In recent years we’ve kicked off articles for many customers in a whole range of industries with sentences like “Digital transformation is changing the Swiss market more and more rapidly…,” or words to that effect. What companies should be aware of when it comes to communicating about digital transformation.

How should we be communicating on matters related to digital transformation? Marketing and communications departments all over Switzerland are asking themselves this question. For a while the answer was the more the better. It was the done thing to regularly use this topic to show how innovative and forward-looking you were. The problem is, inflationary use of the term has reduced it to an empty phrase. These days digital transformation can mean just about anything from disposing of your fax machine to using smart contracts on a blockchain.

So it’s simply no longer credible when companies ascribe every new development to digital transformation and pepper everything they say with buzzwords from the world of technology. Organisations that want to position themselves credibly with respect to digital transformation should take note of a few important points.

Be clear about what you’re talking about
These days it’s possible to communicate many different things under the guise of digital transformation. But if you want to do so credibly, you should make sure that the answer to at least one of the following questions is Yes:

• Can we use this announcement to position ourselves as a digital pioneer in our industry?
• Are we talking completely new technologies or a new way of using technology?
• Are we using technologies that haven’t previously been used in our industry?
• Will the use of these new technologies have a significant impact on our customers, investors or partners?

Make sure it adds value
If a topic meets the requirements described above and is to be communicated, the communications have to be crafted appropriately. Many companies tend to first focus on technical details such as a description of the product. But most of the audience is actually much more interested in the direct value a new development adds. To build communications on this basis, it’s worth thinking in terms of Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle and focusing on the Why.

Keep it clear and understandable
The language used in communications has also changed in the wake of digital transformation. Not only has it become more technical, but it also contains many more anglicisms and buzzwords. However, it’s still more important to make sure that messages get through and are understood than making them sound “expert” and modern. So when communicating, you should keep your language as plain and simple as possible.

Focus on your strengths
Many companies rarely, if ever, have an announcement to make that ticks all the above boxes. That’s no big deal. Digital transformation is an all-encompassing development, and a lot of the news around this topic has more to do with appearance than reality. Not every company has to position itself as a digital pioneer; those that do so without meeting the requirements we’ve been talking about are putting their reputation and the trust of their customers in jeopardy. It’s best to focus on your company’s strengths and communicate them credibly and authentically.