Everyone’s talking about engagement. The old days of marketing initiatives consisting of pushing information out to the customer are over and an era of community engagement and commitment has dawned. Customers expect more these days; we expect to have a voice and to be invited to participate.

We understand that businesses need our help to grow and prosper, and we’re up for that challenge. We want to be involved.

Online purchases are routinely followed by invitations to review products because vendors have realized that a rich database of product reviews is worth more than their own word. Our word means more than theirs.

Most businesses have Facebook pages now, and developing community among customers has become an explicit goal; it’s happening in the world of agriculture and food businesses as well. Companies routinely scan the social media for buzz—positive or negative—about their products. Just a couple of months ago, a Silk representative commented on a Nourishing Words post, which promoted Vermont Soy’s soy milk and warned against Silk’s sourcing and manufacturing practices. (That representative didn’t follow through to answer my questions, by the way, making Silk’s social media efforts more “push” than “engage,” in my opinion.)

Watching the practice of customer engagement emerge on the very local level is fascinating. Small farms, CSAs, farmers markets and food producers are learning from other sectors and jumping into the world of social media, with good results. Others are hesitant, or don’t have the time or knowledge to give it a try; they may be compelled to find the time and to learn over the next year or two. Not only is it arguably more effective than traditional marketing, but it can be done at no cost other than the time invested.

Pete’s Greens, in Craftsbury, Vermont is a good example of a farm and CSA so fully integrated with its “community” (not necessarily defined geographically) that the community has risen to support it in its time of need after a recent barn fire, which resulted in a devastating loss of property, equipment and inventory. Blogs (including their own) and Twitter supporters far and wide were calling for support within hours of the fire, spreading the word way beyond the town of Craftsbury or the Northeast Kingdom. Pete’s Greens will survive, in part because of the commitment of its community of customers and in part because of its own strength and resilience.

CSAs are taking the cue, too. Maggie Mae Farm in Belmont, New Hampshire is building its new CSA on a model of engagement. Marketing through the farm’s blog and through Facebook, and sharing stories and pictures from the farm that invite response, creating a “join right in” kind of CSA was a natural next step. With farm work days already scheduled for 2011, Maggie is counting on members to actively participate in the farm experience. It’s not just for fun, either. With the deep connection created by working together, comes engagement and commitment. Maggie Mae Farm will undoubtedly benefit from that commitment down the road. Should one week’s CSA share be a little off because of bad weather or other problems, I’m guessing that members will be just a little more understanding. In fact, their efforts to engage their community have already paid off in the farm being crop-mobbed at least twice this year.

Farmers markets are realizing the benefits of social media these days, many with very active Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. It takes time and energy to get to true engagement with followers, but there are some good examples of it working really well. The Portland, Maine Farmers Market’s Facebook page, with 5,380 fans, is abuzz with activity. Posts from vendors and shoppers alike tell of a community that’s seriously invested in the success of its farmers market. Seacoast Eat Local, which is responsible for the proliferation of farmers markets and other local food initiatives in New Hampshire’s seacoast region, has a solid foundation of online presence that’s paying off in strong volunteer commitment and overwhelming customer support.

In the retail world here in Concord, New Hampshire, the local food Coop is just beginning to realize the value of personal engagement. When the Coop recently experienced an onslought of negative comments—delivered to them in the local newspaper—they quickly regrouped and began a process to engage the membership directly. Although the Coop already had a presence on Facebook and Twitter, their efforts were still very directed at pushing out promotional information, rather than toward true engagement and dialogue. Now that the new member linkage committee is up and running, what are people asking for? That the Coop create more ways for members to be involved—talking, working and sharing in the day-to-day world of running the Coop.

Making that switch requires a leap of faith. It requires knowing that customers can help a business reach a broader community. It requires believing that hearing the true, unfiltered thoughts of the customer is not just important, but critical, to business success. It requires the willingness to take a chance that comments might not always be positive, and the wisdom to know that they’ll be helpful anyway. It’s tempting for any business to want to deal with negative comments privately, but the credibility gained by facing the music publicly is worth the pain.

The marketing power resulting from true engagement is exponential. One deeply committed customer will engage their friends and the community will grow. Customers no longer represent individual interests, but the interests of a broader community as well. A corporation like Dean Foods, producer of Silk soymilk, wouldn’t dedicate a marketing person to following blogs like Nourishing Words if this were not true.

From the customer side of the equation, engagement brings a sense of empowerment and commitment. Feeling a personal connection with a farmer, a CSA or a business makes me care more. It makes me more committed to speaking up about my needs and values, and makes me even more loyal when I’m listened to with respect.

It’s not about complaining and having my complaints heard; it’s about participating in solutions.

As supporting the local economy becomes a more commonly held value, along with eating locally, I think we’ll see more businesses move toward engaging their customers, asking them what they think, and really listening to their responses. We’ll watch, before our eyes, the transformation of our own communities as people transition from being passive consumers to active participants in shaping the businesses that serve them.

I love it.

What local business, farm, farmers market or CSA has managed to engage you? How did they do it and how does it feel?