Rapid Change is the new normal in today’s fast moving world and for most companies it has become all about keeping pace with new technology, new strategies, new ways of selling one’s product/service and tapping into an increasingly aware global audience. In all this it is very easy to lose sight of the company’s vision and also lose one’s sense of direction in a plethora of data. This is the era of information overload.
But True Transformation comes from being able to innovate from within, see the future and most importantly to be able to contribute to society.
Also organisations and brands that desire to stay relevant must be able to adapt to fast technological changes, ongoing innovation and constant disruption.
Transformation is more than just upgrading IT or announcing new product/service launches, or dishing out all kinds of marketing strategy or even developing skills. Whilst all that is important no doubt, what really needs to be focussed on is developing trust within one’s team, building relationships with your audience beyond just selling, understanding global mindsets and prioritising diversity and equality in all areas of doing business.
So let’s chart the 5 keys that help Unlock Growth both within and outside the company.
PEOPLE
In order for a team to feel safe in itself – which means individuals feeling safe with each other- a company must have a culture of learning by making mistakes, learning via innovating and expressing and the freedom to explore- ideas, dynamics etc. Any team that feels safe with these widely encompassing parameters are easily able to sync in with the larger vision of the brand/company. Also an internal culture of caring sharing and mentoring reflects on the outside for the company’s customers and its target audiences. They are then able to trust the brand more and become loyalty driven with the brand’s offerings. It’s important to feel psychologically/physically safe for the people that work for the company to then reflect this to the customers on the outside. Organisations must move away from paying lip service to their teams and only focusing on their trials and tribulations just because they want to address financial projections, annual/quarterly targets or company performances. These will naturally be taken care of if the people working for any organisation understand that they are genuinely cared for.
DATA-
Great Data enlightens the company’s marketing strategy and thanks to Technology that is available it is virtually possible to track all kinds of scenarios. AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) technology have now taken this to the next level. Data gathering and analytics via machines is now freeing up human minds and hands to do tasks that are more complicated, requires more quality attention and has less volume to focus on. Data must focus on customer behaviours and has to be centered around Relevance, Convenience and Speed. Tracking Data that identifies users and understands customer intent will assist in setting the right KPIs. Via smart data, companies can now merge digital and physical channels to deliver integrated personalized customer journeys. Also more research is being conducted around neurological behavioural aspects that help companies to actually understand how their product/service positively or negatively impacts the minds of consumers. Use of web analytic tools – Google Trends, AdWords Keyword Planner, Google Consumer Surveys, and Consumer Barometer assist in important insights but it is equally important to remember that talking to actual consumers/users and asking them about themselves is invaluable and perhaps even more important than just crunching numbers. A combination of human insights with data makes for the best customer knowledge. Purely relying on hard data can run the risk of missing the big picture and exclusive dependence on user interviews can blur the line between a typical user or an outlier.
CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY-
In a world that is constantly moving in hyper speed, customers have also become fast-moving which means the attention span is far less for a company to be able to showcase its product/service specially in the digital spheres. Understanding how customers change, what they need and when they need is vital here when it comes to serious digital transformation. Digital analytical data can give great insights but ultimately a company has to be agile and intuitive to be able to recognise the right moments to connect with their audience. To find that ‘sweet spot’ between marketing goals, and people’s well-being companies must understand that they cannot intrude on certain moments and organisations that bring this level of understanding to their marketing/digital strategy are the ones who will gain respect and admiration in the eyes of their customers. Brands must inspire, companies must guide, and there has to be a genuine offering that changes people’s lives.
At each stage of the customer’s digital journey-
- Based on understanding customer intent in that moment, establish the right priorities.
- By using data to match the target audience as the degree of commercial intent increases, you can hone in on the right users.
- Set the right KPIs, with an eye on micro-conversions, such as pages browsed or accounts created, as well as driving awareness and ROI
INNOVATION-
It’s about ‘Cultivating’ a growth mindset @work. Marketing and growth are both part of an ongoing innovation for any company. It all begins by tangibly creating a fertile environment where people, ideas and creativity thrive and there is constant feedback that provides the fuel for stepping it up. To understand that we are all continuous work in progress can make us a shift the well worn mentality of being a ‘know it all’ to being ‘willing to learn it all’ and this is a primary tenet for innovation. Organisations and their leaders from top to bottom must learn to take responsibility for cultivating this at all levels. Consistent training, upgrading of skills and understanding the various digital platforms can help companies and their teams to take innovation the newer and higher levels. Companies must challenge preconceptions and break through the current ways of how digital works and has been taken for granted.
LEADERSHIP/VISION-
The game changes when leaders understand that they have a huge responsibility in them being role models. Leaders that show they are fierce and present themselves as failure-free create an ideal of perfectionism in their organisations and this puts the people into a fixed-mindset mode. They are daunted when they see leaders who seem to have no fault and exhibit no sort of weakness. But authentic value driven leaders show and express vulnerability and are also empathetic in their understanding of their team’s strengths and weaknesses. Leaders who are open to feedback, change, criticism etc are leaders who are able to transform the work culture into motivating and inspiring environments that enable others to then step up and become leaders in their own right.
I have often in my own professional sphere always strived to be a leader who focuses on working with strengths of my team, the needs of our customers, and someone who will stay committed to doing what’s right for my people be it my team or my customers
Leadership is all about learning and connecting and this then becomes the value that ultimately drives the vision.
There you have it then- the 5 keys that will stand the test of time when it comes to a company undergoing digital transformation from the inside out.
Ultimately any digital transformation is all about Intent- See, Think, Do, Care.
See= Show your consumers the raison d’etre for your brand’s existence. Be genuine. This will grab the attention of those who have never seen your brand.
Think= Show user journeys, make the consumers think why they would love to be associated with your brand.
Do= To be able to get people to buy your brand they need to see why its worth it. Will the brand walk the talk? Will it deliver- showcase these aspects on your digital platforms and watch the transformation.
Care= Above all really truly care. Care for your customers, care for what your brand/product/service actually offer- is it life changing ? will it evolve?
Building relationships with your audience must be the driver.
Implementing Digital and Technology must not be an option because used wisely it drives amazing customer experiences and lets us deliver more by enabling a culture of accountability and trust.
This kind of transformation comes about when societies and perceptions change, when mindsets undergo a transformation process and all of this brings together communities and its people to go on a journey together. A journey of connection, inclusivity and diversity and above all a celebration.
Our ethos @Elixir is that we love to give back to the world by working with our clients and fostering long term relationships.
Are you going to lead this change? Are you a leader or a management consultant or a company that would like to know more on how to bring about a model that is capable of bringing this future to the present. If so get in touch with us. Our brand founder and author of this blog Chetan Jha is leading not just change but also innovation across the board through best practises that echo compassion understanding and reflection. To know more, email us: [email protected]