The Internet of things is revolutionary. It’s a real game changer. It’s the future of technology. It’s… still not available in 2015. But it will be available soon, or so tech enthusiasts at CES 2015 say. And by available, I really mean unescapable.
“But I’m a marketer, happily making ads and managing accounts. How in the world could the ‘Internet of Things’ affect me?” the naive and old-school marketer wonders. That train of thought probably belongs to the marketers who thought radio marketing would last forever. Or that the Internet would never be a marketing channel.
Indeed, the Internet of Things is one to be watched by anyone in business – especially marketers! Listen to some CEO’s shamelessly promote the Internet of Things here. Need more convincing to click play? This video has everything to do with ROI – read: making money.
http://vimeo.com/116558152
Co-Founder of Unified Jason Beckerman believes smart washing machines, cars, TV’s and refrigerators relate to your future marketing strategy. This is because they give a massive amount of “data exhaust” which brands can leverage to personalise consumer communications, change the way CRM works and reach consumers more efficiently to drive ROI.
If that seems like a bit of a stretch, imagine this. Let’s say Waikato renovations expert Roger Ramsey Building wants to predict future renovations trends to stay ahead of the business. They could use data from smart cars to discover whether someone lives so far from their work that it would be more efficient if they created a new home. Or perhaps a smart fridge would alert the company that one client is in need of a kitchen upgrade so that the fridge can connect to more kitchen devices. This would mean the fridge could not only alert the owner what ingredients it had in store, but it could also activate the oven or stove.
What if churches too could benefit from the Internet of Things? Let’s say Hamilton Church Grace Evangelical noticed a member stopped attending. The member’s smart clothing could alert the church that this member was experiencing extreme temperatures and weight loss due to a recent divorce. The church would then be able to reach out to this member and offer support as needed.
So although the Internet of Things is not ready to dominate the world just yet, it helps to be prepared. And as marketers, this means keeping your finger on the digital pulse and being prepared to give your strategy a shake up.