Space for One More

By Dirk Visser, Head of Head of Digital Strategy for CBR Marketing Solutions

How long is infinity?

Let’s take a minute to discuss the concept of infinity. What does infinity mean to you? Is it the length of time it takes for that special person to reply to your text message? Is it how long it takes for you to complete the last 30kms of your holiday journey? Many people would agree with the fact that there is no measure of time longer than that of a microwave minute or a treadmill minute. However, when we discuss infinity the human brain battles to comprehend a measurement that is never-ending with unlimited possibilities. In the 1920’s David Hilbert introduced the world to the Paradox of The Grand Hotel. This theory makes the concept of infinity far more relatable and, without going too in-depth into to the maths behind the theory, we will see how this relates to the world of digital marketing.

Welcome to the Grand Hotel

In simple terms, the Paradox of the Grand Hotel is based around a fully booked hotel which contains an infinite number of rooms. As the hotel is fully booked one would assume that there is no longer any space for new guests. However, one night a new guest enters the hotel and asks to book a room with the night manager. The night manager knows that his hotel is fully booked but contains an infinite number of rooms, so he makes the decision to move the guest in Room 1 into Room 2, the guest in Room 2 in Room 3 and so on. Thus, the clever night manager has created one more space in the Grand Hotel and the guest can have a good night’s sleep. This process can be repeated for any finite number of new guests with the open room being n and the new room being allocated as n+1. I am not going to pretend that I fully understand the entire concept of the Paradox of The Grand Hotel but I can see the applications in the Digital Marketing space.

Book your space at the Digital Grand Hotel.

A common misconception in the digital marketing space, especially with smaller players, is the idea that there is no space for them. How are they expected to compete with multinational companies? At the end of the day, the purpose of being online is to interact with customers that have extreme brand love and in turn convert that love into sales. By not booking into the hotel, they stop themselves from ‘being in the game’. While other brands are enjoying martinis by the digital pool, they are left pounding the pavement, going door to door to try and stay relevant.

Here is your key, enjoy your stay.

In the digital space we are dealing an infinite number of rooms and it may seem that the hotel is fully booked, but there is always space for one more. Brands, no matter the size, should enjoy the comfort that the hotel affords them. Being online allows them to carve out a niche for their brand, create their own voice and speak to their customers in a way that bigger brands perhaps cannot.

Bookings are open for 2018 and brands should not hesitate to be a part of the digital space. It is ever changing, dynamic and exciting. Don’t get left outside, come inside and live your best life at the digital grand hotel.

CBR Marketing Solutions is a Digital Marketing and Advertising agency inspired by ensuring a brand, idea or service's place in the ever-changing market. For more information on how to create digital content that hits the mark, go to www.cbrmarketingsolutions.co.za.