Answer these 4 Questions to find your tech-skill level!
Do you have an online presence?
Although you may have survived until now without a website, here are some points to consider as we move into and through the digital-age:
A website demonstrates expertise, authority, and permanence.
Having a website makes your team look professional and increases trust.
A website can be the first place where potential customers interact with you and learn about your business. Imagine it as a receptionist working 24/7 to share information and process inquiries.
It can also be where they land on last, because they were redirected from an email, a Facebook ad or an Instagram post.
Maybe visitors WANT to receive your emails, and that’s why they visit your site – to sign up.
Someone driving by your facilities clicks the pin on Google Maps, which directs them to your website with information about your organization.
They might have typed your URL into their browser from a physical business card - or arrived at your site after scanning a QR-Code on a sticker, flyer, event banner, and even a decal on the side of a vehicle.
Great job! 😮
Before moving to the next level, take some time to confirm that your website contains the following features:
A brand-specific domain name
Clear description of your organization on the home page
Organized and easy to navigate
Contact information and/or form
Mobile-friendly design
Privacy and Cookies Policies
Meets current accessibility standards
Extra-credit:
Staff photos and contact information showing domain-specific emails
Do you have an online presence?
Fantastic! 😍
Before you say "I'm ready for my close-up" and move to the next level, consider:
Are your graphics, colors and fonts consistent across all of your branding materials?
How recently have your website images been updated?
Are your documents and media files consistent with your branding guide?
Does your website and social media match your target audience and what matters most to them?
Does your brand story inspire loyalty and naturally create brand ambassadors?
Buckle up buttercup! It's time to take a hard look at what makes your township website and community unique from the thousands of other townships in Ohio. Consider the following:
Do you have new team members that have been hired or voted in? Utilize their fresh ideas and objective perspective to fuel your brand refresh.
What makes your community unique? Is there interesting history, or exciting plans for the future?
Could you describe your team and organization in just three words? Does your logo clearly reflect this?
Take the time to identify the visual identity of your brand so you can refresh your website and/or social media.
Additionally, create a Brand Guide that helps maintain consistent branding across all your platforms – digital and physical.
What is your tech-management style?
Awesome sauce! 🍾
You've done the hard work to lay the foundations for a great website and brand. Before you kick back and relax, review the following checklist for consistently and efficiently managing your website and tech integrations:
Create and share a contingency plan with your team
Set a schedule to update and adjust your website SEO and accessibility settings
Utilize a social-media calendar to plan posting on your site and channels
Engage with your community at township meetings, events, and even online. Networking exposes you to diverse perspectives and allows you to learn from others' experiences
Regularly review your website analytics to find out what your visitors are engaging with, and how often
Whether by design, or default, if putting-out-fires is your standard operating procedure then these points may come in handy:
Create and share a tech contingency plan with your team
detail your current process to access and update your website, email accounts, and any other technical resources
ideally, your plan should include guidelines for dealing with specific scenarios – ie: natural disasters, vendor service interruptions, security breaches, and sudden personnel changes.
Your plan can be as simple as a checklist on a notepad, or as complex as a contingency flow chart
Gather, share and securely store integral supporting documents and information
define details about current tech access and update processes
if your website or resources are managed in-house, then detail the account numbers and who has administrative rights.
if stored in physical hardware, instead of the cloud, is a process in place to regularly backup files? NOTE: if your township insurance covers data and security breaches, and then confirm that the required security parameters are in place.
If your tech is managed off-site and/or in the cloud, then detail the tech-help contact info, account number, security questions, contract and payment due dates
After documenting all the details, be sure the plan is shared with at least two people on your administrative team.
ideally, have one person create the plan and then have the second person walk through it as if they were starting from scratch
So, you think you know tech?
You made it! 😎
At this level, you are the go-to person when it comes to handling website and tech solutions for your team. Keep up the great work and try the following challenges to keep your expertise and skills sharp:
Create a tech blog, podcast, or newsletter to keep your team informed about the latest trends in your industry
Connect with leaders on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn whose insights into emerging technologies and best practices may impact your community
Use the energy of new team members to brainstorm & inspire new ideas
Research if your organization would benefit from setting up a Social Media Marketing and Sales funnel, or something as simple as an email blast
Set up a Learning Management System for convenient and consistent training for new employees and/or team members
Try creating an online survey form to gather feedback from your township residents and site visitors
Extra Credit:
Digitize your township cemetery or zoning records, and add a searchable interface to your website.
Way to go - you know when to say when! 😵
Woodrow Wilson said it best - "I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow." You may be the go-to IT person on your team, but you also are great at discerning what matters most to your team, along with what items can be delegated. The following items not only level up your team's skill set, but can also add value to your brand and community:
Subscribe to tech blogs, podcasts, and newsletters to stay informed about the latest industry trends.
Create a network of thought leaders who can provide valuable insights into emerging technologies and best practices.
Encourage your team to dream big and dive into their zone of genius
Surround yourself with people who work smarter, not harder, than you - then discover who is best at:
setting up a Social Media Marketing and Sales funnel, or an email blast?
managing an announcement-blog on your website?
creating an online survey form to gather feedback from your township residents and site visitors?
digitizing & sharing township cemetery or zoning records?