Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Everything you’re doing today is wrong - come by the April Marketing and Social Media SIG and learn why


By Mark Helfen

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When it comes to your customers digital experience, “everything you’re doing today is wrong.”

Or so says Kelly Dempski, speaker at the Monday, April 8 SVForum Marketing and Social Media SIG .

NOTE – we are again at our new home, Citrix, the same as our March meeting, but a change from recent months:

Citrix Startup Accelerator

Map
4555 Great America Parkway 3rd Floor, Santa Clara
http://citrixstartupaccelerator.com/find-us/


Dempski is Managing Director for Accenture Technology Labs, Silicon Valley. He has one foot in the latest innovations in the valley, and the other in explaining the future to Fortune 50 companies who usually move at a different speed. His lab looks three years into the future, with the objective of both optimizing and enhancing change – from his perspective the more of his clients that adopt new technologies, the faster they will develop. He helps his client companies, buried in the avalanche of technology information, distinguish between what is just a “shiny object” and what is a valuable trend that needs action.

His talk is titled SLoPe (Social, Local & Personal) as the New SoLoMo. SoLoMo is a widely used acronym standing for Social, Local, and Mobile – a new way of relating to customers. Dempski chose his contrasting version to emphasize that it’s not mobile (the technology) that counts, its personalization – the unique connection with the individual that makes the difference.

The objective of SLoPe is to “craft more engaging, useful, and pleasant” digital experiences that are “deeply personal.” His presentation will “deconstruct” current practices, which focus on “social media mechanics” – the specific tool or platform like Facebook or Twitter, over connecting, communicating, personalizing and influencing consumers.

He has an interesting take on mobile. The point isn’t that devices are mobile. After all, your laptop is mobile. The idea is that handheld devices are always within a few feet, connected, powered on, and available for use. It’s less about the mechanics of a mobile device, and more about digital experience and engagement using a ubiquitous device that’s always at hand.

The digital world is limited by old design choices. Like the phone systems which still works with people dialing ten digits. The system of TV channels was designed in the 50s. If it was redone today, it would be entirely different. Businesses need to break out of the mold

Dempski’s viewpoint gives a unique bridge connecting the high speed innovation of the valley tempered by the reality of how fast large companies can move. You may view your small startup as moving at a light speed, but in the end you need to sell your products to someone, and large businesses can be good customers.

So come by Monday night, and learn why “everything you’re doing today is wrong” – at least in terms of digital interaction with your customers.





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Mark Helfen is a freelance writer, journalist, and marketing consultant.

He can be reached at: mhelfen@wordpixel.com
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/markhelfen
Facebook: facebook.com/mark.helfen
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/mark_helfen

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