This post organizes and makes current the main trend expressed on this blog over the past few years.
post note: Choice is an obvious general trend that reflects how the
nature of demand for content is changing because of the digital environment
after a very long time, (centuries?), of the opposite expression through
various media. As social shows us, it goes beyond scheduling. Add the
context of changing social mood and the potential for this trend to impact
commerce broadly and in ways not previously imagined is worth noting. That
stated, what follows is purely my opinion.
Does your business sell advertising to generate revenue?
Is that dynamic creating a conflict with primary customers in order to serve
secondary customers? Who are your primary customers, exactly? Are they
consumers or other businesses?
The time has come to make clear distinctions between customers, their needs
and values, and secondary constituencies.
Why now?
The market dynamic that can be called Choice has taken us here along with
social mood. The long era of broadcast effectively began closing with the
advent of digital networks of connected people. The result, the market
dynamic I call Choice, will now increasingly require a distinction to be
made by enterprises. This would not be necessary in a world without Choice.
Businesses will not change to mirror this overnight but because the nature
of some transactions has changed forever, we are now slowly moving to this
end.
The consistent expression of Choice will be impacted by social mood and
result in changes to commerce requiring many new kinds of specialization.
So, the question is likely: which customer will you decide to face down and
which will you serve by aligning your world view (and actions) with theirs?
The need to ask this question is new because just as the times change, so
does how we value things and ideas of all kinds. Choice will eventually
require a decision by content oriented enterprises (and others too) that
have multiple kinds of customers with conflicting demands. Glossy ideals
about anticipating digital customer's needs better will be re-framed inside
of this new movement. (It may seem early for this larger trend but, it is
morning.)
To truly know your primary customer and to engage them in a manner that
serves you both well, requires trust be established and maintained without
the help of legalese. Choice will, in the changing light of shared social
values, force businesses to make important distinctions.
In coming years markets will demand that enterprises choose which customer
to face. There will be opportunity and limitations in either choice because
this is a fundamental change that will shape other decisions and business
dynamics.
If the choices your enterprise makes puts it at odds with the primary
customers then,
About-Face!
This first era of social reaction in the digital age will be different than
many expect but do not think this is an argument about one kind of company.
The digital ecosystem will interact with changing social perceptions and shared values to force incremental & ongoing specialization upon the entire business model.
further reading suggestion: The Trending Dynamics Re-Shaping the Business of Media
11 20 11 post/blog note: This blog grew out of a category at the trending blog I have written for several years. This post also happens to be the latest post over at that trend blog because it originates using the socionomic trend model. Over that the other blog I have started a link thread concerning this post...the timing of which seems to have caught a wave of growing sentiment. I will get that thread over here soon but in the meantime you can use this link for The Root Trend.
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