Re: UKNM: State of the Nation

[Jim Sterne]

At 02:32 PM 5/14/98 +0100, Sam Michel wrote:

>Hi Gang,

>

>I didn't make it down to Internet World 


And you were sorely missed!


>but all the

>reports I have heard indicate that you could almost see the tumbleweeds

>blowing across the exhibition hall and conference at OIympia. Did you go?

>Is this fair? Are the reports of a v. quite conference over-estimated?


I had a good showing in my marketing workshop on Monday.

Tuesday I did a quick run around the show floor at lunch

time and it was a little quiet. My afternoon session was

meagerly attended, but most of the people who cared had

had a whole day of me already and wisely begged off.

Any reports about the following days?


>If this is true, is it an indicator of the state of the UK new media

>industry? 


>in comparison the Internet World events in the US are rammed full.


<rant>


Having just spent a week in Glasgow and a week in London, 

I just have to throw a little US perspective into the mix. 


I'm worried about Europe. Really worried.


The industry in the US is *still* going bananas and

the reasons are plain. Companies save money. Customers 

get better service. New types of services are being 

created on a daily basis. Huge amounts of effort are 

being shovelled into the Web because the value is 

so blatantly obvious.


Everybody on this list knows it in their hearts.

That's why we all went into this business. We just

*knew* it made sense. Guess what? It still does.


I'm worried about Europe because it is sleeping

while the US creates a new economy. "Our customers

aren't online yet" is no excuse for not experimenting.

"Nobody else is doing it" is no reason to keep one's

head firmly planted in the sand. "It's too soon" is

the best way of letting the other guy win.


The US was founded by pioneers and misfits and lauds

the exploits of the independent individual. In doing

so it is a perfect crucible for innovation. The results

of this innovation engine should frighten the European 

community.


Home banking in the US is catching on just like automatic

tellers did. Priceline lets you name the price of the plane


ticket you want and lets the airlines bid for your business.

Shopping bots are comparing products from multiple vendors

for review and online purchase.


Once each industry gets it figured out, do you think American

Web-enabled companies are going to stay home?


Amazon.com is changing the way the book business is played.

Now they're coming to Europe. They're building distribution

points all over the world in order to get past their last

hurdle - time and distance.


The US has the advantage of a couple of years of gung-ho

Web business and only 2% of all the firms in Glasgow

even have a Web site up. When the US companies start

elecronically draining Pounds, Marks, Francs and Lira out 

of Europe, will there be anybody doing e-commerce there to 

fight back? Or will the EU still be arguing like children 

over who's man is going to run the Euro?


Where, oh, where is the recognition that life has changed

and companies can now eat your lunch from the other side

of the Pond without a local office? Asia's paying attention.

When will Europe?



</rant>


That's all well and good, Jim, but what's your point, man?


The stands may have been under attended, but it's only through

lack of vision and not the beginning of the end. The new media 

business in Europe is in its absolute infancy. It's only the 

beginning and it's your job to educate the people with the most 

to lose. Now is the time for them to jump in and start learning.


You are the catalyst.




------------------------------------------------------

Jim Sterne                    http://www.targeting.com

jsternetargeting [dot] com

                 Target Marketing

Author: "World Wide Web Marketing"     +1 805-965-3184

"Customer Service on the Internet"          Consultant

and "What Makes People Click - Advertising on the Web"

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