Consumers Power Transformational Marketing (Hamelin,

¶ … Consumers Power Transformational Marketing (Hamelin, et.al.) the author provides insights into how the many platforms that support social media, driven by the powerful catalyst of mobile commerce, is providing consumers with more control over brands than ever before. Social media continues to redefine marketing, bringing a greater clarity and focus to the voice of customers globally in the process.

The author of Consumers Power Transformational Marketing argues that social media has now shifted the balance of power on customer relationships away from marketers to the customer, and this shift is accelerating (Hamelin, et.al.). Traditional marketers are called upon to be more focused on transforming relationships with customers and making them more interactive, communicative and collaborative than ever before. The focus on creating more interactive dialogue is also key, as the article shows how through the use of analytics and Web-based applications, marketers can understand their customers with a greater depth and precision than ever before as well (Hamelin, et.al.).

It is imperative for companies to look at marketing now not as a lecture but as a dialogue. The focus needs to be on listening and effectively responding to customers, creating processes and programs that give them the information and insight they need to get to their goals. The role of consumer as catalyst of communication has arrived, and this point comes out in many examples throughout the article. This point is also alluded to in Consumers Power Transformational Marketing with how consumers are now even redefining the buying process in some industries', changing the references and sources of trusted information (Hamelin, et.al.). The empowerment of customers through the use of social media is making a revolutionary change in marketing, forcing companies who had taken their customers for granted to pay attention to their needs and preferences more than ever before (Hamelin, et.al.).

Talking Points:

1. Consumers are taking control of brands more than ever before

a. The power of social media to make the voice of the customer heard throughout entire industries is revolutionizing marketing as a result

2. Social media is now the foundation for customer referral systems and reputation management systems

a. Trust is the central chord or reference point -- people trust others like them more than they trust what a company says about a product or service

3. Social media is forcing marketers to be transformational in their skill sets

a. Must now build a conversation with a customer than just talk at them