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The more I delve into and work with the world of digital engagement, the more I am humbled by it. This is primarily because of the overwhelming power digital engagement has to impact our organizations and the consumers of our products and services.

My purpose for writing this book is a bold one: I want to prepare you and your organizations for the potentially perilous and ever-changing road ahead in the digital revolution. Digital growth strategies will need to be reimagined constantly to continue to be effective—in essence, digital growth is like scaling a mountain with no peak. But this climb, while continuous and difficult at times, can bring insight, growth, and strength to your organization. The most important takeaway is you are never finished with your digital strategy—there is always work to be done and new discoveries to be made.

Let’s turn that statistic on its head. Ten percent of your conversations and engagements with customers will happen via phone, mail, or in person (twenty years ago, those were the only engagement channels available for use with your customer pool). That makes digital marketing the single most important aspect of communication with prospects as they move through a conversion cycle.

Think about early technological advancements such as the telephone or the automobile. With those advancements came long periods for the general population to adopt and adapt. With current technology (and subsequently, digital engagement), that window is now measured in months versus years. The adoption window will continue to shorten as new advancements emerge. In order for organizations to stay on top, they almost have to anticipate new trends applicable to their audiences. And since these changes come quickly, there will always be a list of new digital tasks to do and knowledge to gain.

If we return to our customer statistic (85 percent will communicate with you via digital methods) and evidence that indicates that percentage will likely rise in the next few years, fortifying your digital strategy is a critical piece of being able to continue to reach your customer. You certainly would not let your phone lines go down or lock your doors so customers could not come in to buy your products. Would you be OK with a phone connection full of static or physical barriers around your store that customers had to navigate? I would venture to say those would also result in a resounding no. If those barriers are not acceptable, then why do organizations tolerate a website where information is difficult to find or emails that feel like the digital version of robocalls? These subpar user experiences not only turn off customers to your brand, but also open the door for market share erosion.

Some critics and even experts say digital engagement is simpler than people have been led to believe; they suggest that as long as you have a website and send out a few emails, you have done your digital duty. Some critics will tell you that digital engagement is just too complex, so there is no way to optimize. And some say that because digital technology changes so frequently, there is no point in trying to optimize. While these considerations may be easy to accept because then there is no responsibility (digital things simply happen to our organizations), this is a gross miscalculation.

Certainly, organizations would either like to throw their hands up and say it is just too complex, or cheer for themselves because they have taken care of their digital marketing and they can now move on to other things. From working with organizations around the world, I have discovered these notions are based more on lack of understanding of our own power to engage in the digital space than on anything else. Knowing is half the battle, and by knowing where you have digital holes (in both your strategy and knowledge), you can educate and apply yourself to closing those gaps, or at the very least, work with the right experts who can guide you to a better digital future for your organization and your customers. Organizations can look at both sides of this argument and see how different points of view result in very different business outcomes.

Consider a company that has clearly done its digital homework and has even been called a “tech-minded organization” by Bloomberg.¹ Founded in 2013, ThirdLove launched by using mobile video ads delivered through Facebook. In fact, Facebook uses ThirdLove results in a case study on best practices for mobile video ads. ThirdLove only sells products online, has grown over the past five years, and was added to Business Insider’s list of lingerie companies that are changing the industry in July 2018.² The company’s use of digital engagement, including its trademarked FitFinder quiz and use of digital advertising, allowed ThirdLove to reduce the cost of user acquisition and cost per click (CPC) by 25 percent. What’s more, when customers purchase from the company, they can take the quiz, order their product, try it at home for a period of time, and return it if it isn’t exactly what they want without ever having to venture out of the digital retail space. Facebook was even quick to share the backstory of ThirdLove and the moment the cofounder decided to launch a lingerie brand because none of the bras in her dresser drawer fit properly: Google “Why was ThirdLove created?” for a fascinating sidenote.

Compare that with an established brand, Victoria’s Secret, which has seen a decline in sales over the last few years, with a significant drop in sales in 2018. Interestingly, when surveyed, more than half the brand’s shoppers felt the brand had a “forced” or “fake” feeling.³ Reviewing Victoria’s Secret and the brand’s digital presence, you can certainly check off boxes: website, emails, social media presence. But potential customers saying the brand is forced is telling—there is not a cohesive and appropriate brand message aligned with the current consumer climate. And this digital story misstep is costing the brand market share to new companies that, while barely old enough to walk, are running over an established brand.