Brian Solis recently gave a speech about his new e-book about the future of digital marketing, “What If PR Stood for People and Relationships?” Hosted by Vocus-Cision at Google Headquarters,

Noted blogger and new media marketer Geoff Livingston shared the lessons from Brian’s presentation, which centered on the need for marketers to focus on becoming valuable to audiences rather than achieving traditional online success.

We can build value for our customers,” said Brian. “We can see and find it, or we can contribute to the noise. Customers will find the value elsewhere if we choose the second. Customer-centricity actually means you have to revolve around customers.”

Brian argued that customer expressions – their responses to brand messages – are more important than impressions. Specifically, brands should pause and think about the messages they are communicating. Do they add any value or are they just more noise, designed for web traffic? Customers have to feel the real impact of communications, and want more as a result of it.

To illustrate his point, Brian asked, “If an infographic is published and no one shares it, did it even exist?”

Technology contributes to the equation. It offers a new, powerful way to reach people. It can bring a sense of awe, much like a test drive in a sports car can change the way you think about driving. Newfound power can blind and cause communicators to lose their way.

“Technology shouldn’t be the vision, but the way we scale the vision,” said Brian. He encouraged attendees to think of online tools as a means, not the message. He reemphasized that becoming an online “marketing machine” isn’t something to be proud of.

When technology builds relationships with customers, value happens.

“Value changes over time with new technologies and media,” said Brian. “Experience with customers is built through value and relationships. You have to market through experiences.” That means build value, strengthen relationships, and gain experience.

Please click through to read Geoff’s complete summary.