Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Closing 2008 on a High Note!

As I look back over the past year I can honestly say it has been a successful year for disruptors. So let's see what my top 5 things are that make up my perspectives.

1. Sun Microsystems acquires MySQL for $1B.

MySQL is truly a disruptor of the data base world using open source. Like Digium, they can't track everyone using the free open source versions, but each and every installation in a business has taken revenues from traditional players or certainly has disrupted their thinking and changed their marketing strategies.

2. 28 straight profitable growth quarters for Digium

The creator, owner, and corporate sponsor for the leading open source telephony systems on the planet - Asterisk - has experienced a consistent growth path for 6 years. Yes, I beat this drum frequently, but it's very telling of the trends and growth. Day by day, week by week, and month by month each and every installation takes market share, IP lines and revenues away from traditional players. Soon, you will read more about growing market shares of Asterisk asnd Digium's role as leader of this market.

3. The PR world looks different each and every day

Yes, we use a PR firm - world class company as well. However, we are at the beginning of the end for traditional "non-evolving" PR. The Internet started the sea change. Bloggers, out-of-print trade publications, new web sites that replace print, advertising methodologies, and now the economy will change most PR. It will take some time to see the entire overhaul, but PR firms that do not change with the times and take the lead using new business and social media outlets will die. Like the original VON died, like BCR magazine moved into a blog and web site, we are seeing the metamorphosis take place in real time. You've seen me write about Twitter, you may have seen or heard or use Facebook or LinkedIn - they have changed the world for recruiters (a.k.a headhunters), keeping in touch with ex-colleagues and business partners as well as school buddies. Face it, press releases, books, and budgets will look different in the future!

4. Using cell phones as a phone

This one will be debated by different folks, but I make and receive fewer calls with my iPhone than anytime over the past 10 years. My iPhone is used for email, twitter, Internet access, single key weather reports, single key market reports, google maps, texting - but phone calls? Ok, maybe 10% of the time. Will email be next? How many emails go to your SPAM filter?

5. Video, YouTube, Podcasts and Webinars

As bandwidth availability and broadband ubiquity has grown, video has become a total disruptor. Having developed multimedia capabilities using ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and various broadband technology, it's finally here. More will occur during 2009 from 10-20 second segments to 2 minute segments you'll see instructions and "how-to's", personal branding, general branding, video mail, and short subjects. Simply go to YouTube, type in virtually any subject, you can find something. From music videos, to education to self-promotion, it has become acceptable and used by a growing percentage.

Over the next 12 months, many technology based advancements will change the face of communications, personal and business relationships, and in this economic uncertainty more people will be home discovering these new tools, outlets and entertaining advancements all while saving money. perhaps nothing is new to you as a reader, and if this is true, you are on teh wagon alreaday. The average person is not there yet and perhaps has no clue about these emerging changes in how we live!

Every day new bloggers arrive, new podcasts arrive, new webinars using basic low-to-medium quality cameras appear and people watch and enjoy these events. Businesses looking for targeted lead generation will expand their use of these tools in new and innovative ways!

Stop by and chat on Twitter and let's see together how 2009 evolves!

2 comments:

Dave Michels said...

#4 is not a debate. It is clear the cell phones, as phones, are gaining significantly in use.

Most of the PBX brands are working to integrate their solutions with the cell phone - both driving additional calls to the cell and increasing the value proposition of the cell phone.

Mobility is the killer app of 08/09.

I agree people are using their cell phones for so much more than voice as you point out. But that is not a cell phone thing... people generally avoid voice in general at any cost. At the desk, we use MBWA, Email, IM, etc. On the cell, we use SMS, email, to avoid voice.

Once cell carriers begin to offer pbx features (hold, transfer, um, etc.), the PBX will find itself odd man out.

I find this both inevitable and avoidable if the PBX companies will improve their value proposition.

More info (of this opinion) coming on my blog.

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