Managed Services News
CJ Fairfield
It’s finding things that give you a chance to position yourself differently. It’s a way to learn a different way to tell a story,’ Val Wright, author and creative expert, on growing a digital footprint.
According to author and innovation expert Val Wright, the definition of a digital footprint is “deliberately vague” because it all depends on the individual and their business.
“It’s finding things that give you a chance to position yourself differently,” she said. “It’s a way to learn a different way to tell a story.”
Wright spoke to partners this week at channel company XChange’s August 2022 event in Denver about creating a digital footprint to grow their business.
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She says there are four categories leaders can fall into when it comes to their digital footprint: magnetic, memorable, lost and completely lost. A leader in Magnetic Online, for example, has been contacted by the media to speak as an expert in the industry, she said.
“You present new opportunities, clients and partners are happy to hear from you and want to seek your advice or give you business,” she says.
A memorable online presence, another category of leader, is someone who doesn’t get asked to be interviewed but has a seat on an advisory board or speaks at a conference.
“You’re probably well known in a small group of people,” she said.
The third category is lost presence.
“If you’re lost, you might have people who know you,” she said.
The fourth category, according to Wright, is disappearing entirely, absent from all digital footprints.
There is no framework to work with because partners have to find what works for them in growing their digital footprint, she said.
Wright took questions from partners about how they can work on their digital footprint. One question was around being consistent in posting online.
“The first thing is to get help,” she said. “If you have a marketing department, there are marketing methods to use the technology to create content and share your content.”
Because partners are typically more social media savvy and already have a digital footprint, they can ask young people to help them, she said.
She also suggests carving out specific time to spend online informing yourself. It can be 15 minutes a week and then it can be increased gradually.
It is also important to ignore distractions. Don’t follow and follow what you want.
“Don’t reject relationships that you have no value in accepting,” she said. “You should only date people who want to stay in touch with you. It’s okay to say no.”
Wayne Roye, CEO of New York MSP Troynet, sees the importance of self-promotion as a business and as a business owner.
“You’re the head of the company, people see you, they know you’re the company,” he told CRN. “Getting out there and being exposed shows your culture and shows your passion. It humanizes the company, and it makes me realize that I need to market more.”
CJ Fairfield
