As a fashion merchandising student at FIT, for 4 long years, in every single class the concept of "selling the right product, to the right customer, in the right place, at the right price, and at the right time" was drilled into my brain constantly. As a marketing student the element of "time" became even more important. We have all heard the phrases "time is money" and "timing is everything", but how hard is it to keep up with all the information we are constantly thrown at? As marketers, how can we possibly be always "on top of the latest trends" and respond within a matter of seconds?

Well, in 2013, Oreo nailed it! The first company whose ears and eyes were wide open and quickly tweeted during the Super Bowl blackout. Real-time marketing has become the new way of doing marketing. If you wait to write an article about Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign logo on Monday April 13th, you are too late. No one cares anymore what you have to say, you missed the boat. I consider timing in marketing in the same exact manner that I think about it in my personal life. Time is so precious, you cannot get it back, ever; therefore, it is crucial to invest your energies into what matters NOW. Don't get me wrong, looking at the future is just as important, being able to predict it, even more, but don't get so wrapped up in what is to come that you miss what is happening today.

Last week, I had the pleasure to meet Jeremy Goldman, the 2015 version of Da Vinci when it comes to marketing. His speech on how to grab consumers' attention in the digital era remarked the importance of not only of timing but of content. It is not always about bringing in revenues, people are experiential; the deepest connection you can create with your customer is by winning your way into their hearts. As corny as it sounds, it is the most effective way to capture that customer. Think of it as "love at first sight"; it happens quickly, it takes you in, you can't pinpoint why you have been captivated this way, and it hurts to let go of.