Election 2010 – What the Technology Means to Your Business

There is no sense in getting into election results because the folks at CNN, FOX, CNBC, etc., have that covered. What is worth reviewing is what the 2010 election showed us about the future. If you were watching CNN, which one could argue is the most technologically sophisticated network, you may have been amazed at the technologies being employed to track and predict results. From the “CNN Election Matrix,” to CNN.com Live Results, to mobile apps on election coverage and virtual stats brought up on an iPad, it was a constant barrage of data on everything and anything you wanted to know on the election. Granted, some of it, like the CNN Election Matrix, was just confusing, but the idea was spot-on and pretty cool.

Think about what all this technology ultimately means for your business. As illustrated by the 2010 election, today’s consumers want data and information on their terms, and they want a lot of it. Some might have looked at the avalanche of data coming out of CNN and been turned off by it. More likely, however, is that the “new consumer” couldn’t get enough. They relished in it—using the mobile app, checking online reporting and watching TV all at once. There is a growing trend among previously data-starved consumers…they want everything at their fingertips, and they want it NOW.

This brings to light the need of all advertisers to be everywhere that your customers are, and to disseminate information to them in a timely, concise manner. Your website is a starting point for your marketing, but don’t be fooled into thinking it is the be-all and end-all. Make sure you have that Facebook page, a Twitter handle, and a presence of Foursquare. Honda, Toyota and many advertisers’ TV ads now direct you to Facebook instead of their website. Why?  Because they know they need to make it easy for the customer to find them where the customer is already spending their time. The next phase—which, be warned, is already here—is the mobile phone. Whether it is a mobile website, a website that is optimized for the mobile experience, or to apps that bring the customer into the brand experience, you’ll need a presence there, and soon.

What should you? If you’re not in Social Media, start thinking about how to use it to engage your customers and get information into their hands. If you’re not thinking about a mobile strategy, hurry up, because as more customers get Smartphones, their data needs and desires increase. And if you’re really enterprising, start thinking about apps—they are the new software, and one that that immerses people into brands…if done right.