Jeff Hilton will be presenting at Vitafoods Europe in May as part of an educational summit, “Closer to your digital consumers: insights and marketing strategies”. The summit will address the valuable role of a digital marketing strategy in reaching today’s consumers.

Jeff’s session will focus on specific strategies brands can leverage to navigate the new Digital World. Here’s a brief synopsis from his presentation:

Times they are ‘a changing. Monthly. Daily. Sometimes hourly. Marketing theory and best practices are evolving at an exciting (or alarming) rate depending on your perspective. The Digital Age is in full swing. And, it’s not too late to get digitally savvy. Here are a few tips on what brands can do to more successfully make the move to a digital-forward marketing effort?

Here are some suggestions to consider:

• Embrace the OmniChannel. Research and anecdotal evidence shows that consumers are increasingly shopping horizontally across distribution channels (rather than vertically in a particular channel) depending upon what they need, when they need it and where they are. Brands need to be present wherever the customer is. And that means an online digitally fluid presence is essential.

• Make sure your digital footprint is responsive. By that I mean compatible with different browsers for easy viewing on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile. If your Web site or newsletter or eBlast is not easily consumed across devices, you lose 50% of your audience right off the bat. Can you afford that?

• Adopt a digital-first philosophy. It all starts with your Website. Now more than ever, that is the digital home base for your brand. It needs to be compelling, it needs to be interactive, and it needs to entertain as well as educate. Visitors to your site should be able to get every thing they need there to learn about, locate and purchase your brand. A smart Website is the foundation for your digital footprint.

• Get social. Social media is not a nice to have, it’s a have to have. Whether B2B or B2C, a robust social platform presence is mandatory to reach today’s socially connected consumer. And don’t forget to integrate your social platforms with your Web site for easy access.

• Plan To fail. The nice thing about digital communication is that it can be changed or deleted with a keyboard stroke. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches, test pricing levels, test different features and benefits. It’s fast, easy and smart. And you can track the metrics for better decision-making.

• Use video. Every brand, including B2B customer-facing brands, needs video assets in today’s marketplace. Videos get greater attention, engagement, and retention of the information shared is higher than any other medium

It’s not too late to get started on a digital marketing plan for your brand. Make it a priority and get started.

Questions? You can reach Jeff at Jeff@brandhive.com.