• “Still other observers worry the shortfall may mark a tipping point as networks lose share to the Internet, cable and other media.”

The writing is on the wall.  Traditional mass media is becoming less and less effective.  Why?  Because decisions are no longer primarily made as a result of advertising.  They are made as a result of word of mouth networks.  That’s why I continue to work with attorneys to build systems that lead to a consistent stream of referrals.

I had lunch in a little tea house yesterday called Arianna’s and the friend that I was with relayed a story about a previous experience she had with one of the owners at the establishment.  It seems that her grandchild had accompanied her to lunch.  The child ordered milk with her meal and they were out of milk.  So, they sent someone to the store to buy her milk.  Now that’s extraordinary customer service and it’s great marketing! 

How many times do you think that story will get told?  I assure you, the answer is many.  Arianna’s is getting talked about because they were perceptive enough to recognize an opportunity to stand out and creatively seize it.  The result?  Great word of mouth!

Let me ask you something.  Do you think anybody is talking about your yellow page ads?  I doubt it.  When your prospects talk about you they are most likely not talking about your advertising - they are talking about their experience with you.

That’s why it’s so important to create memorable experiences. 

So to answer the question we started out with - where have all the viewers gone?  They’ve gone to look for authentic and genuine companies that focus on customer service and creating experiences worthy of being talked about in a positive way.