Structure

Category: Digital Transformation

  • Disrupt or Die: Winning with Disruption Market Strategy

    Disrupt or Die: Winning with Disruption Market Strategy

    Have you ever felt overwhelmed by competition, market shifts, or economic pressures? Do you find yourself constantly looking outward, wondering how to keep up and if it’s even possible to win with a disruption market strategy? You’re not alone.

    The good news is that this feeling isn’t inevitable. The answer isn’t to react, but to realign with an integrated market disruption strategy. Here’s what I mean…

    When I started Structure, I reacted to everything. And, no surprise, our clients did too.

    In the early days, I was fixated on what others were doing—chasing trends, endlessly comparing myself to competitors, scrambling to keep up. But I don’t do that anymore because I don’t have to—and the truth is, neither do you.

    My change of mind didn’t come from discovering a trick to drop prices, finding an untapped niche, or benefiting from a lucky break. It came from a moment of clarity when I realized the real obstacle wasn’t “out there.” It was “in here” (pointing to my heart). The issue was internal—rooted in who I was, what I stood for, and how my team and company showed up in the world.

    In short, I wasn’t bold enough to declare what truly mattered to me, what I wanted my business to stand for, and who I wanted to serve. But once I did, everything changed.

    You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Grow or die.” If you’re not growing, you’re dying. But I’ve come to see it more fully: disrupt or die. If you’re not disrupting—starting with yourself—you’re already on the path to decline. Disruption isn’t just a one-time fix, and it doesn’t start with market positioning. It starts within, by aligning deeply with your vision, values, and impact. It starts by shaking up what’s “normal” and embracing what’s “valuable.”

    Let’s dive into what that actually looks like for you and your company.

    Market Disruption Strategy – Shifting from Comparison to Clarity

    Right now, you might feel like you’re trapped in a cycle of comparison.

    If you’re measuring success by what competitors are doing, watching market trends, or evaluating yourself against industry standards, you’re looking in the wrong place. Here’s the truth: the more you’re fixated on these external markers, the more you sacrifice the internal ones.

    True market disruption strategy—the kind that positions your company as a leader—begins when you shift your focus from controlling external outputs to mastering the clarity of your vision, values, and how you deliver value.

    For me, this understanding didn’t come overnight. In Structure’s early years, we were obsessed with keeping up—comparing strategies, adjusting prices, and making sure we “fit in.” But every time we looked outward, our vision shrank. Our future got smaller. Every day, I could feel our confidence waver, and it was exhausting.

    Ultimately, we were losing sight of our core belief that Business Is Personal™. That phrase isn’t just a catchy tagline; it’s our promise—to treat every client, team member, and interaction with authenticity, vulnerability, and humanity.

    Rediscover & Realign with Your Core Beliefs

    I remember pacing around my bedroom one holiday, feeling utterly stuck. 

    It was Labor Day, and while everyone else was enjoying their time off, I was spiraling. I felt like I’d hit a wall. I couldn’t ignore the truth any longer: I didn’t know who we were as a business anymore, and I couldn’t see a way forward. The only thing I could think to do was go back to where we’d started—back to that original belief that business is personal.

    That moment was a breaking point. I realized I had to make a decision: continue chasing what the market, my team, or my LinkedIn feed “wanted,” or step back, realign with our values, and rebuild something I was proud of—something that made a mark. Even if it meant breaking from norms.

    Amplify What Sets You Apart

    This decision to “go back” to our beliefs wasn’t just a mental shift for me—it was a cultural shift for our entire company. And little did I know, it was the lifeline we needed. Once we refocused on what we believed, everything changed. I began to lead with clarity, make decisions without second-guessing, and finally see a future I wanted to be part of.

    Within 12 months, we doubled revenue and tripled our team. All this happened while revamping operations and letting go of clients that weren’t the right fit—not to mention, we were navigating an election year and mortgage rate spikes. Go figure!

    When we parted ways with half our clients, it felt risky—but those who remained shared our vision, creating partnerships built on trust and shared values.

    Practically, this is what Mike Michaolowicz’s Pumpkin Plan strategy is all about. His approach is to, “Focus your attention and energy on your core client group and serve them so well that they start to clone themselves.” Just like growing pumpkins, some stay small and “normal” while others grow into truly remarkable showpieces. The difference? Focus on only the things that make the pumpkin grow to achieve its full potential, and eliminate the rest. In time, the pumpkin will be an outlier to the entire patch.

    The lesson: stop measuring success by doing what others are doing. 

    Instead, focus on what makes your company unique. Success isn’t about outdoing competitors; it’s about amplifying the values only you can bring to life. When your vision and values drive your decisions, growth becomes an inevitable outcome.

    Escaping the Commodity Trap is a Market Disruption Strategy Secret

    The easy road is to become just another option, competing solely on price and struggling to stand out.

    Here’s the hard truth: when you’re indistinguishable, you’re forced into low-profit, high-stress work, constantly fighting to keep clients from choosing the next cheapest option. This is the trap of “commodity thinking,” and if you’re caught in it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s exhausting.

    At Structure, we’ve faced this challenge head-on with ourselves and our clients. Here’s what we’ve done.

    First, we started by getting clear on what we stand for: business is personal. I don’t just want to deliver results—I want to transform our clients’ businesses in a way that feels genuine, human, and deeply impactful. This isn’t just a slogan; it’s our foundation. By choosing to be uniquely ourselves, we naturally positioned ourselves as a high-value partner, attracting clients who resonated with our approach and were excited to invest in it.

    How Warby Parker Disrupted Eyewear with Accessibility & Impact

    In the crowded, competitive eyewear market market, Warby Parker entered with a bold, value-driven mission: make high-quality glasses affordable and accessible, while giving back to communities. 

    By establishing a one-for-one model—where each pair of glasses sold equates to one donated—they disrupted a market dominated by a few high-priced players. 

    Their commitment to social impact and affordability didn’t just build a customer base; it built a community of supporters who believe in the brand’s mission. And while Warby Parker does provide affordable eyewear, it’s not cheap. Their success shows that companies who prioritize accessibility and transparency—over price competition and commoditization—can create lasting loyalty, even in crowded markets.

    If You Have to Compete, Compete on Values

    Recently, a client came to us asking for a discount, caught in their own cycle of commodity thinking. 

    Instead of negotiating price, I challenged them to focus on value—on output, outcomes, and results. We worked to uncover what made both of us truly unique, and they began to see us (and themselves) differently. We were no longer just “another option.” 

    What’s better is they left, empowered to become a leader in their own space, competing on value and drawing customers willing to pay a premium.

    What would happen if you stopped competing on price and started leaning into your unique vision and values? 

    Breaking free from commodity thinking isn’t easy, but when you align with your core strengths, you’ll find yourself building lasting value instead of chasing the next quick win.

    Be a Product of the Product

    Authenticity isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s a long-term growth strategy that sparks breakthrough success.

    When you lead with authenticity, you attract customers who believe in what you stand for, who trust your vision, and who are loyal because they see something real. Authenticity isn’t just a differentiator; it’s a multiplier. It draws the right clients, empowers your team, and sustains long-term success by creating relationships that last.

    Authenticity is a Key Market Disruption Strategy

    I’ll never forget watching a friend turn down a multi-million dollar contract. 

    He was being offered everything—recognition, income, a massive platform—but it didn’t align with who he was. 

    That choice didn’t just protect his integrity; it solidified his mission. Soon, people noticed that he stood by his principles, and his authenticity drew new clients who trusted he was true to his word. They weren’t buying what he sold; they were buying who he was.

    Prioritize your values, even when it feels risky. 

    Authenticity is more than a buzzword; it’s a strategy. When clients see that you’re genuinely aligned with your values, they’re not just buying a product—they’re investing in a relationship. They’re choosing you for who you are, not just what you sell.

    3 Key Action Steps to Lead Market Disruption from Within

    Now that we’re clear on the importance of internal focus, here’s how to become a market disruptor by beginning with your life, your team, and your business.

    Step 1: Clarify Your Unique Value

    Take a step back and ask, “What am I the best in the world at?” 

    This isn’t about comparing yourself to others; it’s about amplifying your strengths. Know what makes you unique, and then build relationships with clients who resonate with those qualities. When you’re clear on what you’re bringing to the table, you’ll start attracting clients who value it too.

    Crossing the Starting Line

    Practically, the best way to clarify your unique value (other than ask the question above) is do a time and energy audit. 

    In this process, you’ll want to:

    • Log everything you do in 15 minute increments for 2 weeks. 
    • At the end of each day, add 1 – 4 dollar signs ($) to represent the value of the task. 
    • Highlight each in GREEN (gave energy) or RED (took energy).

    Then, spend as much time as possible doing the things that give you energy and are of high value. Everything else can be replaced or delegated.

    Step 2: Focus on Input Metrics

    Too often, businesses measure success by outputs they can’t fully control—sales, leads, or market trends. 

    Instead, measure success by your internal alignment: How well does your work reflect your vision and values? What are you doing each day to build toward that bigger goal? When you control your input metrics, you’re building a sustainable foundation that external factors can’t shake.

    Crossing the Starting Line

    How you start is by defining your output metric. What do you want to achieve?

    Then, you’ll want to reverse engineer the process, working backwards to define metrics and milestones all the way to the first thing you need to do to start the process. This is your “input metric—we call this your Lead Domino Metric™. 

    This is the domino you are in full control of to push over and, assuming all the dominos are lined up, you’ll get what you want at the end. Know what it is and push it over.

    Step 3: Think in Decades, Not Days

    Imagine what you want to build over the next 10 years. 

    Picture the clients you’ll serve, the team you’ll build, and the legacy you’ll leave. At Structure, we anchor everything we do for ourselves and our clients in a long-term growth strategy that includes a 10-year vision and 3-year mission, reminding ourselves that growth happens through transformation, not quick fixes. 

    When you think in decades, you start building something sustainable—something worth protecting and investing in at deeper levels.

    Crossing the Starting Line

    Gather your team and brainstorm a few ways you could take bold action on your values in a way that is abnormal in your industry. By abnormal, I mean “opposite.”

    REI is a great example. They’re known for a commitment to the outdoors and its community of outdoor enthusiasts. In a bold move, the company decided to close all its stores on Black Friday—one of the busiest shopping days of the year—encouraging employees and customers to #OptOutside for the day instead. 

    This campaign wasn’t just a market disruption; it reflected REI’s values around environmental stewardship and work-life balance. The campaign strengthened REI’s brand identity and deepened customer loyalty, proving that putting values above immediate profit can pay off significantly in the long term.

    Shift from Competitive Differentiation to Collaborative Disruption

    Right now, everyone else in your industry might seem like a rival. But what if they weren’t?

    What if your competitors were potential collaborators with unique strengths?

    At Structure, we chose to embrace collaboration over competition. This shift from scarcity to abundance has transformed our business, broadened our reach, and deepened our impact.

    When you see competitors as collaborators, you’re building a network that multiplies value for everyone.

    The Ultimate Disruptors: Authenticity, Alignment, & Abundance

    When people see that your actions match your values, they’re not just investing in a service; they’re investing in a shared vision. 

    This is why Yvon Chouinard’s words resonate so deeply with me:

    “A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between work and play, his labor and leisure, his mind and body. He simply pursues his vision of excellence, leaving others to determine if he is working or playing. To himself, he’s always doing both.”

    At Structure, we aim to live by this principle. Our work is an extension of who we are, and this authenticity has propelled our growth. Clients know that when they work with us, they’re joining a company that values them as individuals and shares their vision for something bigger.

    Disrupt or Die: The Choice is Yours

    Here’s my challenge to you: Will you decide to disrupt or let external pressures shape your business?

    Remember, when you fixate on what’s happening around you, you’re vulnerable to every market shift. But when you build on your unique strengths and values, you create a resilient, visionary business that others are drawn to.

    You have a decision to make. Keep reacting to market trends, or start building a company that reflects who you are—a business that stands out, leads, and pulls people toward it.

    The future is big and bright, but only for those willing to create it. Let’s disrupt. Let’s build. Let’s create something extraordinary.

    How Structure Can Clarify Your Market Disruption Strategy

    At Structure, we’re an outsourced marketing partner and IT consulting firm that provides Strategic Workshops, Digital Growth Systems, and Fractional CMO Consulting with one purpose: to help clients create sustainable growth.

    Our clients are ambitious business executives in mid-sized companies across industries like manufacturing, private equity, and transportation. 

    They often face challenges like:

    • Fragmented Marketing Efforts: Lack of a cohesive digital marketing strategy leading to suboptimal results
    • Outdated Technology: Needing digital transformation to stay competitive
    • Scaling Barriers: Hitting a plateau in growth and seeking the next leap forward
    • Market Disruption: Navigating industry disruption and needing innovation partners to adapt

    Through a tailored strategy, we solve these challenges by delivering results in areas like digital strategy, web design & development, IT infrastructure, and content marketing. We implement long-term systems that support sustainable growth and transformational impact.

    Most importantly, we provide the leadership, strategy, and implementation, creating a true white-glove relationship. Instead of building and maintaining a multi-functional team, we’ve already done that and are ready to start. We’re looking for companies ready to partner for the long haul. If you’re committed to creating a deep relationship that drives growth aligned with your long-term vision, we’d love to help.

    Start by taking our free Digital Maturity Assessment™ to see how you score across 10 components of digital maturity. Or, schedule a free Virtual Digital Strategy Session and speak directly with our team.

  • The 4 C’s of Growth Marketing: Strategies to Build Momentum & Drive Sustainable Growth

    The 4 C’s of Growth Marketing: Strategies to Build Momentum & Drive Sustainable Growth

    Have you ever wondered why some companies consistently dominate their markets, seamlessly moving from one success to the next, while others (perhaps even yours?) struggle just to gain traction? You’re probably wondering which secret growth marketing strategies are they using that you don’t know about.

    If so, you’re not alone. Over the past decade of consulting with growth-oriented companies, I’ve noticed that the most successful ones invest strategically in ways that not only ignite initial momentum but also sustain exponential growth year after year. These companies stay ahead of the curve, generating a constant flow of leads and customers through a well-honed strategy.

    The 4 C’s of Growth Marketing™ is a proven framework that any company—regardless of industry or business model—can use to build momentum and achieve significant, sustainable marketing results.

    We’ve implemented these strategies successfully for our clients, and now, I’m excited to share them with you. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

    The problem with growth marketing strategies

    If you’re like most marketing leaders, you live under some oppressive form of: “If we don’t start seeing progress in sales that are better than last year, I will need to pull the plug.”

    While the numbers should go up year over year, the constant pressure to drive growth and hit sales targets can feel overwhelming. And nothing is more paralyzing than the endless barrage of digital growth marketing strategies and advice flooding the internet.

    Most of the companies who come to Structure for help are grappling with one or more of these common growth marketing challenges:

    • Fragmentation: Many businesses struggle with fragmented marketing efforts that lack cohesion, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities.
    • Overwhelm: The sheer volume of marketing channels and tools available today can overwhelm decision-makers, causing them to spread their efforts too thin.
    • Short-Term Focus: Companies often prioritize quick wins over long-term, sustainable growth strategies, resulting in inconsistent performance.
    • Lack of Strategic Insight: Without a clear, strategic approach, businesses may fail to leverage the full potential of their marketing efforts, leading to underwhelming results.
    • Ineffective Use of Resources: There’s a tendency to allocate time, energy, and financial resources across too many projects, many of which yield minimal returns.
    • Change & Risk: Many leaders are reluctant to let go of familiar or proven growth marketing strategies, even if they no longer align with their long-term goals.
    • Status Quo: It’s common to stick to conventional methods that feel safe but limit potential for breakthrough ideas and unexpected growth opportunities.

    Do any of these challenges sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone.

    These obstacles can, and will, hinder the significant growth you’re striving for, preventing your business from realizing its full potential.

    Overcoming these challenges is crucial for implementing effective growth marketing strategies that deliver real, measurable results. Maybe you don’t need to pull the plug—but it might be time to unplug from strategies that aren’t serving you well.

    Let’s explore how to identify which growth marketing strategies you should plug into.

    Growth marketing is subtraction

    “The rest is just as important as the note.”

    As a music composition major, I remember hearing this phrase over and over during my undergraduate years.

    This wisdom, attributed to Leonard Bernstein—a renowned American composer, conductor, and educator—emphasizes that silence and pauses (rests) in music are as significant as the notes themselves, contributing to the overall experience of the piece.

    Your digital marketing is no different.

    In today’s digital age, where information and data overwhelm us, those who succeed in growth marketing strategies are the ones who know what to leave in—and most importantly, what to leave out.

    Focus. Cohesion. Integration.

    I’m not talking about more initiatives. I’m talking about less, but better. It’s about embracing the power of constraints, which provide clarity and focus, making it easier to achieve exponential growth.

    Why constraints provide clarity

    It’s easy to think, “If I just had a bigger budget,” or, “If my team were more experienced,” or, “If we already had a large email list,” I could hit those numbers.

    You want more resources.

    But here’s the unconventional truth: when it comes to growth marketing strategies, less resources is often better—especially when you’re looking to either gain traction or make a quantum leap.

    • Fewer options are better.
    • Fewer goals are better.
    • Fewer dollars are better.

    It’s not about what you don’t have that you need. It’s about what you have that you don’t need.

