4 Tips for Digitally Transforming Your Business

Are you ready to digitally transform your business, but you don’t know quite where to start? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Getting your business online is key but that is just the starting line and in reality, that’s closer to the warm-up.
There is a lot to consider when trying to digitize your business, and it can be daunting. But you will be successful if you have a clear plan of execution. And we’re here to help you formulate that plan.
Here are four tips to help you plan your business’s digital transformation:

1. Email
2. Social Media
3. Online Reviews
4. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Tip #1: Email

According to Forbes, “Attracting a new customer costs your business six to seven times more than retaining an existing one.”  So let’s focus on retention, starting with emailing your customers. Start simple, by emailing receipts so you can collect customer information for future efforts. You can even mention that you’re going “green”.

There are a number of free options like Mailchimp to store emails to the cloud—enabling you to store a lot of protected data for quick and easy retrieval. This is going to give you the ability to reach out to past clients quickly and efficiently. You can send seasonal emails for your business or simply customer appreciation emails.

And who doesn’t like to be loved back? The more personalized the email the better, this will show your appreciation. Birthday emails are also a nice way to keep in touch, again showing loyalty.

Tip #2: Social Media

Facebook is a quick and easy way to engage your customers online. The two biggest takeaways when it comes to social media is to be consistently present and engaged. Start with one post a day and measure engagement (likes/shares/comments). If people are engaging with your content, post more. Just make sure what you post is visually engaging, authentic and creative. If you’re a dentist, post before and after shots of a teeth whitening. If you run an auto dealership, post a picture of your swankiest car with the caption “Where is the first place you’d drive if you owned this car?” In other words, have fun!  And make sure you respond to comments, otherwise, it may seem one-sided.
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A good mix of posts about your business and things related to what your customers might care about will be key. You don’t always want to make it about yourself and your business, try to be helpful or funny. If all else fails post puppy pictures, because who is going to be upset about a puppy? Noone, that’s who.

Tip #3: Online Reviews

Have you ever looked across the restaurant and seen a plate of something delicious? And have you ever followed that plate of deliciousness into a person’s mouth, only to be followed by a look of utter satisfaction on the consumer of that deliciousness’s face? And did this look on that someone else’s face make you want to order that delicious item even more? Well, that’s social proof.

And do you know what is great social proof in the digital age? Online reviews. It’s about letting your current customers tell your future customers why they need to choose you over your competition. After all, 92% of consumers read reviews before choosing a business. So it’s best to use those online reviews to your advantage. Speaking of the advantages of online reviews …

Tip #4: SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Do you also know what online reviews are good for? SEO. SEO is how your potential customers find you on search engines like Google.

And SEO starts with your Google My Business page (if you don’t have one yet, click here). And every Google review you receive enables Google to see your business better. If Google sees your business, then prospects will see your business. And we all want that, right?

Now get started on digitally transforming your business. Remember to start small, see what works, and if in doubt, puppies (and G4H) are always here to help.

OK, one more, because the day of the week ends in Y.