The Blur
It’s been awhile since I wrote here, April 14th to be more precise. Much has happened since I last shared with you, I went out played drums, traveled with my bride, and spent a lot of time reading and researching, but most of all, I took a break. I took a break to experience some new and different things. I highly recommend you take a timeout to learn, and to have new experiences other than what your regular routine and work might be. Otherwise, everything feels like a blur before your eyes.
Many of you should understand what I mean by “The Blur”, and how the blur might impact you and your world, mostly your business if you own or run one. I’ve been talking about it for years here on this blog. Two things probably make you feel like you are out of control, by trying to keep up, and not willing to change how you think about the future of your business.
The world moves at a faster pace than we can possibly keep up with, and much of what we see doesn’t well into our daily routines, it’s just not easy or comfortable, it means putting ourselves and possibly our businesses in a vulnerable place. If you frequent this blog, you’ll know this is not a new, I’ve said this for many years.
Most people are trying to build the next Microsoft, the next Twitter, the next Facebook, and even the next Amazon. The problem with that thinking is this, you’re looking into the past, you aren’t looking ahead, you aren’t paying attention to what people want! Do they want another Facebook, another Twitter, and are I say it…..another Microsoft. I think not.
Yes those giants are building and getting bigger, even expanding. In November 2012, Microsoft expanded to Vancouver with another sweat shop called, Black Tusk Studios, a game developer. In March 2013, Amazon opened a new development centre in Vancouver. Facebook opened an office in Coal Harbour downtown Vancouver, and in June 2013, Twitter announced plans to open a world-class Global Centre of Excellence in Vancouver as well. So, you’re already too late aren’t you?
Why are they moving to Vancouver? They are trying to find more talent and take them south, you can’t compete with Twitter & Facebook on the recruiting front, they often pay software developers in excess of $100,000 per year right out of the gate. They are scooping up developers, and they MUST have a degree from a top 100 University. Unless you have large amounts of funding, and lower your standards, you should stop and regroup before you spend another dime.
My advice is, and always has been, if you want to build the next best thing, drive down main street and ask yourself what’s missing. Start there, and then do your homework, even if you think a value added service should be built to an already existing success like Facebook or Twitter, if yes….then do your homework.
Mobile is a huge market, 40% of Facebook’s action comes from Mobile, that should be an obvious indicator to what’s happening.
All this movement is happening fast, it’s a blur. It’s like life it’s self, time keeps on ticking, it never stops, but we tend to.
The best way to slow it down is to take time to regroup, spend time with those you care about most, then regroup, re-strategize, surround yourself with smart people, and get to work. Life doesn’t have to be a blur, and neither does your business. Take the time to bring clarity to your work, build a clear vision, not a something moving so fast it’s a blur.
What People Said
- 40 years ago, people said car phones were a stupid idea. After all, who would want a phone in their car?
- 30 years ago, people said bag phones would never catch on. After all, it’s called a CAR PHONE! It goes in your CAR! Duh!
- 25 years ago, people said handheld phones were pointless. Why would anyone want to put a bag phone in their briefcase? Sheesh!
- 20 years ago, people said flip phones were ridiculous. Why would anyone buy a phone that “small”?
- 15 years ago, people said texting would never take off. Because HELLO, it’s a PHONE!
- 10 years ago, people said mobile Internet was a fad. NOBODY will EVER want to surf the net from their PHONE!
- 8 years ago, people said smartphones were just a gimmick. Why would anyone want to be bogged down with their email, contacts, and mobile Internet in one device?
- 5 years ago, people said Android was stupid. There’s already iOS, why try to beat the king?
- 3 years ago, people said 4G was a con. Who needs 30 megabit over-the-air connections? My 3-4 megabit 3G is just fine by me!
Were you one of those people? How do you think about things now?
The Status Quo Continues
Isn’t it interesting how much we hear marketing and advertising have changed, yet businesses continue to use old traditional methods to market their business. Why? because it still works! Direct Mail, Newspaper, Radio, and Television still get the lions share of marketing budgets around the world, amongst all this so called change.
