A New Marketing

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My Motorola Q cell phone has more computing horsepower than my first PC.

That might seem a little wacky until you realize that there are full-featured computers out there that are smaller than my first cell phone.

Mobile devices are getting more powerful and including a larger feature set. Computers are getting smaller and more portable. These are pretty much a given. The question is: Are we going to end up with really powerful cell phones or really portable computers that make calls? Either way, there are a few big implications.

First, people are going to have constant access to all the information out there. Most of us do research online before buying a car, computer or other major purchase. But what happens when the cost of research (in time, effort, and expense) gets so low that we do it for almost every product? If we’re always completely connected, is it outrageous to think that people won’t look up notebooks, potato chips, coffee mugs, or work boots? As this happens, the impact and importance of what people are saying about you is going to mean even more than it does today.

As barriers go down, the number of informed consumers goes up.

Another major implication is that as the amount of information goes way up, and the access to it increases, people are going to need a way to manage everything. “Information Overload” is already a buzzword today, but how bad will it be when we literally have all the information all the time. Someone is going to have to figure out a way for people to manage the data flood. Think a Content Management System, but on a personal level.

Sound a little too far out there? Consider this: in 2001 about 120 million Americans were using cell phones. As of late 2007 there was over 250 million. Compare that to the entire United States population of a little over 300 million.

The times they are a changin’