Building awareness of your products is one thing.

Problem is, it's an old thing.

And in this new paradigm of over-communications, over-choice and time famine, it will get you about as far as Kathy Lee Gifford singing "You Light Up My Life" at the Apollo Theater.

Talk to the hand
The same goes for interruptive, one-way monologues that tell people what to believe.

They're the refuges of communications dinosaurs. Those traditional ad agencies who call themselves communications companies these days to hide the fact that they're frantically trying to locate Mr. Peabody for a quick spin in the Way-Back Machine.

Getting attention is something else. It will get you farther.

And attracting attention to your unique value offerings will take you even farther in a world that doesn't deal in pure products or services anymore.

Attention counts
But in a speedy interconnected world, you have to get people involved in your information, messages and brand before you'll see direct financial returns on your communications.

In fact, in this environment, sending out more and more passive, interruptive messages is the informational equivalent of the guy at the office who has to look like he's constantly doing something while accomplishing nothing. Kind of like Vanna White in a power tie.

That's why interactivity is such a powerful tool. It does something. It's active.

It involves. It transforms vague awareness to attention.

It makes immediate dialogue with customers and prospects possible. If you're willing to use it as a mechanism to listen and learn and respond.

I've been interactivated
It does all of this by empowering your customers and prospects. By allowing them to go wherever they want to go in your information. Whenever they want to go there. However they want to get there.

Of course, they're already in control of information and communications now. Technology and connectivity have already empowered them.

The issue is, will you use interactivity to empower them through your value offerings and brand?

Because the overarching power of interactivity is its ability to bind you and your customers and prospects together in a special kind of empowering relationship. One in which their experience with you, your offerings and your brand make them better at what they do. Make them better professionals. Make their jobs easier, more efficient and more productive. Make their businesses more successful.

It's built on the premise that we're all just human beings stumbling around in the dark, trying to find the bathroom and kicking the heck out of our shins on the way there. We appreciate a little help and insight.

The WD-40 in the gears of relationships
Interactivity is a powerful metaphor for this kind of teacher-student or doctor-patient relationship. You describe your symptoms and situation. The doctor diagnoses your problem, prescribes a remedy and gets you in touch with fellow sufferers as a support group.

That's the kind of interactivity that's possible today. And that's the kind of thought leadership and customer guidance it can help you build with your customers and prospects.

In fact, it has the potential to fundamentally change and deepen your relationship with your customers and prospects. And as such, it goes beyond the web into all media.