PREPARE FOR WARP SPEED
As a member of The Freelance Exchange of Kansas City , I was privileged last month to attend a very interesting meeting at which a local panel of experts discussed the state of the advertising industry today. The three panelists were:
- Kay Moore (director of talent management, Glynndevins).
- John Nohe (president and CEO, JNA Advertising).
- Susan Scholes (vice president of marketing, Imodules).
The panel shared numerous insights about the advertising industry. One overriding concept is the fact that everything about advertising is changing fast and with increasing rapidity. This is all happening so fast that it is virtually impossible to keep up with it. As I pondered concept and all that the panel shared, here are some of my conclusions:
Technology Is Empowering Everyone. Regardless of your company’s size, and even if you are a one-person shop, never before can you do more with less. That is all thanks to our increasingly refined technology.
Social Media Has Taken Us To A New Galaxy In The Advertising Universe. What used to happen in the past based on print media may or may not still be relevant. Today almost everyone is tuned into social media or is becoming tuned into social media. In this new galaxy, we find different rules. Learning them fast and learning them first accrues to your benefit. Meanwhile, many people are still trying to figure out how to fly the new spaceship.
Yesterday’s Technical Skills May Not Equip You For Today’s Challenges. Being known for your skills is very positive. Just never assume that the skills that carried you this far are the same skills that will carry you into your preferred future. Skills must change with the times and the times will change with the technology and the trends.
People Hate Online Ads, And Therefore Content Is King. Companies will no longer connect with their target audience purely via ads or commercials. More importantly, the question is what is the content that you can give to your audience? Relationship building will become increasingly important, both before and after that point of sale.
Companies And Organizations Must Remain Nimble. Any company or organization that wants to remain relevant to its target audience absolutely must be open and nimble to new technologies and avenues for spreading its message. Failing to do so only means that it will be left in the dust by the competition. The consumers will move on . . . why shouldn’t you?
