There’s a revolution happening. Technology is disrupting our world of buying and selling. We’ll never buy something in the same way we bought 10 years ago. As a Modern Marketer, this is a scary thought. I suspect CEOs and CFOs are just as scared about the future of their firms. The playing field is flatter and more level than ever.
- Barriers to entry are falling like dominoes.
- Commoditization of products and services is accelerating.
- International shipping rates are normalizing.
- We can buy anything at anytime from anyplace in the world from our phone.
- Technology is accelerating at an exponential rate.
We’re all buyers and we’re all participating in the revolution. As Modern Marketers, we can embrace the revolution or we can hope it goes away. Newsflash! The revolution will happen with us or without us. Changes won’t slow down, but will continue to accelerate. Control of the message and perceptions of our target audience is non-existent unless we adapt and adapt quickly.What’s a Modern Marketer to do?
The good news, no, the great news is that there has never been a more exciting time to be a marketer! We’re on the cutting edge of the buying revolution. There has never been a time in the history of marketing when we had such a fantastic opportunity to listen to and communicate with our target audience.
If you’re scared of the changes and not sure how to embrace the revolution, you’re not alone. Here are a few suggestions I have found will turn fear into excitement:
- Learn, learn, learn and learn more. Set aside at least one hour every day dedicated to educating yourself about technology, business disruptions, new ideas, and more. There has also never been a time in the history of humanity where information is so easy and abundant.
- Participate in the discussion. Talk to thought leaders in the marketing space and in your particular industry. Debate. Put your critical thinking hat on for the discussion. Use your social media tools (blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, et al) to comment, share and be active.
- Test, test and test. It’s OK to be a critical thinker. Not only is there a ton of information out there, but there is a ton of bad information out there (and a ton of great information). If something looks interesting, test it in your own lab. Consider your business as a laboratory for testing marketing strategy and tactics. This mindset leads to innovation and creativity. Some things will work and some will not. What better way to participate in the conversation than sharing success and failure of your tests.
- Get out of the office. Attend conferences, panel discussions, trade shows, seminars, etc. Talk to your colleagues within your industry and other circles.
- Collaborate with your vendors and suppliers. Vendors and suppliers are an excellent source of information. Attend their webinars. Download their content. You could even (cringe) talk to their sales people.
Bottom line advice, don’t sit on the beach and watch the tidal wave come to you. Embrace the revolution. Set a goal to learn something new each and every day. Use your business as a modern marketing laboratory. It’s not scary. It’s exciting!
Good luck and please, feel free to call me or comment. There is no time like the present to begin!
“Revolution” by the Beatles
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
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