In my last blog, I started talking about how social media - and the mechanisms by which that social media is delivered - are becoming more and more prevalent in the world of HVACR. I have gotten some interesting responses when I asked about how HVACR professionals were using those devices, apps and social media tools on LinkedIn, and my next entry is going to discuss that in a bit more detail (I was a bit surprised at what I heard back!).
But for now, I simply want to wish everyone out there a happy, safe and joyus holiday season. I'm Catholic, so I'll go ahead and say Merry Christmas, but no matter what religion you practice or tradition(s) you follow, I hope that you are able to enjoy the spirit of the season with friends and family. And that as we look forward toward 2011, we find it to be even better than the past 12 months have been. Until next year, all the best to you!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
'Tis the season...to watch an ad on your phone?
I am the first to admit that I've been less than regular in my blogging. Part of that stems from the fact that the end of the calendar year is the busiest time for advertisers to review budgets, build programs, etc. And for RSES, it's a time when we have our annual conference and the usual year-end rush to get projects finished that always seem to be "almost done."
In the vein of that advertising theme though, I want to discuss something with the HVACR community that you may or may not find interesting. In fact, for some of you, reading this blog might be as close as you get to the world of "social networking." But from magazines and online news feeds to blogs and e-mail blasts, everyone seems to keep talking about the push for "digital media advertising." That's right, just when you thought it was safe to use your smartphone to be more productive, those advertising geniuses are figuring out ways to get an ad literally in the palm of your hand.
In fact, most media experts and pundits predict that within the next five years, the amount of money that companies spend on traditional print media will be surpassed by what they drop in the digital world. And while that may seem to make perfect sense for those trying to reach teenagers shopping at a mall or the soccer mom out picking up groceries, it could prove problematic for the HVACR contractor or service professional.
Why you ask?
Simple...you use your phone to work. To get to the next site. To get information about a particular system, furnace, air handler, you name it. So now in addition to knowing how to use all of those cool apps that you've added to your iPhone that help you identify the proper refrigerant needed for a system changeout, you may have to figure out how to navigate through a myriad of ads designed to sell you everything from R-22 to WD-40.
Now I'm not saying that digital media and digital advertising is bad. FAR from it. In fact, online advertising and programs are a great way for HVACR OEMs, suppliers and organizations to distribute things such as white papers, industry standards, service updates and more. They can help deliver useful things like discounts on products at supply houses, or updates on training opportunities or webinars that a particular contractor may have an interest in. But the risk, as most of us know too well, is being OVERWHELMED by useless info - and therefore eliminating the benefits that good, quality USEFUL content can provide.
That means more than ever, end users (that would be you, my fellow HVACR professionals) need to be cognizant of just what types of applications they put on their so-called "smart" devices. Because adding too many of those "helpful" applications could well cause you to miss out on just what you need.
Stay tuned for more on this...I promise the next few blogs will continue to discuss this issue and share some ideas on how to manage that information. And that it won't take another month for you to read about it!
In the vein of that advertising theme though, I want to discuss something with the HVACR community that you may or may not find interesting. In fact, for some of you, reading this blog might be as close as you get to the world of "social networking." But from magazines and online news feeds to blogs and e-mail blasts, everyone seems to keep talking about the push for "digital media advertising." That's right, just when you thought it was safe to use your smartphone to be more productive, those advertising geniuses are figuring out ways to get an ad literally in the palm of your hand.
In fact, most media experts and pundits predict that within the next five years, the amount of money that companies spend on traditional print media will be surpassed by what they drop in the digital world. And while that may seem to make perfect sense for those trying to reach teenagers shopping at a mall or the soccer mom out picking up groceries, it could prove problematic for the HVACR contractor or service professional.
Why you ask?
Simple...you use your phone to work. To get to the next site. To get information about a particular system, furnace, air handler, you name it. So now in addition to knowing how to use all of those cool apps that you've added to your iPhone that help you identify the proper refrigerant needed for a system changeout, you may have to figure out how to navigate through a myriad of ads designed to sell you everything from R-22 to WD-40.
Now I'm not saying that digital media and digital advertising is bad. FAR from it. In fact, online advertising and programs are a great way for HVACR OEMs, suppliers and organizations to distribute things such as white papers, industry standards, service updates and more. They can help deliver useful things like discounts on products at supply houses, or updates on training opportunities or webinars that a particular contractor may have an interest in. But the risk, as most of us know too well, is being OVERWHELMED by useless info - and therefore eliminating the benefits that good, quality USEFUL content can provide.
That means more than ever, end users (that would be you, my fellow HVACR professionals) need to be cognizant of just what types of applications they put on their so-called "smart" devices. Because adding too many of those "helpful" applications could well cause you to miss out on just what you need.
Stay tuned for more on this...I promise the next few blogs will continue to discuss this issue and share some ideas on how to manage that information. And that it won't take another month for you to read about it!
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