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Salesforce
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Information overload? Communication crisis?
22 Mar 2011 by jouellette / No Comments
So I was reading TechCrunch while enjoying some leftovers from last night for lunch just now (are you thinking of the words boring and loser right now, you’re not alone – I am with you) and I came across this piece on Meltwater Group acquiring JitterJam today. Being in the field that I am in and having tested out Meltwater in the past, I read the piece and it got me thinking – how much information is enough already? First off, great for JitterJam to get picked up – I am sure that was their goal and it was met – there are happy people in Bedford, NH today.
It seems as though everything we come across today has an ‘intelligent layer of user information’ on top of it. So where is all of this information coming from and how is it being used? And are we (as communications, marketing and sales professionals) using all of the information that is provided to us or are we taking it for granted? And is all of that information really needed to make that call or can you do some research on your next prospect, come up with your own opinions and reach out to that next prospect?
I was lucky enough to be thrown an assist from a new colleague recently. What she did was provide me with information on a potential partner of ours that I wouldn’t be able to grab on my own – strictly due to not having enough time. But the information that ended up on my desk was invaluable. And it was a jumping off point for me as I put down some of my own thoughts and recommendations on where they should be focusing their time and efforts. Now, did I need all of it – no – not for this meeting, but I kept that document and I am sure I’ll refer to it in short order once we take our talks to the next level, but what impressed me the most was that she went out and did some old-fashioned research and digging to get this information. It’s all there and she is smart enough to know where to get it – and I think that when it was presented, there was a sense personal touch that we put into it (and I think that is what led to such a great meeting – more to come on that later, hopefully!)
And that takes me to the next level of information sharing and communicating. This may sound old-school, but one of the things that I think we’ve gotten away from in business and in our personal lives is the human touch that goes into reaching out to an editor, reporter, client or friend for that matter. With our LinkedIn page providing updates, TweetDeck updating every second, Facebook status being updated three times a day and the never-ending amount of emails we get, do we get lost in this social world of communications and information that sometimes makes us forget how to communicate? I get it – it’s timely and easy and convenient – but is it sometimes looked at as impersonal and cookie cutter? Are true business relationships being made online via these social networks or is there something else that is helping drive that? I think that by showing some sincere interest and having given serious thought to who and what you are talking about will separate you from the competition. (But don’t slow down your Facebook posts or your Tweets – those are pure entertainment at times!)
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