The term 'digital' seems to almost automatically evoke the notion of technology. While this is of course true to an extent, marketeers need to understand digital marketing is not solely about technology. It is more about understanding how technology has re-shaped people's lives and re-defined how we work. This baseline understanding helps take the fear out of using technology in digital marketing applications.
For traditional marketers looking to transition to digital and beyond they must also understand that there is no silver bullet approach. If you're a marketer that has utilized print ads or traditional PR, the idea that you now need to enact 4,5 or even more digital tools might seem overwhelming. Take a breathe; it doesn't have to be. If you look at it from a macro view, you can easily understand the myriad ways people receive information today. Isolating yourself to just one tactic is like shooting yourself in the foot right out of the gate.
What most marketers need is a starting point. This list of resources will give you the tools to jump start your transition and/or continuation with digital marketing. This presentation by Learning Catalyst is also a very succinct overview of getting started with digital.
If left unattended for too long, a marketer could wake up and realize they've missed the boat. Slowly clients will start to be more in command of digital marketing and applications, which will raise the bar for agencies looking to compete for billing dollars. The threat to marketers who resist digital could be extinction. Digital marketing and the technological applications that make it possible redefine evolution. Understanding the human factors can help reluctant marketers get off the bench and join the digital marketing game.