You need to train a digital strategy team. What are the best ways to do it?

Digital strategy is very broad. It depends on if this question is referring to an in-house digital strategy team, or within an agency setting. I'll answer for an in-house setting. 1. First off, hire someone that has an amazing attitude, is eager to learn, is naturally tech-saavy and has a lot of curiosity. 2. Have them go through courses online including CXL Institute, read Content Chemistry (Andy Crestidona), Listen to April Dunford's content/podcasts on the power of messaging and positioning which drives digital strategy. Digital strategy is driven by strong messaging, positioning and content, and then tactically executed through websites, campaigns, advertising, and other strategies. Well I'm at the 750 character limit...

Start by assessing current skillset of your team and identify areas for improvement. Define clear learning objectives based on your company's digital goals. Conduct workshops and immersion sessions for in-depth learning and provide access to online courses. Invest in POCs and hands-on sessions for practical application. Mentorship and collaboration are the key aspects to be kept in consideration.

The initial step in training a digital strategy team involves a comprehensive assessment of the existing skills and knowledge within the team. This evaluation helps to pinpoint both the strengths and the gaps in your team's capabilities. Utilizing various assessment tools and surveys can aid in understanding each team member's proficiency levels across different digital strategy components. It's crucial to approach this assessment with an open mind, recognizing that skill gaps are not shortcomings but opportunities for growth and development. This understanding allows you to tailor the training program to meet the specific needs of your team, ensuring that each member can contribute effectively to the team's overall success.

1. Assess Current Skills: Evaluate the existing skills of your team members to identify gaps and areas for improvement 2. Define Objectives: Clearly outline what the digital strategy team needs to achieve and align training with these goals 3. Gather Tools: Equip your team with the necessary digital tools and resources for their roles³. 4. Tailor Training: Customize training sessions to address the specific needs of your team and the organization 5. Leadership Involvement: Ensure that leadership is involved in the training process to set the tone and expectations. 6. Continuous Learning: Promote an environment of ongoing learning and development to keep up with digital trends

To train a digital strategy team effectively, employ workshops, seminars, and online courses for foundational knowledge. Encourage internal knowledge-sharing and cross-functional collaboration. Hands-on projects provide practical experience, while mentorship ensures personalized guidance. External workshops offer fresh perspectives. Foster a culture of continuous learning with feedback. Networking events provide exposure to trends and connections. Through these methods, the team stays agile and proficient in digital strategy.

Learning objectives should be a high level understanding of each of the following: 1. Generation of Traffic (Paid, Organic, Direct, Referral) 2. Conversion (Reduce friction, make visitors take action) 3. List Building (Build a list you control and own) 4. Follow Up (Marketing Automation, Drip Campaigns) Make sure your team understands each of these components -- enough to be dangerous. Then go and find an agency that specializes in your field or industry. The reason for this is that they can fast-track you into terms of what works and doesn't, but your internal team needs to be educated enough to choose the right vendor and see through the "bs fluff" that lots of agencies provide, and also be able to educate your internal team.

To contribute effectively to the training program, ensure clarity on team skills. Define SMART objectives aligned with digital strategy and team expectations. Measure progress using specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound criteria. This fosters skill mastery and goal achievement.

✨ Set SMART Training Goals! ✨ Define what your digital strategy team should learn. Craft SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) that align with your overall strategy and team expectations. These clear goals ensure your training program delivers the desired skills and competencies.

Learning objectives for your digital strategy team should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Knowledge objectives could focus on understanding the core principles of a specific digital marketing area, measured by tests. Skill objectives could involve mastering a particular task, like keyword research using industry tools, measured by project completion. Finally, attitudinal objectives could target a growth mindset, like proactively sharing new industry resources monthly.

The training format for your digital strategy team should align with your learning objectives. Building knowledge can be achieved through lectures, online courses, or independent study. Developing practical skills benefits from hands-on workshops, project work, and mentorship. Encouraging a growth mindset is fostered through collaborative activities, mentorship, and dedicated team knowledge-sharing sessions. The most impactful training often combines these formats for a well-rounded learning experience.

Choosing the right format for your training program is crucial. Options like online courses, webinars, workshops, coaching, mentoring, or peer learning offer diverse benefits. Consider factors like accessibility, cost, team preferences, and learning effectiveness. Blend formats for a holistic approach, combining online convenience with offline engagement for optimal results.

✨ Variety is Key! ✨ Choose the training format that fits your team's needs. Options include online courses, workshops, coaching, or peer learning. Consider budget, availability, and preferences. Blend formats (online & offline) for a well-rounded learning experience.

To enhance team engagement and motivation, focus on creating relevant and interactive training content. Incorporate real-life examples and case studies aligned with digital strategy projects. Utilize diverse media like videos and quizzes to accommodate various learning styles. Encourage feedback and collaboration among team members to foster continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.

✨ Make Training Memorable! ✨ Design engaging content for your digital strategy team. Use real-world examples, case studies, and relevant scenarios. Incorporate videos, podcasts, infographics, and quizzes to cater to diverse learning styles. Encourage interaction and feedback to boost motivation and collaboration.

Craft engaging training by focusing on relevance, practicality, and interaction. Use real-world examples, case studies, and scenarios that mirror your team's digital strategy challenges. Incorporate a variety of media (videos, podcasts, infographics) to cater to diverse learning styles. Finally, foster feedback and teamwork to keep your team motivated and engaged.

Evaluating a training program is crucial for its effectiveness. Measure outcomes, impact, and satisfaction through tests, surveys, or interviews. Compare results with objectives and baseline assessments. Solicit feedback from the team to continually improve the program.

✨ Measure Success, Improve Future Training! ✨ Evaluate your training's impact. Use tests, surveys, & analytics to see if it met learning objectives (set in step 2). Track skill improvement & team satisfaction. Feedback is key - use it to refine your training program for even better results in the future.

To evaluate your digital strategy training's effectiveness, assess knowledge gain through tests and project work, measure performance improvement through real-world results, and gauge satisfaction with surveys or discussions. Utilize a mix of methods like tests, surveys, interviews, and data analytics to get a comprehensive picture. Benchmark results against initial assessments and learning objectives to identify areas for improvement. Finally, actively solicit feedback from your team on content, delivery, and overall effectiveness to refine your program for the future.

Give them some experience of actually delivering a digital programme... strategy practitioners without a grounding in the subject results in theoretical fluff

To train a digital strategy team effectively - Conduct structured workshops and seminars. - Offer hands-on training sessions. - Encourage online courses and certifications. - Foster cross-functional collaboration. - Provide mentorship and coaching. - Promote a continuous learning culture. - Offer feedback and performance reviews. - Invest in external training resources.