Since the first human ancestor used a rock to smash something, we have been blind to the most important rule of technology: it’s not important what technology does, it’s important what we do with it.

Probably five seconds after the first guy put the rock down (thinking it would never be good for anything but smashing) another individual picked up the rock and chucked it at a bird or used it for stone soup, thus inventing another application for it. A long line of innovators then took it one step after another and in all sorts of different directions.

We have innovation because people all see the world a little differently. Oh, we have common views certainly, but each of us has their own perspective which is altered by our life experience and provides us with our own priorities. So, one person doesn’t necessarily see the limitations you may in that rock left lying there.

Human potential is what makes the difference

Marketers or anyone for that matter who depends on any kind of technology has to keep this in mind and not be myopic about the potential of the user’s imagination. Why? Because we aren’t talking about the potential of technology! We are really talking about human potential and that is limitless. Is history not littered with those who dismissed an innovation’s impact because they forgot this? I don’t need to quote Bill Gates and his classic line about no one needing more than 640k PC memory, do I?

History is full of visionaries demonstrating narrow vision when it comes to people and technology. How many of us thought Twitter was the dumbest thing ever? C’mon, be honest here! I scratched my head over it at first too, but it’s proven to me to be a robust and effective way to build new relationships and nurture old ones. My initial impression of what Twitter (for example) was and what it could do have been completely altered by how users have actually applied it.

Consider that one of the smartest things Microsoft ever did was hire an anthropologist to observe how people installed their operating systems and then adjusted the process based on the findings to make it easier and more intuitive. How’s that for letting the customer lead?

The empowered consumer leads the cross-channel dance

When something such as Twitter or Facebook or Foursquare comes on the scene, try to avoid doing what we humans love to do: shoehorning something into our frame of reference. Why? Because people and their interactions are what’s important and not the channels they use. The channels (technology) shouldn’t even be relevant to you. OK, they should be relevant, but only in so far as you being ready to reach out to consumers on every possible channel they may use.

Remove any technology myopia or fear from your corporate marketing philosophy. Don’t allow people to limit your channels based on antiquated arguments and limited vision. Focus on the consumer and let them take the lead in your dance. If you do that, the chances of someone’s toes being stepped on are much reduced.