Historically, Reality Marketing has been used to refer to a form of permission marketing that includes interactive advertising methods and techniques. An example is branded content. In 2001, a series of BMW interactive films produced by A-list Hollywood producers featured Clive Owen as the driver in charge of BMW's superior performances. The series got popular through direct distribution on the Internet - branded content was branded entertainment.

The kind of reality marketing that small/medium businesses can benefit from relates closer to current reality shows such as Survival, Amazing Race, or The Apprentice, etc. It's the capture of videos and social interactions, i.e. a Facebook Fan-Page style blog, from beginning to end, from when you first interact with a customer to when you are finished with your services.

There are a number of startups providing this services. For example, at Vimo.com visitors are given incentives to blog about their dentists/doctors and insurance company experience. However, offering incentives can create biased reviews and no video or other media is made available to confirm their actual experience. This leads to consumers questioning the reliability of the posted reviews.

A reality marketing scenario should confirm the experience that was recorded. It's a proof. A reality marketing scenario can be as short as a 5-10 minute video. For example, on this web page, Web surfers can see exactly what kind and style of coaching from short candid videos as Mon Hart interacts with workshop participants and teaches techniques to close more sales.

The Home Depot started a version of reality marketing with The Garden Club, where customers can interact with each other for gardening tips, ask experts, and receive discounts/sales promotions from Home Depot. Although there are no videos of real customers, there are surveys, libraries, guides, etc. This is suitable for commodities, where service is not as important as price. However if The Home Depot were to start a landscaping service, a reality video would be useful for potential customers.

Contact us for techniques and methods that can help your line of business.