I am a generalist. I have no shame in saying it. My fellow consultants in Digital Rehab tend to be more specialists. But, having owned and run a number of successful digital agencies, I have seen the pendulum swing back and forth between the need for marketers to be specialists or generalists.

An alarming number of clients have recently asked me whether there is more value to them in resourcing a digital marketing team with generalist skills or specific/specialist skills. While my answer is nearly always bespoke to the needs, culture and conditions of each client, there is increasingly a need for generalists to provide a holistic view and plan to inform projects, campaigns and marketing services with the macro perspective in mind.

Generalists tend to have a broad range of skills and experience across a range of disciplines, industry sectors, commercialisation models etc within their chosen field, while specialists invest time and effort in becoming the go-to person or ‘subject matter expert’ in a certain niche. For example, a marketing generalist may have experience across multiple sectors along with transferrable skills; a specialist would know everything there is to know about affiliate or email marketing – that is a particular and very specific facet within the broader digital landscape.

Now, please understand I am not writing off the value of specialists but with tech moving as quickly as it is with a multitude of new platforms being continually released, the danger is if specialists are in senior leadership positions – they won’t likely have the skills necessary to pan out and properly appraise the context and broader environment in business.

Abroad in Silicon Valley, employers wage wars for much coveted technical specialists so there is huge demand for specialists too.

My opinion however is that one key aspect sorely missing in marketing departments is the skill to plan, strategise and procure specialist services to deliver meaningful results. What I have witnessed is either too many subject matter experts all bumping heads against eachother – particularly when mandated to work on an ‘integrated’ campaign which sees that each of them have to harmonise their views and output. Or the opposite, there are too many inexperienced marketers who lack any well honed generalist or specialists skills and accordingly to compensate, they outsource far more than they need to and pay more than they should.

I read an interesting comment somewhere recently that said something like this: generalists will thrive in a culture where it’s becoming increasingly valuable to know a little bit about a lot. Meaning that business, if led by generalists will naturally be more adaptive in their engagement of specialists based on the need for them to deliver output in an ever-changing workplace environment.

This is a view reinforced by Carter Phipps, author of Evolutionaries having said:

“We’ve become so focused on specialisation, but just as there are truths that can only be found as a specialist, there are truths that can only be revealed by a generalist who can weave these ideas in the broader dynamic environments.”

Senior project managers will tell you nowadays, that demands on them and their roles require them to continually balance and deploy a range of skills – one day a business analyst, next a solution architect, strategist, designer, tester etc.

So, will be see a surge in Generalists?

I think we will, and I hope we will. Generalists help to frame up a body of work then go about methodologically planning and overseeing its delivery. Specialists are required to fill gaps and bring in capability where that capability/expertise is not known or had by a generalist and or his/her team.

About the Author

Alisdair Blackman has been both a specialist and now generalist digital marketer for over 18 years. Having run a number of agencies he now is committed to consulting clients to partner with them and to ensure projects, campaigns, strategies, plans and budgets are effectively devised and delivered.

Now more than ever, there is enormous demand for good digital project managers. So, what makes a good digital project manager & what core skills should you look out for? Digital Rehab provides some insights…

All Projects share a set of common traits which include, they all have a:

1. Scope
2. Budget
3. Timeframe

What is NOT common however is the dynamic environment surrounding a project and it is principally for this that there is need for a project to be carefully managed. Irrespective of whether your project is a website, mobile app, ecommerce/transactional, CRM etc there is need for coordination, documentation, business consultation, change management and risk mitigation. For these to be adequately covered off, we need to peel back the exact SKILLS needed in a good digital project manager. So, let’s begin.

