Test Your Digital Fitness

What's Next DC took place Jan. 23 at George Washington University.

Most organizations have failed to evolve and are stuck in the Jurassic period, says B. Bonin Bough, PepsiCo’s global head of digital marketing. So, let’s think about this. Is your personal technology a step or even light years ahead of the technology you use at work? Are you Blackberry by day and iPhone by night? How can you push your organization forward beyond a point of comfort?

These are the questions I pondered during What’s Next DC, a one-day strategy conference for marketing and communication professionals. We are living in a digital age of mass consumption. Ninety-six percent of adults aged 18-29 use mobile devices, and last year, people downloaded more apps than songs. Whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest or YouTube, consumers and organizations have the opportunity to be more connected than ever before. The core question is how do you create and maintain a connection? You can start by using Bough’s Digital Fitness Model to assess and update your strategies.

Digital Fitness Model

Sketch note from Bough's Digital Fitness presentation

1. Invite Innovation – Be open to trying new things.
2. Challenge Convention – Traditional media is still an effective way to reach a target audience, but are there ways to be more efficient and effective?
3. Experiment – Test new technologies. If needed, start small and launch pilot projects.
4. Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good – Technology is always changing, so don’t delay a project. Get it out on the market and make continuous updates.
5. Learn, Rinse, Repeat – Share your successes and even failures with others. We’re all here to experiment and learn.

What’s Next DC convened Jan. 23 and featured digital strategists from a variety of companies and organizations including The Salvation Army, Facebook, Klout and the General Services Administration. To learn more, go to http://www.whatsnextdc.com/