In these changing times, it doesn't matter IF you think different WHEN you act the same...repeating the same mistakes over and over and over.
I know you want me to tell you (like most gurus) that social media and mobile are a fad, that they will go away and you won't have to change. That the old business models are all you need to know and everything will be fine....you'd even like a side of fries with that false reassurance!
I cannot do that with good will, because it would be misleading and while you would be safe, you will most likely face repeated failure of the Old Game.
Do you love this Game like I do?
Because it is changing and the customer is not only in control, they are becoming the new outlet for promotions, PR, and advertising...and you cannot control them. And instead of calling them prospects or eyeballs to be converted, you have to shift your attitude...to Friends, who with a little nudging can become Fans, and ultimately should be Customers.
Customers want two things, control and choice. And so do you! Will you give it to them or simply fade away? Do you know that if you give it to them the right way, they will come back again and again?
In the old days, say 3 years ago, you could get away with what I first termed in in 2001 "How to Win The Internet Game" (reaching over 100,000 people before I closed it off) and focus just on that:
- The Internet game is now the old school, driven by search engines, emails and affiliate partnerships....and yes, it is profitable but not growing.
(And social media and mobile are creating effects right now that the smart folks like you are adapting to...)
- While the Internet game is not dead, and actually still makes money, it is being changed and undermined by the New Media in cluding social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and mobile phones being used for email and communication.
If you are starting now, or just want to grow your business, it is not smart to live in the old days, like some retired person warbling about the good old days -- they are gone and replaced by the Good, New Media Days.
- Many of the old school experts (I started on the Net in 1991 with email, and with web sites in 1994) didn't do what I did, which is shift. In their defense, I had to risk so much money and opportunity, and for me it is worth it because the foundation I am building will last, while many I know are watching their businesses fall apart.
- It reminds me of 2001, when I put out "How to Win the Internet Game". Everyone thought that search engines meant Alta Vista and that companies like Google were the fad and would pass...hmmm, sound familiar?
Shifts in the Internet economy happen and this one will leave a lasting affect. Now you actually REALLY have to learn how to interact with customers.
The New Media Game is my third in a series of breakthrough Internet marketing training, focused on experience instead of just reading.
The last thing you need is to study someone else's tactics; you need to step in and do it yourself, because that is the only way to learn, by doing. So what are you waiting for?