    The right constraints are your best friend. They aren’t limitations but tools that help you achieve greater clarity and focus, propelling you toward progress.

    Put simply, on the other side of a constraint is an innovation. And significant success in growth marketing requires innovation—which cannot be achieved without constraints.

    When constraints make you cringe

    If you’re a quick-start, visionary leader like me, constraints make you cringe. I get it, you want freedom, possibility, a life without limits. 

    In an attempt to avoid unnecessary constraints and limits in your work and life, you might be apt to keep doing the same thing you’re already doing, but do more of it.

    More marketing channels, ad spend, lead magnets. You know the drill.

    Or you might do the opposite and feel the need to explore every possible option that exists on the face of the earth. Then, try a bunch of new things to see what sticks.

    Either way, by avoiding constraints, you’re spreading yourself too thin and creating uncertainty about the best course of action. What you need to know is that doing way too much is actually a rookie growth marketing mistake.

    In SaaS Academy, Dan Martell’s premier coaching program for SaaS companies, they teach a strategy called The Scaling Credo. It’s mind-blowingly simple, and it’s all based on breakthrough growth marketing results through constraints.

    Here’s the strategy:

    • One Product
    • One Market
    • One Channel
    • One Sales Method
    • One Year

    When you introduce what I’ll call “strategic constraints,” you eliminate non-essential activities and naturally zero in on the most impactful ones. This focused approach forces you to rethink your digital strategy, let go of what’s holding you back, and identify the few key actions that will truly move the needle.

    With fewer possibilities, you gain clarity and make better decisions. By embracing constraints, you streamline your efforts, eliminate distractions, and create a clear path toward your goals.

    Think: less, but better.

    This approach not only simplifies decision-making but also empowers you to make bold, transformative moves that can (and will) lead to breakthrough growth.

    Growth marketing requires change

    It’s amazing how often we, as people, do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. When you think about it, isn’t that crazy?

    My call to action here is to stop being one of those people. Let go of old mindsets and methods that are no longer serving you.

    Why? Because sooner or later, you’re going to reach a point where you’re actually stuck. You’ve put yourself in a corner. And no matter how hard you try, the new things you attempt produce even worse results than before. 

    You’ll be out of time, out of ideas, and further from winning.

    So, here’s some advice I’m giving to myself as much as to you: Quit trying harder. More of the same only produces more of the same. Growth requires change.

    It’s time to rethink your approach, be willing to let go of what’s holding you back, and focus on the key strategies that will truly move the needle.

    The 4 C’s of Growth Marketing

    These four high-leverage growth marketing strategies—capital, code, content, and community—are not something you need to figure out or go acquire. More than likely, they’re what you already have. In other words, you have some form of them already, you’re just too busy looking outside for the magic ticket instead of looking inside for opportunity.  

    If I’ve learned anything about growth, in business or life, it’s this: everything you need to succeed is right in your lap. Success doesn’t come from a better circumstance or a better situation, it comes from you.

    Growth marketing success is not about more strategies, ideas, and initiatives. It’s about less. And it’s about the right ones. 

    The best news is that you don’t have to figure out what they are. 

    When you deploy these 4 C’s in your growth marketing strategy, you’ll create a Digital Growth System™ that perpetuates itself and gives you more leads and customers every year than the year before.

    1. Capital: Make smart investments

    Budget, money, funds—there’s always pressure to have more. But the reality is, what you have right now might be exactly what you need. It’s not about having more; it’s about using what you have more effectively.

    The key is not asking for more; it’s about making smarter investments by multiplying what you’ve got.

    To make smart investments in your growth marketing strategies, you need to focus capital on the most effective growth channels. Easier said than done, right? Here’s where the train often goes off the track:

    What’s your single most effective growth marketing channel? If you had to choose just one, which would it be?

    Not sure? Well, the good news is you’re not alone.

    The reality is that most company executives we talk to don’t know which channels are driving results, what’s working, and what isn’t. They’re just throwing spaghetti on the wall.

    This uncertainty and lack of clarity is one reason why you might be asking yourself some version of the “when do we pull the plug” question.

    Instead of asking, ‘When do we pull the plug?’ shift your focus to, ‘What’s the one thing we should plug into?’ This is where the Amplification Loop™ comes into play.

    If you’re currently throwing spaghetti on the wall, how do you reinvest your capital into the one thing that works?

    It starts by understanding what I call the Amplification Loop™. This concept is all about continuously refining your strategy. Audit your results to weed out the underperforming channels and double down on what’s working. Then, reinvest the savings into new opportunities and repeat the cycle for continuous growth.

    Now, let’s break down the Amplification Loop into steps so you can better understand what it would look like to take a strategic approach (not a spaghetti approach) to using your capital resources effectively while also balancing innovation and risk.

    Step 1: Audit your current investments

    Regularly audit your current investments to identify products, markets, and channels that are draining resources without delivering results. Remember, nobody buys a sinking ship—it’s got to be going somewhere.

    Ask yourself or your team: “What strategies and channels are we investing in that don’t provide exponential returns?”

    For marketing ROI, aim for 10x returns ideally, 5x as a base. Anything below 5x isn’t worth perpetuating.

    This means, if you spend $100,000/month on marketing, you’re aiming for $500,000–$1,000,000 back in return. Any channel that isn’t delivering this level of return needs to go bye-bye.

    At the end of the audit, your goal is to identify the one channel that is driving the most ROI. Keep it going. Keep investing in what works.

    In the meantime, you’re going to take that channel and scale it in.

    Step 2: Experiment by scaling in

    Scaling in is an approach where you start with a small investment to test the waters. As the investment proves successful, you gradually increase your stake.

    Think of scaling in like easing into a cold pool. You start by dipping your toes, then gradually immerse yourself as you get comfortable. In marketing, this means starting small, monitoring results, and scaling up as the channel proves its value.

    Steps to Scale In:

    • Make an Initial Investment: Start by committing a small amount of capital to a particular channel or campaign. This serves as a test to gauge how the investment performs.
    • Monitor Performance: Carefully track the performance using specific KPIs. If it shows positive returns or meets your expectations, consider increasing your investment.
    • Increase the Position: As the investment continues to perform well, incrementally add more capital to it.

    Starting small limits potential losses if the investment doesn’t perform as expected. This approach also allows you to capitalize on a winning investment by increasing your exposure as it proves successful. Ultimately, this strategy helps you adapt and make decisions based on real-time performance rather than committing large sums upfront.

    The result? You add value while saving time, energy, and money in the process.

    Step 3: Invest in what works

    Now it’s time to close the loop. Start small, scale up what works, and reinvest the returns to fuel even greater success. Then, begin the loop again, continually refining and amplifying your efforts.

    The most important thing is to keep reinvesting your ROI in what works, year after year.

    It’s crucial to run the Amplification Loop regularly because everything grows over time. Even if you don’t intend to, complexity can creep into your channels, campaigns, products, etc., and you’ll accidentally end up with a bloated growth marketing strategy. It’s natural for complexity to sneak in.

    Make the Amplification Loop an annual ritual, and let it guide your budget decisions. By consistently focusing on what works and reinvesting wisely, you’ll keep your growth strategy lean, powerful, and unstoppable.

    Remember, if you’re gaining traction or attempting a quantum leap, strategically constrain yourself to one method at a time.

    2. Code: Create simple systems

    The second C of growth marketing is code—leveraging technology to do the heavy lifting. By integrating the right tools, you can streamline your marketing efforts and drive exponential growth without inflating overhead costs.

    As a budget-conscious leader, effectively integrating technology into your marketing strategy is not just advantageous—it’s essential for sustainable growth.

    Key growth marketing technology

    Your tech stack should prioritize automation, customer management, data analysis, and content management—critical systems that fuel growth and efficiency. Here are the top five “code” systems every marketing leader should prioritize:

    • AI & Machine Learning: Tools like Google AI and Amazon SageMaker simplify complex data analysis and automate tasks, enabling smarter, faster decisions. They’re essential for personalized customer experiences and streamlined marketing.
    • Marketing Automation Platforms (MAPs): Tools like HubSpot and Marketo automate repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on strategy and creativity. They ensure you deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.
    • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: CRMs like Salesforce and Zoho CRM centralize customer information, helping you build stronger relationships and track every interaction. This makes it easier to personalize communication and ensure no lead or opportunity falls through the cracks.
    • Data Analytics & Reporting Tools: Tools such as Google Analytics and Looker give you a clear picture of how your marketing efforts are performing. By understanding what’s working (and what’s not), you can make better decisions and optimize your strategies to achieve your goals.
    • Content Management Systems (CMS):  A CMS such as WordPress or HubSpot is the foundation for your online presence, helping you create, manage, and optimize your digital content to ensure your website and other digital assets are always up-to-date and engaging.

    Simple Systems Scale™

    While these tools are powerful, the key is to avoid overcomplicating your stack. This is where our Simple Systems Scale™ philosophy comes into play—keeping your tech simple so it scales effectively.

    A common pitfall in growth marketing is the tendency to throw technology at every problem. The result? A convoluted mess of tools that bog down your strategy, making it difficult to track results, manage effectively, and optimize performance.

    Not enough leads? Add a chatbot. Low traffic? Promote content. Frustrated with WordPress? Switch to Shopify. But over time, this patchwork approach creates a tech stack that’s bloated, hard to manage, and nearly impossible to optimize.

    More technology doesn’t mean better results. On the flipside, simple systems scale.

    Simplify your tech with the Tech Purge Process™

    If you’re just starting out, the Simple Systems Scale philosophy can help you avoid common tech pitfalls. But if your tech stack is already bloated and overcomplicated, it’s time for a Tech Purge Process.

    The Tech Purge Process is simple but powerful: start by logging every technology platform you use throughout your marketing funnel, from Awareness to Advocacy.

    For each technology, ask:

    • What’s its purpose? (Automation, CRM, etc.)
    • Does it increase leads and revenue?
    • Does it save time, money, or energy? (Mark green for yes, red for no.)

    With your tech audit complete, it’s time to take action and streamline your stack:

    • Retain: Keep tools that make you money and save time.
    • Refine: Improve tools that make you money but take time.
    • Replace: Swap out tools that cost you money but save time.
    • Remove: Eliminate tools that cost you money and take time.

    After completing the Tech Purge Process, you’ll be left with a streamlined, efficient tech stack that’s perfectly aligned to drive your growth strategy forward.

    If this process sounds daunting to you, that’s okay. We include the Tech Purge Process in our Digital Transformation Program.

    3. Content: Tell stories at scale

    The power of content lies in its scalability—a single piece, whether it’s a video, blog post, or SOP, can reach one person or one million, all for the same cost.

    The key is to create evergreen, value-driven content that gives you distribution (aka eyeballs).

    Just think about it—the more eyes, ears, and hearts that you impact, the more customers you’ll acquire with your content. That’s great marketing! After all, content isn’t an end in itself—it’s a means to the end of bigger, better marketing ROI and financial results for your company.

    Drive long-term customer growth

    Let’s be clear—there’s no magic bullet or quick fix in content marketing. Trends come and go, but the effort you put into short-lived tactics often leads to short-lived returns. That’s not what we’re about at Structure.

    We focus on high-leverage, high-value content that lives on and exponentially builds awareness, trust, and authority—ultimately driving customer growth over time.

    This story of Western Interlock is a testament to the power of high-value, long-term content strategies. A single blog post from years ago is still driving thousands of visitors today, proving that content is an investment that pays off over time.

    But here’s the kicker… Creating this type of content isn’t cheap, fast, or immediately gratifying. It requires a buy-and-hold investment strategy for a period of time—months at the minimum, years at the maximum, depending on your industry.

    However, just like financial investing, the long-term payoff is worth the patience and commitment. The upside is almost guaranteed (aside from an act of God). You just have to have a high tolerance for patiently investing without a return for a time.

    Focus on high-leverage channels

    Now that we’ve covered the importance of long-term content, let’s dive into the tactical side. Here are the highest-leverage content marketing channels you can invest in for outsized returns:

    • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO drives sustainable organic traffic by optimizing content to rank higher on search engines. Examples include blog posts and landing pages, which attract high-intent visitors and offer long-term visibility for your brand.
    • YouTube: YouTube amplifies your reach through engaging video content, such as tutorials and product demos, on the world’s second-largest search engine. It’s ideal for visual storytelling and reaching a broad, engaged audience.
    • Podcasting: Podcasting builds deep audience connections through long-form audio content like interviews and industry insights. It’s a powerful medium for establishing authority and growing a loyal listener base.
    • Social Media (Organic): Organic social media boosts direct engagement and community building by distributing content across platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. Posts, stories, and live sessions help maintain brand visibility and foster loyalty.
    • Email Marketing: Email marketing offers high ROI by delivering personalized content directly to your audience’s inbox. Through newsletters and drip campaigns, it nurtures leads, drives conversions, and maintains ongoing engagement with subscribers.

    By focusing your efforts on these high-leverage channels, you can maximize the reach and impact of your content, driving long-term growth and sustained engagement.

    Use attention to drive leads & sales

    Once your content captures attention, you’ve unlocked a powerful form of leverage—one that turns visibility into action. This is where your growth marketing flywheel starts gaining momentum.

    In content marketing, each piece of content adds energy to the flywheel, accelerating your growth as it continually draws in and engages your audience.

    As your content reaches more people, it captures attention and begins to draw in more traffic. Each piece of content acts as a magnet, pulling in more visitors who then engage with other content you’ve produced.

    • Capturing Attention: Leveraging SEO, social media, and high-leverage channels like YouTube and podcasts helps amplify your content’s reach, bringing in a steady stream of new viewers or listeners.
    • Generating Leads: Use CTAs (Call to Actions) within your content to guide visitors to lead magnets or subscribe to your email list, turning passive consumption into active engagement.
    • Nurturing Relationships: Once leads are captured, they’re nurtured through additional content and personalized marketing efforts, building trust and increasing the likelihood of conversion.

    Continue delivering valuable content through email marketing, personalized recommendations, and drip campaigns, keeping your audience engaged and moving them closer to a purchase decision.

    Don’t forget to be unique

    As emphasized in our 5 Principles of Digital Transformation Strategy, standing out through uniqueness is key. In content marketing, being distinctive isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for getting your flywheel to spin faster and farther.

    When it comes to content, the question you need to ask yourself is this: Are we saying anything interesting?

    If you are, the digital algorithms, which are driven by market trends, will reward you with more content distribution.

    Again, growth marketing, especially content marketing, is about building momentum. It should be a self-perpetuating process that constantly rewards you for creating value.

    The more consistent and strategic you are with your content creation and distribution, the moreThe more consistent and strategic you are with your content creation and distribution, the more energy your flywheel gains. Over time, it becomes easier to maintain and grow, as each part of the flywheel reinforces the others, creating a sustainable growth loop that continuously generates leads and drives business results.

    The companies that are crushing content now are the ones who started and never stopped. They’re still doing it years later. If you’re following the 4 C’s, you’re building a content strategy that is a self-sustaining value loop that drives continuous growth and success.

    4. Community: Go further together

    Community is one of the most powerful and high-leverage investments in growth marketing. It’s more than a collection of customers or followers; it’s an ecosystem where user-generated content, word of mouth, and brand loyalty flourish, driving growth in ways that traditional channels can’t match.

    When your capital, code, and content are in place, community becomes the natural overflow—a living, breathing testament to your brand’s value. Without a strong foundation, a community has nothing to rally around. But when the other key pieces are in place, the community can propel your existing growth further and faster than you could ever achieve alone.

    As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”

    This isn’t about influencer marketing, although it could be a good idea; it’s about the power of community. And how the 4 C’s, especially content, are the prerequisites for building a loyal audience that will amplify your brand, story, and value to the market.

    Communities are built on the back of content 

    Joe Rogan’s journey is a prime example of how community is built on the back of content. He started The Joe Rogan Experience in 2009, and as his content gained traction, so did his community. During a live standup show, he realized the sheer scale of his audience, with many recognizing him solely from his podcast. This was a moment of clarity—his simple content play had grown far beyond his expectations, now filling rooms and connecting with millions globally.

    Community isn’t something you can force or fabricate. It’s the natural result of having a strong foundation—capital, code, and content—that people can buy into. When these elements are in place, your community will naturally form as people are drawn to the value your brand provides.

    From there, the events, the communication, the rewards, and the incentives will happen naturally. But this is one case where I would say, “Build it (content), and they (community) will come.”

    Getting them to stay is the next level. In fact, that’ll be great content for another post.

    Build community, acquire customers

    The power of community-based growth marketing lies in the new avenues for customer acquisition that open up once your community is established.

    First, you have the community itself. They’re loyal fans of you—your content, the brand, and everything your company has to offer. They are your highest lifetime value customers who keep buying on repeat. They have a subscription for your product or service, attend your events, and wear your schwag. They’re literally a part of the team.

    Second, they’re loyal fans of the community itself. They’re ambassadors, protectors, and contributors. They want to share their experience with others, which furthers your brand reach and brings in new customers.

    One of the most powerful aspects of a strong community is its ability to act as a word of mouth and referral engine. When people are deeply engaged and invested in a community, they naturally become advocates for the brand, sharing their experiences and recommending it to others. This organic promotion is incredibly valuable because it’s authentic and trusted—far more so than traditional advertising.

