What do you want to talk about? That's the question we all should want to have answered because, as they say, "markets are conversations." So if you want to get attention and drive growth, you better be an exceptional conversationalist.
Just ask Lois Kelly. In her exceptional new book Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word of Mouth Marketing, she offers a compelling perspective on the state of marketing. It's not merely about the tactics -- blogs, podcasts, webcasts, videocasts, search engines. Rather, it's about the discussions we are having and the stories we are sharing with each other. 
As she puts it: "The big idea is simply that marketing is about having conversations and engaging with people in interesting discussions, through new and traditional channels. Technology may be becoming the heart of marketing and communications, but conversations are the soul."
If you want your company to stand out in today's blizzard of noise, you must provoke conversations about issues that are relevant -- and interesting -- to your customer. That's how you build trust -- and draw people in. Be an insightful guide -- a luminary in the darkness. Or be a provocateur -- someone who happily eviscerates the conventional wisdom.
"Some of the most effective conversation starters are points of view based on beliefs, contrarian views, or unusual advice," says Kelly. "A good point of view gently (or not so gently) smacks people in the face and gets the response, 'That's interesting. Tell me more.'"
She tells the story of how one IBM corporate strategist seemed to be putting people to sleep with his dull, jargon-laden discussion of how companies can become more innovative. No story, just a lot of corporate-speak about "value chains" and "ecosystems" and "unbundling" and "disaggregating."
By contrast, Stuart Moore, the cofounder of Sapient, had a more interesting take. When he was asked the same question, he said, "There's no mystery to innovation. You just have to look through a new lens to see the possibilities. In many ways innovation is free."
You can imagine one guy boring you to death with PowerPoint slides, while the other guy inspires you to buy the next round, lean in and listen intently. But that's just it. Provocative, compelling conversations are the new marketing.
So what should we talk about?
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