Marketing Simplified

Take Incremental Steps for Digital Growth and Transformation

Uncategorized


Is your business ready for a digital transformation? The main reason I see digital transformation efforts fail is not because companies don’t see the necessity, but because the process became too overwhelming, expensive or hard at some point in the process. This can be avoided with an incremental approach.

For my last post of 2024, I thought I would feature another panel question from the American Marketing Association’s EVOLVE Summit where we discussed these very concepts. What did I have to say about managing digital growth and transformation?

Taking small, strategic steps can lead to big results. Everyone wants to stay budget-friendly, so here’s how to boost growth while doing just that:

  1. Start by taking natural “next steps” with strategies your company is already using.

For example, advertising on low-cost, high impact social media platforms like Meta, is a common practice that many companies have adopted… so use these tools as a starting point for digital innovation. Reengage past audiences through retargeting so that you can take advantage of AI-driven tools for a more tailored and expanded reach on your next ad. This is a win-win because it capitalizes on work your marketing team is already doing and provides an incremental next step added to that approach. This reduces the chances of overwhelm gets your organization closer to customizing its customer approach with new technology.

2. Use the Innovation Adoption Curve to Make Better Choices

Knowing when to adopt new technology is crucial. Getting caught up in the “new” is one of the main feeders of the aforementioned overwhelm. Here’s a dependable rule of thumb:

Observe. Wait until at least 34% of customers (early adopters) are onboard before jumping in (why would you want use valuable resources to be on a platform or tool that your audience doesn’t pay attention to anyway)?

3. Don’t forget the incremental planning. Ask yourself:

  • What do we need to achieve?
  • What’s the most cost-effective way to get there?

By prioritizing low-cost, high-impact solutions, you can grow your business step by step without overextending your resources.

Then, take action when the time is right. The key to digital transformation is thoughtful planning and strategic implementation. Observe, adapt, and innovate to stay ahead in the game.

Marketing Blog

Faces Convert Better

By

One of the most common questions I hear from clients is, “Do I really have to show my face?” The short answer is yes. Why? Because the human face consistently outperforms logos, products, and generic visuals when it comes to building trust and making a lasting impression. Marketing research is clear on this:👤 Faces foster … Read More about Faces Convert Better

Testimonials

headshot for Dr Lisa Hornick

“Vanessa changed my life. This is not an exaggeration. I learned more about marketing and brand management from Vanessa in one weekend than I did in YEARS of trying to navigate these subjects on my own. Vanessa has a way of presenting material so that it is easy to understand, effective and immediately actionable. She makes complex concepts simple and accessible. With her many years of experience, she is able to teach real-life lessons that you can implement to launch or improve your business today. Most of all, Vanessa can see your potential and vision sometimes better than you can see it yourself. She truly believes in her students and clients and has a unique way of helping them make their dreams a reality. I did not always think of myself as a thought leader in my industry but Vanessa inspired me to look at my career in new ways. She has helped me bring forth opportunities that I never thought were possible. I am so thankful to have her in my life and forever appreciative of the impact she’s had on both my personal and professional endeavors. Vanessa uses her special gifts to help bring out yours.”

Dr. Lisa Hornick
Optometrist
headshot of Ryan Wilson

“A huge thank you to Vanessa and for her unwavering commitment to shaping leaders of the future. Her knowledge and strategies with personalized thought leadership was the foundation that transformed the way I presented myself and my business. I realized how crucial it is to create a brand that authentically represents you, your values, and your mission. This branding not only impacted my career but shaped the way we position WilsonTech in the market, emphasizing our dedication to excellence, trust, and innovation.”

Ryan Wilson
student and business owner
Heidy Kellison

“Working with Vanessa is like being in your mother’s arms. Seriously. She‘s persistent yet patient, nurturing yet assertive, and accessible while promoting independence. Most impressively, Vanessa knows what she’s talking about. Doing what she says, even when it removes us from our comfort zone, always pays off. You cannot have a better ally for online marketing.”

Heidy Kellison
DOWNTOWNNORCAL
Meaghan Likes

“Before Vanessa, I literally spent thousands of dollars on other marketing courses, and Vanessa’s strategies continue to outperform and exceed my expectations every single time!”

Meaghan Likes
OWNER, BOOKKEEPING ACADEMY ONLINE | CEO, LIKES ACCOUNTANCY COMPANY
Claire Tauzer

“Vanessa helped us realize that we needed to look at marketing one of our new ventures in a whole new way — the opposite of we were doing before. When I followed her approach to create our offer, conversions were downright easy.”

Claire Tauzer
CO-OWNER, TAUZER APIARIES
Bruce Watts

“I like how Vanessa begins with the end in mind. She has you strategically understand your goals, ideal customer, and offer first, then teaches you how all the rest applies. It’s not tied to one thing, but rather, it’s an integrated approach. I would like to create online products for my business and Vanessa really reaffirmed the possibilities. She also highlighted how simple it can be to get them started.”

Bruce Watts
WATTS-WOODLAND AIRPORT
Alison Kent

“Vanessa’s careful nurturing of her clients, her guidance, and her cheerleading have been invaluable to me. The amount of information you get in her workshops and online course is staggering… it includes email marketing, social media, paid traffic, content creation and so on… email marketing was especially valuable for my business. I would recommend her to anyone looking to increase their organization’s online marketing presence.”

Alison Kent
PRINCIPAL, LISTENINK
Lorraine Beaman

“We actually slowed down our marketing plan to keep up with all the new business!

Vanessa has expert knowledge of marketing techniques, but what is really special is the way she helps her clients understand and apply those techniques. She is a great mentor and coach.”

Lorraine Beaman
FOUNDER, INTERVIEW2WORK
headshot of Tracy Fauver

“Vanessa’s strategies have allowed me to significantly outpaced competitors in fundraising revenue generation. But what I really appreciate is her passionate approach, the way she cares about each individual person she works with, their mission, and how it can change the world. Her marketing strategies can’t be found in any textbook but they work significantly better than the ones I find there.”

Tracy Fauver
Executive Director, Davis Community Meals and Housing
More testimonials