Headlines and Show Notes

Digital transformation is, at its core, about business transformation. And business transformation, at its core, is about people. Research shows that many people need to learn new skills and up-skill existing ones as their companies evolve. So, what are the skills you need to compete as your company undergoes its digital transformation? What do you need to know to keep yourself relevant in a rapidly changing environment? In short, how do you deliver the digital transformation of you?

The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud looks at the digital transformation of you and the skills you need to compete in the current marketplace.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you:

Relevant Links — Digital Transformation of You: The Skills You Need to Compete (Thinks Out Loud Episode 296)

* The Pandemic Has Accelerated Demands for a More Skilled Work Force – The New York Times

* The Future is Already Here…

* Microsoft launches initiative to help 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in a COVID-19 economy – The Official Microsoft Blog

* Microsoft commits to helping 25 million people acquire new digital skills needed for the Covid-19 economy

* Helping 25 Million Job Seekers Get Back to Work | Official LinkedIn Blog

* LinkedIn’s Economic Graph — A digital representation of the global economy

* July Workforce Report 2020

* Digital Blindspot | Markle | Advancing America’s Future

* https://www.markle.org/sites/default/files/2019-10-24-RABN-Digital-Literacy-ReportFINAL.pdf

* Microsoft launches a free Search and Social campaign management platform for SMBs

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Headlines and Show Notes

We’re living through tough times. You didn’t need me to tell you that. What you do need are some tips on what you can do about that fact. And, in last week’s episode, I talked about a “first step” that you can do right now to help your business. As a follow-up, here are to more key steps towards digital transformation.

Why is digital transformation particularly important right now? Because no one can go outside. Not your salespeople. Not your team. And, most important, not your customers. You need digital to do the heavy lifting for your brand and your business if you plan to have a brand and a business on the other side of this mess.

How do you do that? The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud gives you two key steps towards digital transformation so your business can benefit.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you:

Relevant Links — Two Key Steps Towards Digital Transformation (Thinks Out Loud Episode 295)

* DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | The Conference Board

* Consumer Confidence Index® | The Conference Board

* A look back in IPO: Facebook’s trailing profit and mobile intrigue | TechCrunch

* A Digital Transformation First Step: What You Can Do Right Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 294)

* Windows Phone was a glorious failure – The Verge

* Chris Walton (@OmniTalk) / Twitter

* Lululemon’s Mirror Acquisition Is Next Level Omnichannel Retailing At Its Finest

* E-commerce Data Suggests Some Physical Retail Stores May Be A Luxury Consumers No Longer Need

* Uber to acquire Postmates for $2.65 billion after Grubhub fell through

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Digital transformation is a process, not a destination. So, even though we’ve seen “two years of digital transformation in two months,” don’t feel like you’re late to the party. You have plenty of opportunity to improve the experience you provide customers using digital right now. Or, you do as long as you take your first step towards digital transformation.

What tools exist to help you on your journey? How can you begin to create great experiences for your customers? And how can you take your first step towards digital transformation for your company, right now? This episode of Thinks Out Loud is here to help you get started.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.

A Digital Transformation First Step: What You Can Do Right Now — Headlines and Show Notes

* The Five Drivers of E-commerce and Digital Transformation for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 293)

* Digital Transformation: A Brief Introduction (Thinks Out Loud Episode 178)

* We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288)

* Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287)

* FREE! Mark Schaefer’s Pandemic Business Strategy Playbook

* How You Can Make Digital Do Your Heavy Lifting in Difficult Times (Thinks Out Loud Episode 283)

* Why We Need to Use Digital to Listen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 290)

* The Best Blog Topics Idea Generator – QuestionDB

* AnswerThePublic

* BuzzSumo.com

* Monitor Social Media Management

* Why Google is the Beast That Scares Your Industry’s 800-lb.

The Five Drivers of E-commerce and Digital Transformation for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 293) — Headlines and Shownotes

We’re seeing an enormous shift to digital during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the pandemic is only accelerating that shift. The fact is, we’ve been moving this way for some time. And regardless of what’s most important to your business right now, there are five drivers of e-commerce and digital transformation that will shape your business even once the pandemic is gone — whenever that happens to be.