    Nick Bare, founder of Bare Performance Nutrition, has built one of the strongest communities in the fitness industry by living his brand every day. Through his journey documented on YouTube, Nick has attracted a loyal following of hybrid athletes who not only embrace his ‘Go One More®’ motto but also actively share it with others. His authenticity and consistent content have turned his community into a powerful word-of-mouth engine.

    You can do the same. Cultivate a community that not only enjoys your products but also feels compelled to share them with others. Encourage referrals through incentives, but more importantly, focus on creating an environment where people feel proud to be associated with your brand.

    A strong community doesn’t just expand your reach; it multiplies it, turning every member into a potential ambassador who spreads the word far and wide.

    Pull the ultimate growth lever

    With a strong community behind you, there’s no limit to how far your brand can go. From in-person events to virtual meetups, a vibrant community amplifies your efforts and unlocks endless growth opportunities.

    That’s why community may just be the ultimate lever for growth marketing. But you have to earn it. When you see a strong community behind a brand, you know they worked hard to build that much loyalty.

    It’s your turn. Pull the ultimate growth lever by fully utilizing the foundation you’ve built—capital, code, and content—and amplify it by creating a self-sustaining tribe that drives your brand forward.

    Remember, building a community is not a one-time effort; it’s a continuous process that, when nurtured, will propel your brand further than you ever imagined.

    Create a sustainable growth loop 

    You’re here because you want to continuously generate leads and drive business results. You also want your marketing to become easier to maintain and grow as time goes on. 

    Let’s explore what it looks like to implement the 4 C’s in your business.

    Step 1: Schedule a free growth strategy session

    First, schedule a free, virtual 45-minute Growth Strategy Session with our team. We’ll discuss your current digital growth marketing strategies, identify the roadblocks holding you back, and develop a 3-step action plan to get results ASAP.

    Understanding your unique situation will allow us to pinpoint where we can help you achieve your goals.

    We’ll dig even deeper to uncover what’s keeping you from realizing your vision. These barriers are often the key obstacles preventing you from achieving efficiency, value, and scale.

    Once we identify the obstacles, we’ll strategize a clear, tailored action plan just for you. You’ll walk away knowing exactly how to achieve growth and increase business value—faster.

    Step 2: Book your growth strategy workshop

    Every successful growth marketing initiative starts with a solid foundation. Our engaging and productive Digital Strategy Workshop will guide you through creating a robust action plan over 1.5 days.

    You’ll receive expert coaching, personalized feedback, and strategic planning from our approachable digital strategists. This workshop sets the stage for leading your company through a digital transformation that’s not only possible but also highly effective and sustainable.

    Step 3: Launch your digital growth marketing system

    Our Digital Growth Systems and Digital Transformation Consulting are designed to elevate your digital strategy to the next level with ongoing support and optimization.

    We’ll recommend one of three distinct packages to fit your specific needs. Each package comes with valuable perks, including a complimentary annual Digital Strategy Workshop and significant discounts on new projects, ensuring that your growth is not just sustained but continuously transformed.

  • 5 Principles of Digital Transformation Strategy: A Way Forward for Future-Ready Organizations

    5 Principles of Digital Transformation Strategy: A Way Forward for Future-Ready Organizations

    Imagine that your company disrupts your entire industry. You quickly and unexpectedly bypass the competition and establish a lasting leadership position. Internally, you’re recognized as the leader who guided your organization through a breakthrough after years of struggle—the one who made the decisions that led to a breakthrough leap forward.

    On the journey to growth, most business leaders are fixated on tactics they don’t fully understand and trends they can’t control. To them, progress and execution are the keys to reaching their goals. What they often miss is that explosive growth doesn’t come from doing more, trying harder, making incremental improvements, or micromanaging their team.

    The real game-changers are leaders who understand that achieving breakthrough results requires making high-impact moves that propel their organization forward—dramatically, without the slow, grinding effort they usually experience. 

    When you break away from the common practices and ingrained habits that aren’t working, you’ll transform your entire organization in ways that are remarkably simple, efficient, and effective. Meanwhile, your colleagues and competitors are either banging their heads against a wall or watching in awe.

    Digital transformation strategy starts with a personal transformation strategy

    Technology is reshaping your business. To succeed today, you need to adapt and be ready to navigate both the opportunities and the risks these changes bring. Whether you’re ready for them or not.

    But here’s the thing… technology isn’t transformation in itself—technology is only sparking the need for transformation. This is true internally and externally in your marketing, operations, IT, and beyond.

    However, transformation, particularly digital transformation for the sake of this article, isn’t for the faint of heart. Transformation requires unconventional thinking, embracing the unknown, and relying on unseen forces at play. 

    That’s why I believe your digital transformation actually begins with personal transformation. If you’re not a transformational leader, you won’t build a transformational team—and the result is that you won’t have a transformational business.

    It starts with you, yes you. If you’re fascinated by this unpopular opinion, and transformation sounds like something you need to do, I wrote the rest of the article for you. Let’s keep going.

    Expect change as a constant

    As a child, my grandparents could never keep up with how quickly I changed. Every time they saw me, they were surprised—even though I lived near them, saw them regularly, and stayed at their house for weeks each year. But each visit, I had a new favorite meal and a completely different fashion sense.

    From as early as I can remember, I’ve been the type of person who constantly reinvents, reimagines, and refreshes myself. I experiment with new ideas and go “all-in” on the things I love.

    As a transformational leader, you’re going to trigger change constantly in your life and your organization. In fact, that’s your job (more on this below). Your job is to innovate, disrupt, and advance the vision—and cause others discomfort along the way so they grow in their ability to innovate, disrupt, and advance the vision with you.

    It was Howard Shultz who wisely said, “In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we’re made of.”

    What you and your team will discover in the process of change is growth. You’ll unexpectedly uncover an entirely new set of knowledge, skills, and abilities that you didn’t know you had.

    Take giant leaps

    “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

    In most organizations, everyone around you is repelled by risk and nauseated by the idea of embarking into uncharted waters. It’s unconventional, not easily connected to what most would see as common sense.

    But it’s more natural than some might think. In Taking the Quantum Leap, Fred Alan Wolf explains a “quantum leap” as, “the explosive jump that a particle of matter undergoes in moving from one place to another.”

    Don’t allow others around you, and their limiting beliefs about what they are capable of, keep you from taking transformational steps toward your goals. In fact, if you pave a path, they might follow.

    When I want to achieve something new, I don’t take giant leaps toward my goal. I’m not satisfied with small, 1% improvements day after day. I want to make progress, quickly, toward any goal I set my eyes on. The result of this approach is inspiration—others begin to follow along because even if they think I’m crazy, at least it’s interesting.

    By taking giant leaps (sometimes in faith), you’ll open up others’ cabinets of curiosity and lead the way toward the future you want to see.

    Mind your mindset

    As a leader, you have the ability to multiply your personal performance and achieve the goals you’re responsible for. Not only that, but you can create exponential growth and transformation in your organization—achievements that might seem unimaginable right now.

    But so far, you haven’t been achieving your full potential. And honestly, neither have I. I know this because, according to the National Science Foundation, on average, 80% of both your and my thoughts are negative and 95% are repetitive. Dang.

    It’s time to adopt a new way of thinking and behavior. Especially about growth and performance—an approach that succeeds not by playing it safe, copying the competition, or mitigating risk, but by reimagining yourself and your organization constantly, disrupting your industry like a startup, and embracing culture change to grow.

    And you’re going to do it all without fixating on flawless execution, tactics, trends, or tech. 

    After reading this article, you’re going to do it like you’ve done it a million times before—without worrying about overpreparation or covering every base between the start and the finish. 

    You’re just going to succeed.

    Key principles of a successful digital transformation strategy

    Does digital transformation sound like an epic adventure? It should, because it is. 

    But you’re probably wondering… 

    • What strategies do I need to consider? 
    • What steps do I need to take? 
    • Is this even possible with my current team, in my organization?

    Yes, it is. But it will require you to start by understanding and adopting a unique and rather uncommon set of principles. Here are the five core principles to help you succeed and thrive in your transformation.

    Principle 1: Envision a fascinating future

    “If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” —Various

    I can often predict how successful a project, initiative, or goal will be by how far into the future a leader is thinking.

    Most business leaders, by default, opt for short timelines and quick wins. They’re chasing shiny objects and making impulse decisions on ideas that may look flashy but lack depth. Too harsh? I wish I were exaggerating, but I’m not. All too often, leaders opt for small dreams, and as a result, they get small results.

    My vision for Structure was scary

    I remember very clearly the hours I spent lost and scared, dreaming and piecing together how to create the future we’re living in today. And when I say lost and scared, I mean truly lost and scared. Structure is the result of at least three failed ventures, but it’s also something I set my eyes on years ago, determined to bring it to life.

    Starting a consulting company was terrifying. I’d never done it before, it seemed complex, and I had no idea how I’d carve out a unique, ownable space in the market. I knew that building a valuable consulting firm would be a long, difficult journey.

    Along the way, there were people who couldn’t make sense of my vision. Yet, there were also those who believed I would succeed.

    The goals I set 10 years ago? We’ve blown them out of the water. 

    If you’d asked me back then if I’d have 25 team members spread across the country working on nearly 100 active client projects, I’d have thought you were crazy. But here we are!

    In fact, I recently shared my next 10-year vision with someone, and they told me, “I truly believe that you’re going to achieve the ambitious goals you’ve set for Structure.”

    Hell yeah I will 🙂

    Are my goals for the next decade also scary? You bet they are. They seem nearly impossible. 

    But that’s why I love them. I have no idea how we’re going to get from here to there, but we’re going to try. And in the process, we’re going to evolve into a completely new version of ourselves that’s so much better.

    Think in decades, not days

    Here’s what I’d encourage you to consider: “What could you achieve in the next decade?”

    Instead of beating yourself up after six months or even five years of trying, why not start with a decade-long commitment? Set a goal that could only be achieved with a decade of dedication. 

    The reason is simple: if you’re planning in years or months, you’re not thinking big enough.

    Commit to a goal that you’re not sure you can achieve in 10 years, but know that if you showed up every day and dedicated yourself, you would win.

    Let me say that again: set a 10-year goal that you’re unsure you can achieve. That’s where the magic happens.

    If you’re looking to grow and scale your business in a significant way that allows you to bypass the competition and take a leadership position in your market, you have to think in decades, not days.

    Bigger is actually easier

    When you think in decades, not days, you can detach from present constraints and imagine what’s possible if you weren’t limited by current resources, processes, or market conditions.

    It allows you to create a vision that is future-focused and innovation-driven, which is essential for long-term success in the transformation age.

    Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy explore this concept in 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less. The idea is that aiming for 10x growth (read: decades) instead of 2x growth (read: days) forces you to think fundamentally differently. 

    When you aim for 2x, you’re likely to optimize your current processes, tweak existing strategies, and stay within the confines of what you’re already doing. This approach limits creativity and innovation because it doesn’t push you out of your comfort zone or challenge your assumptions.

    However, when you aim for 10x, the scale of the goal requires a radical shift in thinking. You can’t just tweak what you’re currently doing; you have to rethink the entire approach.

    Bingo! That’s what digital transformation strategy is all about. Rethink, reinvent, refresh, and recreate your present based on your vision for the future.

    This kind of thinking naturally leads to more innovative solutions, as it encourages you to explore entirely new possibilities, think outside the box, and break free from current limitations. The necessity of letting go of what doesn’t work, focusing on what truly matters, and leveraging high-impact strategies becomes more apparent, making the process more liberating and energizing.

    Small visions scatter transformations

    In Tactics to Transformation: Why Integrated Digital Marketing is the Key to Achieving Big Results, I pointed out that three of the top five critical errors in digital transformation stem from having a vision that’s too small.

    It’s easy for leaders to get caught up in the day-to-day grind (myself included), focusing on what’s urgent instead of what’s truly important. But when we aim low, we limit our company’s potential—and that’s a big reason why 70% of companies fail to pull off a successful transformation.

    Here’s what I’ve learned: To drive real change, you’ve got to balance today’s demands with tomorrow’s dreams.

    Yes, daily tasks and urgent issues will always be there, but they shouldn’t overshadow your long-term vision. The key is making time for strategic thinking—whether that means stepping away from the office, attending a workshop, or just blocking out time on your calendar to focus on the future. By doing this, you’re shaping the future instead of the future shaping you.

    And let’s be real—transformation requires more than just a shift in focus. It’s about changing your mindset from reactive to proactive, where you trust in what’s possible down the road more than you cling to what’s comfortable right now.

    This means taking risks, embracing uncertainty, and building a culture that values long-term wins over short-term gains. If you want to see real growth, both in your business and your life, you’ve got to find security in future opportunities rather than sticking to the status quo.

    At the end of the day, the path to digital transformation success is all about thinking boldly and being willing to step into the unknown.

    Principle 2: Disrupt Your Space Through Uniqueness

    To have an effective digital transformation strategy, dreaming big about the future isn’t enough—you need to stand out from the crowd. And not just stand out—you need to disrupt the very assumptions people hold about your industry.

    That might sound daunting, but don’t worry—it’s more achievable than you think.

    Being unique enough to disrupt an industry, or even just a marketing meeting, is challenging, especially because true uniqueness requires a deep understanding of your purpose. But no matter what your purpose is, there are foundational principles you can adopt to discover, practice, and showcase what makes your company unique. 

    This is how you truly transform your market.

    Disrupt like a startup

    A typical startup is making things up as it goes along. While this approach has its downsides—especially in terms of sustainability and resilience—we’re not talking about scaling successes just yet. We’re talking about disrupting and innovating.

    Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Meta, believes startups often beat big companies because large companies are slow, lack conviction, and doubt new ideas before they succeed.

    He cites Facebook’s success over Google in social networking, despite Google’s resources, as an example. Initially, social networking was seen as a fad, and even when it proved profitable, big companies still underestimated it. By the time they recognized its value, it was too late.

    Zuckerberg suggests that internal skepticism and lower prioritization for new ideas by higher-ups often cause big companies to miss opportunities, even when they have the advantage.

    You see, startups excel at one thing: they move on ideas quickly and before they’re ready. 

    Established companies could benefit greatly from adopting this mindset if they want to transform. In fact, if you’re not a startup, you’ll have to adopt this approach to drive transformation. It’s not optional; it’s a requirement.

    As Price Pritchett, a well-respected psychologist and business leader advises in You2, “A person could make a career out of laying the groundwork to do something really big. Please understand—you don’t ‘prepare’ for a quantum leap. You make it, and then fine-tune your approach.”

    When leaders and companies make moves before they’re ready, they disrupt both their internal culture and their external environment. Both are critical because external action always stems from your internal culture—not the competitive environment around you.

    As I mentioned earlier, most leaders are fixated (read: fearful) on the situations and circumstances around them. They overlook the fact that the power to outperform the market is already within their organization.

    The proven formula for disruption, uniqueness, and innovation comes from the unique makeup of your ever-changing culture, customers, and collaborators.

    Look inside for opportunity

    Stop looking outside for opportunity. It’s already there—you just have to let it come out.

    This concept hit me like a hammer a few years ago. Structure was hitting a growth ceiling. We had doubled our business from the previous year, yet I could sense we had stalled—worse than stalling, we were stagnating, and it was starting to stink.

    Driven by old mindsets and habits, and a desire to be a competitive player in our market, I made decisions that inevitably made us look like everyone else. I didn’t realize it at the time, but we were trying to compete with the outside market and I thought we were on the right track. 

    However, in the process, our value became increasingly generic and watered down.

    It wasn’t until our team attended a ScaleFactor workshop that we realized what had happened. During the workshop, the founder, Josh Hotsenpiller, did what I least expected—he didn’t tell us how to compete better. He gave us ideas on how to be more unique!

    While Josh’s team helped us redefine our offer and sharpen our focus, the biggest takeaway was this: stop suppressing your true vision, values, and voice. Let them out in the marketplace.

    In less than 12 months, our team and revenue tripled. Hiring became easier, and our client relationships deepened. Why? Because we let our uniqueness shine, and it disrupted the market. People are attracted to us because what we do is more interesting than anything else they’re seeing.

    The 3 C’s of Uniqueness™ 

    I’ve discovered that every organization has three components of uniqueness outside of their business model. In fact, no matter what your business model is, even the most common can stand out from the pack by leveraging their “uniqueness” in each of these three components.

    I call these the 3 C’s of Uniqueness™:

    1. Culture: Your culture is unique

    The first thing you already have working for you is your company culture. What’s your vision? What are your values? What’s your voice?

    As I told my team this week, “Enthusiasm is contagious, and so is the lack of it.”

    If you’re enthusiastic about what you’re creating, your team will become enthusiastic. If your team is enthusiastic, your customers will be enthusiastic. And if your customers are enthusiastic, so will your collaborators.

    If enthusiasm (aka passion) isn’t part of your culture, you, as a leader, need to take a long look in the mirror and revisit Principle 1: Envision a Fascinating Future.

    2. Customers: Your customers are unique

    The second thing that makes you unique is your customer base. They’re all unique individuals with different passions, personalities, and perspectives.

    If they’re paying your company, you’re creating value for them. That means they like you… unless they have to pay you, but that’s another conversation. Ideally, they’re with you because they chose you.

