Dynamic Digital Marketing

Chapter 10Safeguard against digital pitfalls

‘To succeed in business you need to be original, but you also need to understand what customers want.’

Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder

A staggering 100 million businesses are launched annually, according to figures from GEM Global Report, which is about three start-ups per second, and SMEs account for at least 99.5% of the businesses in every main industry sector.¹

Why does digital fail?

As a digital marketer, I not only train but also work with clients as a practitioner, and I see so many businesses failing in the world of digital marketing.

According to the Small Business Administration, close to 66% of small businesses will only survive their first two years and about 50% of businesses fail during the first year in business.

One of the biggest reasons for business failure is insufficient and ineffective marketing (see Chapter 4): failing to attract paying customers in a cost-effective way. A business might have a product or service people are willing to pay for, but if they can't figure out a way to market it in a cost-effective way, the business will ultimately fail.

These days, your web and your social media presence can be just as important as your company's physical presence. People shop, search, and research online for everything these days. So, if the demand is already there, the virtual availability and visibility of your business is crucial.

I pay little attention to revenue, but I always encourage my clients ...