Given all of the talk about the web, it's time to put the web phenomenon into a consumer context. 

How do you go about getting information about a purchase?  Do you get into your car and drive to a handful of stores gathering details?  Or, do you sit down in front of your computer and type in a search term in Google or Yahoo!, or perhaps Amazon?

The more complex the purchase, the more research I do, and the more I prefer to do that research on my time, on my terms, without being hounded by someone who doesn’t have my interests at heart.  I distrust hard sells and marketing pitches that are too biased.  I seek out reviews and perspectives from peer consumers; I follow people [virtually] whose perspectives I respect.  I value corporate sites only if they offer me relevant information and act/feel like real human beings. 

Does it sound familiar?  If it doesn’t, it will soon because this is the new world order where consumers call the shots, ignore traditional push marketing communications, trust others before we trust organizations and their marketing messages, and immediately start the purchase process searching online.

Think of that.  Before going to a company website for information, we type our query into Google and then examine the results delivered.

That goes for carpet and flooring, too. 

The funny thing is that the new world order results from technology – easy-to-use technology that enables search, engagement, conversation, interaction and community-creation.  That's the web.  It’s a democratic tool breaking down geographic, educational, cultural and personal boundaries.  It allows like-minded individuals to connect and share information; it facilitates crowd-sourcing, co-creation, unexpected problem-solving and amazing cooperation.  It also allows corporations to engage in conversations with customers.

For you see, the people taking part - in blogs and wikis, photo-sharing, online reviews, help boards - are no longer at the fringe.  They are you and me.  Entrepreneurs, corporate business people, retirees, school teachers and operators. Men and women.  Especially women.

Although the conversations happen on an individual level, they increasingly affect large organizations which are made up of individuals.  Traditionally, corporations have formed walls around employees and brands while issuing carefully crafted and controlled messages to end users or customers outside.  Those walls are becoming more porous, disintegrating before our eyes, all for good reasons.  Not only can we now communicate directly with our consumers, our end customers, but our organizations can now be appreciated for the sum of the individuals making them up.

Individuals who are consumers and endusers and the ultimate customer, too.  Individuals with passion and perspectives to share, eager to take part in meaningful conversation. 

If the new world order is about engaging those interested in the conversation, regardless of corporate affiliation, how can corporations and brands participate?  After all, if they don’t, how will they remain relevant to customers?  How will they develop meaningful solutions?  How will they be found? 

Welcome to the New World Order!