Knowing Tomi
You only have to meet my friend Tomi once to know that he loves Ferrari and he loves the Grand Prix.
If you hear him speak at a conference or on the phone, the above sentiment will be mentioned at some stage.
Being Finnish, he naturally follows the Finnish Grand Prix drivers and if you have a Finnish driver in a Ferrari car, then even better..
During Grand Prix season, Tomi’s texting volume skyrockets over race weekend. Naturally, the increased volume of texts are to other Grand Prix fans.
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Tomi has a phone number that was specifically chosen as it ends in 007.
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Tomi travels a lot but there is one pattern that never changes. Every time a James Bond film is released, Tomi ensures he is in the country so he can visit the cinemas in the UK to catch the film. He has to watch the Bond films in the UK and definitely in a cinema.
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Tomi doesn’t drink a great deal at events and conferences. Often, his preferred drink is a fine single malt whiskey. He switches to Coca-Cola sometimes.
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Tomi is always smart. I mean, he IS smart but also he dresses smartly. He wears a suit and a tie of some description. Always. When traveling he wears a hat. Always.
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So how did I get so much detail about Tomi? Well, most of it is from listening to him. I have only known him for 2 years and in that time, have only met him a dozen times max.
Tomi wears his heart on his (immaculate) sleeve so I observe whilst Tomi expresses what is on his mind. He speaks when he feels listened to and in environments of trust.
However, if I wasn’t lucky enough to see him from time to time and text/email him regularly, I would need to ask him rather than be there to hear.
If I were trying enhance Tomi’s experiences here are a few things I would like to know about him so I could help. I would ask him:
1. How many people do you speak to each year in person/email/phone who hear about your passions?
2. What would make it easier for you and your fellow Grand Prix fans to connect with each other on race weekend?
3. What qualities does single malt whiskey need to have to fit your requirements?
4. What qualities does a suit, tie and hat need to have to fit your requirements?
If I knew the answers to those 4 questions, I know for sure I could enhance Tomi’s experiences.
What’s more, I think I could benefit retailers, bars, tailors, race circuits, conference organisers and Tomi’s friends.
But there is one common factor that runs through all of this. One that is irrespective of what he is doing.
Tomi connects with friends, associates and companies via his mobile device.
It is the only connection device during the race and the only connection device he has on him at the bar. He waves the connection device around on conference stages and he choses a number that fits his film habit.
It is the only connection device he has with him at the tailors. The only device he takes into the cinema (and hopefully turns off or on silent). His mobile device is the glue that links together his life.
“Ah!” you say “This Tomi is Tomi Ahonen, author of many books about Mobile including the brand new one ‘7th Mass Media‘ so of course he always has this method of connection on him!”
Well….ask yourself….when did you not have your mobile device with you?
Now ask yourself when you last left your laptop somewhere – perhaps when you went out with your friends (bringing your mobile with you no doubt).
Repeat the question replacing laptop with stand-alone TV, Radio, Print, Cinema and Recordings.
I say stand-alone because you may have many of the above within one, mobile, device.
Thus, I believe, the way to truly enhance Tomi’s experience is to tie his preferences together with his preferred connection mechanism.
If I were his mobile network, I would value the above more than any bill. Yes, I hear many say that ‘advertising and marketing can never replace network revenues’ but I challenge that by saying that this is only true if advertising and marketing stays the same as it is today.
I ask you now. If you were a network and you knew about each person in the same simple and basic detail above, do you think this is more or less valuable than a phone bill of say, $100? Think about it….
How about if you had 10,000 segments as a minimum with basic detail. Would this be valuable? 10,000 because then the chances of irrelevance are too low to be counted and personalization is higher than you can possibly imagine in the current industry.
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The question is whether the networks believe what I have just said.
Some will and some won’t. Some will enjoy the benefit, some will watch from the sidelines.
Maybe other players in this field think the networks don’t matter.
Whatever.
I don’t really mind who gets it and who doesn’t because it is only they who have to be accountable. Those who justifiably sleep sound at night are those who outline ways in which the world could improve and work hard in helping those that should, including their own companies.
Ask yourself – what company knows you like I know Tomi?
Can you imagine?
Beautiful, beautiful…