    How can you draw on their unique motivations and desires and integrate them as a part of your company and brand to innovate, disrupt, and stand out?

    If you’re not already, let your customers shape you. Let that shaping continue to influence how you show up in your space.

    3: Collaborators: Your collaborators are unique

    Finally, you also have collaborators who bring uniqueness to your organization. Notice I didn’t say competitors—because we’re not looking to them to define who you are. They’re on the outside. We’re looking within for opportunities to become more of who you already are.

    Your collaborators are the people who make your business model work. This could be your vendors, suppliers, distributors, influencers, or your board of directors.

    Just as you allow your culture and customers to shape the uniqueness of your company, invite your collaborators to do the same. Encourage their personalities to shine and become a public part of your brand.

    Principle 3: Focus on Ends Rather Than Means

    Transactional vs. transformational leadership

    What type of leader are you? In Buy Back Your Time, Dan Martell explains that there are really two types of leaders: transactional and transformational.

    Most executives and entrepreneurs get trapped in transactional leadership. You know the drill—you bark orders, supervise a checklist, and reward or punish team members based on performance.

    Transactional leaders tell their team how to do the work, check if they did it, and jump in to save the day if they didn’t. Unfortunately, this results in an underutilized team, an overworked leader, and a company that’s unable to reach its full potential.

    Transformational leaders, on the other hand, communicate what they want and rely on their team to figure out how to get there. They paint an inspiring vision, measure results, and help their team see opportunities and possibilities along the way. This approach empowers the team, elevates the leader, and propels the company to new heights.

    Why transactional leadership holds you back

    I’ve witnessed transactional leadership too many times. It’s especially common in small and mid-sized companies that are growing. Often, this type of leadership manifests between the CEO or owner and their managers. In our experience, we see it most often with Marketing Directors or Operations Managers.

    When managers are responsible for running a digital transformation strategy, they’re day-to-day, handling the details, and ensuring their specialists stay on track.

    Unfortunately, some CEOs or owners see the manager as their puppet, micromanaging and worrying about every little detail involved in getting from here to there. They bog down every interaction with irrelevant questions and methods they barely understand.

    In one case a few years back, our client’s Operations Manager was afraid to ask the CEO to approve a key technology integration that would bring their vision to life because it cost a few hundred dollars. This dynamic stalled, and eventually killed exponential progress on the digital transformation project.

    Delegate and elevate

    The key is to not get in the way. As Chris Ronzio, the founder of Trainual, says, “Delegate and elevate.” If you do that, you’ll be a transformational leader who sparks continuous transformation in your company.

    John P. Kotter, in his Harvard Business Review article, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, shared a perfect example of how not to lead:

    “In failed transformations, you often find plenty of plans and directives and programs, but no vision. In one case, a company gave out four-inch-thick notebooks describing its change effort. In mind-numbing detail, the books spelled out procedures, goals, methods, and deadlines. But nowhere was there a clear and compelling statement of where all this was leading.”

    This is why it’s crucial that you, as a leader, start with a vision that fascinates you enough to stay engaged. Once you have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish, stay focused on the outcome you desire.

    Just recently, I was on a strategy call discussing a progressive web app one of our clients wants to build. I was on the call with the company’s Senior VP of Marketing and their CTO.

    After about 15 minutes, the CTO finished sharing his vision and asked, “So how do we get there?”

    I just smiled.

    Before jumping in with a strategic plan, I thanked him for embodying transformational leadership—by sharing what he wanted to achieve instead of dictating the how. If he had focused on the tactics, I wouldn’t have known the outcome he wanted. But because he shared his desired outcome, the path forward was clear.

    Your role in visionary leadership

    So, when the rubber meets the road, what do you need to have a vision for? What should you engage in, and what should you step back from as a leader?

    First and foremost, you need to create the vision—the what, the outcome, the better future. 

    Think big, think small. Consider how the vision impacts you, your company, and your team members. Reflect on what your vision does for your culture, your customers, and your collaborators.

    Next, you need to share the vision. Enthusiastically champion it and keep it on everyone’s minds. Write about the vision, speak about the vision, and answer questions about the vision.

    Matt Bertulli, founder of Lomi, humorously described this process for most leaders in his No Competition newsletter:

    Repeating myself is a daily ritual. It’s like Groundhog Day, but instead of Bill Murray, it’s me, saying the same things over and over. Imagine trying to get a room full of toddlers to march in a straight line. That’s what aligning a company feels like. Except it isn’t toddlers, it’s really smart and talented people. I’ve seriously considered recording my key points and playing them on loop. Efficiency at its finest! This is probably why I write. It lets me communicate things in one place that can be referenced later. There’s no question that to be a leader means repeating yourself…a lot.

    Stay engaged while letting go

    Finally, stay engaged as your team pursues the vision. Even though your job is to stay out of the way, that doesn’t mean you stop providing support.

    Follow project dashboards, measure results, and monitor KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) along the way to ensure the boat is still heading in the right direction.

    Principle 4: Invest in High-Leverage Initiatives

    Until now, we’ve been in dreamland, focusing on vision and transformational leadership. This is crucial because 80% of your digital transformation strategy is about vision and leadership.

    However, there are tactical aspects of your digital transformation strategy that I strongly believe you, as a leader, need to influence and involve yourself in. 

    That is how you invest in your digital strategy:

    • What projects and initiatives should you invest in? 
    • Which is a waste of time and money? 
    • How do you balance short-term wins with long-term results? 

    These are great questions that will, frankly, be unique to your organization. However, there are some foundational concepts that apply across the board.

    Transformation is about more than just technology

    Many leaders think that transformation, particularly in digital strategy, is all about technology. They couldn’t be more wrong. Transformation is about vision, leadership, and investing in the right strategies that move your company into a position to shape the future.

    Leaders who take a shallow approach to digital strategy, focusing solely on technology, often end up wasting time and money on initiatives that don’t work.

    How do I know? Because I’ve seen it happen—over and over again.

    Back when Structure was working with smaller businesses to redesign their WordPress websites, this “lack of depth” became quite apparent. We had businesses coming to us left and right to “redesign” their websites, expecting it to be a cosmetic upgrade that would take a few weeks and a few thousand dollars.

    In some cases, it could be that simple, but that was the exception rather than the rule. Most of the time, the leaders we worked with (often the owners or marketing managers) wanted big visual and functional updates to websites used by HR for job postings, by marketing for sharing blog posts, by sales for booking calls, and by shipping for tracking and fulfilling orders.

    We learned the hard way that it’s easy to underestimate a project, mess up an entire business operation, and make a lot of people mad by focusing only on technology. There was almost always much more under the surface than what you could see.

    So, we had to find a way to help leaders think about upgrading their digital platforms and infrastructure in an integrated way—one that considered people, process, and perspective, and focused on investing in the right changes and upgrades along the way that would have the most impact.

    The result of this process is our Digital Transformation Programs.

    As a rule of thumb, we focus our recommendations on a handful of high-leverage, high-impact activities that move the needle and drive the business forward.

    We often see our clients use capital leverage through pre-selling their products or services to increase available investment capital. We also see them utilize a line of credit or a business loan to fund digital transformation initiatives.

    2. Code

    Leveraging software and technology to streamline processes, improve customer experiences, or enhance operational efficiency.

    • Operations: Implementing an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system that integrates various business processes, reducing errors and improving efficiency.
    • Marketing: Using marketing automation tools to segment audiences, send personalized emails, and track campaign performance without manual intervention.
    • IT: Developing custom software solutions that automate routine IT tasks, freeing up the IT team to focus on strategic projects.

    While technology isn’t transformation, it’s a key part. Typically, our digital transformation strategies include code leverage opportunities across various functions in an organization, aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

    3. Content

    Creating valuable, reusable content that educates, engages, or attracts your target audience, driving marketing and sales efforts.

    • Operations: Producing training videos or documentation that can be used across the company to onboard new employees efficiently.
    • Marketing: Creating a series of thought leadership articles or whitepapers that position your company as an industry expert.
    • IT: Developing technical documentation or tutorials that help users or clients understand your IT solutions, reducing support requests and improving user satisfaction.

    This blog post itself is a form of leverage. We produce and publish it once, and it lives on for years, helping readers.

    A common form of operational content leverage is SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). By having a set of SOPs for repeatable tasks across your organization, you allow team members to train themselves and reference back when needed without requiring manual support. Bonus points if you combine content and code leverage by using a product like Trainual.

    4. Community

    Building or engaging with networks of customers, partners, or industry peers that can provide support, insights, and opportunities for growth.

    • Operations: Joining industry associations or forums to learn best practices, exchange ideas, and form partnerships.
    • Marketing: Cultivating a community of brand advocates or loyal customers who promote your products through word-of-mouth.
    • IT: Participating in IT-focused online communities or user groups to share knowledge, learn from others, and collaborate on solving common challenges.

    You may also hear “Community” referred to as “Collaborations.” Collaborations involve actively working with others—whether individuals, companies, or organizations—to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or alliances enable both parties to leverage each other’s strengths.

    Community and collaborations are powerful forms of leverage because they allow you to access resources, knowledge, and opportunities that you wouldn’t have on your own.

    The bottom line

    A successful digital transformation roadmap shouldn’t cover anything and everything. It should be strategic—laser-focused on your vision, disruptive and unique to you, supported by leadership, with all investment resources pointed toward high-leverage initiatives that will give you outsized returns.

    Principle 5: Promote a Transformational Culture

    One of the most common questions I get asked, particularly regarding the branding and marketing aspects of a digital transformation strategy, is, “How often do we need to refresh our website?”

    I used to provide a fixed-timeline answer, backed by research, like, “About every 2-3 years to keep up with design and technology trends, evolving user needs, organizational growth, search engine optimization, etc.”

    This is a good answer. It’s true, and it’s fairly easy to accept when you think, “Okay, I guess we’ll need to allocate $50,000 to a website redesign every few years.”

    But this way of thinking is tactically focused on the website itself and doesn’t address the true digital needs and naturally evolving lifecycle of your organization as a whole.

    Today, my answer is deeper. Here it is:

    “Digital transformation is an ongoing continuum. Why? Because digital disruption is happening all the time, and to compete and win today, you must, as a leader and as an organization, refresh yourself constantly, experiment with new ideas, scale successes, and let go of what’s in the past.”

    It’s a better answer, but also a harder pill to swallow—and even harder to implement because it requires something most people resist: change.

    Change is the catalyst for transformation

    A culture of change is the backbone of any successful digital transformation strategy. Embracing continuous transformation requires innovation, agility, and a willingness to accept constant and repeatable change.

    I often tell my clients that their brand, and their business, is a living, breathing organism. It’s just like they are! And just like them, it doesn’t look the same today as it did when it was a baby. And when it’s old, it will look a lot different than it does now.

    One of the most inspiring perspectives on change and growth comes from Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. His views on change and stress are deeply connected to his approach to innovation and the natural world, which resonates with my own views.

    Chouinard understands that change is a necessary part of growth and innovation, but he also recognizes that change often brings stress.

    What’s refreshing is that he sees this stress as a necessary and beneficial part of change. He believes that discomfort and uncertainty are inherent in the process of making significant changes, whether in business or in life.

    In Let My People Go Surfing, he writes, “You need stress to survive. Stress creates change, and without change, there’s no progress.”

    The lesson is clear: Change does not happen without stress. 

    You should not see change as a threat but as an opportunity to grow and evolve to a higher level. Stress is a positive force that drives innovation and helps individuals and organizations adapt to new circumstances.

    A company needs to constantly challenge (read: stress) itself to grow.

    True innovation requires a willingness to challenge the status quo, take risks, and endure the stress that comes with it. Without embracing change, companies stagnate and lose their ability to evolve.

    But we all know change and stress can be incredibly difficult for some people. In fact, there are thousands of books, frameworks, and programs around “Change Management” to help leaders and their teams embrace change and eventually grow.

    Domino’s Pizza’s digital transformation strategy

    In the early 2000s, Domino’s was struggling. The company faced harsh criticism for the quality of its pizza, with widespread customer complaints about the taste. Sales were declining, and the brand was losing market share to competitors.

    Domino’s reputation was so poor that in 2009, the company’s CEO, Patrick Doyle, publicly admitted that their pizza was terrible in a series of honest and transparent advertisements. This kind of honesty was unprecedented and put Domino’s in a vulnerable position.

    Instead of simply trying to improve the pizza and hope for the best, Domino’s decided to undertake a radical transformation that went beyond just the product. They embraced a comprehensive digital transformation strategy that focused on customer experience, technology integration, and innovation.

    • Domino’s invested heavily in creating a user-friendly, innovative online ordering platform, allowing customers to order pizzas via multiple digital channels, including their website, mobile app, and even social media.
    • They introduced the “Domino’s Tracker,” which allowed customers to follow their order from the moment it was placed to when it was delivered, creating transparency and enhancing the customer experience.
    • Domino’s shifted to a digital-first culture, where they continuously innovated with technology, launching initiatives like voice-activated ordering and partnerships with delivery services like Amazon’s Alexa.

    The digital transformation strategy was wildly successful. By 2018, more than 60% of Domino’s U.S. sales were generated through digital channels. The company’s stock price soared from under $10 in 2008 to over $300 in the following decade, and it became the largest pizza company in the world by sales in 2018, overtaking Pizza Hut.

    Domino’s went from being a company known for poor-quality pizza to a leader in the fast-food industry, recognized for its innovation and customer-centric digital transformation. Their commitment to leveraging technology to enhance the customer experience not only saved the company but turned it into a market leader.

    How to embrace change to grow

    Domino’s continual investment in digital innovation and willingness to change played a key role in their turnaround, showing the importance of a long-term commitment to continuous transformation.

    I’m not a Change Management expert, but as someone who has consistently struggled with the stress and fear that comes with change—and has also transformed myself and my clients’ companies over the last decade—I can provide some insight into how to embrace change for growth from both sides.

    Embrace humanity

    The number one reason people avoid change and procrastinate is fear and doubt. They hold back from moving forward because they don’t have hard proof that the future is better than the past. After all, the future is a pipe dream, an alien idea.

    This fear, doubt, and skepticism are often based on what seems like rational, accurate thinking and an objective assessment of facts. This is why it’s common for the most fearful and change-resistant people in your organization to be those who analyze and intellectualize the world around them as a set of fixed data.

    This functional fixedness is also why it’s extremely uncomfortable, or almost impossible, for some people to let go of the old and embrace the new.

    Unfortunately, that kind of mindset will not work if you want your organization to transform. Your people must face their fear, suspend disbelief, and become open to change. They must get used to letting go of old methods or ideas.

    However, instead of forcing change down their throats or drilling it into your people (been there, done that), I’ve found it’s more effective to do the opposite. Help them feel safe by embracing their humanity. Embrace their humanity (and all that comes with it) and help them embrace it too.

    After all, these limiting characteristics don’t come from robots—they come from humans. And humans are made to grow—we always have, and we always will. We just need to believe it.

    Make failure familiar

    Humans also make mistakes. If you want to embrace a culture of innovation and transformation, you have to allow yourself and your team to make mistakes.

    Let them fail.

    As Scooter Braun, the entrepreneur, investor, and manager who discovered Justin Bieber, said: “Success and failure are neighbors. They live right next door.”

    So many successes have been built on the backs of failure.

    Fear, doubt, and stress will cause you to want to retreat to the “safety” of familiarity, which is just another word for the same, the past, and what you know. That’s the exact opposite of transformation.

    Make failure familiar. Make failure safe. Turn the tides so that when your team faces fear, doubt, and stress, they seek failure as a pathway to growth. Failure is evidence that you’re pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities.

    When you think about it this way, failure becomes an asset. It’s a resource. It’s a tool that actually helps you push the boundaries. You know that when you fail, you’re headed in the right direction.

    Failure is the definition of growth.

    Reward Innovation

    A smart leader once told me, “Your values must have a line in your P&L.” If you are embracing continuous transformation and innovation in your business, in order to be the best, you must put your money where your mouth is.

    There are many ways to do this—from recognizing your employees publicly, providing financial incentives, and dedicating specific roles to transformation, to other creative approaches.

    At Structure, one of the ways we reward growth through transformation is by giving each team member a $2,000 budget for events, training, and educational opportunities to help them gain new perspectives and embrace new ways of thinking. Our mindset is, if they’re growing, we’re growing!

    There are other well-known examples of rewarding and investing in innovation in the market:

    • Google’s Cloud Awards recognize employees who come up with breakthrough ideas, whether those ideas are successful or not, encouraging a culture of experimentation and risk-taking.
    • 3M’s Genesis Grant Program provides employees with seed funding to explore their innovative ideas. If an idea shows promise, the employee might also receive a bonus or be given more resources to develop the idea further.
    • Amazon’s “Failure Bonuses” reward teams that take big risks, even if those risks don’t pay off. Amazon is renowned for being one of the most innovative companies in the world.

    The opportunities are endless. The point is, invest in your values with not just your time and attention but also your money.

    How Structure can help you shape the future

    Your digital transformation strategy will be highly effective if you embrace and adopt these principles. Each of these concepts forms the foundation of our Digital Transformation Program, a three-part consulting process designed to guide you through every stage of your digital journey.

    We’ve structured our Program into different levels of engagement, each building on the previous one, to be completed over a 3-5 year timeframe. Our program evolves with each experience, just like you, we’re committed to continuous growth—always transforming into a better version than we were before.

