Surely not I hear you say, well here are some facts.

Nine out of ten organisations:

• Do not have a well-articulated digital strategy
• Endorse projects without a defined objective and with no consideration of how they’re going to measure what they put in place
• Have projects that are being led by staff with limited experience in what’s needed to deliver a successful digital project
• Believe that delivering the technical solution is the end game and do not consider ongoing management and development.

How can this be?

In the corporate setting, we have been investing in the web for nearly 15 years now, but it seems only a few organisations are learning what it really takes to succeed. It’s no wonder management are still not giving their digital program the investment boost it needs.

So what can you do? How can you make sure your next digital project has the success it deserves? Here are 7 steps that you can take to turn your digital program around and start delivering real outcomes:

1. Take a look at your business plan
   Find out how your digital program is going to articulate to your overall business plan. Find the links and use them in your communications. If you can’t link it, well sorry, I am not sure why you’re spending time on it. However, it doesn’t necessarily need to stop there, see point 2.
   
2. Dare yourself to think outside the square
   The web, mobile devices and the like are redefining the way we market our products, communicate to our customers and do our work. Replicating current ways of doing business is just not going to cut it. Make sure you critically review your approach to marketing and advertising – there’s a new player in town and it is not going away. *Nielsen research recently reported that time spent online has now surpassed TV.Our own research is telling us that 63% of consumers would prefer to perform activities online rather than over traditional mediums i.e. phone and face to face.
   
3. Research
   There’s a new generation of consumers coming through, to some of us they might as well be from a different planet. Now is the time to review your customer base and their habits. Don’t assume you know what they want – it can be costly. Getting your ideas and solutions to market quickly and having your market test it and provide feedback is a well-recognised product development technique. This may require you to get a little uncomfortable, but done properly, you’ll be well ahead of the curve.
   
4. Build a vision and garner support
   Without support, you’re pushing the proverbial up a hill. Identify the stakeholders from across your business that are likely to benefit from a digital program and get them involved. Create a vision that will capture the imagination of those with influence and power. Make sure it pushes the boundaries in exciting new areas. However, keep it practical and achievable with short term goals and expected returns. Those with the purse strings will need to see this well articulated. You may need to invest a few dollars here – there’s nothing more effective than a well thought out proposal and considered pitch.
   
5. Commit the team
   No, part-timers just won’t cut it I’m sorry. Why would you invest hundreds of thousands or millions without a dedicated team and commitment to grow it? You need a strong disciplined leader and a mix of skills aligned your plan. Make sure that Marketing and IT have strong representation, and in particular, you must commit resources to interpreting the data that comes through the various channels – a data analyst is a must. Consider a strategic digital partner because they bring experience. They’ve done this before, they have capacity and if they’re any good they’ll add a mix of business, technology, research and marketing skills to your team.
   
   
6. Establish a measurement framework
   How are you going to know whether your sites or campaigns are working for you? How quickly can you interpret the data and make intelligent decisions from it. This in my view is the number one failing of digital programs and activities. This is the age where we can clearly define return on investment from our marketing dollar, and more so, what’s working and what’s not. How does your measurement framework stack up?
   
   
7. Be patient and commit to the plan
   We’re all pretty much the same, we want things now. But to get widespread uptake you’ll need to allow some time for things to gestate and develop. If uptake is strong initially, that’s satisfying, however in my experience, it won’t be long lasting. Use this as an opportunity to get a good sense of what’s working and what’s not. Openly solicit feedback from your market and respond accordingly. You may in fact get a double whammy – a better quality product and a loyal customer!

So there you are; 7 steps to get your digital projects on track. Focus on getting a plan where you can measure the results and return for your organisation, get the right people involved and monitor and optimise continuously based on results and feedback. I think you’ll be surprised at the outcomes and delighted with the budgets that may flow as a result.

Good luck!

Greg Muller

Managing Director

E: greg.muller@bullseye.com.au

* March 2008 — The, Nielsen Online research study found that Australians were spending around 13.7 hours per week surfing the ‘net, while average television viewing was around 13.3 hours.