A lot of businesses out there still battle with the concept of creating a proper digital strategy for the online development of their brand. Most have the improvised approach – starting with a basic, almost non-existent approach, and building on that as they overcame the countless obstacles that occur along the way. And that is more survival than strategizing if you look at the bigger picture. Therefore, we’ve decided to contribute to influencing that approach at least as far as the relocation industry is concerned. So, if you have started a moving business or are looking at how to expand your current one digitally, but have no plan on how to do that, we have the perfect solution – a digital roadmap. Read on to learn more about creating a digital roadmap and how it can benefit your moving business.
Starting with the basics – what is a digital roadmap?
- A digital roadmap presents a detailed blueprint with a goal to align your business plan with your digital growth objectives.
Creating a digital roadmap means that you are looking to expand your business online and take it to its next evolutionary stage. Whereas your moving business plan focuses on the traditional development and how to accommodate for all the factors, this goes a step further. The roadmap is here to help companies fulfill their digital potential on a short- to medium-term basis.
It is supposed to answer fundamental questions such as:
- How can my business prosper through digital channels?
- What would be the milestones between the present situation and where we want to be?
- Which action plans would be best for reaching those milestones?
- How much will you need to invest to make it happen and what would be the ROI expectancy?
- What are the potential obstacles?
- How long is each development stage going to take?
- What would we define as the finish line?
Of course, creating a digital strategy for your business goes beyond answering these questions. There is a lot of room in-between them for additional follow-up topics. As a business owner, you need to consider the angle your competitors are taking, the unpredictable factors, shifts in the market, etc. Basically, you want to leave room for your digital roadmap to breathe and be flexible enough to adapt to industry changes. And if you are wondering by now – yes, having a quality digital roadmap can make all the difference in realizing your business objectives.
How far ahead should a digital roadmap take you?
Each company has its own set of rules and its own goals to fulfill. Depending on that, the timeframe for creating a digital roadmap tends to vary.
- If you are in the market for a one-time, short-burst advertising campaign, the timeframe will be a short one – quarterly or half-annual at best.
- On the other hand, if you are more interested in investing long-term in the digital future of your business, you should be looking along the lines of three years. Of course, the primary focus of a roadmap here would be oriented towards delivering on the majority of objectives in the first year. That way, you will be able to leave room to adapt to up&coming events as the following two years unfold.
And just like any other long-term projection, you need to establish regular monitoring and analysis through scheduled reviews. Since the first year is the most important one, your reviews here should be scheduled quarterly. Once you complete that, you can switch over to an annual analysis of your digital roadmap. It’s important to remember that you are not looking to create a three-year agenda here but rather a line of sight that can see far off into the distance at all times. And one that can help you make educated decisions that can potentially benefit the development of your moving business.
Setting up the structure when creating a digital roadmap
Since more than half of businesses today are still reluctant to get into mapping their digital activities, there is no algorithm set in stone for creating the perfect one. The entire process works on a trial-by-case basis, giving companies in different niches the freedom to experiment and align it with their inner structure. However, there are always certain guidelines that you can use as starting points:
- A visual representation of the roadmap. Usually in the form of a diagram, with your targets and expectations numbered and aligned in bullet points.
- An overview of the entire plan. Each long-term plan of action should be outlined with fundamental pieces of information – a purpose, the administrative team or individual in charge of it, reviews’ history and overall timeframe.
- The summary. Where each objective should be explained in the form of a summary. And the entire roadmap should be split by checkpoints across the timeframe. It might also be a good idea to offer objective predictions in terms of the level of impact each objective will have (low/medium/high) as well as any contingency plans.
- An in-depth take on each objective. Digging deep into each of the goals you set out, you need to consider everything that can influence it. And this can/should include assessing your current capabilities for each goal, potential obstacles in fulfilling each one, standards that you want to maintain, expected outcomes, pre-determined KPIs, individual responsibilities, resources, and budget.
It’s much simpler than you think
It’s completely understandable if you are looking at all this right now and thinking to yourself how nobody has the time to create such an extensive novel. Despite that initial belief, it is much less complex than you consider it to be. You shouldn’t look at this as a research paper on artificial intelligence. Instead, look at it as a digitalized guide to what your business stands for and the direction you want it to head towards. It should be a concise yet informative and transparent document that anyone in your organization can access and understand.
How to avoid missteps when creating a digital roadmap?
#1: Devote your complete attention to this document
Similar to coming up with a brand development strategy for your business – a digital roadmap should be an entity that grows alongside your business. It should be a beacon for your digital strategy to follow at all times, perfectly aligned with your business plan on a long-term basis. That is why you need to focus so much on creating a digital roadmap, but more than that – review it constantly and keep it up-to-date. Apply real-time analysis to it, tailor it to modern business requirements, adapt it to external influencing factors, etc. Whatever the case – you want to avoid creating a sub-standard plan of action.
#2: Keep all administrators included in navigating the roadmap
The creation and maintenance of digital roadmaps should never be limited to a single person. They are collaborative strategies that should involve all relevant parties within an organization. Therefore, you need to ensure that the entire plan is presented in the form of a shared business objective. Only by relying on teamwork can you ensure the overall success of the roadmap you create.
#3: Make sure to determine your goals as clearly as possible
Too many business owners tend to overcomplicate their objectives, wanting to grab the entire cake rather than a bigger slice. You need to remain realistic and transparent when creating a digital roadmap. That means that the objectives you list out should be ambitious and yet achievable milestones. And that also includes setting up the proper metrics for monitoring progress, establishing well-timed checkpoints, proposing alternative solutions, etc.
A tactical approach here is one that can serve you best. Once you lay out all the objectives as clearly as possible, categorize them. Rationalize which will be simpler to fulfill, and focus on offering additional propositions for the more challenging ones. That way, you will have a user-friendly roadmap with little chance of mishaps and confusion.
#4: Consider the option of professional outside assistance
Sometimes, having the support of a third party with a long history, standing reputation, and competitive market insights – can all help you gain the upper hand. A company like ours can understand the endless pursuit of expanding your business and improving your moving company. Therefore, our unique perspective can not only benefit your digital development efforts long-term but also plan them out. Nobody wants to waste time and resources on creating a digital roadmap without any prior knowledge when there are companies that can guide you through the process, much like we are doing here.
Roadmaps vs. digital transformation
Once again, a business needs to comprehend that establishing a digital roadmap does not, in fact, ensure online success. It’s not a golden ticket that will make you a leading factor in the moving industry, or any other niche for that matter. The name itself says it all – it is a roadmap. As such, you still need to secure the resources and means to navigate through that map and go through all the checkpoints. Only by doing that can you hope to secure the digital transformation of your business.
One thing is certain. The more detailed and easy-to-read that roadmap is from the start, the faster it will be for you to reach the finish line. It is your guide. Therefore, it should lead you through all the ups and downs that are certain to pop up on the journey ahead.
Make your roadmapping efforts a seamless experience
Each company is unique in its own right, with different core values, resources, expectations, and objectives. Rather than following the competition in your efforts to stay competitive, take the educated leap by creating a digital roadmap that will cement your road to online success. And if you need professional assistance, give our company a call and let us guide you through the process. For more information, check out some of our other articles for moving companies.
