"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." ALBERT EINSTEIN

We live and work in revolutionary times.

Constantly emerging technology and science are transforming the way we live, work and relate to one another. It's a complex socio-economic landscape, characterised by the convergence of digital and biological worlds, an explosion of channels and increased consumer control; and it's happening on a scale and at a velocity we have not experienced before.

Once science fiction, now a part of our daily lives

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is transforming the way we live and work through:

3D printing
artificial intelligence
augmented reality
biotechnology
Internet of Things
nanotechnology
quantum computing, using topological superconductor - a new state of matter
robotics
virtual reality
wearables
web3, using blockchain technology

All this frenzied pursuit of new ways of doing things creates a ‘noisy’ marketplace with a proliferation of data, voices, information, misinformation and resources from ever-expanding data stores and sources.

It’s challenging for any organisation to be 'heard', and for anyone seeking trusted sources.

Getting a return on your marketing communications investment in this environment, requires a balance of creativity, agility and an unrelenting dedication to your customer experience.

It's a knowledge economy

Our economy is no longer just about about making things, it's now also about doing things and helping people do things.

Today, knowledge is not just stored in expert minds, databases, books and physical repositories BUT also systems that enable knowledge sharing, collaboration and making things happen.

In other words, it's no longer just produced by individuals but rather by collectivising intelligence through groups of people working together for a specific purpose.

As a result there is a proliferation of information and resources from ever-expanding data stores and sources.

The downside? Don't confuse data with knowledge.

The upside? This is the heartland for anyone passionate about communicating and marketing. It's our time!

You can no longer afford to stand on the edge of your market and fish

When you start navigating the hyperconnectivity, consumer influence, citizen power and tough competition (sometimes from a 14 year old genius driving a YouTube channel from their bedroom), you start feeling the tidal shifts of traditional parametres.

The old sh*t just isn't going to cut it anymore. It's no longer a 'you and them' situation. It's an 'us' situation.

Your marketing communication budget, big or small, doesn't mean much if you're not prepared to challenge conventional thinking and invest it where it will actually give you a return.

How to get that return? You have to join the revolution. When you do, you suddenly see the possibilities and opportunities.

"We're doing great thanks. Our website and social channels
get lots of hits, likes and shares!"

Way to go!

But who's doing the liking? Friends, family, colleagues, existing clients?

After they like your post, are they actually buying your products and services? Changing behaviour? Coming back for more? Recommending you?

We need to move beyond awareness and vanity metrics to behaviour.

"Behaviour is the mirror in which everyone shows their true image." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

With the explosion of channels, particularly social media, and monitoring services, there are many ways we can gain insight into human behaviour.

This is a priceless gift for marketing communication professionals to inform our thinking, analysis and decision making.

But how do we sort through the glut of data and insights out there to get reliable evidence?

A good start is to ditch the old survey tools and start observing how people use your products and services, and interact with you. Experience what they experience.