The economic crisis of 2008/2009 had a lot of people and businesses being concerned about the future. 

We are seeing a massive shift in how we communicate with each other, with letter writing almost extinct and now emails are starting to fade away for more newer methods of communications such as Facebook & Twitter. 

I often heard from our "wiser" generation that the world is quickly becoming much more uglier than it ever has been before. 

So where to from here, especially with technology and running businesses you ask? 

Some say that this is the toughest economic times, but I say it is the best time for growth.  We are on the verge of some very revolutionary times with technology that will simply make this place we call home, better. 

My first example is the National Broadband Network or NBN as it is known.  I won't go into the technicality of the speeds being offered, but we are talking about a very different service.  One example is being able to download the latest movie within 5 minutes, far quicker than it takes to get to the video store and much healthier for our environment.  Though this is only one small benefit of many.  A great example is South Korea, did you know that once they were just like Australia, lagging behind in worldwide Internet speeds until a massive upgrade in speeds was done.  1 out of 7 retail sales are done online in South Korea, with their being more websites written in Korean in any language except for English.  Increased health, government, education & social services are now available, nearly a 200% increase.  Property prices in South Korea have increased specifically due to the higher Internet speeds being provided, because now you can have a true remote office environment with very low or zero costs.  Don't take my word for it, see this article written by a couple of people from Deacons on the trends we can expect in Australia.  

My second point surrounds in how we communicate and trends such as Facebook,  Twitter & Google.  Facebook was only brought commercially to life in 2004, Google was also commercial in 1998 now worth an estimated value over $23 billion USD.  Google, more or less controls the entire Internet space and has only been commercial for 11 years, controlling what is the core of our current civilization.  We have recently seen a huge trend in a new player, Twitter, though whilst everyone seems to be creating an account, not many are staying there.  This poses the question, why do people insist on putting all their personal life online, exposing who they are and what they are doing?  I believe the answer is given my many and I agree:  "People need to feel connected".  We have lived in a society for the last 3 decades of being pumped with advertising from corporates all around the world and now we are simply over it!  Though being connected is not a technical term, but rather an emotional term, let me define it further.  Being connected in today's society doesn't mean being friends with everyone online, rather it means finding a niche group of people who think like you do.  Connecting with your audience as a business is no longer an attempt of mass marketing to everyone, but rather a strategy of working on specific demographics who need your vision (can be a product or service).  You need a story behind what you offer as a business that is genuine, is unique and "smells" of that non-corporate feel of honesty.  I have recently viewed a video file on TED, a website designed to display great points of debate in our lives, where a visionary person namely Seth Godin speaks of how tribes, not money or factories will change the world will now live in, click here for the website.  IT IS EVERY BIT WORTH YOUR TIME! 

My third point surrounds why I believe the Internet has such great value for businesses.  In my experience, the businesses that are physically located towards the major capitals of each state in Australia and generaly always inclined for early adoption in new techologies, the further you get away from the city, the less of "early adopters" you will find.  This has a lot to do with Internet services and pricing available, combined with the length of time it has been available.  Once we see the NBN in place, nearly everyone will be on a very even playing field.  Though right now, we still have a lot of Australians out in the "burbs", such as Hallam and Langwarrin for example where "blokes" catch up at the pub.  They don't really communicate at this stage online, it is all personal, done with a beer in one, darts in the other.  This works great for personal relationships, but how effective is it?  Firstly, let me say meeting face to face is extremely critical to any business relationship, but the most time consuming.  Ask yourself, really how many business transactions actually happen at the pub?  Some, but not many.  Focus on the reasons why people conduct businesses at such locations, good excuse for a drink, laugh and catch up with mates.  Then think about how alcohol is pereceived within the community right now?  Who has time to catch up with mates at the pub 3 times a week, when your competitor is seeking to take your clients whilst you are at the pub?  So there is a very obvious trend for greater efficiency in our business relationships, which is where the Internet comes into play.  It only takes 30 seconds to send an email to wish a business supplier owner a happy birthday, it only takes 30 minutes to write an article about a hot topic within your industry that up to 1 billion people on the planet can see, it only takes zero time of yours to make a sale online and it only takes 5 minutes to write a quick blog about what you are doing in your business life.  I am not saying that if you produce an online service as a part of your business 1 billion people will know you, but rather if your story is right for your product/service, you expose yourself via social media outlets, then you have the greatest chance of finding your niche customers who will feel emotionally connected to your product/service, thereby you will create your own tribe. 

In summary, I have been told a few times recently that not everyone needs a website, I disagree.  I have also been told that social media is not that important, I tend to strongly disagree.  It is no longer about having a website for your business, but it is the strategy upon which you conduct your business online that is on the verge of being ever so critical.  If you don't know how much money you spend on technology, or have no real feel for what your return on investment for technology is, then you need a Technology strategy for your business.  If you don't have one, then contact us  today for my assistance.  The question is, will you be a late adopter for the revolution, potentially allowing all your competitors to beat you to the punch, or will you stop procrastinating and have a go?