When this year began, I had a goal in mind. To write about 50 articles and to do more online work as a freelancer. It’s about 1.5 months left to the end of the year and my performance is dismal. Am not proud to say that, not even a quarter way near my goal. It took me really longer to admit to myself (Yes, i can easily lie to myself 😌)…..that I struggle with procrastination and impostor syndrome. Alot has been written online about this two conditions and in books too. One day I’ll address this struggles. For now, I’ve accepted the big role they play in my writing setback. Hopefully, I can work with them or around them, time will tell.
Am a Digital Marketer myself and despite my best ideas I feel like its sometimes hard to get the desired outcome out of the efforts I put in. Being a creative person, i believe in learning the rules of Digital Marketing then creating my own strategy that can work best for me. What then is a Digital Strategy and why is it important?
A strategy is a plan of action. Digital strategy involves how to use technology to fit within your business plans. There is so much that is written on how to sell your products or services successfully online. Most of it may not work for you. When you understand clearly what direction your business needs to take, then it will be clear how to get there. More specifically, what resources you need to use to get you to your preferred destination.
The fact that people are doing business online is just a starting point. The question you could start by addressing would be: what kind of business are you in and are your clients found online. Many people have been making the digital transformation necessary for their business. Especially this has been important not only to retain your customers but to reach new customers that you need to continue growing your business.
I have from time to time needed services of some organizations I used to find offline alot. Due to distance of travel and time, I decide to search for them online. It is disappointing when you reach out to a number online that no longer works because the contact hasn’t been updated. Social media pages that stopped being active months ago, or even years ago. Extremely slow response to customer’s inquiries. Have you ever asked a question on a social media page on a product or service that you believe you need only to be responded to a week, month or worse still, non responsive? Does it encourage you to do business with them or even want to come back to that page?
Many may have toyed with the idea to incorporate online forms of marketing, run social media pages, grow a following with a goal to growing their business. The success that others have had can convince one that probably that’s the best way to business success.
Any form of marketing requires a clear plan in place. Otherwise, just good intentions may never get you more clients and business. There was a time many with social media pages believed that more following/followers would equal success for them but then time has proven that this can be very misleading.
Why would i think that no digital strategy would be costly for you? Keep in mind that running social media pages, websites or even sending emails as a form of marketing to your clients are all ways to continue growing your business. The plan is to know why you are doing it and what you hope to achieve from it? If measured well, a successful plan would need changes made to it to fit within your goals and the demands and needs of your users. Doing business onlines makes you incur money or time. If you are hitting the wall, instead of achieving your desired outcomes, there may be need to have a strategy, pivot or understand why you even need a digital presence.
In 48 hours time, I’ll look into why a Digital strategy is important.
Digital Marketer 