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The Digital Era is an age where technology has become the foundation of any successful business – it is a prime driver of market differentiation, business growth, innovation, adaptability, collaboration and profitability.

In short, every business is now a digital business, and those where the full C-Suite understand the benefits of this are those that will be most successful.

Digital isn’t what you might think it is. Sure, it involves digital products, data, customer-engagement, software as a service, e-commerce and the proliferation of those digital tools. But more importantly, digital is more about a mindset. 

The Digital mindset is about creating the most value from the digital assets. The value is not in the actual asset. The value is in what you get from enabling the asset to be used. Correctly enabling the asset for use is where and how you get the highest return. Executive leadership teams must be stewards of this new digital mindset. They must recognize that the separation between technology and business has vanished, and that understanding and using technologies is now the key to any long lasting success.

Consumers are more than faceless digital transactions or demographic profiles. They're individuals. Yet many companies are now concentrating on using mobile technology and for good reasons. The implications of a pervasive mobile landscape and the critical role it plays in real-time discovery and in-the-moment marketing opportunities that lead to productive engagement. This means that budget and resources must shift toward mobile to reshape the customer journey for the small screen and more so, align moments of truth with mobile expectations and behaviors.

These real-time mobile moments of discovery are quickly becoming the new battleground for search and what Google refers to as “micro-moments.” To appreciate the impact and sense of urgency of mobile-centric micro-moments, Harvard Business Review released a report that is available for free as a PDF. You should download it now.

Micro-moments are mobile-first instances that unfold when someone reaches for their phone, wherever and whenever, to do or find something right then and there. These moments, when we turn to the device that’s most often in reach, aka our phone, allow us to take action on whatever we need or want while we are doing something else, such as waiting in line for coffee, riding the train or bus, waiting to takeoff, riding as passengers, et al. 

Micro-moments are defined as the “I-want-to…” moments, i.e. I-want-to-know, I-want-to-go, I-want-to-buy and I-want-to-do. And, they’re that are loaded with intent, context and immediacy. Micro-moments are incredibly productive, weaving together the simultaneous activities and scenarios that that help connected consumers multi-task and make decisions on the fly…their way. These moments are not only the new battleground for brands—they require a new model for creative design, investment and engagement to lead the next generation of meaningful and rapid customer journeys.

Hopefully by now you realize you operate a digital business. If not, you are missing out on what the customer expects you to know.