5 Essential Digital Skills Businesses Need To Remain Competitive

Are you confident that you are tech-savvy enough to manage your business? Almost all businesses nowadays are rushing to penetrate the online world because of the amazing benefits of reaching more people using automation and other advanced digital technologies. It’s now a must to gain and enhance digital skills to achieve exceptional success in your business.

In this article, you’ll learn the essential digital skills needed for your business to remain competitive.

1. Digital Marketing  

The new-age internet paves the way to more discoveries of marketing technology solutions. One great example of advancement is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual and augmented realities in businesses nowadays. This technology boosts business marketing digitally, accessed through the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, like connected televisions, smart speakers, smartphones, and tablets.

In this day and age, businesses need to leverage marketing technology to thrive and stay competitive by having in-depth digital marketing knowledge and skills. You can achieve digital skills for business by taking online courses and reading trusted digital marketing resources.

Here are some digital marketing skills businesses should possess to remain competitive:

  • Web content writing and marketing
  • Video marketing
  • Social media marketing
  • Search engine optimization
  • Mobile marketing

2. Cybersecurity Risk Assessment  

Due to the pandemic, many businesses adopt modern workplaces, such as remote work-from-home (WFH) and hybrid working setups, which is a combination of on-premise and remote work settings. However, such modern workplace setups increase cybersecurity risks, because more cybercriminals found it easy to breach business systems from employees working from home through unsecured Virtual Private Network (VPN). Many business owners even decide to go with the best cybersecurity agencies and make sure they are completely secured.

It’s advisable for businesses to seek the help of managed IT service providers to handle cybersecurity. Simultaneously, it’s crucial for employees to have proper training regarding cybersecurity risk assessment to understand and mitigate the risks that they might be facing.

Insider threats emanate from the ignorance and negligence of employees. For that reason, cybersecurity risk assessment training is a must for employees to learn how to:

  • Protect user credentials (username and password)
  • Install and use digital certificates
  • Safely share enterprise data sources
  • Protect consumer data and privacy

3. Software Management

Are you using different business systems or software programs? It’s vital to possess software management skills to make daily business operations seamless and straightforward. When choosing a software program for your business, find a provider that can provide free training for your employees.

When employees are confident operating new business software systems, they become more productive and efficient. The results of their output are excellent, which in turn benefits the business tremendously. The different software management skills that your employees need to master to retain your business’s competitive advantage include the following:

  • Quick navigation and multitasking
  • Secure data sharing and storage
  • Basic technical troubleshooting

4. Internet Faxing And Digital Signing  

Businesses that handle much paperwork, such as law firms and accounting firms, must know how to sign documents through electronic signature (e-sign) and send and receive digital files through the internet or online faxing.

Internet faxing, by the term implies, is sending or receiving fax messages digitally through your email inbox or a dedicated website through a service provider. Basically, this digital skill saves time and money by eliminating the use of a physical fax machine to receive and send fax messages.

Digital signing or e-signature is the digital version of a handwritten signature. Instead of mailing or personally delivering documents for stakeholders to sign. You can send the digital file and have it signed electronically.

5. Virtual Meeting And Presentation 

Virtual Meeting And Presentation

Virtual meetings and presentations allow stakeholders to communicate without leaving their homes or offices. However, if your employees know how to set up and conduct virtual meetings and presentations. You’ll be able to connect and establish good business relationships with your stakeholders while saving plenty of time, money, and energy.

Because of the rapid shift to remote and hybrid work settings, businesses must know how to conduct virtual meetings and presentations. It’s essential to connect with your team members remotely using reliable communication software or platforms. This way, you can discuss all the important things that affect your business, such as the most effective sales and marketing strategies you want to implement.

Your investors, vendors, suppliers, and clients might also want to use online channels to communicate with you. For instance, you can present your sales or business proposals through virtual conferences and share data to present through the screen-share feature of a business communication platform.

Conclusion 

Lastly, businesses need to possess and enhance the above digital skills to attain their overall sales and marketing goals. Digital marketing, cybersecurity risk assessment, internet faxing, digital signing, and other digital skills are necessary to attain more secure, seamless, and successful business operations. Additionally, you can gain more digital skills by taking relevant online courses offered by reputable companies for added knowledge and skill.