The Future of Communications

If I had a crystal ball these days, it would surely have to be cyber-electronic! The way we communicate is changing and, yes, the Internet is a preeminent factor. Now, this may not seem like any major epiphany, but what is staggering is how speedily our communications are evolving and the impact they having on marketing and the way we do business. In a recent column, I discussed websites and whether or not regional businesses would benefit from having an online presence. But for a moment, I'd like to put into perspective a more global picture.

Imagine just five years ago, there were maybe 3,000 websites in the world and maybe 30 million Internet users. As of last year, there were over 3 million sites and over 135 million users. Today it is almost impossible to track the growth because of the rapid acceleration of users and uses. According to Tom Steinert-Threikeld of Zdnet, in just a few years the Net "will have established itself as the primary means of exchanging not just numerical data, text and Web graphics, but also sounds, sights and voice conversations themselves ."

Amazingly, it was just a decade ago that Tim Berners-Lee from CERN (an international scientific research organization) was credited with having invented the World Wide Web. Originally the "Web" was conceived and developed for the large, high-energy collaborations that demanded instantaneous information sharing between physicists working in different university and institutes all over the world. It continues to be an excellent tool for collaboration between people and businesses.

It is quite stunning to recognize the capabilities already available to us. I can sit in my Naples office with my laptop computer plugged into the Internet and listen to live radio in Paris. At the same time, I can carry on simultaneous conversations with business associates located in various parts of the globe from Sydney, Australia, to Ontario, Canada, to Tampa, Florida. And I can accomplish this while also shopping online for, say, a new digital camera.

Recently I attended a presentation by WGCU-FM at the Broadcast Center on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus. WGCU-FM, a member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio International, is rising to the challenge of redefining its broadcast role. According to station manager Gene Craven, integrating with the Internet is adding another entire business to the operation. The station is exploring what local programming would be appropriate to disseminate worldwide and what worldwide programming fits the local marketplace. A Louisiana station manager, Ron Nethercutt put his public radio station on the "net" three years ago and notes: "it was fascinating to receive letters from parents of student athletes -- we broadcast basketball and baseball games -- who listened on the web. We had two players from Australia whose parents didn't miss a game in spite of a 12-hour time difference." But Nethercutt believes the "local guys must offer programming, albeit small items, that will provide something for the locals and still not distract from a broad and international scope."

John Garbo, interconnect general manager of Southwest Florida Cable Advertising, offers a television vantagepoint. With the addition of so many incredibly good networks from the Discovery Channel to ESPN, the impact on viewing and learning has been a breakthrough. "Four years ago, we could offer six networks, and today we have 30," says Garbo. "Next year we will have 36. From a marketing standpoint, you can reach the viewer no matter where they are." He feels this media availability offers "direct mail targeting on television, which delivers television linked to the Internet." Each of these networks has a website -- according to Garbo, ESPN's is one that gets one of the most "hits" on the Internet.

Today, even our local newspapers have major websites, as does the magazine (businessnewsnow.com) you are holding in your hands right now, assuming you are reading this in print and not online! The availability of information on the net is growing at an exponential rate. But the online customer is very fickle, and just as we've seen the emergence of the trigger-happy TV channel changer, we are now seeing a whole generation (of all ages) of mad mouse clickers who scoop quick bites of information as they scan through headlines and reserve more in depth research for specialized situations. From a marketing perspective, it is getting increasingly challenging to deliver a message easily in small takes that will effectively reach the target individuals.

Donald S. Higgins, System Software Developer for Merant Corporation, a developer of computer programs that support e-business, notes, "E-Commerce seems to be the hottest technology in American business today. It is driving the Fortune 500 companies and thousands more to reinvent their marketing and sales models and systems to take full advantage of the exploding customer base on the Internet."

Anyone who might have any doubt at all about buying and selling products on the Internet should take a fast glance at America Online's "personal trading community" at Ebay.aol.com, a veritable cyber-flea market. Close to 3 million items are available for sale in over 2,500 different categories from sports memorabilia to antiques. Ebay claims over 1.5 billion page views per month. Or browse Netmarket.com with eight diverse superstores offering more than 800,000 name brand products at discount prices. As Canadian-based Webmaster and ROTI Director John Coenders sees the convenience of online shopping, he jokes: "you could order your lobster dinner for tomorrow night, and the lobster could still be in the ocean today." On a serious side, Coenders says, "The big retail categories are going to be dominated by the big players, so the little guy has only one chance. He must micro focus. He must pick a narrow vertical market and dominate it with unique offerings and personal service."

Ron Nethercutt sums it all up quite eloquently when he sent me this email note: "The future of communications is like looking at a horizon that constantly moves, with the sun rising in a different location daily. We can't get ahead, and just staying even is difficult to do since there are so many paths we can travel." Clearly it is hard to predict where the technology will take us, but already it is becoming a sensational experience no matter where one wanders in cyberspace!

I welcome your input and would be most interested in hearing how you use the Internet in your business. You can email me at: peggy@sealfonassoc.com. See you online!

Peggy Sealfon, president of Naples-based advertising agency Sealfon & Associates has written about a variety of topics for national magazines and newspapers.