Embracing digital transformation: a small business's 2024 agenda
From video conferences to social media ads, there’s no denying that the digital world is a vital part of business life these days. No matter whether you’re a small business owner, solo entrepreneur, or creative freelancer — it’s time to get online.
Perhaps you’re already very tech-savvy and want to make sure you’re harnessing the power of digital marketing to your advantage. Or maybe you’ve just set up your own company and are wondering where to start.
Either way, January is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can truly embrace the digital revolution. Read on for tips on setting yourself up for success with the help of technology.
What is digital transformation?
First up, let’s take a look at exactly what digital transformation entails. Put simply, it’s the process of incorporating digital technology into all aspects of your business. You might, for instance, use an automation service for your invoices or post your social media content with a scheduling tool. Maybe you use AI to help with content creation. There are endless opportunities to weave technology into your everyday operations.
But what are the benefits? Well, digital transformation can save you time, giving you the chance to focus on other areas of your business.
It can also help you be more productive, reach a wider audience, and ensure that your online presence is as effective as possible.
How to embrace digital transformation (in bitesize chunks)
Identify an issue
It can be tempting to digitise a task simply because everyone else is — but that can be a waste of time and resources. Instead, identify areas you’re finding tricky and feel could benefit from a technological boost.
For example:
You have some great content ready to post to social media but keep forgetting to upload it because you’re busy with other tasks.
You work remotely — but with a small team, you need to contact regularly. Emails seem to take too long and you find phone calls aren’t ideal for your needs.
You sell products both in-person at markets and online but have to update your online inventory manually when you sell an item in person.
Define your goal
Once you have areas for improvement in mind, think about what you want to change — what’s your goal? Do you want to commit to uploading one social media post every day? Are you hoping to reduce the amount of time you spend crafting emails? Maybe your inventory has been inaccurate for the past few months and you want to make sure it’s 100% correct.
Find the right digital tool
Now it’s time to find a tool to help. In the above examples, you could benefit from:
Harnessing a social media scheduling tool, like Metricool so you can plan your posts ahead of time and they’ll be uploaded without you having to lift a finger.
Investing in a workplace communication tool like Slack, meaning you can speak to your team instantly and share files without having to email.
An inventory tool means you can automatically update your online stock whenever you sell a product at the market.
Review the results
What’s the outcome of your digital transformation? Set yourself a timeframe (for example, three months) and reflect on the changes you’ve made. What difference has harnessing digital technology made?
After harnessing one area of digital transformation, you may find your confidence has skyrocketed and you’re ready to utilise even more tools, apps, and software.
Embrace the digital with support from a virtual assistant
Digital transformation is an ongoing process and, just like technology, it’s always changing. Harnessing online tools can help boost your productivity, accuracy, and time management. However, once you have a system in place, it’s also important to keep monitoring it. That’s where a virtual assistant (VA) can offer invaluable support.
Erin, founder of Bizzybee Virtual and social media assistant
VAs like Erin at Bizzybee can help you manage your email platforms, social media profiles, HR systems, and so much more. If you need a hand with setting up digital processes or keeping them ticking over, feel free to get in touch with Erin for a chat.