Enjoyment Of The Present

It's a fast-moving season right now as we head quickly for the end of 2011. What continues to emerge in the social media space (and everything else) is that the opportunity is not on the tools or mechanics, but on the real-time moments.

And it's a HUGE advantage for radio, who has been in the real-time business since the beginning of broadcasting.

Think about it.

Most companies will focus on two areas.

1. Drawing on the experience of the past, or modeling companies based on their past successful experience.
2. Building a strategy for the future with goals and tactics based on milestones two, three and up to five years away.

But the opportunity is to focus on right now.

Operate in the present.
Plan for now.
React to now.

According to a recent U.K. study, 25% of social media users expect a response within one hour, and 6% expect a response within 10 minutes.

Google Analytics just released their new tool featuring real-time analysis.

Facebook evolved to include a Ticker featuring not just what you like, but what you're reading, watching and listening to right now.

Over 85% of new handsets will be able to access the mobile web by the end of this year, and one in five users have access to fast mobile Internet.

All of this is proof that no one is a gatekeeper any longer, and trying to control the information based on past experience or future strategy is the wrong focus. You need to be an intersection to add value around real-time moments happening again and again and again today.

So where is your focus?

Enjoyment of the present is denied to those who worry too much about the future, or try to simply keep re-living the past.

Your opportunity is in the moment and if you can change your culture to focus on it, the anticipation will drive listeners, users, likes, re-tweets and much more.

It will also give you the enjoyment of winning and owning something that drives the social web, and something that most will never get, because they are only focused on telling you about the past, or trying to figure out the right strategy for the future.