Digital Project Management MUST Haves

• Good Listener – project particulars are almost always informed from a business need. To do the job well, there is a requirement for the PM to be across this need. Listen and learn from stakeholders what they want. Then, continually assess the understood need against all aspects of the project
• Tenacity – this quality is mandatory as it speaks to the competency of the individual to have sufficient know-with-all to successfully deliver a project and the manner in which they are able to introduce change into any business
• Resourcefulness – there is need for a PM to be resourceful and have contacts, colleagues, experts which they can draw upon in a timely manner to help the steerage of their project
• Exemplary Oral & Written Communicator – so much of the success of a project pivots on the need to keep the entire business (where relevant) up-to-date with project goings on in particular the Steering Committee and Working Groups
• Methodical – the process and approach taken to the delivery of a set project scope is important so as to ensure that even while the project may bend and flex, control is maintained and momentum is kept up at all times
• Custodianship – on occasion, projects can go ‘tits-up’ and it is the job of the PM to navigate through the turbulence and provide clear, objective and proactive advice and direction. The PM is paid to deliver as such, custodianship is needed to protect and hold true to the core objectives, needs and agreed scope

Project Management of digital projects requires a very particular set of skills and competencies. It is not like project management in construction or other industry sectors. Your client/employer is demanding delivery and in this pressure cooker environment, a good digital project manager is one with a blend of technical, marketing, business acumen and someone that is able to confidently operate within dynamic settings.

Content marketing has become an important component in the marketing mix. Content can persuade, educate and drive brand recall.

Given that it is becoming so mainstream, it makes it all the more important that content marketing is done well. Content for content sake is NOT the answer.

Globally, there is so much content being produced, promoted and read on a daily basis, marketers need to find ways for their content to cut through the clutter and noise.

Over many years of providing digital marketing services, I wish to share some key learnings which I only hope can be used to aid businesses who are looking to commence their own content marketing efforts. 

FIVE Key Lessons & Learnings about Online Content

1. Ensure you have a clear purpose and consistent tone

Before you publish your content, first you need to determine what you want to achieve. Are you wanting to bolster brand awareness, educate the market on your products or services or just better position yourself in the eyes of current and prospective clients/customers? Also, plan out what your desired results are such that you can measure the success or otherwise of your content against your objectives. Ensure your content is on the mark for if the purpose is blurred, there are considerable downside risks of poor content.

2. Take care not to over-sell

Content marketing should be subtle NOT aggressive. If you desire someone to read your content, don’t be too pushy. It’s a real turnoff. The aim should be that any reader should feel comfortable to read your material, derive a value from it and for it to be trustworthy. 

3. Know WHO your likely readers will be

Knowing your audience is of fundamental importance when you look to create an effective content marketing campaign(s). Try and give your audience value from reading your article. Sure, pepper it with contextual links and maybe even call to actions but abstract yourself while you are editing your content and ask yourself “Would I find this article of interest?” You owe it to your readers to provide useful, relevant and interesting content. If you fail to understand your audience, you run the risk of the reader not returning to your site. Remember, with increased quality content comes Google benefits

4. Initiate a conversation

Your contend should also seek to initiate a conversation so that you can illicit a response be it a comment, a rating on your article or to encourage social sharing of your content.

5. Consider your channel

Writing the content is one thing, choosing what channel to use to promote and disseminate the content is another altogether. What should guide your channel selection is your target audience. Where and on what platforms will you maximise your contents page views.  By knowing the information sources your audience already has an established relationship with, you can not only make sure you’re reaching the right people, but also add value to your own content by associating it with a name they know and trust.

Planning is a vital success ingredient in the delivery of any new digital project or larger programme of work yet is often overlooked.

Digital Rehab discusses the importance of proper planning in Digital Project Management.

Project managers need to either participate in planning phase or have the output of the planning phase well understood in order to deliver a digital project.

When budgets are strained or cut, Planning is sadly one of the first areas that is scaled down of chopped entirely. With digital permeating every facet of modern business and re-defining the way individuals communicate with each other, the absence of proper project planning can increase risk profile of the project and compromise on the benefit/value gained from the delivery of the project.

My assertion is that if proper planning is more commonly adopted by business, then the ‘failure rate’1 and perceived ‘pain’ in online, mobility and all ‘digital’ projects would be greatly alleviated.

In my opinion, the Planning phase (or as otherwise referred to as Definition and Specification) should roughly take about half the time taken in any project so as to ensure scope, risks and budget are all managed properly. Project overruns and delays occur when such attention is not paid to carefully planning out projects.

