We're all selling something...or at least renting it out.

What may feel normal in media today is about to change. How will it effect your business?

Any business offering that delivers media content must be positioned to respond to the seismic shifts of the market.

"I'm not in media," you might respond. You might not be directly involved in a media offering, but you'll surely be affected by it in some way, shape or form.

The media model changes again
The media sandwich will always be prepared with the usual key ingredients, those being: news and entertainment such as music, books/magazines, games, etc. 

Will mp3s, games or books be sold as individual downloads? Will a financial advisor still sell newsletters? The answer is yet to be determined, but it's looking like the answer is 'no.'

Further, how will newspaper publications handle the transition to devices like the iPad? Simply having a redesigned website won't be enough, most will have to look into delivering a multimedia type of app and either charge a one-time fee or micropayments for particular levels of access or content.

Gerd Leonhard is a smart cookie. Listen to him and you'll go places. Leonhard, with respect to the content and media business model:

"...because we are all (well, most;) connected now we must create and implement mutually beneficial business models that are based on market-making and revenue sharing"

"All content is shifting to the cloud, and Media As A Service (MaaS) will become a standard, very soon."

via www.mediafuturist.com

Innovation in media
Innovation is difficult for many to see in the mind's eye. A good way to imagine how business will change with new advances is to compare it to something that's already in place. 

What was life like before the automobile? printing press? Those are big shifts that happened quite a while ago. Even the small changes in course make a difference. 

The remote control is a good working example of an innnovative game-changer that many thought would just contribute to the culture of the couch potato. 

This little device not only saved us calories, it changed the way we consume our content and 'channel surfing' became a way of life, forever altering the way media is delivered and how advertisers crafted their commercials.

With a shared, service-based media model, as Leonhard is suggesting, how do you think media will change? How will it affect your business?

Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.

I've got news for you...

• Your receptionist is more important than a manager.


• Your customer service contacts are actually sales people.


• Your contact points are the most often the weakest links in your company.

Oh, and if you're feeling smug because you don't have a front desk person or offer any customer support, well the news is your FAQ page will probably have to be a mile long and still doesn't answer your customers' concerns. Understand this...questions are really concerns.

Does your business have strong contact points?

Any of the above are job titles that are what I call 'contact points.' A contact point is any person or resource that allows the customer to be in touch with your company.

Your business contact points are the lifeline to your company. When an astronaut tethers themself to the space shuttle, don't you think they quadruple-check that line to ensure that it's safe and secure? As your business floats in space it's critical to have a strong, reliable line out towards your customer who is the only source to get you where you need to go.

Perception is reality
Businesses spend billions of dollars every year on their image. Branding and advertising are enormous industries for a reason - businesses understand the importance of how they're perceived.

Given that, why do so many businesses have terrible contact points outside of sales? This matter makes no sense to me. When I'm asked to help a business develop their brand, one of the first steps I take is to look at their contact points. I'll conduct a series of tests to see how a customer is treated before and after a sale. Remember, a return sale is a thousand times easier to make than a new one!

Deep roots
Brands are deeply rooted in people's brains much like memories are. Brand associations are made considering many different variables in the customer's mind, almost all of them emotional in nature.

Which is more important, a logo or a person-to-person interaction? The answer is they're both important, but like I said earlier, businesses are spending an incredible amount of money on branding and advertising and paying their customer service workers relative pennies. Low paying jobs attract poor-performing workers who usually don't take the position seriously and/or aren't educated in the life skills required to keep your clients as happy as when they first encountered your polished brand.

Points of pain
Each business has a number of contact points that are available to their customer. Each contact point is uniquely important to the brand and if one is overlooked, it can a huge detriment to the company.

How does a rude receptionist change your feelings about the meeting you're about to have? It sours your grapes right away doesn't it? When you can't get through to your company or you receive poor 'call center scripted' service after a 78-minute hold time, how quickly is it before you consider going another route? A matter of seconds.

Your business-customer relationship is only as strong as your weakest link - your contact points.

What contact points does your company have? What are some good/bad examples you've experienced as a customer?

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