Many companies want to use social media tools and online marketing techniques to connect with their customers.

It’s more effective in some industries than others but the key to success or failure boils down to the actual organization and if they are prepared to modify their business behavior.

For instance, I have seen online agencies with poor offerings and I have seen Lawyers who are Blogging about topical items, so it can’t be the industries that can’t adapt to online marketing.

I’m currently reading Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin. If you don’t want to read the book, you can get a summary here.

Seth argues in the first part of the book (I’m still reading) about the need for organizations to adapt to new marketing, if their product or service fits.

Too many companies are trying to jump on a marketing band-wagon without being able to sustain the effort or have the infrastructure to react.

A simple example of this is a Blog. I get asked to generate Blogs for Companies keen to get in on the act, who then rarely post and, when they do, it’s a bit of a lazy effort probably doing more harm than good.

Online marketing is an attitude, not a discipline and, where it differs from traditional advertising, it’s a marathon not a sprint.