Web 2.0 has presented us with a dazzling array of new communications tactics we can use to reach B-to-B audiences. It has also added an equally impressive assortment of measurement capabilities.

Where we once may have had a handful of print ads, direct mail pieces, brochures, and press releases in an integrated program, we might now have dozens of online ads, scores of Google Adwords, and an e-mail program to thousands of recipients, all segmented by interest.

And where we had 800 number phone calls and bounce-back cards returned, we now can count impressions, clicks, open rates, delivery rates, conversions, and search ratings.

It’s not an overstatement to say that we’re in danger of being overwhelmed by all the data. John Wanamaker’s desire to know “which half works” could seem even further away than ever.

But out of this concern comes a huge opportunity for marketing. What if we could pick and choose among all these new media options, selecting the mix that delivers the right mix of attraction, interaction, and engagement?

And what if we could use these new media measurement capabilities to track not only what tactics are being successful, but also determine what messages are resonating? And perhaps even gain insight into customer behavior?

That’s the promise of what we’re calling hyperintegration. It requires discipline and a dedication to analytics – tracking every tactic and evaluating its success in delivering web traffic and conversions.

We’re fashioning discrete programs – everything from specific promotions to branding efforts – and mapping out the planned customer experience – what outcomes we are hoping to achieve. We have target goals of impressions, click-throughs, conversions, and leads.

The result is a "Lean Lead Machine," an engine that can be evaluated at every step for its effectiveness. Our job is to build a new version of that machine for every specific program, and refine it, constantly tweaking this tactic or that web page to optimize results. Is the attract mechanism – the online ad – really drawing people’s attention? Are they going to the web site? How many users download the white paper, view the video, or listen to the podcast? And how many convert, actually become a lead, or reach the desired outcome?

The best news of all is that you can now go to management with real numbers. And we can start having the discussion about what kind of results are expected (how many leads?) and what kinds of resources it will take to get there. 

That's the new creativity in marketing communications – harnessing this incredible range of new resources to achieve tangible business results.