In the media world, old distinctions and barriers are crumbling before our eyes. Radio 4 shows its programmes on the internet and TV (e.g. Bottom Line), whilst newspaper journalists post ‘from the scene’ video reports and TV reporters blog. Meanwhile we can now get an astonishing amount of information direct from, say, Companies House, the Land Registry or HMG, without having to rely upon the services of journalists at all. What implications does all of this have for those in business, especially those running SMEs who, frankly, already have enough to worry about? They are legion, but the most immediate, I suspect, are these:
Different messages for different audiences are out
One client of mine used to have a series of emailable PowerPoint presentations, each adapted to show almost every prospect in its entire market how its particular sector just happened to be my client’s speciality. But then the prospect would go to the company’s website and find this wasn’t true, especially when they used the cunning trick of looking (how dare they!) at the pages aimed at visitors from other sectors.
One natural reaction to this is to try to have it all, to tell prospects that you really do specialise in everything. There are two problems with this. First, unless your company is huge, no one will believe you. Secondly, in trying to talk to everyone, your message will be so broad and bulky as to talk to no one. The simpler your message, the clearer it will be. So sacrifice a part of the market you can do without and let people come to you knowing what you’re really like.
Speed and relevance matter even more than (graphical) quality
You send an important email to a supplier. How long before you consider a reply overdue? Two hours? Twelve? Only a few years ago, you would have sent a letter and expected a reply two days after posting at the earliest. Now we know that immediacy is possible, we expect it.
This means that a lower quality, tailored information is more effective than glossily-presented generalised blurb and that a combination of personalisation, speed and high quality can be hugely impressive.
There is a message in the medium – and it can give SMEs the edge
SMEs have an advantage here in that most of the necessary technology is cheap and readily available. So whilst the big players are debating who should front their video presentation or webinar, for example, and what regulations they have to comply with etc etc, smaller firms can just get on and do it, delivering a powerful message about their capabilities in the process.
Know that this information can be used against you
Most firms now check out potential employees on social networking sites before making a first response. They are also conscious of the ability of a disgruntled employee to walk out with a roomful of printed information on a single memory stick. Now, businesses fighting tooth-and-nail for new contracts are using such information to undermine rivals as well, including photos of site operations, Google Street View images of PO Box addresses posing as ‘satellite offices’ and links to the Facebook pages of leading individuals. So, if you don’t know what your key people are posting on their social networking pages, it might pay to find out before your rivals do.
© Michael Taite July 2009
