The marketplace has changed, and we’d better catch up. Gone are the days of marketers just talking to consumers and expecting them to be simply the receivers of the information. Today, consumers are not only talking back; they are taking charge.

They have access to more information than ever before, they have created review sites and portals, inviting the rest of the world to also access that same data, and they have declared something much worse than war — they have declared indifference.

Indifference is a reaction saved for those we don’t know. Those who intrude but are not significant enough to actually garner anger or annoyance. Indifference is about being swatted away, be it by TiVo, Sirius Satellite Radio or standing over the wastebasket, throwing away mail without even reading it.

So how do we overcome indifference? We move from the invisible gnat that gets swatted away to becoming something of substance. We get known. And just like in any other situation, we do that by engaging in a conversation. You do not rudely ignore someone you know.

By the way, this does not mean starting an ad with a rhetorical question. It means actually putting yourself out there. It means listening. That’s hard enough. But it also means caring about what you hear. It also demands that you be authentic. A straight shooter. If you have to fake it, don’t bother. They’ll see through you in a millisecond.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to explore how to engage your customers, potential customers, employees and other key audiences in a genuine conversation. But for this week, I would ask you to tune in a little differently. Where are your consumers and prospects showing their indifference? And where are you returning the favor?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and the author of “99.3 Random Acts of Marketing.” He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com.

© Drew McLellan