A digital asset management solution can help you keep track of all your digital assets in one place, making it easier for you to find, manage and manipulate them – saving time and money while also increasing responsiveness. Making the switch from a traditional storage system to a centralised digital asset management solution can sometimes be a challenge, but properly preparing for the switch can make the process easier for you and your team.
Here are a few ways in which you can make the change smoother.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Before you can start looking at DAM solutions, you need to take a step back and define your goals. For instance, what are you hoping to achieve as a business by switching to a DAM solution, and how can these strategic goals be defined within achievable KPIs for your different teams and individual employees? Perhaps you're looking to improve efficiency or better collaborate with team members who are located in different parts of the country, or to reduce the cost of your content management processes. By defining your goals upfront, you'll be able to evaluate different DAM solutions and find one that best meets your needs.
Step 2: Select Your Assets
The first step is to select which assets you want to include in your DAM system. This might seem like an obvious task, but it's important to be as comprehensive as possible. Think about all the digital assets that your business uses on a daily basis, from product images and brochures to website files and social media assets. Once you have a complete list, you can start thinking about which assets you want to migrate over to your new DAM solution, and which of them you wish to retain under manual supervision.
Step 3: Assess Your Current Workflows
Another important consideration is your current workflows and processes. How do your team members currently access and share digital assets, and how can these be enhanced and supported through a tailored DAM solution? Think about the processes currently used to manage digital assets, where their strengths lie, and the areas in which they could be improved. By thoroughly understanding your existing workflows, you can ensure that your new DAM solution fits seamlessly into your business and makes the targeted improvements you need to boost productivity and make efficiency savings. This will make the transition to a new software-based system much smoother for everyone involved.
Step 4: Choose The Right Solution
There are dozens of different DAM solutions on the market, so it's important to take the time to find the one that's right for your business and the needs of your customers. Consider your budget, features, integrations, and scalability when making your decision. And don't forget to look at reviews from other businesses in order to get an unbiased opinion.
Step 5: Set Up A Pilot Or Software Demonstration
Once you've selected a DAM software solution, we recommend setting up a pilot programme or demo before rolling it out across your entire organisation. This will allow you to test the DAM solution with a small group of users and see how it works in practice without making a commitment right away. If there are any issues during the pilot programme, they can be addressed before implementing the DAM solution company-wide.
Step 6: Train Your Team
No matter how user-friendly a DAM solution is, there will always be a learning curve as users get used to the new system. That's why it's important to provide adequate training and support for your team so they know how to use all the features and functionality of the DAM solution. You might even want to consider hiring an outside consultant who specialises in training for DAM solutions—they can provide more in-depth training than an internal trainer who is also responsible for other tasks.
Next Steps
Making the switch to a digital asset management solution doesn't have to be daunting - as long as you're prepared. Follow these three simple steps and you'll be up and running with your new DAM system in no time. For more information about digital asset management software and how Papermule can support you in streamlining your content workflows, please contact us today.
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