5 Ways to Digitize Your Business

Keeping up with the times means keeping up with technology. No longer can companies “opt-out” of digital marketing, or any kind of digital technology. It’s become a pillar of modern business and for those who are just getting on board with these upgrades, it might be hard to figure out where to start.

Fortunately, there are several different ways that you can digitize your business if you’re willing to put in the work.

Digitalization is the future, offering sustainable models of expanded growth, endless opportunities for marketing and engaging clients, and so much more. Of course, like anything you do in business, you’ve got to start by learning your options and then coming up with a plan.

There are some important considerations along the way, too. For example, what does “digitizing” mean to you? Is it simply adopting digital technologies? Building a website for eCommerce?

If you’re not sure at this point, that’s okay. It’s just something to ponder as you read through the list below. Before we dive into the best ways to embrace a digital transformation, let’s look at some of the perks for those who are still a bit uncertain about the transformation.

What are the benefits for your company of going digital?

If your organization decides that it’s time to embrace digitalization, you’ll find several benefits to be had. Aside from the fact that you’re keeping up with the competition (or perhaps even outpacing them), you’ll also enjoy the following advantages:

Time and money saved

When you go digital, you are ditching a lot more than the paper trail. You’re also ditching a lot of time and effort on processes that you no longer need to invest in.

You’re spending less on tools to run your business because digital tools are cheaper, and sometimes even free.

Improved customer experience

Digital assets and access make the customer experience better in several ways. First, it’s easier to find things and they have faster access to the solutions that they need.

Most importantly, it allows you to be where they are, which is a must for today’s audience.

Boosted productivity and efficiency

Digital tools and apps can also help you boost your productivity and the efficiency of your day-to-day operations. There are digital platforms for everything from finance to customer relationship management.

Increased engagement

When you have a better digital presence, you’re going to find that your engagement increases. Customers appreciate all the digital efforts that you put forth and when you do it right, they’ll be far more likely to engage with your brand and enjoy doing so.

Better innovation

Digital tools include creative solutions for almost every industry out there. That means that you can develop a host of creative solutions to problems and issues that your company solves, or even embrace innovation to improve your product lineup and the way you deliver solutions to your audience. The inspiration and possibilities are endless.

These are just a few of the most popular perks that come from embracing the digital world for your business. The way your organization benefits will vary depending on how you set things up and which elements you choose to consider with your digitalization efforts.

Now, let’s look at the best ways to digitize to make the biggest impact.

5 ways to digitize now that can set you up for the future

1. Create a digital marketing strategy

You can’t go anywhere in the digital space without a strategy. Therefore, 1 of the first and most important steps in digitalization is to come up with a solid digital marketing strategy that includes all of the ideas, tools, and resources that you will need.

Create large and small goals, deliverables, and steps that need to be taken. Cover every aspect of your business and take it to the digital space. Once you have that strategy in place, you’ll be ready for further digitalization efforts.

2. Improve your search engine optimization

If you have a website and online presence already (which most people do), make sure that everything is optimized for SEO. SEO is the process of using keywords to improve your website ranking.

Use tools like keyword research, backlinking, and creating quality content on your blog, website, and other pages online. The good news is that this and creating a digital marketing strategy are tasks for which you could enlist the help of professionals if you’re not confident about doing it on your own.

3. Create (and engage with) social media profiles

The way to your audience is to find where they spend their time. Today, a majority of people spend their time on social media.

Therefore, you need to get busy building profiles and creating a virtual space where you can engage with your people and get to know them more personally.

More importantly, it will allow them to get to know you better. It also builds your brand reputation and helps you stand out from the crowd.

4. Choose and integrate a CRM platform

This is 1 of the most valuable tools for any business looking to go digital. A customer relationship management platform, or CRM, is going to give you a place to store and streamline all of your customer information, including information about interactions, transactions, and more.

There are several different platforms available and some are geared toward certain business objectives. Some are even based on industry, so that can make it easier yet for you to choose the ideal CRM for your business needs.

Research your options, consider free platforms, and make sure that the CRM will help you build a more loyal and diverse audience, as well as to improve the customer experience and create stronger marketing campaigns. Most CRMs today are scalable and customizable, making it easy for you to get exactly what you need.

5. Embrace mobile payment technologies

Today’s customers both demand and expect mobile payment options. How many times are you in a gas station, a drive-thru, or somewhere else where you see someone trying to tap their phone on the payment device, only to be told it doesn’t work that way? Or had someone asked to pay online only to be discouraged and offered a physical payment address or another option?

Take the time to get to know these technologies and how you can use them to improve your business. Whether it’s Square, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or any other mobile payment solution, try to put some in place.

Bonus tip: If you’re not sure where to start, ask your customers which would be most beneficial to them.

Today’s customers both demand and expect mobile payment options.

Consider all your potential options when going digital

The future is now — is your company on board and able to measure up with digital efforts? Or are you falling behind in digitizing your brand?

Take the information provided here and make sure that you consider all your potential options to go digital to deliver a better experience for your audience. When customers feel more connected, they’re going to stick around.

They might even share their experience with others and generate new business for your company, which is yet another perk to add to the list. When you digitize the areas that make the biggest impact, you’ll quickly see the perks and probably make more changes as a result.