The American Marketing Association recently released a new definition for the word “marketing’.  (http://www.marketingpower.com/content2653039.php)

The new definition reads:

“Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”

The previous definition stated:

“Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.”

I think the biggest addition to the definition is the word “exchanging”.  In this new media landscape of social networks, blogs, mobile and consumer generated media, it is easier than ever for your audience to communicate with you. It is not just about a one-way channel, it is about offering real interactive experiences for your audience, and allowing them to give you feedback. It is a new way of thinking for most marketers. Putting a message out there without thinking through how you want your audience to react is not effective. Be sure to think through what types of information you would like to get back, and tailor your medium and message to achieve that goal. But before you launch that new blog, social network or mobile campaign, be sure you have a system in place to respond to feedback.