Lack of appropriate and proper planning will have an adverse impact on the ability of the project to be delivered on time, to a specific and defined budget and that will meet all business requirements

Importance of having a strategy

Having a more streamlined strategy to help navigate the project management landscape is essential. This strategy should look to outline the contextual landscape in which the project fits within, the key project business drivers and goals, the key personnel attached to the project and the lines of authority/delegation and decision making powers of each and finally clearly map out the internal resourcing impact of the project on BAU activities of a business.

From my experience, Australian business appear to be very reactionary when it comes to project scoping, planning for release and delivery of new capabilities back into the business. Many struggle of grasp complexity within projects and the need for broader coordination with other projects so as to understand interdependencies and seek ways to remove duplication of effort and scope overlaps.

While a strategy should look to include considerable input and peer review – it is important to understand that Planning phase cannot appease everyone! Opening this phase up to too much consultation can dilute and introduce more risks down the line in project delivery.

When creating a plan, you will  need to evaluate the project dependencies, delivery methodology, key success criteria and tools available. Similarly, you will need to immerse yourself with the problems, risks etc that may arise, as well as know how to remediate them. Finally, a good project plan will spell out for all stakeholders the manner in which the project will be delivered and thus help to manage expectations of all involved.

Digital has become so pervasive it touches every aspect of all modern business. How businesses are responding to Digital is the subject of this article.

Traditional View on Digital

Traditionally, digital was looked upon in a two prong way – technical and marketing channel where technical aspects were in the IT domain and marketing was responsible for digital channel.

My issue with this is that this approach is flawed.  Here are my thoughts:

Digital is not neatly able to be split across multiple functions.  Instead, it underpins the ways in which business communicates, the data layers and flows (in and out),  operational systems and workflows and internal/external comms. What I think is imperative is to clearly define WHAT Digital means for business. Is it data? Is it key business platforms? Is it websites/portals/sales/customer service tools etc?

What this diagram depicts is the need for Digital to be understood in a different way. Traditionally, Digital was defined by Technology first then Marketing Needs then Business Strategy. Given the increased focus on Digital and with the increasing competitive environment, Digital should instead be informed by business strategy, marketing needs then finally technology.

Age of the Chief Digital Officer (CDO)

Business needs to adapt to changing market conditions and business needs. Nowadays, with digital playing such a turnkey roll in business, a few businesses with whom Digital Rehab has worked have created a new Senior Executive tier and title of Chief Digital Officer. This role is an amalgamation of digital expertise coupled with seasoned General Management skill sets. While the title and role in business is gradually evolving, a Chief Digital Officer will typically coordinate strategy, delivery and support for mobile applications, social media, digital product development, content, data and digital technologies/platforms.

Gartner predicts that by 2015, 25% of businesses will have a Chief Digital Officer role.

David Willis, vice president analyst at Gartner mentioned at a conference in 2013:

“The Chief Digital Officer will prove to be the most exciting strategic role in the decade ahead, and IT leaders have the opportunity to be the leaders who will define it.” “The Chief Digital Officer plays in the place where the enterprise meets the customer, where the revenue is generated. They’re in charge of the digital business strategy. That’s a long way from running back office IT, and it’s full of opportunity.”

This article was written by Alisdair Blackman, Owner & Principal Consultant at Digital Rehab with over 18 years running profitable digital marketing agencies and is a leading spokesperson in digital.

As Digital gathers momentum and as business now looks to better harness more digital opportunities around use / leveraging value of data, new platforms and ever expanding marketing channels, Digital practitioners now must be technologists, content gurus & marketers. Labor shortages are compounding the issue. But what does IT do in this new landscape and environment?

From our extensive experience in working client side on implementation and delivery of digital transformation and business improvement projects, IT struggles to keep up with the pace and demands CMOs, Marketing Directors and Boards are placing on the IT function.

Traditionally, IT were the custodians of all things software, hardware, communications (phone systems, internet, network etc) and support. Late 1990’s saw this change.  IT grew to encompass bespoke, customised business applications, web and enterprise architecture.

Where does marketing and IT’s functional mandate start and end?

Does IT’s mandate/charter need to change to stem the tide of conflict and enable business to delivery on Digital projects?

