The Seven Stages of the Digital Marketing Cycle

We define digital marketing as a polite, empirically measurable, two-way conversation in an effort to sell ‘something.’ We introduce marketers to the seven stages of a digital marketing cycle: (1) know thyself, (2) know the room, (3) dress appropriately, (4) tell stories, (5) make a connection, (6) brag modestly, and (7) observe & adjust. This chapter explores these stages in detail and ties them together, creating a recipe for a virtuous digital marketing cycle. We include examples, tools, and a stage-by-stage guide for implementing them in a way that realizes concrete goals for marketers and their organizations.

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