Digital is becoming more pervasive in every nook and cranny of our world. Yet many accomplished Baby Boomers are still, as the old song goes, “hoping, wishing, and praying” that the digital revolution will die a slow death. That’s not going to happen. The flow of communications has radically and fundamentally shifted in the past three years. It’s growing more dynamic and fungible by the week. So the question becomes: “What’s your digital vision?”
Every organization needs a vision to steer its digital ship by. How is your online presence supporting your company’s core mission and goals? What client experiences are you delivering? How are you integrating with more traditional initiatives? What is your voice and focus? Who’s in charge?
These are not easy questions. It’s not a quick fix. And it can get downright messy.
Many go astray by focusing too much on the medium (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc). A better starting point is with the content and context of the engagement. What value can you provide through online channels? How do you carry through your brand promise, your uniqueness?
Marshall McLuhan was the sage of my college days in the School of Communication. His famous quote, “The medium is the message” seemed radical at the time. The digital age has expanded the mediums exponentially. With respect to McLuhan, I believe that today, the message should dominant over the medium. Without a focused, compelling message, the mediums don’t matter. They just become more noise. You may be Tweeting, but you don’t know why.
A solid digital vision begins with understanding your substance. Strong brands know who they are. They prioritize how, when, and where to communicate their unique offerings. This is the best road to embark upon as you enter the digital forest.
