The COVID-19 pandemic has upended modern society, and these days, social distancing is a must for many. Amid the pandemic, digital media channels have become more important than ever before. Social media, online videos, content platforms, apps, and other digital media channels are now essential. Startup and tech expert Patrick Windley has relied on many such channels and products in recent months and believes that people in a variety of industries can and should take advantage of them.
“Digital channels are vital now that person-to-person meetings are nearly impossible,” Patrick Windley says. “And you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Launching an app is great if there’s a need for your app. But your company may be better off using what’s already there.”
Okay, so how do you get started with digital channels and products? Patrick Windley says you should start by identifying your organization’s needs.
“Right off the bat,” Patrick Windley says, “your digital product and digital engagement strategies should be driven by your company’s needs. And if you’re looking to develop your own digital products to resell, you need to identify your potential customers and their needs.”
Pain points are key when it comes to making business decisions. Patrick Windley advises you to list out potential pain points, and then consider a variety of solutions.
“Let’s take an obvious example,” Patrick Windley suggests. “Right now, it’s hard to connect with people in person due to the pandemic. Okay, so you can leverage things like social media to drum up engagement. But let’s say you’re a real estate company. People want to see potential offices, houses, whatever. So what do you do? How about live virtual video tours with potential customers?”
If there’s an audience you need to reach, there’s likely a digital channel that you can use to reach them.
Patrick Windley Advises People Not to Reinvent the (Digital) Wheel
There are tons of apps, websites, content platforms, social media networks, and all the rest. Still, new platforms and digital products will emerge in the future. And if you have something new to add, you should bring your digital product to the market. Patrick Windley is a big believer in innovation. However, he also advises people to make sure their products are genuinely unique.
“A lot of startups and others are working hard on new digital products and platforms. That’s great and I encourage everyone to explore different avenues,” Patrick Windley says. “However, before investing a lot of money, make sure you’re truly adding value and doing something different. Don’t build digital products for the sake of it, build them because they address a pain point.”
That said, Patrick Windley believes that innovators should keep innovating.
“There are opportunities out there,” Patrick Windley points out. “Tomorrow’s digital products and new digital media channels will create a lot of opportunities for their founders, early adopters, and everyone else.”