    Digital Transformation Strategy Workshop

    Every successful digital transformation starts with a strong foundation. Our engaging and productive Digital Strategy Workshop will guide you through creating a robust action plan over 1.5 days.

    You’ll receive expert coaching, personalized feedback, and strategic planning from our approachable digital strategists. This workshop sets the stage for leading your company through a digital transformation that is not only possible but also highly effective and sustainable.

    Digital Transformation Strategy Development

    In the Digital Strategy Development phase, we turn your action plan into reality over 6-12 months. This is where we design and build your new or updated systems, guiding you step-by-step through the process. Our approach is flexible and tailored to fit your needs, ensuring a smooth implementation.

    We clearly define roles and responsibilities, provide the necessary tools and templates, and stay actively involved, adjusting the plan as needed to help you reach your goals and objectives.

    Digital Transformation Growth System 

    Our Digital Growth Systems and Digital Transformation Consulting are designed to elevate your digital strategy to the next level with ongoing support and optimization. We’ll recommend one of three distinct packages to fit your support needs. Each package comes with valuable perks, including a complimentary annual Digital Strategy Workshop and significant discounts on new projects, helping you continuously transform.

    Digital Transformation Strategy Program results

    Our Digital Transformation Program is ideal for small and mid-sized businesses looking to elevate their impact. With dedicated digital marketing support, you’ll grow your business and achieve immediate ROI, as well as long-term results, with minimal time investment from your team. We aim for a 5–10x return on your investment within 12 months, making this system a valuable addition to your integrated digital strategy.

    You will experience transformative digital growth, significantly enhancing your brand presence and achieving ambitious business goals. Furthermore, you’ll be positioned to compete and win, unlocking meaningful long-term value for your company and establishing lasting category leadership that your competition will envy.

    For more information and to see if your organization is the right fit for our program, schedule a free Digital Strategy Session today.

  • Tactics to Transformation: Why Integrated Digital Marketing is the Key to Achieving Big Results

    Tactics to Transformation: Why Integrated Digital Marketing is the Key to Achieving Big Results

    The last thing you want to do is see minimal or unclear returns on your digital marketing spend. Your solution is an integrated digital marketing strategy.

    If you’re like most business leaders, you fixate on trendy tactics and external conditions you can’t control. Especially if your job is to create growth, opportunity, and innovation for your organization.

    To you, growth is a Jekyll and Hyde situation. It’s what keeps you coming back but is also a constant source of concern and frankly… stress. What you don’t realize is that growth isn’t actually about executing specific tactics or conditions at all. It’s about rising the tide across a group of boats through vision, strategy, and investment.

    Executives and their teams who invest in raising the tide can cross over a line. Once you cross over, growth becomes inevitable and effortless, and the investments you make constantly increase your return.

    Once you reach this point, your force is multiplying. You and your company become a transformational growth machine. You significantly enhance brand presence and achieves ambitious business goals. Substantial increases in sales and market share happen regardless of what you do or how you do it.

    The problem with siloed digital marketing tactics

    Many organizations fall into the trap of throwing spaghetti at the wall when it comes to digital marketing. They hire specific contractors or employees to tackle isolated jobs. Often, these jobs are SEO, digital ads, or website redesigns. Unfortunately, their efforts fall flat due to the siloed nature of their approach. 

    The core issue lies in the focus on individual tactics and the urge to see quick results, which often leads to disjointed efforts and missed opportunities. 

    The real key to growth in marketing (and frankly in any area) lies in embracing an integrated digital marketing strategy that unifies your efforts under a single trajectory. By casting a big vision and investing in a cohesive strategy, your organization can achieve the transformational growth that turns you into an unstoppable growth machine.

    A real-world example 

    It was only a couple of days ago that I was on an introductory consultation call with the Marketing Director and CEO of a growing organization with a national presence in a few key cities across the United States. As usual, they shared specific challenges and opportunities as it related to their growth and trajectory.

    Their business model was fascinating. Their ideal customer profile was unique. They had an uncommon amount of resources and experience. This was a bit surprising because not every consult call I’m on does the company have a success stack like that.

    But what wasn’t surprising was their core issue: isolated, tactical digital marketing efforts. We spent the majority of the call discussing SEO strategy, press releases they’d put together, and other small tactical initiatives. 

    If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably experienced this or found yourself in this position before. But the question is: what do you do about it? How do you overcome the tendency of fragmentation or piecemeal efforts?

    Fighting fragmentation

    Isolated efforts, specifically in digital marketing, lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities—often at the cost of visible or viable results. Common symptoms of this approach are DIY duct tape results, shoestring budgets, and an overfocus on quick wins.

    Over the years, we’ve worked with many companies with siloed digital marketing mindsets. I remember one company in particular, a small manufacturing company, who had hired four different digital agencies (Structure included) to handle different aspects of their website and digital marketing. 

    Our team helped them manage their website development, but they had another team working on website design, another working on digital ads, and yet another working on SEO. Talk about silos within silos!

    This company wasn’t willing to spend a lot of money on any single integrated digital marketing strategy, so they dissected it in multiple ways. The result was a highly inefficient process and ineffective result.

    Addressing the symptoms

    I’ve learned that it’s no use addressing any of these symptoms—DIY duct tape results, shoestring budgets, and an overfocus on quick wins—head-on. For example, you can’t fix a shoestring budget with more tactics and ideas—that just comes across as more cost.

    The only way you succeed in a silo is to see the bigger picture. Share a bigger vision. Do the deep work. In other words, focus your gaze on something with a higher, more exponential impact.

    The power of an integrated digital marketing strategy

    The solution to siloed digital marketing tactics is to develop an integrated digital marketing strategy. It’s a switch to thinking about the “boats” to thinking about the “tide.”

    After all, as your vision grows, every tactic will have a higher ceiling. You don’t raise the ceiling by improving the tactics—you start by developing the vision.

    Here’s are three ways to develop the vision:

    1. Inspire possibility
    2. Integrate your strategy
    3. Invest in the future

    Let’s break these down further, including common challenges with embracing each and what to do about it.

    1. Inspire possibility

    Dan Sullivan has said, “If your goals aren’t making you uncomfortable, you’re not aiming high enough.”

    This sentiment captures the essence of pursuing ambitious goals, where fear and discomfort are not obstacles but essential parts of what’s possible.

    Overcoming fear and doubt

    Over the weekend, I experienced this firsthand when I ran my first 10k (6.2-mile) cross-country race. Finishing my first race was exhilarating and made me hungry for the next challenge: a marathon (26.2 miles).

    Initially, the idea of a marathon didn’t scare me. However, as I began researching marathons to register for, I discovered that most are downhill and on roads—neither of which appealed to me.

    That’s when my wife suggested trying a shorter ultramarathon, like a 50k (31 miles). Her reasoning was simple: if I could run 26 miles, surely I could run 31.

    Turning doubt into action

    This suggestion triggered a wave of fear. By simply labeling it an “ultra” marathon and increasing the distance beyond 30 miles, a voice in my head kept echoing, “No way… I can’t do that.”

    Interestingly, my ultimate dream is to run a 100k (62 miles). However, that idea felt distant and unrealistic. Committing to it made the goal seem intimidating.

    As Price Pritchett states in his book You 2, “Doubt is what does the most damage.” He goes on to say, “Your doubts are not the product of accurate thinking, but habitual thinking… Put those old inhibiting ideas to the test by going for it with everything you’ve got.”

    The key is to transform doubt into action, moving from fear to forward motion.

    Most leaders aim to low

    In the busyness of daily life, especially under pressure or stress, dreaming big can be challenging. As the CEO of a digital consulting firm, I often find myself caught up in present issues, ensuring I’m prepared for every situation. Yet, this focus on immediate concerns can hinder long-term vision.

    According to a Harvard Business Review article, three of the top five critical errors in digital transformation relate to an undeveloped, tactical vision:

    1. Lacking a Vision
    2. Under Communicating the Vision by a Factor of Ten
    3. Not Removing Obstacles to the New Vision

    Jon Garcia, a senior partner and leader in McKinsey’s Transformation Practice, notes that 70% of companies fail to achieve transformation because leaders aim too low.

    Embrace a bold vision of what’s possible

    My own experiences with our company, and our clients, align with these findings.

    The first step in digital marketing transformation is embracing a bold vision of what’s possible. It’s about aiming high and dreaming big—because if you don’t, you’re unlikely to achieve meaningful change.

    So, how can you and your team shift from tactical thinking to transformative vision? What if the culture around you doesn’t support big, bold dreams?

    Here are some common obstacles I see our clients face when harnessing the power of vision in an integrated marketing approach, along with strategies to overcome them:

    1. Balance present demands with future dreams

    Daily tasks and urgent issues often take precedence because they require immediate attention. This focus on the “here and now” can overshadow long-term vision, making it hard to shift your mindset to future planning.

    Not to mention, managing day-to-day responsibilities can be mentally exhausting. When you’ve depleted your cognitive resources on current problems, you might find it difficult to allocate mental energy to envisioning and strategizing for the future.

    In order to dream big, you might have to “get away” from today. Go offsite. Attend an event. Or better yet, book a workshop dedicated to furthering your vision and developing a strategy.

    2. Promote a proactive mindset

    Being reactive to immediate issues can become a habit, making it harder to shift into a proactive mindset that’s necessary for long-term planning. 

    When you have a packed schedule full of immediate tasks and meetings, it can be challenging to find time to reflect on the future. Without dedicated time for strategic thinking, it’s easy to remain entrenched in current demands.

    In order to overcome this hurdle, you might have to rearrange your schedule or utilize time blocking techniques so you have dedicated time for strategic thinking. For example, I follow the Entrepreneurial Time System taught by Strategic Coach. This means I break my week into three types of days: Free, Focus, and Buffer. 

    Our team follows a similar system, but since they’re dealing with different issues than I am, they block out those same times during the course of each day instead of over the course of a week. It seems to work quite well.

    3. Embrace faith in the future

    Strategizing about future growth plans involves risk and uncertainty. Depending on your personality, the culture of your company, and the makeup of your team, this type of activity may trigger anxiety or discomfort, causing a retreat to the relative safety of managing current challenges.

    Or, even if your company culture embraces failure and uncertainty, it’s common practice to reward organizations and individuals (directly or indirectly) for addressing short-term goals and predictable results… aka avoiding taking big risks. And risking your employment or the future of your company for an untested idea or unchartered territory, may not feel “smart” at the moment. This thinking can reinforce your focus on present demands rather than future aspirations.

    The only way out of overcoming risk avoidance or fear of the unknown is to come to the understanding that any type of growth, in work and life, requires you to find comfort and security in future opportunities than in present circumstances. It’s an act of embracing faith in the future over fear of the present. 

    2. Integrate your strategy

    The phrase “A rising tide lifts all boats” was popularized by John F. Kennedy in a 1963 speech. He used it to convey the idea that an improved economy benefits all participants and that economic policy should focus on broad efforts that uplift everyone.

    In this context, Kennedy’s message specifically addressed criticisms of a dam project in Arkansas that required national funding, emphasizing the interconnectedness of economic growth.

    In his speech, Kennedy stated, “These projects produce wealth, they bring industry, they bring jobs, and the wealth they bring brings wealth to other sections of the United States. This State had about 200,000 cars in 1929. It has a million cars now. They weren’t built in this State. They were built in Detroit. As this State’s income rises, so does the income of Michigan. As the income of Michigan rises, so does the income of the United States. A rising tide lifts all the boats, and as Arkansas becomes more prosperous, so does the United States. And as this section declines, so does the United States. So I regard this as an investment by the people of the United States in the United States.”

    Raise the tide, not the boats

    While Kennedy made the phrase famous, it was originally discovered by Ted Sorensen, Kennedy’s speechwriter, who noticed the New England Council used it as their slogan. Sorensen skillfully integrated it into Kennedy’s speech.

    This concept is not just a history lesson but a relatable analogy for a common issue among business executives, particularly in marketing. Leaders often focus on individual “boats” rather than the “tide” that lifts them all.

    In marketing terms, this means concentrating on specific tactics instead of creating an overarching strategy that drives overall success.

    When you focus on the tide, you free yourself from having to be an expert in every tactic, and instead, empower yourself to lead and create a rising tide that benefits all aspects of your business.

    As Kennedy said, “as the income of Michigan rises, so does the income of the United States.” Similarly, as the success of your digital marketing strategy rises, so does the success of your entire company.

    Avoid tactical over-focus

    A common pitfall is becoming overly focused on specific tactics like SEO, rather than the broader digital marketing strategy. Many leaders prioritize SEO without recognizing its role in the larger marketing ecosystem.

    To truly excel, you need to elevate your perspective and think bigger.

    Fix functional fixedness

    In cognitive psychology, “functional fixedness” refers to the tendency to see objects and their functions in a fixed way, hindering creativity and problem-solving. This mental block can prevent leaders from using resources in novel ways, especially when under stress or pressure.

    Being aware of this tendency allows you to step back, reassess problems, and consider different angles for solutions. In digital marketing, it’s crucial to recognize when you’re fixated on a tactic you’re stressed about or pressured to solve. Often, the fixation stems from a lack of knowledge about the tactic itself.

    Let that sink in. If you’re fixated on a specific tactic or market tendency, and are placing pressure on it to be the savior, it’s likely the source of a fear or gap in knowledge.

    Therefore, the real solution is not to pour your efforts into the object you’re fixated on (aka, the boats) but to go higher in your thinking and focus on lifting the tide.

    Put a pin in over-preparation

    Another reason for a disjointed digital marketing strategy—and an overfocus on tactics—is over-preparation and procrastination. In You 2, Price Pritchett writes, “A person could make a career out of laying the groundwork to do something really big. Please understand—you don’t ‘prepare’ for a quantum leap. You make it, and then fine-tune your approach.”

    He adds, “Getting ready is, quite frankly, a stalling tactic, an act of anxiety, a con game you’re working on yourself.”

    For three years, one of our long-term clients resisted a recommendation to launch a foundational content marketing campaign. The goal was to teach potential customers how to accomplish their goals using the company’s product through one YouTube video and four instructional blog posts per month. Initially, they doubted its effectiveness.

    After a year, they wanted to do it themselves. By the third year, they still hadn’t done anything and struggled to create category leadership. Finally, in the fourth year, they overcame their fear and realized they were never going to succeed if they continued trying to over-prepare or do it themselves.

    Sometimes, you’re over-preparing. Other times, you’re procrastinating.

    Delegate and elevate

    Dan Sullivan, in his book Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork, argues that procrastination often occurs when tasks are misaligned with your strengths or interests.

    “When you’re procrastinating, it’s a signal that you’re not the best person to do the task. Instead, you should be looking for someone who has the talent, experience, and motivation to get it done.”

    Rather than forcing yourself to handle tactics or get through tasks, find someone skilled or enthusiastic about that work. This approach allows you to focus on transformation, leading to greater productivity and results.

    Talk about raising the tide!

    By identifying the “Who” to handle the “How,” you can advance projects more efficiently and effectively. It’s about multiplying your efforts through collaboration.

    As Chris Ronzio, founder of Trainual has said, “Delegate and elevate.” There’s no better way to get out of the tactics than by simply getting out of the tactics.

    3. Invest in the future

    Looking back over all the different digital marketing projects we’ve been involved in—whether it’ be’s a website redesign, a digital transformation, a content marketing campaign—the most important lesson I’ve learned is that projects without a clear ROI are not valuable.

    They become short-sighted tactical actions rather than strategic investments.

    As a leader, how do you overcome the tendency to jump into new, exciting projects and instead focus on long-term, high-impact initiatives with quantifiable returns?

    Here are some common situations and strategies to consider based on my experience.

    Focus on ends rather than means

    Many leaders get lost in the details of moving from concept to execution, becoming bogged down in research, questions, and tactical discussions. We (yes, I included myself in this) often become fixated on the “how” aspects of any project or initiative, losing sight of the big picture.

    Common phrases for this situation are: 

    • Getting lost in the weeds
    • Losing sight of the big picture
    • Missing the forest for the trees

    John P. Kotter, in his Harvard Business Review article, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, wrote about a case that illustrates my point:

    “In failed transformations, you often find plenty of plans and directives and programs, but no vision. In one case, a company gave out four-inch-thick notebooks describing its change effort. In mind-numbing detail, the books spelled out procedures, goals, methods, and deadlines. But nowhere was there a clear and compelling statement of where all this was leading.”

    communicate what you want

    I recently had a similar experience with a prospective digital marketing client.

    I asked, “Where do you want to go?” and they proceeded to describe “how they wanted to get there.” By the end of the conversation, I told them I appreciated their detailed explanation, but I was only interested in what they wanted to achieve because I figured they were hiring us to tell them how to get there.

    Having a clear picture of what you want to accomplish with your digital marketing efforts is crucial. Eliminate business jargon and focus on the desired outcomes.

    What do you want to achieve?

    Here are a few examples of clear objectives you might want to accomplish with your digital marketing:

    • $50M worth of MQLs in 3 years (lead generation)
    • Transition our sales process from in-person to entirely online (digital transformation)
    • 80% of people in Phoenix, AZ to know who we are (brand awareness)

    When you identify your goals, you are naturally drawn to the right ways of achieving them. It becomes clear how valuable the effort is to the business, what your budget should be, and who you need to enlist to help.

