike the Internet, these [earlier forms of "social technologies"] remained fairly static in many ways [and] the pace of change [and rate of adoption by society in general] has been slow.

"... There is a relationship between the Internet and its user base that didn't exist with the previously mentioned technologies. [This interaction capability empowers Internet users to become participants, not just users, enabling them to] themselves change the marketplace by creating better tools for ... social networking as well as adding their two-cents to the roiling exchange of ideas online.

"What feels old and 'traditional' about the Internet ... is that it's a voluntary social sphere where people can give and can take. What's new about the Internet ... is the rate at which it is influenced by people who use it for new kinds of social purposes."

— Pew Internet & American Life Project, February 6, 2008,
"A Portrait of Early Internet Adopters"

Want to know more about how we can help you increase your bottom line?

On the next page, we categorize the "community" BFC serves into subgroups and explain briefly why each subgroup may be of substantial value to your present and future profitability.

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