"With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
While people often express a desire to "live in the now" and enjoy the present, the online world has changed our expectations of the real world. We now want everything to happen in real time. Consumers are looking for instant gratification — and their definition of "instant" is changing rapidly.
Vending machines now dispense everything from fresh produce and medication, to swim trunks and bicycle parts. Cookie Radar and Baker Tweet software send customers email alerts and tweets when batches of cookies have come out of the oven at their local bakery.
So what does this mean for your brand? Yes, it's important to adapt by getting online and joining the real time, but the world of social media marketing is becoming more than just having a Facebook or Twitter page. It's about engaging your customers with real-time information and following through by offering them products and services in real-time as well.
Living in the now is no longer enough. It’s time to get real.
Read the article here.