    This clarity makes a DIY approach, shoestring budget, or over-focus on quick wins seem unreasonable.

    Balance quick fixes with sustainable strategy

    Most leaders I work with are part of organizations that started small but are now growing. In smaller organizations, decisions can be implemented quickly, with little time between idea and action.

    For example, a digital marketing initiative can suddenly exist in the afternoon that didn’t exist in the morning.

    However, larger organizations often have decision-making processes in place to introduce strategic thinking into every decision.

    Avoid the “GSD Mentality”

    As an innovative visionary leader, the need for strategic thinking can be challenging.

    You want to get things done, and get them done now! I understand. As Structure grows in complexity (and also capability) I struggle daily to break what Dan Martell calls the “GSD mentality” in his book Buy Back Your Time.

    He writes, “I knew only one thing: GSD—Get. Shit. Done. Work hard, make money, stay out of trouble. Day after day. Until my first two companies failed, miserably. I hadn’t learned how to work well with other people or value my time.”

    Martell explains how his impulsive “quick start” approach destroyed not only his companies but also his relationships. He continues, “Although I didn’t realize it at first, my two failed businesses and my failed relationship all had one thing in common—me. And at the heart of my problem was my GSD mentality, which blinded me to everything else.”

    Running-and-gunning may feel liberating, but it’s important to remember, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

    Running-and-gunning makes anyone feel free. Because they are! But the saying holds true, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

    Build your digital marketing base

    Failing to slow down, analyze data, and create a sustainable digital marketing strategy is a sign of underdevelopment in a leader and an organization.

    I’m no fan of red tape, but structured processes force you to question your assumptions and weed out “quick fixes” in favor of sustainable solutions.

    Have you heard the parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand?

    The wise man built his house upon a rock, ensuring it could withstand the tests of time and nature. The foolish man built his house upon the sand, which proved disastrous when “the rains came tumbling down.” The house on the rock stood firm, while the house on the sand went “crash.”

    This principle is equally applicable to your digital marketing strategy.

    Just as the wise man’s house stood firm against storms and floods, a solid digital marketing foundation can withstand market fluctuations, evolving technologies, and shifting consumer behaviors.

    When you invest in a long-term, sustainable, and integrated strategy, you can bypass unpredictable conditions. Your decisions are based on solid data and strategy, allowing you to simply “run the play.”

    How to spark integrated digital marketing transformation

    Commit to growing upward through three transformative levels, giving yourself three (or more) years to exponentially improve every aspect of your digital strategy.

    Digital transformation is a crucial part of everything we do at Structure, a digital consulting firm for ambitious and collaborative leaders who are committed to modernizing business processes and driving innovation in marketing, operations, customer experience, and more.

    Our Digital Transformation Program is made up of a series of experiences that are intended to create a bigger future. This will be true for your career and your organization than you ever thought possible. Structure’s clients continually transform how they think, make decisions, and take action toward digital growth.

    The digital transformation process we have to offer is truly unique. Each part of our program is constantly evolving and being refined through every experience. Just like you, we’re lifetime growers—always transforming into a better version than we were before.

    Over the years, we’ve packaged our Program into a few different levels of engagement. Each level leads into the next, to be completed over a 3-5 year timeframe. 

    Digital Strategy Workshop

    Every successful leader who has transformed their digital presence began with a strong foundation. Our engaging and productive Digital Strategy Workshop will guide you through creating a robust action plan over 1.5 days. 

    Receive expert coaching, personalized feedback, and strategic planning from our approachable digital strategists. Leading your company through a digital transformation becomes not only possible but also highly effective and sustainable.

    Digital Strategy Development

    In the Digital Strategy Development phase, we turn your action plan into reality over 6-12 months. This is where we design and build your new or updated systems, guiding you step-by-step through the process. Our approach is flexible and tailored to fit your needs, ensuring everything runs smoothly. We clearly define roles and responsibilities, and provide the necessary tools and templates to make the process efficient. We stay actively involved, adjusting the plan as needed to help you reach your goals and objectives.

    Digital Growth System 

    Our Digital Growth Systems are designed to take your digital strategy to the next level with ongoing support and optimization. We’ll recommend one of three distinct packages to fit your support needs

    • Enhance: Essential website updates, security monitoring, and priority support, ensure your digital presence is stable and running smoothly.
    • Optimize: Comprehensive optimization services, including SEO management, performance enhancements, and conversion optimization projects.
    • Grow: Sales funnel strategy, digital ads management, and SEO blog posts to drive traffic and increase conversions.

    Each package comes with valuable perks like a complimentary annual Digital Strategy Workshop and significant discounts on new projects. Use these to further enhance your digital presence.

    Digital growth for leaders who value relationship and results

    Our Digital Transformation Program is perfect for small and mid-sized businesses looking to elevate their impact. You’ll grow their business and have dedicated digital marketing support along the way. 

    You can expect immediate ROI and long-term results with minimal time investment from your team. We aim for a 5–10x return on your investment within 12 months. This system is a worthwhile addition to your integrated digital strategy.

    Experience transformative digital growth

    If you follow Structure’s process, you will experience transformative digital growth. Significantly enhances your brand presence and achieve ambitious business goals.

    You will compete and win. You will unlock meaningful long-term value for your company. And you will establish lasting category leadership your competition will envy.

    Here’s what we’ve seen transformative digital growth look like for our clients, and could look like for you.

    • Unified Marketing Efforts: All digital marketing efforts will work cohesively, eliminating silos and creating a unified brand message.
    • Achieve Maximum ROI: Higher return on investment due to a focused, strategic approach rather than scattered, isolated efforts.
    • Transformational Customer Experiences: Delivering compelling digital experiences that increase customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.

    Increase impact through integrated digital marketing

    In conclusion, embracing integrated digital marketing is vital for achieving cohesive and impactful results.

    An integrated digital marketing strategy ensures all your digital channels work seamlessly together. This creates a unified brand message and optimizes efforts across platforms. Focusing on integrated digital marketing helps businesses streamline their approach and enhance customer engagement. It also maximizes return on investment.

    The key to success is developing a strategy that includes various digital marketing tactics. These tactics must align with your overall business goals.

    Integrated digital marketing is not just a trend but a crucial approach. It fosters synergy among different marketing components, leading to more effective campaigns.

    To fully leverage integrated digital marketing, companies should prioritize coordination and collaboration. This includes their marketing teams, technology, and strategies.

  • 10 Key Components of Digital Transformation Strategy

    10 Key Components of Digital Transformation Strategy

    Key components of digital transformation strategy is more than simply creating and building an impressive digital tech stack; instead, it encompasses every facet of how your business utilizes digital technology to grow and, ultimately, deliver value.

    In today’s competitive landscape, digital transformation is not just an option; it’s a necessity for mid-market companies looking to outpace their competition and achieve sustainable growth. This insightful article explores the 10 Components of Digital Transformation™  that can drive lasting growth, change, and success in your organization.

    In this article you’ll discover:

    Digital transformation is more than a buzzword tossed around by consultants. Rather, it is a multidimensional, multifunctional, and multifaceted process that is crucial for modern business success.

    And it’s not just for billion-dollar enterprises either… you can transform an organization at any scale. Some companies that need it most are blue-collar small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing, finance, and transportation, which are behind the times. 

    But transforming your digital infrastructure from basic or non-existent to world-class requires hard work. It requires strategic thinking and sharp expertise that many leaders struggle to execute and, therefore, never experience the transformations required to reach their vision. 

    If you’re reading this article, you’re one of those unique, high-achieving leaders who loves growth, embraces change, and is ready to transform their organization.

    After helping dozens of SMEs through various stages of digital transformation, we’ve discovered 10 key components to measure, and we’d love to share them with you. We’ll explain each of those components, address common misconceptions, and explore practical examples that we know you’ll resonate with. 

    Let’s get started!

    Why Most Digital Transformation Strategies Fail

    Let’s just get it out there, around 80% of digital transformations fail.

    If you’ve done your own research, you might find a range of numbers based on surveys and data; however, the bottom line is that most leaders, teams, and organizations do not accomplish what they set out to achieve.

    If you haven’t done any research yet, read Why Transformation Efforts Fail from the Harvard Business Review or see some Common Pitfalls in Transformation from the global consulting firm McKinsey. There are dozens of articles with similar stories.

    3 reasons for digital failure

    From my research and our first-hand experience as a digital consulting firm for SMEs in blue-collar industries the big few reasons for digital failure are these:

    1. Lack of vision

    Lack of a comprehensive vision: Often, the vision doesn’t encompass the full potential of transformation, leading to incremental changes that fall short. Or, the vision isn’t agreed upon and worked toward. Usually, small incremental changes are considered through consensus that don’t actually move the needle.

    2. Resistance to change:

    While resistance sometimes stems from the owners or management, it almost always comes from the team. If the vision were more exciting for them, or helped them realize their future in the organization more quickly and clearly, maybe they’d get on board more easily. 

    3. Insufficient integration

    The Long-term impact of tech and teamwork integration are often overlooked. Unfortunately, teams can become so focused on the transformation process that they overlook the need for integrating people, systems, and processes over the long term.

    Digital transformation is 95% vision and 5% integration.

    If you’re surprised that vision is the first problem and integration is the last, you’re not alone! Most think that transformation is 95% related to integration and 5% related to vision. I’ve found the exact opposite to be true.

    Digital transformation is 95% vision and 5% integration.

    If you want to succeed in digital transformation at any scale, the most important facets to focus on are vision, teamwork, and change management.

    How Commitment Equals Transformation

    Commitment is the cornerstone of growth and transformation.

    It requires bold decisions and strategic investments, but the returns in efficiency, customer satisfaction, and market positioning are invaluable. 

    Transformation requires embracing change—in other words, saying “no” to the things that hold you back so you can say “yes” to the things that help you progress. 

    Here’s why… digital transformation is not only about adding new infrastructure, tech, and team members to the puzzle. It’s also about making necessary endings to the people, infrastructure, and processes that no longer serve you moving forward—and committing to discovering new ways of operating that take you further than before.

    Say no to the good to embrace the great

    For many, this kind of pruning and growth is scary. But saying, “no” to the good to embrace the great is the tipping point that every company has to decide to do when the timing is right.

    The thing that holds most companies and their leaders back from transformation is their willingness to make a clean and clear commitment to it. What I mean is that they wait and wait until they feel like they have the capability and confidence to pull off a growth initiative successfully.

    The problem is, you rarely feel capable and confident enough to get started. So, in turn, you delay action into perpetuity.

    The 4 C’s Formula

    Dan Sullivan, the founder of Strategic Coach, developed a concept he calls The 4 C’s Formula. In essence, he says everyone goes through four important steps to achieve big goals (like digital business transformation): 

    1. Commitment 
    2. Courage
    3. Capability
    4. Confidence

    He explains in his book, “Any significant change in life requires first making a commitment to a bigger goal than you’ve achieved before. When you’re making a commitment to change, at first you don’t have the capability to do it. But view capabilities get created by making a higher-level commitment and having greater courage when you don’t yet know how you’re going to pull it off.”

    Commitments equals change. Change equals transformation. No matter what, a digital business transformation requires you to commit to a bold vision, make significant changes, and invest heavily into the future.

    Notice how confidence is the result, or the outcome, of the process. The trick is making commitments toward your goals, and gaining the courage, capability, and eventually confidence along the way.

    But what kind of commitments should you make? How do you make smart commitments, ones that mitigate unnecessary risk and have a likelihood of success?

    The answer is in your strategy. When you understand where you currently land on each of the 10 Components of Digital Transformation, and where you want to be, then you make commitments to focus on and strengthen each, the roadmap to digital transformation will be clear. 

    The 10 Key Components of Digital Transformation:

    1. Customer Service
    2. Data & Insights
    3. Strategy & Leadership
    4. Technology
    5. Operations
    6. Culture & People
    7. Organization
    8. Marketing & Advertising
    9. Cyber Security
    10. Brand Management

    10 Key Components of Digital Transformation 

    It’s crucial to make strategic commitments to each of the 10 components of digital transformation.

    In this section, we’ll briefly break down each of the components of digital transformation, what they mean, and in the following section show you how you can assess each component in its current and future state as it regards your digital maturity.

    1. Customer Service

    Customer Service in digital transformation involves leveraging technology to enhance customer interactions with your company.

    It’s a common belief that digital CX tools like chatbots and support centers impersonalize customer interactions, removing the human element from them. But that’s not always the case. The reality is that, when used thoughtfully, digital tools can enhance personalization and responsiveness, creating a more tailored and engaging customer experience at scale, for less cost and error.

    Customer Service Transformation Metrics & KPIs:

    • Net Promoter Score (NPS)
    • Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
    • Customer Effort Score (CES)
    • Customer Retention Rate

    For example, a mid-market manufacturing firm in the northwest leveraged AI-powered chatbots to enhance customer interactions, resulting in a 30% increase in customer satisfaction. That’s a customer service digital transformation.

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Customer Service component:

    • Our support team is quick to respond and always addresses questions and issues effectively.
    • Navigating our website is easy, customers can find what they need without any hassle, and they are able to accomplish their goals without live support from our team members.
    • We’ve set up a thorough system for gathering feedback from customers and we use that feedback to continuously improve our services.
    • We have customer support solutions to handle increased demand effectively as we scale without any hiccups.
    • We have personalized communication channels for each of our customer types that suit their preferences and needs, making their experience personal and meaningful.

    2. Data & Insights

    Data & Insights in digital transformation mean using data to drive informed decisions and innovation within the organization.

    This involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data from various sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of business operations, market trends, and customer behavior. Data-driven decision-making helps businesses identify opportunities, optimize processes, and improve overall performance.

    Many think that data analytics is only for large corporations with extensive resources. In reality, even small and mid-sized businesses can harness the power of data to gain valuable insights and make smarter decisions. But that’s not true. With the right tools and strategies, data can be a powerful asset for businesses of any size.

    Data/Insights Metrics & KPIs:

    • Return on Investment (ROI)
    • Cost Per Lead (CPL)
    • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
    • Conversion Rate

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Data & Insights component:

    •  We gather, examine, and interpret data methodically to guide our decision-making.
    • The insights we gather from data drive innovation and continuous improvement across our organization.
    • We possess a deep understanding of our audience, thanks to thorough data analysis.
    • We visualize data to share clear insights with our team and clients, across all functions and organizational levels.
    • Our approach to managing data emphasizes security, privacy, and integrity, aligning with industry rules and regulations, as well as our unique company values.

    3. Strategy & Leadership

    Strategy & Leadership in digital transformation involve developing a clear roadmap and having leadership fully on board to drive digital initiatives.

    A successful digital transformation starts with a strong vision and strategic plan that aligns with the company’s goals. Leaders play a crucial role in championing digital initiatives, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring the team is aligned and motivated.

    Some believe that digital transformation is purely a technological change. However, successful transformation requires strategic vision and strong leadership to guide and support the process. It’s about aligning technology with business goals and driving cultural change to embrace new ways of working.

    Strategy/Leadership Metrics & KPIs:

    • Employee Engagement Score
    • Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
    • Employee Satisfaction Index
    • Employee Turnover Rate

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Strategy & Leadership component:

    • We have a clear roadmap for how we strategically and efficiently use digital tools and systems to help our company grow.
    • Our leadership team is fully on board with our digital strategy and are supportive of our ongoing digital projects.
    • We have invested in digital tools that help our offerings and organization expand.
    • We have the “right people in the right seats” to lead us through planning, implementing, and growing our digital presence.
    • We have a system to regularly review and adjust our digital plans and tech decisions to align with market demand and customers needs.

    4. Technology

    Technology in digital transformation refers to implementing the latest and most suitable technologies to support organizational growth.

    This includes adopting cloud computing, AI, IoT, and other digital tools that enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experiences, and drive innovation. Staying updated with technological advancements ensures the business remains competitive and agile.

    It’s a common misconception that more technology always equals better results.Sometimes it’s actually less. It’s crucial to choose the right technologies that align with your business goals and processes. Simply adding new tech without a strategic plan can lead to wasted resources and increased complexity without delivering the desired outcomes.

    Technology Metrics & KPIs:

    • Technology Adoption Rate
    • User Engagement Rate
    • Active Users
    • Churn Rate

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Technology component:

    •  We regularly assess and keep our systems up to date with the latest and most suitable technologies to support our organization’s growth plans.
    • Our technology efficiently handles data processing, storage, and sharing. This encompasses tools like a comprehensive sales and email management system (CRM), secure payment processors, and automated reporting systems to keep everyone informed.
    • Technology streamlines tasks for our team, saving money for our company in the process.
    • Our tech solutions are easy to use and available to both clients and team members.
    • We effectively leverage digital technology to support our organization’s growth and expansion.

    5. Operations

    Operations in digital transformation involve streamlining processes through digital tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

    This includes automating repetitive tasks, enhancing supply chain management, and optimizing resource allocation. Digital operations enable businesses to respond quickly to changes, reduce costs, and improve overall productivity.

    Many think digital transformation is only about customer-facing changes. Enhancing internal operations is equally important to drive overall organizational efficiency. By focusing on back-end processes, businesses can achieve significant improvements in performance and scalability.

