3 Signs You’re Ready for Digital Marketing

Published on November 9, 2016

James Soto is one of the leading voices in the industrial marketing sector, so when he offers a few pearls of wisdom online, it never hurts to listen.

Soto recently penned a fascinating post for Hubspot, all about helping marketers identify when a brand is or isn’t ready to invest in marketing. His advice is interesting, and, in our experience, spot on.

But we pride ourselves on our connectedness here at Geek; we believe that marketing is a multi-step process that requires both the close collaboration of the brand and the full commitment of our marketing team. Like Soto, we recognize that the decision to go with a marketing firm isn’t a one way street. It’s a big decision that requires a lot of trust, and ultimately, it has to come from the brand itself, based on any number of factors.

Putting money and budget aside for a moment, what are the signs that a brand is ready to dip a toe into the digital marketing pool? How can you tell that your brand is primed and ready for the next huge leap into acquiring more leads, retaining more customers, and vastly expanding your reputation and influence in your field?

Here are three signs that your brand may be ready to take the next step, and make digital marketing a key foundation of your strategy moving forward:

You Have a Clear Brand Identity

Whether it’s social updates, newsletter content, or a compelling, multimedia-focused blog, successful digital marketing is all about having a voice. Having a clear brand narrative and identity is the key to getting started with content creation and marketing; and while your digital marketing team will be able to help you refine your brand identity and narrow your unique perspective into actionable goals, it’s important to have a clear sense of what you do, who you are, and who you’re trying to reach, before getting started.

You Can Put In the Time

In order to make marketing a priority for your brand, you may well need to implement “positive organizational and cultural change,” as Soto puts it. He continues:

“Leaders -- and anyone responsible for the success of marketing -- must give you their full attention. Leaders clearly will not be thinking of marketing exclusively, but marketing should command their undivided attention for at least a few minutes a week.”

But who’s responsible for that “success?” The whole team! You’d be surprised how often our marketing firm relies on the input of IT professionals, of receptionists and administrators, and even from satisfied customers and users, who are an invaluable source of content.

Our ultimate goal is to make your digital life easier and more streamlined, but we can’t do that without input. Ready to give a little, but gain a lot – in terms of time, reach, and prospects? Then you’re ready for digital marketing!

You’re Able to Give Access

As we mentioned before, turning over one of the most public facing sides of your brand can be daunting; at the very least, it requires an enormous amount of trust, and a willingness to open yourself up for change and opportunity. But opportunity doesn’t come without you letting it in! In the case of marketing, that means a willingness to collaborate; the ability to be flexible; the openness to share data, reports, and content with your marketers; and the patience to weather periods of growth, trial, and error.

But the beauty of what we do means that you’ll never be going through the process alone. And in the end, that’s what digital marketing and content are really about: An integrated approach to communication that fosters trust, builds relationships, and facilitates lasting connections.

Have any more questions about what we do? We’d love to talk shop! Drop us a line today to get the conversation started!