Is Interactive Truly Integrated in your Strategy?

I came across a collection of the "Worst Gadgets Ever" in WIRED magazine and I saw the picture below of the NetSurfer CHAIR.

 
As you can see, this chair was designed to engage the internet. This is a chair that clearly takes effort to enter. As I stared at this horrible contraption, it dawned on me that this chair was a good example of how so many builders view the Internet.

So many in the industry still view the Internet as something people engage and disengage. There's no need for a NetSurfer chair. There's no on/off switch for the Internet. The Internet is everywhere, and is a part of just about every new device with a battery or plug. Thinking that people need to engage the internet is like saying you need a special room in your home for your telephone.   

I realize that most people know you don't need a special chair to access the Internet, but I think it's a close analogy to how many marketers still compartmentalize interactive marketing. Many look at interactive marketing and online sales as a separate initiative, when in fact, just like the Internet, it is merely a new vehicle to accomplish the same goals. The Internet is a new channel of communication, not a new destination. Home shoppers use the Internet with the goal of buying a home, just as some use a directory book or the newspaper.

The rules and best practices of interactive marketing are different than the more familiar mediums, but it's of key importance that interactive marketing does not become a separate department. It's not something to engage and disengage. It must be a part of everything you do. Start considering it as a factor in each decision. When designing a new campaign, consider how the message could be conveyed online. When planning your budget, consider how interactive can help you accomplish your goals. Don't separate, integrate.

Dennis O'Neil leads ONeil Interactive LLC, an online marketing strategy company for the new home industry. Dennis specializes in targeted and measurable marketing using experience in both the technical fields and new home sales and marketing. You can learn more by visiting Dennis' profile.