Just as music stores became the dinosaurs of retail in the late 90s, the digital revolution has transformed every aspect of our consumer lives. Countless businesses large and small have suffered from the decline in foot traffic everywhere. But music was resurrected through other channels, and so can other types of brick and mortar business. How? Give your target audience the experience they get on digital… the aspects of convenience, instant gratification and easy transactions.

You need to fulfill them with every advantage they get from the digital transformation, but better. And you can. Remember the 3-click rule; your customer should be able to get to what they want on your website (or online store) within 3 clicks or less. Your customers are on social media, so you must be there to maintain “top of mind”. Don’t just do video on Facebook, target like a sniper and promote it. Facebook has the most precise targeting system of any advertising platform in the world – take advantage of it.

Sidenote: Brands don’t just have Facebook pages anymore, they’re constantly alive via Messenger Marketing. There’s OptinMonster, Mobile Monkey, ManyChat… Your page could be doing business for you while you’re sleeping. Personally, I’m a fan of Mobile Monkey, the Messenger Marketing platform created by Larry Kim.

Instagram now has in-app purchasing and IGTV, the latest in video and a great way to get first mover advantage, as few industries have embraced it in a timely manner. In fact, it’s only been embraced fully by the fashion industry, from what it seems, so you can be the first in your vertical or geographic market area to be getting attention there. Your customers also want convenience, 24/7 access to you and easy resolution of any snags they encounter. Even if it just means leaving you a message that you’ll return… but you can’t return that message if you’re not there, on whatever platform they’re on. Facebook has its “Marketplace”, which has become an online platform for selling everything from second-hand clothes to houses and apartments and everything in between. And it’s working.

Yes, you may definitely need to up your digital game, but don’t lost that personal touch. In a world this competitive, don’t underestimate catchy packaging (eco-friendly, biodegradable and reusable are all the rage). A handwritten note goes longer than it ever has before; it’s practically a unicorn to consumers who’ve gone all-digital. What’s one surefire way to turn a customer into a repeat? Know their birthday, anniversary… any date that means anything to them, from the upcoming graduation or any other personal day they mentioned during small talk. When that day comes, send a gift and you can bet they’ll remember you and do repeat business. No one knows the value of personalized branding like Steven Hausner, Owner/President of UBrand-It. From costume jewelry to diamonds, from 20-cent pens to Mont Blanc, this guy doesn’t just supply custom-printed tchotchkes, he dives head-first into understanding your brand and what can make it stick like glue in the mind of your customer.

For a client company that was promoting a trip to Marco Island, Steve made sure each customer arrived to find an array of luxury spa items, from high-end towels to robes, all monogrammed with the company’s logo. Elsewhere in the customers’ hotel rooms was a “fun pack”, custom-designed with every item one would need for a great day at the beach, all branded. With over 400,000 items from TVs to cosmetics, he knows how to make it hard to forget a brand, and that’s the key – make it difficult for your target audience to forget you.

That said, remember that they have gone all-digital, so 24/7 customer service is a must. Is there a chat bot on your website? It’s easy to get up and running, and it could make the difference between a customer’s lifetime value and yet another lost to Amazon or Walmart.com. By the way, how are your customers getting there without lifting a finger? With the rise of digital voice assistants, it would also be wise to make yourself available by voice. Most businesses never even think this would be accessible to them, but Amazon does make it possible for people to make their businesses and brands available by voice – Alexa skills. Don’t dismiss it as too advanced for your brand, think of how and where it can work with your overall strategy.

The truth is, you can compete in the age of Amazon. In fact, rumors of the demise of Amazon are afoot. It makes sense that when employees are unhappy, unhappy customers aren’t far behind. Personally, I’ve seen it happen to too many companies that started out with great customer satisfaction but lost sight of important variables in the equation as they grew. I believe in making win-win situations, so it’s sad to see growth lead to gripe.

Helen Keller said,“The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.” And failing to make the turn is a terrible waste of potential! At a time when 20% of personal relationships begin online, it’s foolish to think you can’t use the digital transformation to your advantage!