    Operations Metrics & KPIs:

    • Process Efficiency Score
    • Cycle Time
    • Throughput
    • Resource Utilization

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Operations component:

    • Our customers can help themselves with self-service tools that not only save us money but also free up our team from repetitive tasks.
    • Our digital systems help our team work better and faster within our organization.
    • We’ve set up automated workflows that make our business nimble and more effective.
    • We employ digital tools to offer support to our team members, allowing our leadership to focus on more valuable responsibilities.
    • We effectively leverage digital technology to support our organization’s growth and expansion.

    6. Culture & People

    Culture & People in digital transformation are about fostering a digital-friendly culture and ensuring employees have the skills and mindset to embrace change.

    This includes providing training, encouraging innovation, and creating an environment where digital tools are seen as enablers of growth and success. A strong digital culture helps attract and retain top talent and drives continuous improvement.

    As mentioned previously, some believe digital transformation is purely a technological shift. It’s such a big misunderstanding that it’s worth repeating again because transformation is also a cultural change that requires buy-in and adaptation from all team members. Successful transformation involves addressing people’s attitudes and behaviors, ensuring they are aligned with the new digital vision.

    Culture/People Metrics & KPIs:

    • Employee Satisfaction Index
    • Job Satisfaction Score
    • Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)
    • Employee Turnover Rate

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Culture & People component:

    • Our team is fully equipped with digital skills, embracing and driving change.
    • Our employees are energized and committed to reaching their personal and company goals, thanks to digital processes that prevent burnout and encourage a healthy balance between work and life.
    • Our digital training systems efficiently educate our employees, fostering stronger connections with our organization.
    • Digital solutions streamline our HR operations and draw in top talent.
    • We employ digital tools and assessments to ensure that each member of our team is in a role that suits them best.

    7. Organization

    Organization in digital transformation refers to structuring the company to leverage digital tools for growth and accountability.

    This includes redefining roles and responsibilities, implementing collaborative platforms, and creating agile teams that can quickly adapt to new challenges. An effective organizational structure supports innovation and ensures smooth execution of digital strategies.

    Misconception: Organizational structure is rigid and can’t adapt quickly. Digital tools can help create a more agile and responsive organization. By breaking down silos and fostering collaboration, businesses can become more flexible and better positioned to capitalize on new opportunities.

    Organization Metrics & KPIs:

    • Organizational Agility Score
    • Time to Market
    • Project Success Rate
    • Agile Maturity Index

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Organization component:

    • Our team embraces collaborative digital platforms like email, Slack, Zoom, and Google Docs or Microsoft Teams to streamline information sharing.
    • Our organization is designed to facilitate business growth while using digital systems to ensure feedback and accountability, regardless of how big or fast we grow.
    • Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined across the organization, and easily accessible online for all team members.
    • Our organization is resilient and prepared for future challenges because of our long-term digital strategies.
    • We invest in enhancing our organizational methods using data and digital tools, consistently reviewing and refining outdated processes and procedures to foster innovation and progress.

    8. Marketing & Advertising

    Marketing & Advertising in digital transformation involve using digital tools and strategies to effectively reach and engage with your target audience.

    This includes leveraging social media, SEO, content marketing, and digital advertising to build brand awareness, generate leads, and drive conversions. Digital marketing provides measurable results and allows for real-time adjustments to campaigns.

    Misconception: Digital marketing is only about social media and online ads. It encompasses a wide range of tools and strategies, including content marketing, SEO, email marketing, and more. A comprehensive digital marketing strategy integrates multiple channels to reach customers at various touchpoints.

    Marketing/Advertising Metrics & KPIs:

    • Marketing ROI
    • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
    • Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
    • Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Marketing & Advertising component:

    • We’ve fully embraced digital ad technology and fine-tuned our ads for optimal performance.
    • We invest in content marketing, and it boosts our brand presence across relevant platforms, thanks to automated systems that ensure consistency.
    • We’re pioneers in our field, embracing new marketing tech to reach and convert potential clients more effectively.
    • Our marketing clearly conveys our brand and product value to our intended audiences, aligning channels with the right people.
    • Our lead generation systems attract valuable prospects and provide data-driven insights, helping our sales team identify top leads automatically.

    9. Cyber Security

    Cyber Security in digital transformation is about protecting your organization’s digital assets and data from cyber threats.

    This includes implementing robust security measures, conducting regular vulnerability assessments, and developing incident response plans. Ensuring the security of your digital infrastructure is crucial for maintaining customer trust and complying with regulatory requirements.

    Think cybersecurity is solely the IT department’s responsibility? Wrong. It’s a company-wide concern that requires awareness and practices from all employees. Building a strong security culture involves training staff on best practices and ensuring everyone understands their role in protecting the organization.

    Cybersecurity Metrics & KPIs:

    • Cybersecurity Incident Rate
    • Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
    • Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
    • Security Vulnerability Assessment Score

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Cyber Security component:

    • We regularly review our systems to pinpoint any weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
    • We’ve developed a thorough plan to handle cybersecurity breaches if they occur, and our team members are clear on their roles and responsibilities in this plan.
    • Security is a top concern when selecting our technology to safeguard sensitive data.
    • Our website clearly presents our privacy policies and terms, is updated regularly, and is easy to locate.
    • Our customers trust us to protect their data and keep their email addresses and other sensitive information confidential.

    10. Brand Management

    Brand Management in digital transformation involves managing your brand’s identity and reputation across digital platforms.

    This includes maintaining consistent messaging, monitoring online presence, and engaging with customers to build brand loyalty. Effective brand management helps differentiate your business and create a strong, positive perception in the market.

    Brand management is not only about logos and visuals. It also involves maintaining a consistent brand voice, monitoring online reputation, and ensuring positive customer experiences. A strong brand is built through every interaction customers have with your business, both online and offline.

    Brand Management Metrics & KPIs:

    • Brand Recognition Score
    • Brand Awareness
    • Brand Recall Rate
    • Share of Voice (SoV)

    Here are a handful of key indicators of success in the Brand Management component:

    • We’ve established detailed written guidelines for communicating visually and verbally about our brand.
    • Our brand identity is unmistakable, unwavering, and resonates with every group we aim to reach.
    • We keep a close eye on our brand’s reputation across all online and offline channels.
    • Our branding sets us apart from competitors and showcases our leadership in the industry.
    • Our marketing campaigns reliably yield a positive ROI and boost awareness of our brand.

    How to Assess Your Digital Maturity

    Take the Digital Maturity Assessment™

    Wondering which digital technologies and strategies should your organization prioritize for growth?

    Our powerful Digital Maturity Assessment™ gives you a benchmark for each of the 10 Key Components of Digital Maturity so you can measure the success of your Digital Transformation over time. 

    Further, if you work with our team to help enable us to precisely map the disparity between your aspirations for digital excellence within your business and your current standing.

    Here’s how it works: You’ll choose your rating  that best describes your digital maturity—from “None” to “World Class”—across the 10 components of digital transformation. There are up to 50 questions total and the assessment takes 10-15 minutes.

    Understand the 4 Stages of Digital Transformation™

    After taking the assessment, your organization will land in one of the 4 Stages of Digital Transformation: Stabilizing, Optimizing, Growing, or Transformational.

    1. Stabilizing: 0–35%

    In this stage, you’re creating the building blocks of your digital presence, like your brand, website, and initial organic advertising.

    2. Optimizing: 36–69%

    Now, you’re optimizing your business for scalability with a heavy focus on digital systems, automations, and repeatable processes to help you grow. 

    3. Growing: 70–90%

    You’re actively growing your organization through avenues like ads, business-wide automations, and marketing funnels.

    4. Transformational: 91–100%

    You’re experiencing exponential growth, results, and impact on your team, clients, and industry.

    How to Use Key Components Of Digital Transformation To Spearhead Change

    In order to compete and win in the marketplace, unlock meaningful long-term value, and achieve lasting category leadership, you know you must drive digital transformation in your organization.

    That said, what’s next?!

    Take the first step towards your digital transformation journey today. Complete our Digital Maturity Assessment and schedule a personalized review call with our experts to map out a strategic roadmap tailored to your business needs. Then you’ll have the clarity you need to make strategic commitments in each of the 10 components to drive digital transformation.

    From there, we’ll take you through a four step process to help you plan and define your digital transformation.

    4 Phases of Digital Transformation

    1. Vision (Why)

    The Vision phase focuses on setting ambitious yet achievable goals, understanding current operational challenges, and crafting a high-level roadmap that aligns with your company’s long-term strategy.

    It involves setting goals, understanding current challenges, and creating a high-level roadmap with deadlines to guide the transformation process.

    • Goals & Results: Define the overarching goals and desired outcomes for your digital transformation. What specific results do you aim to achieve? This could include increased efficiency, enhanced customer experiences, or expanded market reach.
    • Situation & Key Challenge: Assess the current state of your organization and identify the primary challenges that need to be addressed. This involves understanding where you stand in terms of digital maturity and pinpointing the obstacles hindering your progress.
    • Key Deadlines: Set realistic timelines for your transformation. Establishing deadlines (even ballpark ones!) helps ensure accountability and keeps the project progressing.
    • High-Level Project Plans: Outline a broad plan for the digital transformation strategy. This plan should highlight the major steps and milestones required to achieve your goals.

    A common misconception is that the Vision phase is just about outlining a general idea. In reality, it requires a detailed assessment of your current situation, clearly defined objectives, and a structured plan to drive meaningful change.

    Utilize tools, assessments, frameworks, and experienced consultants to make this process effective. At Structure, we used a proven, pre-defined process for this phase in our Digital Transformation Strategy Workshop. This 2-day experience is the beginning of a journey that ultimately culminates in a Digital Transformation Strategy.

    2. Strategy (What)

    The Strategy phase focuses on defining the actionable steps needed to achieve your vision.

    It involves setting strategic objectives, anticipating challenges, and developing solutions, including evaluating the business cases for potential projects.

    • Strategic Objectives to Reach Our Vision: Develop specific, measurable objectives that align with your vision. These should be actionable and geared towards achieving the results you defined in the Vision phase.
    • Digital Transformation Challenges: Identify the potential obstacles that could arise during the implementation of your digital transformation strategy. Understanding these challenges early on helps in planning effective solutions.
    • Digital Transformation Solutions: Propose solutions to address the identified challenges. This could include new technologies, process changes, or organizational adjustments.
    • Potential Project Business Cases: Evaluate the business cases for potential projects that align with your strategic objectives. This involves assessing the benefits, costs, and potential ROI of each project.
    • Potential Project (Solutions) Business Cases: Develop detailed business cases for the proposed solutions, outlining how each one will contribute to achieving your strategic objectives.

    Some may think the Strategy phase is only about planning… not action. The point is connecting (integrating) the vision through potential project evaluations and solutions to ensure they align with your strategic objectives and provide tangible value.

    This phase culminates in a presentation of the vision, estimated ROI and results, gaps and opportunities, along with projects and a path to resolve clearly defined issues to get to the vision.

    3. Roadmap (How)

    The Roadmap phase details how you will implement and manage the digital transformation. Our team offers this work in our Digital Growth Systems.

    It includes prioritizing projects, creating a business roadmap, establishing governance, and using dashboards to track progress. It also involves choosing the right project implementation methodologies and fostering continuous improvement.

    • Project Prioritization: Determine the order in which projects should be undertaken based on their impact, feasibility, and alignment with strategic objectives. This helps in managing resources effectively and ensuring critical initiatives are addressed first.
    • Business Roadmap: Create a detailed roadmap outlining the sequence of projects and initiatives, including key milestones and deliverables. This provides a clear path for execution and helps track progress.
    • Governance: Establish a governance structure to oversee the digital transformation strategy efforts. This includes defining roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes to ensure effective project management and accountability.
    • Dashboards: Implement dashboards to monitor progress and performance. These tools provide real-time insights into project status, helping to identify issues early and make data-driven decisions.
    • Project Implementation: Utilize various methodologies, such as agile, design thinking, and traditional approaches, to execute projects. Selecting the right methodology depends on the nature of the project and its requirements.
    • Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing processes and outcomes. This helps in adapting to changes and refining strategies for better results.
    • Post Program/Projects Evaluation and Lessons Learned: Evaluate the outcomes of completed projects and the overall transformation program. Identify lessons learned to inform future initiatives and improve overall performance.

    A common misconception is that the Roadmap phase is just about setting a budget and timeline. In reality, it involves detailed planning, governance, and continuous monitoring to ensure successful execution and adaptation throughout the transformation journey.

    Reporting & Change Management

    Some of the most overlooked parts of the roadmap include Reporting and Change Management processes.

    Typically, the leaders interested in growth and transformation are not interested in the tedious work of reporting on success/failure and coaching team members to success (especially those who may be resistant to change). That said, coming up with a plan for HOW those processes are going to be handled, will ensure success.

    This phase culminates with a scope of work of all the projects that would be included in the transformation (including establishing processes, hiring, etc.), along with a breakdown of the budget and resources required to complete the work.

    Common Questions About Key Components Of Digital Transformation

    How can a business measure the ROI of a digital transformation strategy?

    To measure the ROI of a digital transformation strategy, businesses should focus on both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Here are some examples:

    Quantitative Metrics:

    • Revenue Growth: Compare revenue before and after implementing digital transformation initiatives.
    • Cost Savings: Measure reductions in operational costs due to automation and improved processes.
    • Efficiency Gains: Track time saved in processes, increased productivity, and faster time-to-market for products/services.
    • Customer Metrics: Monitor customer acquisition rates, retention rates, and lifetime value.

    Qualitative Metrics:

    • Customer Satisfaction: Use surveys and feedback to gauge improvements in customer experience.
    • Employee Engagement: Measure employee satisfaction and productivity improvements.
    • Innovation: Assess the number of new products or services developed and brought to market.

    Ensure that during the Roadmap phase, you create balanced scorecards, KPIs, and analytics platforms to help track and visualize these metrics effectively.

    What is the difference between digitalization and digital transformation?

    Digitalization is the process of converting analog information into digital formats.

    It often involves automating existing processes without fundamentally changing them. For example, moving from paper-based to digital invoicing.

    Digital Transformation is a comprehensive strategy that fundamentally changes how a business operates and delivers value to customers. It goes beyond just digitizing existing processes to rethinking and redesigning business models, company culture, and customer experiences using digital technologies.

    What are the 5 domains of digital transformation?

    If you had to reconfigure our 10 Components down to 5 Domains, for simplicity, the the five domains of digital transformation are:

    1. Customers: Leveraging digital tools to better understand and engage with customers, providing personalized experiences.
    2. Competition: Rethinking how to compete and collaborate in the digital landscape, often involving partnerships and ecosystems.
    3. Data: Utilizing data as a strategic asset, focusing on data analytics, insights, and data-driven decision-making.
    4. Innovation: Encouraging a culture of continuous innovation, where digital technologies drive new products, services, and business models.
    5. Value: Redefining the value proposition and how the company delivers value to customers, leveraging digital capabilities.

    How can you get started on digital transformation or improve your strategy?

    1. Assess Current State: Conduct a thorough assessment of your current digital capabilities and identify gaps. Use the Digital Maturity Assessment to get started.
    2. Define Vision and Goals: Clearly articulate the vision and strategic objectives for digital transformation.
    3. Prioritize Initiatives: Focus on high-impact areas that align with your business goals. Start with pilot projects to test and refine your approach.
    4. Engage Stakeholders: Ensure alignment across leadership and involve key stakeholders from across the organization.
    5. Build Capabilities: Invest in the necessary technologies, processes, and people skills.
    6. Monitor and Adjust: Use KPIs and regular reviews to track progress and make necessary adjustments.

    Why adopting a digital transformation strategy has become a crucial aspect for enterprises?

    Adopting a digital transformation strategy is crucial for enterprises of all sizes for a few key reasons:

    • Competitiveness: It enables businesses to stay competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace.
    • Customer Expectations: It helps meet the evolving expectations of customers for seamless, personalized experiences.
    • Efficiency: Digital transformation can significantly improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.
    • Innovation: It fosters innovation by leveraging new technologies to create new business models and revenue streams.
    • Resilience: It enhances the ability to respond to disruptions, such as those caused by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic, by enabling more flexible and adaptable operations.
  • 7 Impact Investing Digital Strategies to Attract & Retain High-Value Investors

    7 Impact Investing Digital Strategies to Attract & Retain High-Value Investors

    In impact investing, where success means more than just making money, trust is super important. But these days, people want to see proof before they trust anyone. That’s why just saying “trust me” isn’t enough anymore. People want to know why they should trust you. That’s why impact investing digital strategies are more important than ever.

    We’re going to start by tackling some of the top challenges we’ve seen Fund Marketing Managers and Investor Relations Managers/Directors face in the impact investment space while attempting to attract and retain investors.

    Here are the common marketing & retention obstacles fund managers face:

    1. Educating Investors
    2. Overcoming Perceived Trade-offs
    3. Navigating Complex Metrics
    4. Building Credibility and Trust
    5. Managing Investor Expectations
    6. Accessing Deal Flow
    7. Regulatory Compliance

    We wrote this article to help you discover innovative ways to overcome these challenges through strategy so you can find and keep high-value investors.

    Get a FREE Customized Digital Growth Plan

    Take our 10-minute Digital Maturity Assessment and receive a FREE, personalized digital growth score that uncovers gaps and drives your fund forward.