What are the five drivers of e-commerce and digital transformation for your business? How can you put those drivers to work? And how can you build a plan that sets you up for success now and in the longer term? This episode of Thinks Out Loud takes a look at the five drivers of e-commerce and digital transformation and offers answers to your key questions.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.:

Relevant Links — The Five Drivers of E-commerce and Digital Transformation for Your Business (Thinks Out Loud Episode 293)

* There is Never a “New Normal” In Digital (Thinks Out Loud Episode 292)

* We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288)

* How You Can Make Digital Do Your Heavy Lifting in Difficult Times (Thinks Out Loud Episode 283)

* https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2020-06/56395-CBO-Pelosi-Letter.pdf

* It’s All E-commerce

* Thinks Out Loud Episode 13: It’s All E-commerce

* We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288)

* We Live In The Future (Thinks Out Loud Episode 274)

* Stop Outsourcing Your Sales & Marketing to Gatekeepers Like Google (Thinks Out Loud Episode 257)

* Digital Transformation Is About Talent, Not Technology

* What is the future of conferences ...

There is Never a “New Normal” In Digital — Headlines and Show Notes

If you’re anything like me, you’re getting tired of everyone talking about the “new normal” of the post-COVID world. We’re a long way from “normal” and aren’t likely to get there soon. However, the current state of dynamic change, rapidly evolving customer behaviors, and competing priorities isn’t a “new normal” for digital professionals. It’s how we’ve worked for years. We were made for this moment. That’s a good thing — and one you want to use to your advantage.

The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud looks at why there’s never a new normal in digital and how you can use that fact to benefit you and your business.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you:

Relevant Links — There is Never a “New Normal” in Digital (Episode 292)

Yep. It’s a Recession (AKA It’s Always Darkest Before It’s Pitch Black)

* We’re in a Recession. What Should Your Marketing Team Do? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 291)

* When Will the Recession End? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 289)

* We’re in a Recession. What Should Your Marketing Team Do? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 291)

Rapid Pace of Change (AKA There is Never a “New Normal”)

* The Plan is Not the Goal (Thinks Out Loud Episode 282)

* Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287)

* We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288)

* Pandemic-Proof Digital Trends: What You Need to Know (Thinks Out Loud Episode 284)

* Digital is stranger than you can think-here’s how to think stranger – Biznology

* When will B2B trade shows and in-person events return? – Biznology

* Where AI Will Affect Sales and Marketing First.

We’re in a Recession. What Should Your Marketing Team Do? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 291) — Headlines and Show Notes

Well, the news we’re all been looking for is finally here: We’re officially in a recession. That of course is on top of the existing bad news about the global pandemic, social unrest, and a contentious political environment in the US — as well as many other places around the world. So, what should your marketing team do?

The good news is that there are a number of things you and your team can do. And they all start with the simplest of tasks: listening. This episode of Thinks Out Loud looks at how you and your team can listen to your customers more effectively, why that’s so important when we’re in a recession, and what will happen if you don’t do the right things with that information.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you:

Relevant Links — We’re in a Recession. What Should Your Marketing Team Do? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 291)

* The US economy is officially in recession

* Half of US Consumers Are Spending Less Money – The Highest Rate in a Decade – Marketing Charts

* Consumer Spending Pullback Similar to 2009-2010

* A Post-Crisis Top-3 Digital Marketing Action Plan – Hospitality Net World Panel

* Why Hotel Marketers Must Think “Backyard and Bundle” When Demand Returns

* When 511 Epidemiologists Expect to Fly, Hug and Do 18 Other Everyday Activities Again – The New York Times

* Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Have a Secret Plan Right Now. Here’s Why You Should Care (Thinks Out Loud Episode 286)

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Why We Need to Use Digital to Listen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 290) – Headlines and Show Notes

If you’re like me, you’re probably confused, angry, and sad at the moment. With the killing of George Floyd, the subsequent protests and riots, Covid-19, and recession all happening, it’s a challenging time for everyone right now. Business concerns seem trivial compared with these much larger challenges we face.

At the same time, it’s important to do what you can for your community. And digital provides some opportunities to make small, positive steps. One of its greatest strengths: its utility as a listening tool. And listening is probably the first, most important thing we all need to do right now.

This episode of Thinks Out Loud looks at why we need to use digital to listen. And how, maybe, if we listen, we might be able to make some positive changes in the lives of our customers — and more importantly — our communities.

Relevant Links — Why We Need to Use Digital to Listen (Thinks Out Loud Episode 290)

* Killing of George Floyd – Wikipedia

* Coronavirus COVID-19 and the Travel Industry: How Hotel and Travel Companies Can Manage Business Disruption

* When Will the Recession End? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 289)

* Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287)

* Why You Should Be Optimistic About the Future Right Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 285)

* Pandemic-Proof Digital Trends: What You Need to Know (Thinks Out Loud Episode 284)

* How You Can Make Digital Do Your Heavy Lifting in Difficult Times (Thinks Out Loud Episode 283)

* How Millennials Approach Family Life | Pew Research Center

* The End of Millennials (Thinks Out Loud Episode 224)

* Mobile, Millennials, and…Moms?

