Next year, I’ll turn 40. And while you can pacify me with lovely metaphors related to cheese and wine and sex getting better with age, we all know that no matter how old we are, we all still sometimes feel like sweaty-palmed teenagers.

In my nearly 20 years in this industry (yes, my first marketing job was at the age of 19!), I’ve seen a lot of changes. But as I watch my 88-year-old grandma comment on Facebook and drive a car that doesn’t have a key, I’ve come to believe that the trick to aging gracefully is not being afraid to embrace change.

Politics aside, embracing change in my house pretty much means not being afraid of new technology. While I wouldn’t call myself an early adopter, I like to think I’m on the front end of the bell curve. After all…

• I’ve been a Mac user since 1992. (How many folks can say that?)
• Social media has become my primary news and entertainment source.
• I run around most of the time with no less than three electronic gizmos all searching for a WiFi connection.
• I’ve dumped cable and Dish for streaming video and Apple TV.
• I’ve fallen in love with online banking (I’ll admit I waited too long!).
• I do most of my reading via my Kindle (or my Kindle app on my iPad or iPhone).
• I don’t need to plan ahead anymore when I travel, as my phone’s GPS app will guide me anywhere.  
• My minivan usually pipes in tunes via XM radio. (The dial usually set to Kids Place Live, with or without children on board.)

Not bad for a Gen-X gal learning to manage her increasingly gray hair.

My transformational behavioral shifts are pretty middle-of-the-road. Over the last decade, millions of Americans have cancelled their landlines and adopted DVR-style TV watching habits. Most mail comes via our inbox rather than our mailbox. The number of households who subscribe to the daily paper continues to dwindle. We have become obsessed with our smartphones — pocket computers that make us connected to the Internet 100% of the time.  

Folks, without getting into the sociological and psychological impacts of all this tech, a concrete effect of all of this change on the business world is that it’s getting damn hard for local and regional advertising efforts to reach their target audience — at least through good old-fashioned, traditional means.

Last year for the first time, investments in internet advertising surpassed all other media except television. Globally, that means one in five ad dollars went to online marketing — more than outdoor, radio, magazines, or newspapers.

This shift has happened in my second grader’s lifetime. In 2005, internet advertising was only 5.6% of the market. By 2013, it had escalated to 20.6% of the market.

As marketing professionals in middle America, we generally find changes to our cultural norms and behavior patterns to be a little behind the coasts. Frankly, as I consult with clients and prospects, I’m seeing an increasing number of businesses who are floundering in a state of confusion, trying to still reach people through the classic tools, unsure why they aren’t getting the results they want.  

This year, New Boston has made it our mission to help educate our region about the new frontier: digital marketing. We start this conversation by asking one key question: Have you adapted your marketing to keep up with the changing behaviors of your audience?

If not, you aren’t alone. But it’s time to adapt with the times or else you will be left behind.

New Boston is declaring 2014 the Year of YOUR Digital Revolution. Let us partner with you to analyze your online presence, understand the intricacies and implications of new technologies and tools, and strategize how to best harness the opportunities digital marketing can offer.

Early in my career, I was constantly asked by prospects, “How will I know if my investment is paying off?” The beauty of digital marketing is that it is data-centric. You will have more measureable information about your efforts than you’ll know what to do with. This information allows businesses to constantly refine efforts, target new markets, and prevent wasted time and resources.

Digital marketing is a game-changer. Don’t let 2014 get away without learning more.

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