In another preview of the NewComm Forum, I chat with two companies that are reaching buyers by pushing the envelope in using social media and multimedia to win friends and influence buyers. I’ll highlight how, Sigler Music, a small music store in Fort Smith, Arkansas, has become a force in the music world by becoming a power seller on eBay. I take you through the real deal of buying my son drums for Christmas. Direct link for video In my search I went through local music stores, I went on eBay, I participated in message boards, and used the Web for research. What captured me was the video Sigler Music used to demonstrate the drum kit on its eBay site. The video gave me a perspective that you can’t deliver with any medium other than video. Chris Ward, general manager of Sigler Music, believes that video helps restore the relationship between an honest, neighborly salesman and a person looking to satisfy a need. Moving on to one of the giants in the retail space, Best Buy is combining its recognized brands with a focus on the small business and home office. We hear from David Hemler, the VP of sales and operations at Best Buy. He says the combination of brick-and-mortar stores and online research with the service capabilities provided by the Geek Squad portion of Best Buy can deliver a better consumer experience. It is a combination and positioning hard to match. Join me on March 8 at the NewComm Forum NewComm Forum. I will be doing a presentation in which I’ll cover “Interaction and engagement: New media as the key to buyers’ hearts.” Speaking of the NewComm Forum, be sure to enter the Provident Partners drawing to win a trip to the conference, including airfare, hotel and conference registration. Deadline is Feb. 13, so move fast! Want to help out a food shelter? Contribute! Give us some feedback by leaving a comment on the blog, e-mail us at marketingedge@providentpartners.net or call us at 651-695-0174. We will donate a food item for each comment we get. Thanks for listening. Less