    Take the Free Assessment →

    How to use modern impact investment digital strategies to overcome your biggest obstacles

    A tailored impact investment digital strategy becomes indispensable as you navigate the digital landscape to engage investors.

    From leveraging interactive tools to demonstrate the dual benefits of impact investing to providing transparent digital reports on your fund’s performance, our suggestions are designed to enhance investor trust and engagement in your mission.

    We’ll break down each of the seven obstacles and share key strategies you can pursue for your fund.

    1. Teach potential investors about impact investing

    Many people don’t know much about impact investing or don’t think it’s an excellent way to make money. But you can show them that it is!

    Let’s talk about how you can explain impact investing to people and excite them.

    As a fund manager, your best bet is to help potential investors understand how your fund can make money and do good things for the world.

    Sounds great, but we’ve found that many managers worry about scaring off deep-pocketed traditional investors who could invest in their fund, even if they care more about making money than doing good things.

    They also fear impact investing is too complicated and potential investors won’t understand it. And they’re afraid to experiment with modern digital strategies to get the word out about their fund.

    To overcome this obstacle, consider one or more of these digital strategies:

    • Interview impact investors one-on-one to understand their motivations and find angles you can use to clear up confusion.
    • Share resources like webinars, papers, or talks to explain impact investing and show examples of how it works.
    • Explain why people want to invest in things that do good and make money.

    These are some great starts! Now let’s discuss how you might implement each one.

    Interview impact investors one-on-one to understand their motivations

    Customer interviews are a classic way to understand your buyer (in this case, investor) and get into the mind of your market.

    You want your investors to notice your fund and be drawn to it’s mission.

    You do this by first understanding their needs, desires, and fears. Then you communicate to them in a way that reflects that understanding. Doing so requires you to do the deep, hard, slow work of understanding your investor’s specific context, what they care about, what motivates them, and even what scares them.

    You want to know what they want, so you can give them what they want.

    As an investment fund manager, you’re not new to this space. Thus, it’s super duper tempting to assume you know everything you need to know about them.

    You might know a lot about them, but you probably don’t know enough. And with the speed of time, there likely something new. The best way for you to understand and get an angle is to interview them one-on-one.

    Customer interviews is a widely discussed topic with many angles, nuances, and specialties. But to avoid getting too deep into the weeds, here are some questions you could use if you were to interview a current or potential investor today:

    7 Investor Interview Questions to Ask

    1. How did you invest before us?
    2. What were the biggest challenges with your previous investments?
    3. What were the consequences of each of those challenges?
    4. When and why did these challenges become a priority to solve?
    5. What did you do about it?
    6. What made you trust our fund? What made you comfortable? 
    7. Why did you ultimately choose to invest with us?

    It’s more than likely that your future investors will choose you for the same reasons that appealed to your current investors (if you have them).

    When you know what those reasons are specifically, you can use them in your communications to educate and build lasting trust.

    Share resources like webinars, papers, or talks that reveal a unique perspective

    If you’ve been around the block, you’ve probably heard the phrase: “Content is King.” You may have even heard the contrarian perspective: “Content isn’t king, relevancy is.”

    The truth is that neither content or relevancy by itself is “king.” Content can be crappy and relevancy can be fleeting. Relevant content is king.

    Give your investors actionable, disruptive insights

    Another way of putting it is that the pinnacle of kingship is when you present unique insights to your investors in a way that makes them go, “Wait, what?!”

    It’s likely that your investors will be most interested in consuming webinars, white papers, and talks that provide actionable insights, thought leadership, and practical strategies related to impact investing and social entrepreneurship.

    You’ll find out what your specific investors like during any interviews you do, but here are a few things they’ll likely find interesting:

    • Market Insights and Trends: Webinars, white papers, and reports that provide in-depth analysis of market dynamics, emerging sectors, and investment trends can help investors make informed decisions.
    • Impact Measurement and Reporting: Webinars, workshops, and case studies that provide practical guidance on impact measurement frameworks, data collection techniques, and impact reporting standards would be particularly valuable.
    • Investment Strategies & Due Diligence: Webinars, panel discussions, and expert interviews that explore impact investment strategies, investment vehicles, and investment models can help investors optimize their investment decisions.
    • Case Studies & Success Stories: Case studies, success stories, and impact reports that showcase the financial and social returns achieved by different impact funds, enterprises, and projects can provide valuable insights and inspiration for their own investment strategies.
    • Policy & Regulatory Updates: Webinars, articles, and briefings that discuss regulatory trends, policy debates, and legal considerations in impact investing can help investors navigate the regulatory environment more effectively.
    • Thought Leadership & Expert Perspectives: Webinars, talks, and conferences featuring prominent speakers and thought leaders discussing cutting-edge topics, innovative solutions, and future trends in impact investing.

    Explain why people really want to invest in things that do good

    Let’s get real; there are many reasons why an impact investor would want to invest in your fund and “do good” beyond actually just “doing good.”

    Some the reasons may be altruistic. Others may be narcisistic.

    Either way, explaining why an investor can fuctionally, emotionally, and philosophically benefit from “doing good” through your fund, not just for selfless reasons but selfish ones too, will draw them in deeper what you have to offer.

    Why people are motivated to invest in things that “do good”

    1. Alignment with Values: Impact investors are often driven to align their investments with their values and beliefs.
    2. Social & Environmental Impact: Impact investors are motivated to create positive social and environmental impact alongside financial returns.
    3. Risk Mitigation: Impact investors recognize that addressing social and environmental issues can help mitigate investment risks and enhance long-term financial performance.
    4. Market Opportunity: Impact investors view impact investing as a growing and lucrative market opportunity.
    5. Competitive Advantage: Impact investors recognize that integrating social and environmental considerations into investment decisions can provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
    6. Long-Term Value Creation: Impact investors take a long-term view of investment value creation, focusing on generating sustainable and inclusive growth over time.
    7. Personal Fulfillment: Impact investors find purpose and meaning in using their financial resources to drive positive social change.

    As a fund marketing manager, don’t be afraid to lean-in to your investors true desires. For some of clients, we’ve found that they’re helping their investors feel like they’re offsetting their overly consumptive lifestyle—like you can offset carbon—so they feel better about themselves.

    As funny as it may seem, you’re always delivering impact, no matter how tangible or intantigle it might seem.

    2. Use interactive tools to show how impact investing pays off

    Some think that impact investing means you won’t make as much money. That’s not true! But if you want to bring in and keep investors, you can show investors how your fund can make money while doing good things.

    One impact investing digital strategy is to create a tool, like a calculator, that shows investors how much money and good they can make from their investments. The tool will be different for each fund, depending on its focus.

    Some managers worry that investors won’t trust them if their funds don’t make as much money as other funds. They also fear telling people they can make money while doing good things. And they’re not sure how to explain that to investors.

    To overcome this obstacle, consider one or more of these digital strategies:

    • Look carefully at different investment vehicles to find ones that make a lot of money and do a lot of good.
    • Show examples of previous investments that made a lot of money and did a lot of good.
    • Tell investors that impact investing isn’t just a trend and can help make a better future for everyone.

    Showcasing your impact investment fund’s commitment to social impact and financial return is critical.

    We understand that simply talking about impact isn’t enough anymore; investors want to see tangible results. That’s why we emphasize the importance of highlighting success stories that illustrate how your fund makes a difference in communities while delivering solid financial returns.

    3. Share digital reports on how things are going

    Telling investors about the performance of their investments can be challenging, but it’s essential to do so in a way that’s easy to understand.

    Many managers worry they’ll mess up the numbers or not collect enough information about how well things are going. They also fear figuring everything out will take too much time and money. And they’re not sure how to use new ways of measuring how well things are going.

    To overcome this obstacle, consider one or more of these digital strategies:

    • Communicate the value of impact metrics in enhancing investment decision-making, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
    • Invest in robust impact measurement and reporting systems to ensure accuracy, transparency, and consistency in impact data.
    • Collaborate with peers and partners to optimize impact measurement frameworks and methodologies.

    Let’s break each of these strategies down into some more detail.

    Communicate the value of impact metrics

    Your impact nvestors will be interested in financial metrics that demonstrate the fund’s financial performance and sustainability, as well as impact metrics that reflect the fund’s social outcomes and contribution to community empowerment.

    Financial Metrics & Results

    Here’s a breakdown of some key financial metrics that investors will likely care most about:

    1. Return on Investment (ROI): Investors will be interested in tracking the fund’s ROI, which measures the profitability of their investments over time. This metric provides insight into the financial returns generated by the fund’s portfolio of investments, including dividends, capital gains, and distributions.
    2. Cash Flow Analysis: Investors will analyze the fund’s cash flow statements to assess its liquidity, solvency, and ability to meet financial obligations. Positive cash flows indicate healthy financial performance and the fund’s capacity to distribute returns to investors.
    3. Net Asset Value (NAV): NAV reflects the total value of the fund’s assets minus its liabilities. Investors often monitor changes in NAV to gauge the overall performance and value of their investments in the fund.
    4. Operating Expenses Ratio: Investors would be interested in understanding the fund’s operating expenses ratio, which measures the proportion of total assets consumed by operating expenses. A lower ratio indicates efficient fund management and maximizes returns for investors.

    Impact Metrics & Results

    The impact metrics that your investors will want to see will likely be dependent on the type of impact you’re having.

    To illustrate the idea, let’s explore a fictional example related to the ESG Investing space called the “GreenTech Impact Fund.” Let’s say this fund is dedicated to driving positive environmental change through strategic investments in innovative green technologies.

    For the GreenTech Impact Fund, investors would be most interested in knowing metrics or results related to:

    1. Carbon Emissions Reduction: This could include quantifying the CO2 emissions avoided or mitigated by portfolio companies’ products or services.
    2. Renewable Energy Generation: Metrics tracking the amount of renewable energy generated or installed by portfolio companies can provide tangible evidence of the fund’s contribution to the transition to clean energy sources.
    3. Resource Efficiency: Investors may also value impact metrics related to resource efficiency, such as the reduction in water consumption, waste generation, or raw material usage achieved by portfolio companies’ technologies.
    4. Job Creation: Impact investors often seek to support companies that create positive social outcomes, including job creation and economic empowerment. Metrics measuring the number of jobs created or supported by portfolio companies can demonstrate the fund’s contribution to inclusive growth and employment generation.
    5. Community Engagement: Investors may appreciate impact metrics that reflect portfolio companies’ engagement with local communities and stakeholders.
    let’s shift to Social Good Investing metrics.

    Imagine we’re looking to report on impact metrics for a Community Empowerment Impact Fund that exists to empower individuals and families to thrive by addressing systemic barriers and promoting social inclusion.

    While many of the financial metrics are the same as any other fund, the impact metrics you report might look more like the following:

    1. Affordable Housing Units Created or Preserved
    2. Jobs Created and Unemployment Reduction
    3. Educational Outcomes: Metrics related to educational attainment, such as graduation rates, academic achievement, and access to quality education, can showcase the fund’s contribution to enhancing educational opportunities and fostering lifelong learning.
    4. Healthcare Access and Wellness: The number of individuals served by healthcare services, such as reduced rates of chronic disease.
    5. Community Engagement and Participation: Metrics related to community involvement, such as volunteer hours, civic participation, and resident satisfaction.

    What impact metrics should you use for your fund?

    The B Impact Assessment by B Lab, the nonprofit behind the B Corporation certification, allows companies like yours to assess their social and environmental performance based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including governance, workers, community, and environment.

    The assessment generates a score that can be used for benchmarking and reporting purposes. This impact management tool is free and confidential, and will give you a jumpstart at defining and communicating your impact metrics.

    Invest in robust impact measurement and reporting systems

    Here’s why: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”

    While this is a highly debated philosophical topic, let’s set that aside for a minute and look at the practical application of this idea.

    Yes, the tree made a sound. Except there are no witnesses to prove it. Going back to the excerpt in our article, people want to see proof. “Trust me” isn’t enough anymore. Investors want to know why…

    Don’t let your impact to fall like a tree in a forest with no one around to hear it. Do good and do well, my friend!

    What financial and impact reporting options should you consider?

    There is always more tech than time.

    The key is to identify an experimental and step-by-step approach for investing in robust impact measurement and reporting systems. Just insure they align with your specific fund’s goals, resources, and priorities.

    Most funds should implement these solutions:

    1. Data Management and Analytics Tools: Streamline impact data collection, organization, and analysis. Automate data processing tasks, identify trends and patterns, and generate actionable insights for decision-making.
    2. Third-Party Impact Measurement & Reporting Platforms: Leverage third-party impact measurement platforms that offer standardized frameworks and methodologies for assessing social and environmental impact. These platforms often provide pre-built templates, tools, and dashboards for streamlined impact reporting.
    3. Custom Impact Measurement & Reporting Software: Once you exhaust third-party options, you can explore custom software solutions designed specifically for your unique impact measurement and reporting needs.

    Just don’t forget about training and coaching for internal impact!

    It’s important to invest time and money into training and capacity building. This will ensure that your fund staff are equipped to measure and report on your impact.

    This may include a number of things like workshops, seminars, and certification programs. The key is to avoid failing to sustain or communicate the impact that you’ve achieved—no matter how small or large.

    Optimize impact measurement frameworks and methodologies

    Engage with digital consulting firms like Structure, or impact measurement experts in peer groups. They will help you stabilize or optimize your impact measurement and reporting systems.

    These experts can offer strategic advice, conduct impact assessments, and assist in developing customized reporting frameworks tailored to your fund’s needs.

    Don’t let poor execution be the cause of your downfall. Too often, fund managers focus on the activities surrounding the fund operation, rather than being laser-focused on the outcomes of the operation.

    4. Visualize how well you’ve done before

    Investors need to trust you. They want to know that you’ve done an excellent job with their money and are honest with them.

    Many managers worry they’ll mess up and lose investors’ trust. They’re also afraid to admit when they make mistakes. And they’re not sure how to tell people about all the good things they’ve done.

    To fix this:

    • Be honest with investors about how well things are going, even when they’re not going well.
    • Talk with investors about what they want and how you can ensure they get it.
    • Tell investors about all the good things you’ve done and how you will do even better in the future.

    5. Be open about what could go wrong

    It’s hard to please everyone. Sometimes, what investors want and what the world needs are different.

    Many managers worry they won’t be able to please investors. They’re also afraid to discuss what might go wrong and don’t know how to ensure that investors know what’s going on in the world.

    To fix this:

    • Be clear with investors about what might go wrong and how you’ll fix it.
    • Talk with investors about what they want and what you can do to ensure they’re happy.
    • Tell investors you’re always there to help them, no matter what happens.

    Our suggestions address your need for customized communication approaches that resonate with diverse investor preferences and values.

    By segmenting investors based on their interests and tailoring messaging accordingly, you can foster deeper connections and drive greater investor participation in your fund.

    6. Display how you find reputable investments

    It can be hard for impact-focused investors to find investments that make money and do good. As a fund, you need to have good connections and know where to look to find reputable opportunities for your investors.

    Many managers worry they won’t be able to find suitable investments. Also, they’re often afraid to try new ways of finding investments. And they’re unsure how to tell investors where their money is going.

    To fix this:

    • Cultivate diverse networks and partnerships to access various impact investment opportunities across sectors and geographies.
    • Leverage technology and data analytics to identify emerging trends, assess market opportunities, and evaluate potential investments.
    • Collaborate with industry associations, development agencies, and impact investors to share deal flow insights and best practices.

    Stay ahead of the curve by embracing digital innovation in your marketing efforts.

    Whether it’s leveraging technology to identify new investment opportunities or partnering with private equity firms to scale social impact initiatives, our suggestions are aimed at helping you position your fund for long-term success in driving positive change.

    7. Follow compliance and invest in security

    You know this already, but compliance is really important… especially when it comes to investing. You need to make sure that you’re doing everything correctly and that you’re keeping everyone safe.

    Many managers worry that they’ll break the rules or do something wrong. Often, they’re afraid that following the rules will cost too much, and they’re not sure how to keep your data safe and secure.

    To fix this:

    • Stay informed about regulatory developments and industry standards related to impact investing to ensure compliance and mitigate legal risks.
    • Invest in robust compliance management systems and staff training programs to uphold regulatory requirements and reporting obligations.
    • Engage with regulators, policymakers, and industry associations to advocate for precise, consistent, and proportionate regulatory frameworks that support responsible impact investing practices.

    I’m sure compliance and regulations are undoubtedly top of mind for you—you might just not know what to do about it. That’s why we’ve emphasized the importance of investing in robust compliance management systems and staying informed about regulatory developments.

    By prioritizing compliance, you can maintain a secure operating environment for your investors and uphold the integrity of your impact investment fund.

    Elevate investor engagement with a Digital Growth System

    Overcoming the challenges of attracting and retaining high-value investors is crucial. To build trust and demonstrate the value of your fund, an expert impact investing digital strategy is essential.

    At Structure, our Digital Growth System services are here to support you through this journey. We help you integrate your marketing, customer service, and operations efforts to address key obstacles like educating investors, managing expectations, and ensuring compliance.

    Explore how we can assist you in achieving your impact investing digital strategies goals by visiting Structure’s Digital Growth Systems. Let’s drive your fund’s success.