Ways To Navigate The Four Stages On The Road To Digital Enablement

Focusing on your digital presence is crucial, and following some simple steps can help keep you in touch with your customers

- Selina Bieber

Many South African business owners, side-hustlers and freelancers know that it’s more urgent than ever to accelerate their digital journey to help stay active during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to serve the needs of a connected customer base. Even for those who are not familiar with digital tools and platforms, embarking on this journey can be easier than they imagine. And the rewards of doing it well can be significant. Here are some ways for small business owners to help navigate the four stages on the road to digital enablement.

Where are you today?

Before you embark on an online journey, it’s wise to take stock of where you are today and where you want to be in a few months, and a few years, from now. It can help to take a step back to evaluate your brand and what it stands for:

• How do you describe what you do and what business you have?

• Who are your customers today?

• What makes you different from the rest?

• What branding assets have you developed?

• How will all of this translate to the digital world?

For example, is your company name a good fit for a domain name?

• Are you using any digital touchpoints today – a Facebook page or a Gmail account, perhaps?

• What is working well for you and what isn’t?

Plan well