It’s the new Real Life.

If you’re selling to scientists (or even better – if you’ve been one), you’ve almost certainly heard someone say the following:

“Who reads physical journals anymore?”

The funny thing is that one day people will stop saying that, because physical journals will likely cease to exist. That’s fine – chances are you don’t rely on print ads all that much anymore, but think about all the things you do rely on that are going digital.

Look at the numbers for conference attendance. As a whole, conferences are shrinking. Conversely, digital conferences are exploding. Those face-to-face opportunities you have? They won’t be around forever.

At the same time, numerous studies have shown that consumers are taking charge of their purchasing decisions, pushing back and decreasing their interactions with sales. If you can’t successfully educate, persuade, and engage with them on their terms, on the platforms of their choosing, using the medium that they want, your likelihood of winning is seriously diminished.

What’s the takeaway? Simple. Everything is digital now.

Your website must be both the hub and the keystone of your marketing. You must be engaging with the users where they’re looking (hint: they all look online). And you must understand and effectively use the digital tools that are available to you to more effectively deliver content, keep customers engaged, personalize, and a host of other things that are critical to stay on top of your competition.

Digital isn’t just digital anymore. It’s the new real life. So how good is your digital marketing game?

Hone it.