5 digital practices you need to rethink

We all have to thank the Internet and Social Media for bringing us closer together as a community and lowering the gap between people who find themselves at distance. However, they also bombard us with tons of information, practices and assumptions that may not serve us well. 

That is why, the first step in learning the skills that actually matter is unlearning -  freeing ourselves from obsolete knowledge and assumptions, getting rid of those fake news and irrelevant song lyrics.

As digital professionals, it is our duty to unlearn the old practices, rethink and use new tools in order to serve the right people with the right kind of content. Here are 5 digital habits to forget and relearn:

1. Using Excel to store consumer data.
Consumer data is now arguably the world’s most valuable resource - and needs to be stored and safeguarded as such. Improper data collection and data breaches can result in loss of consumer trust and severe damage for companies. That is why, using CRM software solutions such as Hubspot and Salesforce is an absolute necessity for managing customer data effectively. Or a place to safely store your data, like Datamart.

2. Sending the same Newsletter to the entire database
A good email Marketing strategy takes into account whether your reader is John - the corporate worker or Mary - the pregnant mom to-be. Therefore, adjusting your message to accommodate the different personas of your target readers might determine whether you close the sale or not.

3. Schedule the known so there is time for the unknown
It’s the 7th of March when you suddenly realize you have to come up with an International Women’s Day campaign. No doubt that it has happened to you before. How about setting the calendar of all the known celebrations at the beginning of the year? This way, there is less rush and more time to get creative in other areas.

4. Contextual communication is much appreciated
People love to stay in touch with today’s news as it proves they’re up to date and connected. Nowadays, the first one to share today’s headline in a group of friends sets the trend and gets all the acclaim. As brands, we need to address current events in a fresh, spontaneous and new-fashioned way.

5. Holding on to a specific idea.
As Ross from F.R.I.E.N.D.S used to say: Pivot, Pivot, Pivot! Being open to adjusting your idea by adapting it to the ever changing context of today’s world is fundamental for success. What was considered cool last week is already old news by Monday. (Take, for example, KFC’s “Finger licking good” campaign.)

As part of the Mediapost group that also includes Interactions as well as other communication and direct marketing companies, we have been active on the Romanian market for over 20 years and we are also present on 5 European markets.

Our experience in over 200 campaigns has helped us develop our own automation products, purchased by over 20 companies.

Mediapost Martech is a Gold HubSpot Partner and a Salesforce Partner.