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A new era of internet sales and marketing has dawned and a whole new industry is emerging that is desperately short of skilled people. The places of higher education are just coming to terms with the skills that are required for this online industry. In this situation the students often become the teachers.

Today, consumers are in control of products, brands and messages. The leaders of this seismic shift are the members of the world wide social web. They are the bloggers, microbloggers, forum posters, social networking participants. These knowledge era leaders who produce and use products and services (producers and consumers or prosumers) spread messages, influence people, and drive global demand (advocates).

Prosumer Advocates (also referred to as online publishers, affiliates and promoters) are the online influencers that organisations must now acknowledge, respect and develop relationships with if they want their brands to thrive. The high level step for you to leverage your power as a Prosumer Advocate is to learn about online marketing from successful online companies, like Google, Amazon, Ebay and WallCann.

Online Marketing is where a business rewards you for each new customer and sale they gain from your research, editorials, advocacy, advertising and or promotion. Basically a well managed way of earning money for products and services that you promote.

The concept of revenue sharing — paying for referred sales— predates affiliate marketing and the Internet.  When you buy advertising space on TV, Radio and Newspapers you are paying the advertising media owners for sending you their viewers and readers. You pay for the media in advance, regardless of sales generated from the advertising.
By comparison, the internet provides an excellent mechanism for tracking, measuring and rewarding the delivery of customers. So in a win win for organisations and Prosumer Advocates payment for promotion occurs once the sale is transacted. This helps relatively small organisations to compete more effectively and introduce many new products.

Amazon is an example of an early Prosumer Advocate (affiliate) program. Amazon launched its associate program in July 1996. Amazon affiliates placed banners or text links and added relevant reviews on their own site for individual books linked directly to the Amazon webpages. As visitors click from their affiliates’ websites through to Amazon and then purchased a book, the Advocate (affiliate) is paid a commission.

Online marketing has grown quickly and WallCann has many programs offering payments for Advocates. These Advocates just advertise directly to our websites or build their own websites, with research content and comparison reviews.

WallCann Head Office is in Adelaide and employs a team of talented people building and managing online marketing solutions. WallCann also works with over 500 Prosumer Advocates worldwide. To get started as a Prosumer Advocate the cost is minimal and mainly requires time.  It is not physically demanding so suits those who have restricted mobility.

Social media trends that are evolving support the prosumer advocate marketing of the future. A concept WallCann has worked on since 2002.

No doubting the importance of mobile in social media – however, the evidence also shows just like writing paper letters, emails have their place. For much of business transactions, confidential information, documentation email transfer will not easily be replaced by mobile phone transfer. Just as most kids like cartoons most adults like movies, while lots of blurring occurs fundamentals remain. As gen Y and Z grow up and move to management and commerce situations they will need a more formal confidential communication documentation that twitter and social media currently does not provide.

All this means is that companies who continuously explore beyond traditional marketing will move ahead of the pack. The new customers we are winning are testament to that growing need.