Do You Have a Digital Identity? Blog Feature
Molly D Protosow

By: Molly D Protosow on February 15th, 2013

Print/Save as PDF

Do You Have a Digital Identity?

Digital Media Landscape | Sales Training | small business

detective_work_research_online

If you can, think back 15 years ago, some of us may have just ignored the internet and all of its transforming qualities. It changed the way jobs were being performed and in order to avoid being left behind, you had to learn how to leverage this new world order.

Flash forward to today’s world, 2013:

In today’s world, ignoring the internet and all things digital in your business or personal life is close to impossible. Most, if not all, of us have a mobile device, laptop or PC that instantly connects us to the digital world. But in order to stay current and keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape, we must keep a watchful eye over all the industry chatter and new developments, regardless of the industry.

There are numerous companies, organizations and helpful publications that aid us in keeping up with the changes. Chances are you have a subscription to Mashable, IAB Smartbrief, Facebook, HubSpot, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and the list goes on…

But with all of these tools and information, how can we break through the clutter and effectively create our own digital identity?

 

1. Isolation is NOT the answer:

If you stay insulated by only interacting with your own company’s team and your “offline” set of friends, you are painting your career into an ever smaller corner from which there is no escape. Most people don’t have the right balance between work and networking. Try to get involved with relevant groups or organizations and spend time getting to know the right people.

 

2. Getting up to date:

Are you running a small business or just trying to start your own personal branding? Not having much luck? Well, have you spent time making sure you’ve taken the proper steps to becoming “visible” online? A surprising number of people have no digital identity, or as equally bad, a non-updated visible identity. With the latest online tools, creating or updating your online identity has become easier than ever. There are tools to easily create your own website (even if you don’t know HTML) like Homestead or Wix, as well as many other marketing vehicles to get your message out, like HubSpot or Vocus.

 

3. Digitize yourself:

Are you up to the demand of growing your digital footprint?  Unlike most things we learn, this subject is not possible to master without the humbling realization that there is always more to learn; there’s still a constant flow of new ideas and innovation. However, it’s your knowledge of the current digital landscape that is the competitive edge you need over “lesser informed” peers.  For instance, if you’re in digital sales job and you are not mining social media, you are rapidly falling behind.  

 

4. Understanding the digital landscape:
There are various business products, services and technologies that help us understand this vast digital landscape, but any way you slice it, the ball is in your court, the tools at your fingertips and the responsibility to keep improving is yours alone.  You have to be your own trainer and coach to really learn this stuff.

 

What are you doing to stay up-to-date and learn new skills? We want to know how others are successfully creating a digital identity and handling the job of getting and keeping themselves at the top of their game.  Please share your comments below.

 

 

First Appointment Structure
 

About Molly D Protosow

Molly Protosow is the COO and Training Strategist for DMTraining. She manages the day-to-day business and training operations while helping research and develop new training programs as well as refreshing signature programs to reflect the newest sales trends, technology, and best practices. Molly utilizes her wide-range of skills to create sales and marketing assets focused on delivering value to DMT’s clients. Molly has a passion for learning and leveraging new knowledge and experiences. Outside of DMTraining, Molly is a hard core Pittsburgh sports fan, enjoys staying active by running and golfing, and unwinds by reading and playing the piano.

  • Connect with Molly D Protosow