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While out getting lunch one day, I happened to run into diamond dealer and former vice president of the Diamond Dealers Club of New York David Abraham. We decided to sit together and eat. As we sat talking, we found ourselves surrounded by people eating their lunch and checking out Facebook and Instagram on their phones. Our discussion turned to how much marketing has changed and how important it is to have an area of specialization, or a brand promise, that sets your business apart from everyone else. The true power of marketing no longer lies in the message that you put out there. It now lies in the hands of consumers. David pointed out that nowadays a customer can come into your store, put a ring on her finger, snap a photo on her phone and then send out a message to all of her friends saying, “I’m at my favorite jewelry store, tried on this ring, what do you think?” People answer, or not, but those responses may influence the customer’s purchasing decision. With social media and cell phone cameras, everyone is a reporter, an observer of life and what is going on at any moment. Half the fun of those observations is being able to deliver that information to everyone you know and get their responses. Those who like the ring may ask for the name of the store, which leads to more customers coming in. That is the paradigm shift that has happened in marketing. Businesses can no longer be passive and just put out an ad. Firms now need to take a proactive approach and connect with their customers in a friendly, conversational way that entices them to become part of the brand promise. New media requires a new approach to an age-old issue: how to get your brand out to the right customer for your product. And the answer is to become a part of their lives in a meaningful way, to become their friend.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - October 2013. To subscribe click here.