Is anybody doing anything real?

Or is everyone just talking? Because it’s a lot easier to talk than do?

I admit I am often an impatient person but what can really fry me is constant procrastination caused by the want to 'discuss'. And discuss. And discuss. Rather than do.

For instance, how long have we known, and talked about, the fact that the customer is in control? Yet how many marketers are embracing it, enabling it, fostering it, etc.? How long have we discussed the idea that ‘content is king’ and that the ever increasing device explosion is warranting an inside-out approach to experience design? Yet how many brands actually focus on content first and port it, redistribute it, let users generate it, etc.? How long have we evangelized that we can’t shout at customers but should interact with them? Yet still, how many brands really behave differently than they did in the glory days of ‘advertising’ and push messaging?

I’m really getting tired of the discussions.

Now, while I know I should be happy when I hear a client say, “Yeah…we need to stop talking at customers and talk with them.” I frankly want to grab them by the neck and say “Duh”—this is OLD thinking already. And stop saying that—do something. Live it! But instead the conversation goes back to the excuse that their antiquated backend system can’t enable conversations…so, “Can we do a landing page strategy around key messages?” Or, "What about a Facebook page?" 

Ugh!

Folks…discussions are fine but only good when followed by action. Even change. What’s the point of spending time waxing philosophic if no intent to affect change is realistic? To be blunt, “Put up or shut up!" How’s that? Get that?

Sorry, I told you this frustrates me.

Listen, before you start discussing Twitter strategies, AR apps, the semantic web, or the latest fuzzy buzz FourSquare, why don’t you make a list of the basics and start, one at a time, knocking off the fundamentals. Yes, the customer is in control. Hand it over. Yes, content is king. Articulate a content strategy and prioritize accordingly. Yes, advertising is dead, so why not just stop disrupting with messaging and enable dynamic, branded interactions—even relationships?

Establish, evolve…then innovate. In that order.  And hurry. The brands that get there first win. The rest will be left behind; having conversations about following trends vs. making them.

Just a thought...

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