Technology – marketing it and using it to market

This morning I had the opportunity to attend the third annual Excalibur Awards, co-hosted by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). The keynote speaker, Debora Wilson, president of The Weather Channel, spoke about the highs and lows of The Weather Channel, how it has grown, and how it constantly looks for different and better technology to connect with its audiences.

As she spoke, drawing on her years of experience with The Weather Channel, weather.com and The Weather Channel Radio Network, I was struck again about the importance of technology. Technology can not only change the way we live, but it can change the way we market companies, products and services.

For example, social networking sites, such as MySpace and Second Life, are taking off at rocket speeds, with some of the most influential companies believing that these outlets will help them better connect with consumers and other businesses. Other online technologies and resources, such as Wiki’s, are increasingly being used by businesses as intranets, a single location for them to disseminate internal communications, facts about products, and more.

Smart companies, like The Weather Channel, are tapping into new opportunities like Second Life, where they now have a Weather Channel island. It seems that every company today is tech-enabled. And, while it might be unreasonable to implement every new technology into your marketing plan, it is important to experiment with a few to see which catch on in your market space.

Of all the messages that I heard today, the one that came across the loudest is that the use of new technology can have a dramatic impact on your product and market down the road. With the right technology, you have the ability to deliver a better whole product to customers. And, most importantly, that helps you sell more products and services, which after all, is what marketing is all about.

posted by Sami Jajeh @ 4:26 PM
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