Recently, the US Senate voted to end funding for the F-22 Raptor stealth fighters based on recommendations from the Defense Department.  This jet is the world’s costliest weapon and was designed in the 1980’s to combat a similar set of sneaky war planes the Soviet Union had in its arsenal.

At the time, it was clear that we needed to go head to head with our Soviet counterparts to ensure that our country stayed safe. They had planes, we had planes. They wore uniforms, we wore uniforms.  All was safe and secure in the world of high profile and high cost defense.

However, the world has changed drastically since then.  The Soviet Union no longer exists and while there are still well-gunned challengers in the world, the biggest threat to our national security comes from people without uniforms or weapons commonplace in the battlefields of the past. These new enemies are crafty and covert, utilizing methods that require a more surgical approach than our F-22 bombers can deliver.

So, how does this apply to the current state of marketing?

Well, before social media took off in the US, marketers used traditional advertising vehicles to get the word out.  Many of these options, like TV, radio and print, provided great reach and enabled an advertiser to increase brand awareness at a fairly significant cost.

The ability to connect with a single customer in a meaningful way outside the store, a call center, or direct mail was just not possible.  This would be the F-22 phase of advertising, as we all used pretty big guns to hit a target we might not know that much about.

Since then, the growth of DVRs has diminished the impact of TV advertising.  iPods and satellite radio have reduced the reach of radio while the internet has forced many newspapers and magazines to close shop forever.  In addition, according to the Huffington Post, while online media spending is increasing, the traditional online banner ad is showing a decline.

One area that has grown is the ability to start a conversation, one-on-one, with customers and potential fans through social media marketing.

Advertisers can now personalize their messages for each customer or subset of customers on a continuous basis through social networks, blogs, message boards and many other outlets.  You can now talk directly to fans and help them to become evangelists for your brand without a huge expenditure and this would be similar to the more surgical approach the Defense Department now needs to take when thinking about our new set of enemies.

Of course, I am not saying that there is no longer a need for big media vehicles (or bombers, like the F-35, which will replace the F-22).  Some consumers can only be reached with more traditional methods, so advertisers should still consider running traditional campaigns to get the word out.  But with the changes in consumer behavior, along with the challenges of our economy, it is very important for companies to consider taking out the scalpel to start trimming away the fat and start talking directly to their consumers through precisely targeted social media marketing.

Your army of consumers is waiting to hear from you and they have a lot to say.