Strategies

Strategies/26″/dt1st/mark2nd Alf Nucifora The newly released book, “The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift from Information to Imagination Will Transform Your Business,” provides dramatic insights into how marketing will operate in the 21st century. The book is authored by Rolf Jensen, director of the 30-year-old, non-profit Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, which consults to government and global business. Jensen makes a number of enlightening revelations. The most successful person in the first half of the next century will be the Storyteller. The value of future products will depend on the story he tells. Instead of buying the product, people will primarily buy the stories, legends, emotions and lifestyles that are already built into the product. New jobs will appear in the creation and distribution of feelings. For example, “strategic dreamers” will help corporations understand the spiritual goals of potential customers, employees and stockholders. Dreamers will come from anywhere, but they will primarily be creative types who provide and sell drama, e.g. actors and athletes. In the industrial age, it was Henry Ford; in the information age, it was Bill Gates; today it’s George Lucas of “Star Wars” fame. How does one get to be a dreamer? According to Jensen, the best dreamers “are those who had the time to do that as a child.” They also tend to be voracious readers. Unfortunately, Corporate America does not permit “dreaming.” In fact, says Jensen, we’ve suppressed it. The world, which is now six times wealthier since the turn of the century, has been too fascinated with technology and science. In the future, poverty will be redefined from the struggle to survive to the struggle to satisfy more than one’s material needs. And, work will no longer represent merely a means of obtaining money. How will dreamers practice? CEOs might change their titles to “Dream Leader.” Companies will investigate markets that they never previously considered, such as “experiential,” e.g. travel and tourism, “lifestyle,” as Harley Davidson is doing, and “friendship,” e.g. entertainment, dining, publications, hobby activities. Brands will communicate more drama and imagination. Look how Marlboro is no longer a cigarette brand, but a storytelling brand with its connection to fashion, travel and lifestyle. The Japanese made the wristwatch a precision instrument. The Swiss are building in lifestyle, prestige and emotion with their connection to upscale (polo) and sporty (rock climbing) activities. Automobiles will eventually move from luxury and prestige to storytelling as well. In a sense, Chrysler is already moving in that direction with its new line of nostalgia-driven, hot-rod, street burners. Who will be the early adopters in the dream-telling universe? Clothing companies, food marketers and transportation providers to the travel industry will probably get there first the things that touch our lives. Interestingly, Baby Boomers will make excuses not to dream. They’ll cloud their feelings by demanding quality and value. The Gen-Xers will be more honest, open and receptive to the notion. The process has started already. Today we have one foot in the Information Society and the other in the Dream Society. It will be interesting to watch how we shift our weight from one leg to the other. Nordstrom reponse My recent column on the nation’s 10 best companies at customer service generated a storm of reader reaction. My failure to list department-store chain Nordstrom evoked responses from the company’s chairman, its co-president and the manager of its Atlanta division. Without exception, they wanted to know where and why Nordstrom had failed. The approaches were made with courtesy, candor and a sense of true “listening.” Some would label it good P.R. I choose to give them top marks for responding in a situation in which most company management wouldn’t give a hoot. By the way, when I returned the chairman’s call, he answered his own phone. I like that. Quality Web site Companies interested in developing quality programs or locating professionals to assist in implementing improved operational systems can now access the Virtual Quality Network (http://www.vqn.asq.org), provided by the American Society for Quality. ASQ, a 135-member professional association, has been the administrator of the Malcolm Baldridge Award since its inception. Searches of the database are free and browsers may specify such variables as type of product and service sought, geographical locations, and/or name of a specific firm. Companies listed on the VQN offer a brief description of their range of activities such as technical advice, consulting, inspection, testing, employee training, system design, implementation and maintenance. Identify your customers From Markus Allen of MailShop USA ([email protected]) comes the following. If you sell to businesses, there is a new online service that helps determine the best industries to market your goods. If you submit your prospect and client mailing list to MailNet (www.listcleanup.com), the service, which is listed under “Data Append” on MailNet’s home page, attaches SIC codes to your mailing list so that you can easily classify your clients, prospects and leads by industry sort. You can then run reports that identify the most profitable industries so that marketing dollars can be spent more wisely. Alf Nucifora is an Atlanta-based marketing consultant. He can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected] or by fax at a (770) 952-7834.