I had the pleasure of meeting some very 'pro-digital' people who would prefer to take a laptop to bed rather than a paperback (I'm still a paperback man I'm afraid) ... There are however people that run their entire direct mailing business (successfully) using paper alone... so are we seeing a split market? Will one 'win' over the other? Well...
...here are my top 3 'digital' predictions and what they mean for you .
#1 More people will connect to the internet 24/7 and be mobile . The new Apple i-Pad has been born (it takes me months to get used to a new phone, but apparently many people already love this new 'access the internet any time' technology)...
So...? Once upon a time consumers would limit 'mobile purchases' to downloadable ring tones and games ... today devices are being used to download a myriad of things including books, music and applications for any number of purposes from weather forecasts to train timetables as well as to order 'traditional' tangible objects on-line ... many of these have been associated with PC use but are rapidly becoming accessible across multiple-platforms.
In a nutshell people are using any spare moment to access online services so instead of standing in a bus queue reading the timetable out of boredom many people will be reading an online newspaper or dealing with their emails so this presents an extra opportunity to present our on-line offers and maybe collect orders that we would never had got the chance for before.
#2 Marketers will learn to provide customers with a unique experience ... Right now we are experimenting with ways to access the growing information available from sources such as Social Networking and with psychological profiling there is the possibility to understand potential customers and tailor the language or timing of an offer in a unique way, in a style that appeals to that individual...
#3 Internet Marketing will go through a 'correction' . The 'spare room internet marketer' has risen to fame over the last few years (and of course I was one of them) ... But savvy consumers still need to feel they are dealing with a professional 'real-world business', whether operating from a laptop in a spare room, or not. The hitch with the 'digital' approach is that you can become disconnected from your customer.
So, provide customers with the professional business experience they expect ... Solid guarantees and professional interfaces are a big part of it but personal service and attention to detail matter more than anything. Let me give you a simple example of something easy to get right but which offends and switches off many people - many automated emails start 'Dear Tim Lowe' instead of the correct 'Dear Tim' or 'Dear Mr Lowe', this makes such a difference to some people but many marketers just ignore the issue. If you get this sort of attention to detail right and ensure that every part of the experience is good for them... hopefully you'll have them returning to purchase again, and again...
What do these predictions mean for you? It depends... You can choose to ignore them entirely if you wish... they're only predictions after all (I don't have a crystal ball, although wish I did)!
However what is crystal clear is that this decade, even this year alone, your willingness to harness the opportunities that arise, will go a long way to determine your level of success... I hope to give you pointers along the way, so keep your eyes peeled
Tim Lowe
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