Social
media changed how buyers and sellers communicated in 2009. The change
in communications made us think about the implications of who,where,
when, why, how and what we communicate with the marketplace.
The intent and dynamics of the marketplace have changed and as we
begin a new year people and organization will be forced to make intentional changes to their intents or lose the markets attention.
The word intention implies performing an action for specific purpose in doing so, the end or goal aimed at, or intended to accomplish. Whether an action is successful or unsuccessful depends at least on whether the intended result was brought about. Intentional behavior ought to be thoughtful and deliberate goal-directed. But the gaols have changed.
Intentional Changes Needed in 2010
2009 has taught us a lot about successfully applying social media
to improve specific goals. What we have learned in 2009 is a result of
failures to think through the dynamics of social media. Amy Mengel writes: Five reasons corporations are failing at social media. So why is it so difficult for so many companies to successfully integrate social media? Her top five are as follows and I’d encourage you to read the entire post:
- They can’t talk about anything broader than their own products.
- They listen to customers but don’t take any action
- They aren’t calibrated internally with the technology
- They’re not framing risk accurately
- Their internal culture isn’t aligned for social media success
The above failures are reflective and relevant to learning how
organizations and people can best serve a market. Given that the
market now includes anyone and everyone within the chain of
communications then everything that influences business success is now
totally transparent to the entire market. Marketing
and messaging is no longer isolated rather it is now a reflection of
the organizational intent to serve or not serve the interest of the
buyer. 2010 will bring about intentional changes including:
- Technology will enable buyers to efficiently and effectively fulfill their intent.
- Sellers will have to change their methods, message and mediums used to serve buyer intents
- The focus on “transparent intentions” will be elevated by the release of Doc Searls new book “The Intention Economy”. The Cluetrain Manifesto changed how we think and The Intention Economy will change how markets behave.
- Marketing and advertising methods, messages and mediums will become centric to reflecting an organizations ability to better serve buyer intents.
- The four suggested changes above will fuel disruptive changes in
how markets run and those that lead and follow the changes will be
ahead of their competition, big and small.
The implications of the five intentional changes are profound and the speed of adaptation by businesses will decide the winners from the losers.
A lot of things changed in 2009 and 2010 is likely to accelerate change
all fueled by technological advancements that enable a more efficient
and effective marketplace for buyers. If you think the pace of change was crazy in 2009 it will be pale compared to what will happen in 2010 and beyond.