Another Transformation in Business and the Economy

Over the last few weeks I have been thinking about the state of business, my clients, and what's next. It seems that although many of the new search engine optimization and social media marketing tactics that MarCom is doing are working very well, I have felt restless and as if there's something on the horizon that I am missing.

Last December I proclaimed that I wanted to work on business and for clients who are making a difference in the world. As always, the law of attraction takes hold, and that's what I called in. Clients in health care, environmental technology, and businesses with fair practices tools. Now in my most recent exploration of what's next, I found that some futurists are saying that we are now in the midst of another extraordinary shift. There was the Industrial Age, and we have most recently been through the Age of Information. Now authors like Patricia Aburdene are talking about the constants of ever-present creativity and innovation and how this is now leading companies into a new era that's all about consciousness.

For the last six years I have been focusing much of my personal time on spirituality. Now it would seem that this it's the new changing values that will be leading the economy via transforming capitolism. In her book Megatrends 2010, Aburdene talks about this "new economy of consciousness" at length and conveys new concepts which, as a marketer, I can already see taking root among my own clients. Even the trends of my work in social media marketing is starting to make a difference, and our clients are popping up in Google Alerts all over the Web. Today it's all about full disclosure, as you can read about in my last blog. PR isn't just about the "spin" any more, and if anything putting a spin on a clients products or services may just do them more harm than good.

Take blogging for example... What a great way for people to share truths, wisdom and perspectives. Reality TV is another media trend that we have seen spawn shows like The Biggest Loser - programs that ultimately are doing much good in society today. Online radio or podcasts are available 24/7 with content about any topic that people can watch or listen to any time any day of the week. Here are some recent stats to check out:

–Box office is down 7%
–Newspaper circulation peaked in ‘87
–Down another 2.6% in 2006
–Radio was down 4% in 2006

Even the recent news that I wrote for one of our clients this week, will have a tremendous impact on the future. Acutrack, Inc., a fulfillment house with on demand replication technology and e-commerce solutions (http://www.acutrack.com/) applauded the recent announcement by the DVD Copy Control Association (DVDCCA) to approve a final copy-protection specification for on-demand disc burning. The DVD CCA is an industry copy prevention organization, and this approval is the authorization for companies to sell digital downloads for on demand viewing.

As more and more people (including the aging Baby Boomers) jump online to watch and read the news, less people read magazines, view TV and/or listen to the radio. After all, personal iPods are fast replaced the radio. Today, people use search engines, like Google, to get what they want, how they want it, and fast. The biggest challenge now is how to communicate your story over multiple channels, including the Internet.

Now is the time that marketers can make a difference and effect change, using the new tools and techniques of SEO and social media marketing, and consequently, have an effect on economic change and the future. Are you with it?