Online Strategies

You should always have a purpose with the things you do, if you want to make something out of it, that is. Defining that purpose is basically what you do when formulating strategies. You set visions, goals and milestones, and define values you can measure and track. If you happen to be a larger group of people, you can also use strategies to announce the future of the group and where it is headed. It might be the local tennis club that aim to win the next amateur cup, or the 30.000 people company that wants to take on Microsoft.

Having an Online Strategy is Important

Strategies are important, and if your group has a web presence, you should also have an online strategy. “Isn’t that part of our marketing strategy” you might ask, and the short answer is: “No!” You mustn’t see the web as only another advertisement media, but recognize that it is something quite unique. If you try to impose your print marketing strategy onto a website, I guarantee you’ll fail. Print marketing is static, broadly aimed, and frankly quite unintelligent :) With the web you have the option of working interactively with the user, and provide an experience you can’t provide with a printed medium or even TV. The web also allows you to track every single move your user makes, and customize every view to match the user’s preferences. But you have to know what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. This is where online strategies come in.

Working On an Online Strategy for This Blog

As mentioned earlier, I’ve been wandering what attracts readers to this blog, and how to get more readers. The main purpose of this blog is to expose me, and my views and knowledge, but since I’ve lacked what you might call a “Life Strategy” this blog hasn’t had a specific focus. This is why I’m working on an online strategy for the blog, as part of my life strategy (an online strategy should never be formulated on it’s own – it should be as much part of your or your group’s general strategies, as the website should be a part of you or your group). The vision for the blog is part of my general life vision, of someday working as a management consultant or coach, helping clients work out strategies, solve complex business or technical problems or simple be there to help them work through a difficult process (more on this later…). The vision for this blog, is therefore to be a way for clients to get to know me before they even meet me, and show that I actually know what I’m talking about. Formulating this vision, and knowing where I’m trying to go, enables me to set a series of goals and milestone, but it also enables me to pinpoint how I’ll get the blog to where I want it. So far, I’ve only managed to formulate my vision (it’s quite a lengthy process, working with your life strategies) so I’ll talk more about goals and milestones later. I’ll also spend more time writing about online strategies in general e.g. the need for complex strategies and how to live up to your strategy once you’ve formulated it.