A recent e-Marketer report says from 2007 to 2012 Web-influenced store sales are expected to grow at a 19% average annual rate, compared with a 12% rate for e-commerce sales. While both brick and mortar and online are predicted to enjoy double digit growth, 19% is significantly higher than 12%.

It’s an interesting statistic because it demonstrates the critical nature of integrating new and old media, that isolated neither will not save the day. We already know that folks need to engage in web presence, and not rely solely on web 1.0 brochureware. At the same social engagement must be developed to compel people to walk into the store. Nineteen percent will be compelled by the web, not junk mail. That means strong online reputation is absolutely necessary.

The web driving brick and mortar sales reminds me of a conversation Toby Bloomberg and I had with Frank Gruber when we were considering a book project. Frank noted that great online properties all have a brick and mortar component to them, whether it’s a tie into someone’s cell phone, delivery to your house (hello Zappos!), or actual retail outlets, such as Apple stores or Dell kiosks.

In essence, as the report says, to market effectively great companies engage in “multi-channeling” information. This only makes sense as well discussed before here and on other blogs. A happy median needs to be found between social and traditional, online and brick and mortar.

From a corporate branding and marketing standpoint, content creation needs to intelligently integrate new and old. A social media tool may need to intelligently manage social and traditional channels.
A TV or print ad needs the social call to action. The social media effort may need a webinar or white paper to bulwark value.

Integrate intelligently to achieve cross tie marketing. Remember all of those great Super Bowl ads that drove people online?), list social properties on business cards and letterhead, tell people about store features using a prominent piece of real estate on a social property, etc, etc.

The word that comes to mind is balance.