Don’t make the mistake of making digital harder than it needs to be
The word ‘digital’ can cause heart palpitations for many business owners as they consider the many options available to them. There are so many choices and challenges when it comes to knowing where to start, what to do and how to navigate the digital jungle. This overwhelm causes us to start to overcomplicate the solutions we require as we add more digital tools and options into the marketing process. The key is not to overcomplicate it and to keep it simple.
Implementing digital into your business doesn’t need to be difficult. Stop making it harder than it needs to be. To help you break it down and keep the digital process simple, here are some tips to get you started:
- Consider your audience
Everything you do in marketing should start with your audience. What are your client’s expectations? What channels do they want to interact with you on? This is your starting point from which all marketing starts. Many businesses miss this first step in the marketing process and want to skip straight to creating content but if you don’t know and consider your audience – how can you communicate with them in a way that will resonate and engage and most importantly, get results?
- Block out unnecessary noise
The easiest way to get overwhelmed is by reading, researching and trying to do everything. I get inundated with emails every day that state this is the next big or the one solution that will make all the difference to your results. This can overwhelm even the savviest of digital experts too. Filter out the information that is not relevant to your current needs and file it for later. Focus on what you need to get started. What channels do you need to set up first? What are your priorities? Do them first before trying to integrate more complicated solutions like apps or fancy technology. If you read every single article or email about digital you wouldn’t get anything done so block out the unnecessary noise and you will feel the difference it makes in your sanity.
- Be realistic
This is a big mistake many businesses make. You need to have realistic expectations about the time it will take and the resources you will need to make progress with your digital marketing. Don’t think you can start today and see massive changes in your business in a few weeks. You need to take into consideration the resources you have available to you, the time it will realistically take, your budget and also other projects you might be working on in your day to day business that will impact your progress. The more time and resources you have to put into your digital journey the faster you will move forward however you have to be realistic about your expectations.
- Learn or get help
There are so many free and low-cost options available to help you learn what you need to do. Reading email newsletters, doing online courses, attending webinars, surfing YouTube or even just be Googling something are all easy ways to keep up to date on the fast paced world that is digital. Take the time to educate yourself and if you need to, get help from a digital specialist
So remember to keep it simple, don’t overcomplicate it and if it all becomes too much then breath and reboot.