Two years ago Gartner predicted that by 2017, “a company’s Chief Marketing Officer would be spending more [budget] on technology than its Chief Information Officer…” This prediction has unquestionably come to fruition.

As marketing and more and more businesses look to digitalise, not just in channel but also in process, those in charge of Digital (be they Marketing or in their own respective function) are increasingly dependent upon technologists to deliver and control digital platforms. The real question comes back down to, who controls these digital platforms? According to Gartner, 67 per cent of marketing functions are planning to “increase their spending on technology-related activities over the next two years.”

This raises yet another point – where does one procure staff that have competencies and skill sets that enable them to be proficient across IT, software/application development & marketing? Do our current educators (be they universities, colleges and association groups) have the vision and capacity to offer up such training and professional development to keep up to speed with demands across the industry for this new breed of skills?

Only skilled professionals with these competencies are then able to provide business with the ‘glue’ to bridge the void growing between The Executive and IT. They also can be valuable in working across other stakeholder/functional groups, including:

• Other senior marketing executives educate senior executives on the  use of leading tools for their campaigns, making them more effective and efficient. Also, such interactions can also aid and assist in ensuring digital marketing strategies take advantage of new and emerging technologies;
• The CIO and the IT department better equipped to prioritise technology requests from marketing and in so doing help IT manage existing resources, budgets and timeframes around delivery;
• External service providers work closer with providers’ both at a strategic and technical level to meet with marketing’s needs.

Given that the Digital Rehab’s team are regarded as being the best digital project managers in the industry, it’s only fitting that we take a more active role in the chief industry body to increase professional excellence in our field.

To read our thought provoking views on Digital Project Management, see the following articles:

Project Checklist Prior to Website Launch

Tips on a Successful Project Delivery

Technical & Business Project Delivery Methods

The big data revolution is most certainly upon us.  It is forever gaining momentum and hospitals and governments are struggling to stay even vaguely on top of things. That said, patients will very likely be the biggest beneficiary of the next wave of big data business applications.

Medical Data Key Statistics

1. More than 65% of data across the globe is non-digitised (or has yet been).

2. 68% of digitised data isn’t integrated or accessible across core systems.

3. 99% problem in delivering effective healthcare is in bad data, old data and no data.

The healthcare systems needs to focus on first overcoming the following:

1. Data Collection:Need to step up efficient data collection. Paper records need to be translated, inputted and digitized so that their users are satisfied that the digital record is complete and most importantly accurate

2. Provider + Government + Health Insurance Push: Need to reach consensus and build healthcare models on ubiquitous technologies whereby they can be accessed securely while offering broadest possible accessibility for doctors, nurses and hospital staff to access electronic medical records

Patient records and medical systems should rapidly move to remedy the inefficiencies associated with patient appointment scheduling, pre-registration for clinical trials, payment plans, share lab results, and access to their medical information. Each of these functions helps the patient become more involved in their care while eliminating costs associated with scheduling, sharing results and records, eligibility/security verification, collections and prescription renewal functions.

There is a need to connect redundant systems with appropriate channels however without a more holistic approach – this is a futile exercise.

Data first, technology second is emerging as the key approach for delivery of digital systems. 

A recent leaked document reveals The New York Times strategy on the future of their digital strategy.

In summary, the document talks of the need for business to gain a better grasp of digital and the need for proper and through planning to inform the process and mode of change within their business.

Innovation is cited as critical to successful online marketing

While this strategy pertains to the New York Times business, it should be read as a beacon into the future of content, publishing, search and the role and importance of innovation.

Remarkably for the news, reporting and publishing of content, this strategy reveals just how important social media is.

The report goes further by noting that competitors like  BuzzFeed has demonstrated and proven that  “highly sharable content, aggressive social distribution, and experimental story forms” are compelling to audiences around the globe.

What I find so striking in their strategy is the bold move to priorities DIGITAL FIRST and use this as foundation for their entire business model. They have successfully abstracted themselves, assessed the landscape objectively, evaluated their competitors, formed an informed view of the future, and have devised a plan which would see them play a dominant role in their industry.

I think there is a lot for us to take stock of their approach and their vision for the future.