I think we can all agree that relationships are the essence of any successful business. And in today's world, many business relationships are forged, developed and sustained online – via email, discussion forums, social networking sites, blogs, Twitter and the like. But then there are those who don't get it, don't want to get it, and won't ever spend enough time online to ever get it. Should they be ignored or disregarded as out of touch, old school, or behind the times? Perish the thought, please. To do so would be irresponsible and yes, even snobbish. Whether or not we'd like to admit it, these individuals are everywhere and not just in the over 50 crowd. They too have buying power and prefer not to follow like sheep into cyberspace in order to interact with the world. They prefer meeting face-to-face; not on Facebook. They're out-of-home, on the move, and living life, in their own way. They will still respond to traditional forms of marketing and advertising because from their perspective, social media is more of a paradox than a preview of things to come. Do I understand it or even advocate their point of view? It doesn't matter. What matters is that as a marketing professional I must listen to them, and recognize their right to be heard, and thus be able to recommend ways for my clients to retain them as customers. Everyone is different, unique, and as valuable as the next person, even if that person is seemingly taking communication to another level. In the quest for brand loyalty or market share, no one can be ignored in this economy whether explicitly or implicitly.
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