Business owners do what they believe works, not what you think works. They want proven success stories and tangible results, not theory or the idea of better results, it needs to be hard copy. The problem isn’t that marketing and advertising isn’t changing, the change is really being driven by the consumers themselves. It is changing, the challenge is…consumers still respond to old methods, mostly because they have been conditioned to respond to the industrial age ways.
Until the shift from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age is fully complete, we will have to compete in those two worlds, our messages will have to be in both environments, because they make money. After all, making money is what it’s all about in business right? If money is your motivator, you will practice old methods and new, and you will invest more in the one that brings you the highest yield.
There is a thought process that no one opens direct mail anymore, no one reads newspapers, and no one watches TV ads, and yet, they still rake in huge revenues. In time, probably not in my time, this will become true, and the digital formats will be where the majority of budgets are spent.
If business owners had any foresight, they would be building infrastructure and systems to leverage the digital age, they will be ahead of their time. They will be the early adopter, and they will be prepared to receive the benefits at a time where everyone is trying to innovate and implement. It’s really not about checking off you to do list, it’s changing the way you see and think about business. Only then will your marketing will change.
Until then, The Status Quo Continues, is that you, or are you seeing something different?
Related articles
- The warning signs of defending the status quo (sethgodin.typepad.com)
- The Future Of Business – We’ve All Got The Industrial Age Disease (owengreaves.com)
Will You Conform Or Follow Your Dream?
I have been going through an interesting phase in my life lately, one where you feel the pressure to conform to what others think you should do, or they disapprove of what you do. I’ll state upfront, I’m not a conformist, that also tells you things most of the time, don’t go the way I would have them. If conforming will make those haters, or the opposition happy, the question that begs to be asked in my head is, why? What is it their afraid of, or disapprove of? It’s usually motivated by some deep need to control the world around them. I’m generalizing of course, but my experience tells me the motive is typically control, which normally comes from a lack in their life somewhere, something not understood, which leads to the fear of loss on some level.
These people typically, are those closest to you, the ones you thought you could trust, the ones you thought would support you, the ones you thought you could count on if things got tough. I’ll state here for clarity, I WAS WRONG! It turns out, everything is about them, and has very little to do with you. You….are merely a stimulant that triggers the fear of loss, that fear of KAOS, that fear of losing control.
I’m not complaining, I’m hurting, but not complaining. The world around us is not interested in building character, or change, it’s only interested comfort, getting more stuff. Most are only interested in being comfortable, but I’m convinced that state doesn’t do anything to make the world a better place. In my opinion, it is no different than doing nothing, and the price of doing nothing is much higher than failure.
Stepping out, not complying, has it’s price. It’s entirely possible you will have to find a new community of friends to be with, people that are more like-minded with your view of the world, and in my case business. It sounds harsh doesn’t it. This is the time where you find out how committed you are to what you are doing, do you believe it is important that you must do what you do. Only you can answer the question, will you conform or follow your dream?
Related articles
- The Future Of Business – We’ve All Got The Industrial Age Disease (owengreaves.com)
- Destabilizing the bullying power structure (sethgodin.typepad.com)
March 4th, 2001 – 12 Years Ago Today I Survived…
I just wanted to drop a note to all who consider visiting this blog, those who have signed up for my email updates, I wish to convey a heart felt thank you. Today I am celebrating 12 years since suffering a heart attack, yep, Match 4th, 2001 I suffered a broken heart, and I still get to tell the story.
It was 6 years ago Feb 1st I chose to become self-employed, it was a difficult decision, but it was the right one in my humble opinion. My wife might tell you something different : )
I’m dedicating this day to my family, and to you the reader, to you the visitor, it is you I can’t wait to share with, speak to, and most of all, help you. I am grateful that you allow me to speak to you in the direct manner that I do, I do this because I have to, I care about you and your business more than my own.
I hope and pray you will continue to travel on this journey I’m on, it is an honour and privilege to have you with me, thank you from the deepest part of my heart.