Years ago, social networks and email were called “new media” as they were emerging as marketing tools, Corissa St. Laurent, director of regional development at Constant Contact, told attendees of her Saturday workshop. Today, however, new media is The Media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Facebook have become a constant, regular part of marketing.

The key to engagement marketing, St. Laurent explained, is email. “Almost everyone checks email every day, so engagement marketing starts in the inbox,” she said. “When we have an email list this is an engagement tool we own.” Social networks, on the other hand, are “leased space.” Providers could change them in ways that don’t suit your marketing plan and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, you own your email, webpage and blog.

Engagement Is Making Connections

In an engagement marketing communication, you are trying to make an emotional connection with people to get a measurable response. You also want people to share your message with others.

The way to do this is to provide valuable and interesting content. Communicating via email or social media should be like having a conversation with one person, even if you are actually communicating with 10,000. People don’t want to hear all about you and your organization. If they want that, they will go to your website. If you give prospects something of value, they will become engaged and take the initiative to find out about you.

About 90 percent of marketing to new or prospective members comes through word of mouth. Because of online tools, engagement is the new word of mouth. The key to engagement marketing, just as with spreading your message via word-of-mouth, is creating trust and credibility.

Three Steps to Engagement Marketing

There are three steps to engaging with the people you already have connections with – your current members and the people they communicate with.

1. Provide a “wow!” experience – make them remember you.
2. Entice them to stay in touch – take initiative to get contact information
3.  Engage them – find out what they want from you, share information to establish yourself as a resource and expert of value to them

This engagement will drive social visibility. The people you engage with will have friends and associates they will send to you.