Real-time Tools and Tragedies

“Real-Time Marketing & PR” by David Meerman Scott talks about some pretty cool examples of real-time technology and how it is being used in Chapters 11 and 12. For example, Scott explains how he uses the Foursquare app while at conferences to see where his friends are hanging out and where to find the best Mexican food. Scott also explains how he uses the Layar app which combines augmented reality with your GPS to show where things are in a crowed city street in real-time. 

According to Scott, the band The Grateful Dead also implements real-time techniques into its concerts so fans can purchase a CD of the entire concert performance immediately following the live show. Additionally, Hollister uses real-time recruiting strategies through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to make its hiring process more effective and fast. 

Don’t get me wrong, all these examples of real-time PR and marketing are wicked cool. I mean who doesn’t want a CD of the live performance of their favorite band to jam to on the way home from the concert? However, what bothers me about this concept of real-time is the expectation that comes with it. Today everyone wants news, feedback, recommendations, products and services NOW. They don’t want it in three months, they don’t want it in three weeks they want information three minutes ago. 

Real-time technology is undoubtedly enabling us to do things for the betterment of communication and marketing, but I have to step back and ask myself if some of it is really necessary. Sure it’s cool I can “check in” to a location on Foursquare and see where my friends are, but is the world going to end if I suddenly can’t tell who the “Mayor” of Starbucks is? Sure it’s awesome I can have push notifications sent directly to my phone so I constantly know what’s going on in the world, but why do I need to be constantly in the know? What’s the harm in waiting until I get home and sit down in front of my computer or TV to find out what’s going on? 

The bottom line is it wasn’t too long ago the world got along fine without all these shiny bells and whistles of real-time. In my opinion, sometimes everyone just needs to take a chill pill and practice some patience. Whatever happened to the phase, “The best things come to those who wait?” Real-time marketing certainly has a time and a place, however I think we all need to be careful we don’t let the instant gratification aspect of real-time rule our lives.