Foundations in Digital Marketing Skills for Women in Business - Core Concepts
This will give you a quick glimpse of the course:  WIDB.Start | Foundations Programme on Digital Skills

You will explore a range of digital business solutions and evaluate their relevance and effectiveness for your business. 

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Grow your digital marketing skills to promote your business. 
Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN IN DIGITAL BUSINESS
This is a summary of what you'll find in Module 1.  Remember to get the full info on the Women in Digital Business platform. 

GOALS
  • Build basic skills and insights for digital entrepreneurship
  • Learn how digital tools can make  your business efficient, successful and responsive
  • Help you make strategic decisions for your business and digital transformation
DEFINITIONS
  • Digitization: converting tools from analog to digital form e.g. moving records from paper to a database such as Excel or Google Spreadsheets
  • Digitalization: Use of digital technolgies to transform a business model and provide new revenues and value-production opportunities e.g. from using traditional taxis to mobile app booking (e.g. Uber), bringing convenience to customers and new income streams to taxi drivers.
  • Digital Transformation: Using digital technologies to modify or create new business processes and customer experiences to meet the evolving market needs e.g. having AI chatbots for 247 customer support.
APPLICATION
- Digitize, digitalize and digitally transform your business.
Evaluation for Module 1: How will you apply this knowledge in your business? *
Module 2: BUILDING AN ONLINE PRESENCE
This is a summary of what you'll find in Module 2.  Remember to get the full info on the Women in Digital Business platform. 

BEING VISIBLE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
  • Social Media: Virtual communities & networks for creating and sharing information
  • Examples: Facebook, Instagram, X, Pintrest, Tiktok, Spotify (podcasts, ads), YouTube, Telegram
  • Uses: Connecting busineses to individuals, targeting the right customers, being the virtual storefront for your busienss and showing your catalog using audio, visual or audio-visual materials.
  • Choose your social media presence based on: Your business size, your products/services, your desired customers
HOW TO COMMUNICATE USING DIGITAL TOOLS
  • Benefits: Direct customer interaction, mostly free access to buyers and sellers, possible to automate
  • Website: Credible digital presence, selling point, good for capturing leads and clients
  • Digital Advertising: Study your market, choose your voice, choose the channels, create and share the content
  • Strategies for digital advertising: Paid ads on search engines (e.g. Google Ads) or on social media (e.g. Facebook ads), email marketing, influencer marketing
  • Content Marketing: Blog posts, infographics and/or, articles about your company and your products and services
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Ensuring your business comes up in the top results when a client searches for you or your business on the web.
  • SEO Strategies: Keywords, Descriptions (meta, item, product), page title and URL, fast loading of page
  • Visual Content: Use good lighting, real pictures and provide a sense of reality (authenticity).
  • Digital Branding: How your customers identify you - fonts, logo, colors, brand identity.
APPLICATION
- Create a digital brand
- Choose online platforms on which to make your brand visible
- Share content on the online platforms you choose
Evaluation for Module 2: How will you improve your business' online presence? *
Module 3: SELLING ONLINE
This is a summary of what you'll find in Module 3.  Remember to get the full info on the Women in Digital Business platform. 

BASICS OF ONLINE SALES
  • Ecommerce: virtual store for buying and selling online
  • Use social media, shared marketplaces or your own website
  • Your own website: You own & control it, receive payments directly, and fulfil the orders
  • Marketplace: Owned by another business, can fulfil orders, gets paid and then pays you e.g. Amazon
  • Avail info: Catalog, photos, titles, descriptions, rules, stock availability, shipping costs
SALES FUNNEL
  • Prospects - everyone who sees your ads/info
  • Leads - those who show interest in your business goods and services
  • Customers - those who actually pay for your goods and services
  • Process: Creation of Awareness and Interest leading to Desire (enquiry) and Action-taking (purchase)
  • Show (be visible), Entice (free trial, free consultation - be relatable), Make it easy to buy (smooth processes)
  • You can hire an expert to build your virtual/ecommerce store.
  • Business models: B2B (Businesesses selling to businesses), B2C (Businesses selling to individual customers), C2B (Individuls selling to businesses) and C2C (Businesses facilitating transactions between customers)
 APPLICATION
- Evaluate your business and get to know your business model
- Choose platforms through which to sell your goods and services
- Post your goods and services on those platforms
Evaluation for Module 3: What is your business model, and what goods/services do you sell/plan to sell? *
Module 4: ADAPTING OTHER BUSINESS PROCESSES

This is a summary of what you'll find in Module 4.  Remember to get the full info on the Women in Digital Business platform. 

RECEIVING ORDERS AND COLLECTING PAYMENTS
  • Issues faced: security concerns, limited payment options, complex processes, high/confusing currency exchange rates, declined payments
  • Online payment platforms: Paypal, Stripe, Mpesa, Payoneer, Grey
  • How to choose: Works in your country, you can withdraw easily, frequency of withdrawal, friendly withdrawal fees, integration into your ecommerce store, proper and prompt handling of fraud cases
  • Security measures: Design proper terms and conditions, use 2-step order review processes, ask for extra information from the customer. It's better to be safe than sorry. 
SHIPPING AND DELIVERING GOODS
  • After an order: Mark the item, prepare an invoice, pack, ship, and deliver it.
  • Develop your own clear shipping, handling, delivery and return policy.
  • Elements involved: Handling costs, shipping provider, shipping provider restrictions, clear messages to customers e.g. terms and conditions, processes involved, etc
APPLICATION
- Choose a secure and convenient method of receiving payments.
- Set up terms and conditions for your business
- Document the terms and conditions for your business
Evaluation for Module 4: Do you have documented terms and conditions for your business? How do you receive/plan to receive payments? *
Module 5: WHAT'S NEXT? 
This is a summary of what you'll find in Module 5.  Remember to get the full info on the Women in Digital Business platform. 
SUMMARY
  • Digital technologies are changing how we think and work and how businesses are running globally.
  • You can do more and be more efficient with technology.
  • Observe your digital traffic (views on your digital platforms) and make data-driven decisions. Focus on what generates the most profits.
  • Be consistent in your marketing
  • Build your visual brand identity using Canva.com or Looka.com
  • (Print out and) fill in the Action Plan at the end of Module 5 and begin to implement it in your business.
Evaluation for Module 5: On a scale of 1-10 how do you rate the course? Would you recommend it to others? What has stood out for you?  (Answer all 3 questions) *
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