Digital Series – Part 1: Less Knocking. More Clicking.

It’s impossible to deny that the pandemic has changed business as we know it. And it may be a while before things ever return to “normal”. Around the world, some companies have reluctantly closed their doors. While some have reopened, they are finding that their business model needs to make a significant shift. In numerous cases, the only way to endure is to embrace an online presence as the most effective strategy for continuing to drive revenue amid COVID-19 and its aftermath.

A sound digital marketing strategy effectively connects you with your audience across multiple touchpoints—meeting them where they are, generating awareness, and driving them through the funnel toward action. No matter where your audience is located physically, an online model can help to maintain your customer base and even open the door to new, permanent revenue streams.

If you are new to creating or growing a presence online, you might be asking yourself:

• Where do I start?
• What tools do I need?
• How do I reach my customers and drive conversions?

In this three-part series, we will share recommendations and considerations for each of these questions.

PART ONE – GETTING STARTED

As with any business plan, it’s important to take time to plan and seek expert guidance when building a digital strategy. Here are factors to consider when getting started:

• Market & Competitive Research: Take time to learn about your digital marketplace, including checking the competition and what your current and potential customers are actively searching for online. Through exercises such as a simple S.W.O.T. analysis or in-depth keyword research, you’ll gain insights into what works, what doesn’t, and how to stand out amongst the competition so you can adjust your digital strategy accordingly.
• Your Brand Look & Feel: From evaluating your brand name, tagline, and logo, and establishing your brand differentiators and messaging strategy, to building an appropriate color palette and typography set optimized for web use and accessibility, your visual and verbal brand identity serves as the foundation for success in the digital space. During a time when face-to-face interaction is limited, it’s essential that your brand communicates your brand mission and offerings clearly and effectively.
• Budget & Timeline: Your budget and necessary speed to market play a significant role in developing your marketing strategy and the types of solutions you can/should put in place. Know how much you can afford to invest and how quickly you need a solution in place so you can best plan how to maximize the return on your investment (ROI).

Armed with these essential foundational elements, we’ll explore specific channels and tactics to consider in your digital ecosystem in part 2 of our series.