Print/marketing service providers need to explore ways in which they can benefit from technology while also anticipating future changes. If your business focuses on tactics and only looks at current profits, you are probably missing out on chances to implement changes that could affect your future profitability or perhaps even your survival. In June 2015, McKinsey & Company published an article entitled “Raising Your Digital Quotient.” The overriding message in this article was that following the leader can be dangerous.

Rather than looking to others to set an example for them, high-growth organizations will focus on developing their own strategy. They will also create a culture of innovation and implementation. The McKinsey & Company article outlined four key steps for optimizing performance in today’s digital world. These elements are critical in developing a digital quotient, and they can all be applied to the printing industry.

According to McKinsey & Company, business owners need to arrive at a common vernacular for what digital means to them. Companies with a good digital strategy are able to come up with compelling answers to three important questions: