With the constantly changing landscape of technology and online marketing, it’s vital to remain flexible. Many people attempt to apply old techniques to a new market or operate based on information that’s already several years old. While the latter are at least attempting to keep up with the lightning-fast pace of today’s world, ultimately both fall victim to the same problem – they’re not being flexible enough.
Learn to get a little wavey
Flexibility isn’t just about being able to change direction. It’s about being able to change direction quickly. Realistically, many businesses have processes in place for implementing new plans. This often means changes are wrapped up in months’ worth of red tape, if they happen at all.
There’s nothing wrong with having a structure in place before taking the business in a completely different direction. In fact, it’s often necessary to ensure things aren’t being turned on their head every few months, which can be even more harmful that not evolving with the times. In an ideal world, there’s room for both.
Unfortunately, the rapidly shifting arena of the online marketplace doesn’t wait for you to play catch-up. That’s why it’s important to implement a plan for keeping up early. It’s also essential to work with someone who keeps their fingers on the pulse of the internet, whether that person is an internal hire or a consulting professional. Do you know how to set these gears in motion?
First and foremost, you have to believe in the power of internet marketing. We don’t mean that in a “clap your hands if you believe in fairies” kind of way, but in a “you should trust that this outlet will have real value for your business” kind of way. If you’re skeptical or think the internet is a waste of time, then you won’t really invest in getting your marketing off the ground, which will result in a self-fulfilling prophecy. Anyone can quote you all of the relevant statistics, but it’s up to you to find the place where you feel comfortable and willing to get behind the effort.
Once you’ve found your “happy place” with online marketing, you can move on to implementation. If you’re in an industry where things are very slow moving, this may take some considerable reorganization. Don’t leave everything up to one person – assemble a team that can work together to get all of the moving parts in place. If you don’t have the staff for a maneuver like this, consider an internet marketing agency. We may know of one you can call on. Just saying.
Work with someone who is keeping up with all the latest news. This should be an internet professional, not someone who’s playing catch-up on blogs that may be years out of date. Your internet marketer should really know their stuff. Do your research before hiring and speak with current clients if possible.
Now the pieces of your puzzle are in place. From here, your business should be able to move nimbly in the marketplace. It’s important to work openly with your internet marketing specialist and put your faith in them to do the best thing for your business. Checks and balances for big decisions are expected, but remember to remain flexible and not tie things up so tightly that direction changes are impossible.
The digi-scape moves quickly. In order to keep up, you need to work with someone who knows the information highway and can make hairpin turns when needed. It’ll do wonders for your business!
Stephanie Wargin is the Social Media Strategist at Zenergy Works, a web design and SEO company located in Santa Rosa, California. Her friends like to brush her hair into her eyes whenever she talks about Facebook.