Why We Want to Simplify Digital

I have worked with some of the smartest and hardest-working people in the fashion retail business. Many of them can calculate product sellthrough rates at a drop of a hat, or recall designs from 5 years ago (Miranda Priestly's acerbic comment "We did that two years ago. What else?" from The Devil Wears Prada comes to mind), or reel off sales data like they're lyrics to their favourite song. But whenever I brought up topics of digital solutions, many of them would immediately cross their arms or hold their hands up and declare "I'm not an online expert".

As someone who has worked over 12 years in eCommerce (and an avid online shopper, but we'll save the therapy for another time), this used to baffle me. Yet, the more I think about it, the more I now understand this. We love to use technology as a customer: we love getting personalised recommendations, whether it's shopping or searching for your next binge on Netflix; we don't have to stay on the phone for hours as virtual chatbots can help us with quick, everyday problems; 4 in 5 of us shop online in the comfort of our sofa and sweats; we love self-checkouts... Well, that's probably 50/50. But there's no denying technology and digital advances have helped make our lives easier as consumers.

However, just because we love technology doesn't mean we're all confident when using it. According to SD Worx, 40% of Brits confess to struggling with digital tools in the workplace, while 26% of English entrepreneurs lack confidence in their basic digital skills. This is just the tip of the iceberg; I'm willing to bet that the percentage in the latter statistic is higher in reality. It's not easy to admit your weakness, especially when you're a small business owner trying to do it all, so there are probably some brave blaggers in the remaining 74%.

We've all been there: when you already lack confidence on a topic, you can shut down and shut out if the answers you find are complicated and confusing. This definitely applies to the topic of digital advances. Do a quick search online about digital developments for businesses and you're bombarded with jargon and concepts that sound like sci-fi names: SEO, PPC, UX. Omnichannel, algorithms, conversion. Before you know it, you are down a rabbit hole of experts throwing the phrases around so casually while you're still struggling to remember what the initials stand for. CRO vs CRM? Only one letter is different, but what do they stand for again?!

So I get it. It's perhaps easier to admit defeat upfront in the face of all this tech mumbo-jumbo. Digital is the buzzword du jour, but what does it even mean? How do I harness the power of digital for my business? Is it all chatbots and algorithms? Do I need to incorporate all that in order to stand a chance to be successful online? In a large corporation, you can let the tech nerds handle it, but when you're running your own business, you have to be your own tech nerd, whether you want to or not. And when faced with such foreign concepts, "not" is probably the preferred choice.

This is where we come in. This is why we created Mpowering Solutions. Because the reality is, no, you don't need all this fancy tech to have a successful website. No, it doesn't have to be this complicated. No, you don't need to spew out jargon and abbreviations like ABCs. You just need to understand the concepts, and trust me, they're actually pretty easy to get. And that's what we're here to do: to help you learn and truly understand, and to empower you to feel confident when it comes to the digital side of your business.

PS. If you are keeping tabs and want to know what the earlier jargons mean, here you go:

• SEO = Search Engine Optimisation

• PPC = Pay Per Click

• UX = User Experience

• Omnichannel = businesses that have both physical and digital presences

• Algorithms = super smart formulas to calculate best outcomes for success and engagement

• Conversion = turning casual browsers into confirmed buyers or users

• CRO = Conversion Rate Optimisation

• CRM = Customer Relationship Management

If you've shopped online, you already know digital

The first thing I used to say to self-declared "non-tech experts" was that, if you've shopped online, you know more about digital than you realise. Think of the last website you purchased something from. What compelled you to buy from there? What did you like about the website? What made you trust that store so much that you'd part with your hard-earnt money to buy something from them?

Now think of the last website you visited where you had every intention of purchasing something, but didn't end up buying it. Why did you walk away? Was it something on the website that made you distrust the business? Or was it so difficult to find the product or information that it was easier to just look elsewhere?

All of this is part of UX: user experience. And this is the first step to online success for any eCommerce store. Forget the fancy chat functions and slick animations. We may tell ourselves that one day robots will rule the world, but the people who buy online, the people who use your services are human. And you are human too (I'm assuming). So what compelled you to click "Add to Basket" is what made that store successful, and that's what you should emulate in your own business.

Equally, if your business is about providing a service, don't think you can't learn from your last online shopping experience. The same principle applies: based on their website, what would make you hire someone, and what would dissuade you from them?

So, in conclusion, if you've ever made a decision based on how a website looks and feels, congratulations! You know the fundamentals of User Experience. The next step is to then implement good UX features onto your website. If you don't quite know where to start, this is where we can help. We know what makes a website user-friendly, from obvious things like making sure the website looks professional to more subtle nuances such as ensuring there is enough copy to help potential customers make informed decisions. With our Website Assessment, we can help you audit your website to ensure you have covered the fundamentals. If you want to take it one step further, we can provide an SEO Audit to do a thorough check of your website to make sure you're covered from a Google search perspective as well.

If you're ready to take your next step in your business's digital growth, get in touch and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals.