Successful information technology requires vision and strategy. People sometimes ask me why I work exclusively with Microsoft products, when there are free alternatives available. There are many reasons, and one big one is because Microsoft has the vision and strategy that others lack. When I use technology, I want to use products from a company that knows where it’s headed, 1, 5, 10 years from now.
Which brings me nicely to the Future Vision series produced by Microsoft Office Labs. These videos set out a vision of the future, envisioning how computing might be ten years from now in 2019. They are deliberately far fetched, but they are inspiring and in the few months they’ve been available, some of the pieces have already come onto the market. For example, I’ve seen a demonstration of a video projector the size of a cell phone and a plastic, transparent flat screen display. The more I watch these videos, the more realistic they become. So take a glimpse of what business computing might be like ten years from now (click on the image to view the video).
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| Productivity | Healthcare | Manufacturing |
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| Banking | Retail | Future Vision Montage |
So, in a few days we start a new decade. Could this be how we end it? I’m going to stick my neck out and make some predictions: I believe that 2010 will see the death of the magnetic moving-head hard drive, the death of the Mouse as the primary input tool and the emergence of ultra-thin, flexible, lightweight displays. Let’s see if any of my predictions come true. Happy New Year!
Everything You Do is Marketing
I see lots of individuals and worse, businesses who project a shoddy half-assed online persona. Businesses should really understand this: everything you do says something about your company. Your online presence is perhaps the biggest piece of marketing you’ll ever do. Just because it costs almost nothing, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pay it any attention. It’s at least as important as your business card – would you give out a shoddy-looking business card? I don’t think so.
Some people, particularly Baby Boomers and older, shy away from the web, fearing invasion of privacy or that people might say bad things about them. Again, understand this: the Internet is like oxygen to Generation X and Y. The Internet will happen, whether you like it or not. People are talking about you and your company, even if you are not there to see it. If you don’t take control of your online presence, you’re letting other people control it for you. It’s important to be proactive online. The way to get positive things said about you is to be positive and publish positive content. And remember: everything you do is marketing. Never say anything online that you wouldn't say face-to-face with a customer. Never say anything online about a person or organisation that you wouldn’t say to them directly.
So, when you sign up for an online service, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, whatever – put some effort into it! Make sure your avatar (the image of you or your company logo) appears correctly on the site. If you can’t make it look good, design a new image specifically for online use. Make sure your profile is completed and that you say something about your company. Wherever you get the opportunity, make sure there is a link back to your company web site or blog. This is the number one way you will get Google Page Rank. Please, check your spelling and grammar.
Examples of Bad Online Personae
 | Twitter: pointless mangled logo image. No attention to detail? I wonder if this company’s customer service is this slap-dash? |
 | Facebook – pointless mangled logo image. Do these IT consultants really know what they are doing? |
 | LinkedIn – no avatar image. Too lazy? Would I give this person a job? |
 | LinkedIn – Billy No-Mates. No connections? Really? What’s wrong with this guy? |
Two of the above are real-world acquaintances and I know that in reality they are well respected and/or professional, but their online persona tells a different story. There’s really no excuse. I know we’re all busy, but marketing is important, and make no mistake, this is marketing. It is a mistake not to get these things right just because they cost nothing!
It’s easy to get this stuff right. If you have no copywriting or graphic design skills, hire someone to do it for you. You can ask my company, TiGra Networks, for advice on your online presence, we’ll be only too happy to help or to put you in touch with someone who can.