How to build a digital marketing culture in your company?

Very often, in my early jobs working in advertising agencies, I’ve experienced how both organisations (the agency and the clients) seems to be suffering from digital marketing deficit. From an agency perspective, digital, was viewed as a medium to propagate the communication proposition. For the client, digital was a box to be ticked, in their marketing checklist. In industry forums and workshops, I used to discuss (and also hear) with my peers and speakers about ‘the lack of digital marketing strategy’ or ‘not have a strategic view of digital’ etc… and the scenario is no different, even today.
The problem, i’ve identified, is not about strategy but lack of ‘digital marketing culture’ in organisations. Thanks to technology and the connected world, marketing is no longer a prerogative for a bunch of people working in a specific department or of outside consultants/vendors working for them. It is something that each and every one in the organisation can participate in. By Digital Marketing Culture, I mean, the ability and inclination of all employees to create, publish, and manage company/brand related information, that will create, maintain, and grow the brand communication and awareness amongst the consumer.
Here are few thoughts on how to develop a digital marketing culture in the organisation
Value each input: Remember, no idea or thought is too small or (or too big); As technology keeps evolving and the rapid pace at which innovations takes place, what seemingly cannot be considered today can become a reality tomorrow.
Entrepreneurship: Let people take ownership. Give your employees the opportunity to own and drive their idea. No longer should we have one dimensional view of a company as a structured organisation creation product or services… but also as a coalition of smaller businesses and people coming together.
Recognition: In a typical organisation, recognition is an outcome of a person succeeding in something beyond normal. There should also be recognition for the work they are doing and done… not just success alone.
Trust your employees. One of the biggest reason why companies hate to give away brand control is lack of trust. They do not trust the consumers or the other stakeholders to do justice to the brand always and hence shy away from sharing the brand control. In a digital world, where the brand is connected 24X7 with the customers, each employee has a potential to become brand spokesperson. Companies can start this on batch-wise basis: identify few people from different department on daily/weekly basis and make them the spokesperson for the brand in the digital space… by doing so, a more holistic and human conversations are generated in the online (esp social media) space
Remember, while having a digital marketing strategy is good, having a digital marketing culture is great.. As Peter Drucker said, Culture eats strategy for breakfast.

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