When Will the Recession End? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 289) — Headlines and Show Notes

It’s pretty clear we’re all living through a Covid-19 driven recession. And while we know that the recession will end, no one knows for sure when the recession will end. However, it’s probably safe to assume that it will last at least as long as an average recession, give or take. What’s more important is what you do now — for your customers and your business — to ensure you’re putting yourself in good shape both for the time being and when we finally come to the end of the recession.

How can you do that? The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud walks you through it. Here are the show notes for you.

Relevant Links — When Will the Recession End? (Thinks Out Loud Episode 289)

* Is a Recession More Likely This Year? Here’s What You Don’t Want to Do (Thinks Out Loud Episode 276)

* Will the Coronavirus Recession Be Shorter? | Morgan Stanley

* Assessing the Shape of the Economic Recovery | Morgan Stanley

* The Conference Board says that its “leading economic indicators” point to a deep recession with no sign of fast rebound.

* No second virus wave? – POLITICO

* America’s Unemployment Numbers Are Stabilizing. That’s Not A Good Thing. | FiveThirtyEight

* Don’t Expect A Quick Recovery. Our Survey Of Economists Says It Will Likely Take Years. | FiveThirtyEight

* CNBC: “What Happened in Every US Recession Since the Great Depression.” Plus a Google spreadsheet of the data from CNBC

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We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288) — Headlines and Show Notes

Last week we showed that we’ve seen “two years of digital transformation in two months.” This week we’re starting to get a sense of what that means — and why. And, at its core, it’s because we live online now. You, your customers, your community, spend their days living and communicating and connecting through digital. Overall? They like what they see. While it’s undoubtedly true that some things will go back to normal whenever we can go back outside again, it’s also true that some of this shifts are here to stay.

What does it mean for your business that we live online now? Who will win? And who will be left by the wayside? The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud breaks it down for you and talks about how you can connect with customers since we live online now.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.

Relevant Links — We Live Online Now (Thinks Out Loud Episode 288)

* US Census Monthly Sales For Retail And Food Services, April 2020

* Twitter Will Allow Employees To Work At Home Forever

* Social distancing trending toward home as HQ – Think with Google

* Learnings from consumer behavior during coronavirus – Think with Google

* McKinsey Survey: Australian consumer sentiment during the coronavirus…

* Amazon, Google, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft Have a Secret Plan Right Now. Here’s Why You Should Care (Thinks Out Loud Episode 286)

* Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287)

* It’s All E-commerce

* Thinks Out Loud Episode 13: It’s All E-commerce

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Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287) — Headlines and Show Notes

We’re facing immense change. Change in our daily lives. Change in our work. Change in digital use. Microsoft says it has seen “two years of digital transformation in two months” since the coronavirus started. And, this radical changes can easily feel like more than we can handle. That’s understandable.

However, just because it’s understandable that you’d feel overwhelmed at points doesn’t mean you can’t manage it. Because, when you look at the broader picture — when you step back and see the forest for the trees — what you’re seeing is what we’ve been talking about for years. It’s not “two years of digital transformation in two months.” It’s just digital transformation. It’s what we’ve all been talking about and working towards for, well, at least two years. And, most importantly, it’s a topic that’s well understood.

So, how can you manage in the current situation? How can you handle this amount of change? How can you adapt? The latest episode of Thinks Out Loud offers the insights you need to manage through this challenging period and to come out on top, whether the crisis lasts two months… or two years.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you:

Relevant Links — Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287 )

Massive Change — Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287 )

* How will the coronavirus change our lives?

* The COVID Traffic Report

* 10 Years Of Spectacular U.S. Job Growth Nearly Wiped Out In 4 Weeks : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR

* April jobs report: 20.5M become unemployed as COVID-19 spreads

* It could take many years for America’s jobs market to recover from this shock – CNN

* Digital Will Drive The Next Decade of Business Growth (Thinks Out Loud Episode 308)

Customer Needs Have Shifted Rapidly — Two Years of Digital Transformation in Two Months (Thinks Out Loud Episode 287 )

* B2B Buyers Rely on Vendor Websites for Content – Marketing Charts

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