Try something new.

I'm working on a speech I have to give in a few weeks about social media. I'm a fan of social media. As a blogger, I guess I would have to be. It has been fascinating to watch the transformation from companies controlling message content to consumers controlling content — and often the context — of marketing messages. The Web has changed everything. But not all marketers have changed — yet.

We met with a company recently that was perfectly poised to author a corporate blog. We walked them through the strategy of how to do it. We created the content platform. We even showed them how to use the blog to aid in their selling process. And while they initially loved it, the idea died a sudden death. The top management didn't understand the power of the idea. They couldn't get their heads wrapped around the concept, so it died.

I suppose it was like this when television was introduced. Or radio. There had to be business people who were skeptical. But over time, new technologies get accepted and people begin to innovate within the medium.

If you're reading this blog, then you have made a first critical step. But think about what you could be doing to leverage your personal industry knowledge. Think about with whom you could be connecting on Linked In or Spock or Plaxo or Facebook or MySpace. These are more than Web sites, they're communities of like-minded citizens who share ideas, tastes and goals.

One of the basic tenants of marketing is to find people who think in a similar manner and market to them. It's referred to as market segmentation. Blogs and social networking sites inherently segment. That's the whole idea.

While it may be a little late for a New Year's Resolution, maybe you could try this one. In 2008, try something new in your marketing effort. Start a MySpace page about your company. Start a blog. Find a way to tell your story in an engaging manner and do not be fearful of a) what people will think or b) the technology you use to tell it.

I don't presently have a MySpace or Facebook page. But in the next few days, I will be setting one up. I've found it is much easier to speak with credibility when you have actually been involved in the activity.

I leave you with this challenge. In the next two months, do something on the Web that you would expect Apple or Southwest Airlines to do. Surprise your customers — delight them in fact, when they learn you are working to keep in step with their needs.

Social media does not take away from traditional media. It enhances it. Both are necessary, both will be here long time. And now is the time for you to try something new.