Fueled by customer and client demands, business organizations across all sectors have invested in digital transformation over the past decade. But achieving growth and increasing business value, as a result, hasn’t been as easy.
Many organizations that have invested in technology infrastructure, new design systems, personalization, and artificial intelligence have yet to reap the benefits.
“While 89% of large companies globally have a digital and AI transformation underway, they have only captured 31% of the expected revenue lift and 25% of expected cost savings from the effort.”
Harvard Business Review
If you’re wondering what to do after digital transformation, you’re not alone. Every organization must overcome this challenge to discover new opportunities for business growth.
Understand the Post-Transformation Landscape
To get started, we need to dig deeper into a post-digital transformation work effort. As we embark on a new era where customer experience markets have evolved rapidly due to a decade-long investment in digital transformation technology, businesses must be able to effectively measure the return on their investments and drive scaled, sustainable growth. The maturation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities also provides new opportunities to drive growth and performance.
Build on Your Digital Infrastructure
You’ve likely established your Content Management System (CMS), Customer Relationship Management System (CRM), Marketing Automation Platform (MAP), and possibly a Customer Data Platform (CDP). The next step is leveraging these tools effectively.
You must integrate channel, content, data, and technology strategies for impactful results. Breaking down the process helps demystify the path to leveraging your digital investments. The pillars I just listed are critical to prioritizing your efforts based on your specific needs. This flexibility is crucial for the right partner.
Evolve with Your Organizational Needs
Often, businesses outgrow their digital marketing frameworks or need to progress beyond their current partners. The key is realizing returns on past investments.
If you’re beginning your journey, a strategic roadmap is crucial. Ask these questions if you’re contemplating a market evaluation to enhance your digital strategy and performance.
Key questions to ask to improve digital performance:
- ROI Focus: How do you track and report on the return on investment (ROI) for your campaigns? What specific metrics do you use to measure the success of our campaigns, and how do they align with our overall business objectives?
- Strategy & Innovation: How do you stay informed about the latest industry trends, and how frequently do you update our strategy in response to market changes?
- Technology Stack: What tools and technologies do you use, and how do they enhance the performance and efficiency of our campaigns?
- Data-Driven Decisions: How do you utilize data to inform strategy and decision-making? Can you provide an example of a data-driven strategy that you’ve implemented?
- Flexibility & Transparency: How have you demonstrated flexibility in strategy, and execution to accommodate our changing needs or market conditions, and outcomes-based contracts? How transparent are you about our strategies, performance metrics, and areas for improvement?
- Resource Allocation: How do you ensure that our account receives the attention and resources it needs to be successful either human or automated? Is that reflected in their commercial terms?
- Future Planning: How do you plan for the future of our account, and what long-term strategies are in place to ensure continued success?
If you have a team or digital partner, it’s time to start asking questions. As a leader, you drive the change you wish to see in your business.
Embrace Flexibility in Strategy and Execution
There’s no one-size-fits-all in designing your technology stacks or marketing strategies. Flexibility is essential in crafting an approach that aligns with your unique business needs and goals. We’ll delve into what flexibility means in this context and how it is critical to achieving ROI from your marketing technology. In the spirit of that flexibility if you haven’t spent time over the last few years, and you’re part of an organization that is at the beginning of that journey.
Artificial Intelligence: The Game Changer
AI adoption is surpassing expectations. Hero Digital is leveraging AI to enhance efficiency and build capabilities for our clients. We’re moving quickly and carefully to determine how we can immediately drive more value for our clients with the practical application of AI in both our everyday work to drive more efficiency and in larger investments where we can build it into our client’s capabilities.
I sat in board rooms in 2002 when executives thought that digital marketing channels like Google Adwords or Overture (paid ads platform acquired by Yahoo, yeah I’m old) would never be bigger than TV or Print advertising. And again in 2006 when leaders in the space said that social media would never be an effective marketing or branding tool, and again when TV execs didn’t exactly see the threat that an ad-supported streaming service would pose. Are you seeing a trend here?
Our experience shows that staying ahead of technological advancements is crucial for long-term success. While everyone is rushing to take advantage of Large Language Models (LLMs) directly, there are some AI capabilities native to the platforms you are using today, like Adobe Experience Manager, Marketo, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and more.
Welcome Change and Accountability
Driving value and return is core to our values. We’re extremely excited to help business leaders evolve beyond digital transformation. The first step is mapping out your roadmap utilizing. From there, the steps, priority, and timeline should become clear.
In the future, we’ll continue to publish updates, reflecting on our predictions and learnings. We will update you as trends take shape, and more importantly, how to practically apply these trends to your business.
We’ll explore themes like:
- Digital Transformation Complete, Now What?
- Digital Partner Maturity
- Flexibility – No perfect MarTech Stack/Strategy
- Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence
- Commercial Model Evolution
- Rise of RevOps
Let’s navigate the digital landscape together with our expertise and insights. Reach out for a consultation today and let us turn your digital activation aspirations into tangible success.
