Travelling and exploring the world is a dream for many people. Not only to discover new regions and countries, but also to gain new experiences and make new contacts. The growing mobility in society is a social phenomenon of our time and naturally affects the younger generations in particular. Digital technology and digital infrastructure are paving the way to realise this dream of international travel experiences and an international social life, as for the first time in history a digital working environment is now enabling the necessary flexibility and mobility.

Remote working is a development that has been around for a while. The technical requirements have been in place for several years, even if the motivation was often the pure necessity to work away from the office or home. However, the new mentality welcomes the combination of work and travelling as a core idea and is therefore seen as a rewarding and welcome situation. Digital nomadism is born.

Defining the Phenomenon

As mentioned in the introduction, digitalisation is the key driver of these developments, but who can actually benefit from it, who can pack their bags and work under palm trees at best? A large number of jobs could be listed, but these are probably the most concise:

• Graphic designers
• Data analysts
• Copywriters
• Web/App Developer
• Programmers
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Social Media Manager
• E-Commerce Entrepreneur
• Authors

Congratulations if you belong to one of these groups, because the world is open to you.

In this context, however, it is also interesting to note that there are various categories if you decide to travel the world as a digital nomad in the future.

• Freelance Digital Nomads: Individuals who work independently, offering services or skills on a project basis while having the flexibility to travel and work remotely.
• Digital Nomad Business Owners: Entrepreneurs who run their own business, which gives them the freedom to run their business while maintaining a location-independent lifestyle.
• Salaried Digital Nomads: Professionals with full-time employment or contractual arrangements who receive a regular salary or fixed remuneration but also have the flexibility to work from different locations.
• Experimental Digital Nomads: Individuals who work remotely as an exploration or experiment, testing out the digital nomad lifestyle without committing to a long-term or permanent set-up.
• Armchair Digital Nomads: People who are interested in the digital nomad culture, imagine such a life but are not (yet) actively participating in it. Some of this group will certainly take the step towards becoming “full-time nomads” in the next few years.

The mobile lifestyle

The necessary requirements are often limited to nothing more than a laptop and a reliable and high-performance Internet connection.

Theoretically, not much more is needed than a hotel booking and a corresponding (One Way) flight ticket! But from an organisational point of view, further consideration is necessary. It should be decided to what extent a permanent residence or a fixed postal address is still necessary.

In any case, there are many arguments in favour of having a home base and a residential address. It can be essential for legal and administrative purposes, for example. Tax returns, business registrations, identity documents, bank accounts or health insurance often make an address necessary.

Alternative solutions, such as the addresses of family members or friends, can provide a solution, as can mail forwarding services.

Where you work

Some countries and regions are now prepared for this new type of guest and there are many “co-working spaces”, special offices for staff from a wide range of companies.

Of course, it is perfectly possible to live and work in a hotel or a fully equipped flat, but special co-working spaces also offer numerous advantages that are gladly accepted.

Even when working in remote countries in a paradisiacal environment, the separation of work and private life plays a role in reducing stress and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Co-working spaces offer another advantage that may seem unusual at first glance. They avoid “loneliness” … a term that one would not immediately associate with life as a digital nomad. But even as a digital nomad, one can quickly become isolated if working long hours in a private accommodation. What’s more, in most cases the local language might be a problem. In co-working spaces, loneliness is definitely out of the question, English is spoken and it is inevitable to meet many like-minded people. Motivated, committed people with visions and often interesting projects, and it is not uncommon for new friendships and professional partnerships to develop.

Where could you be travelling to?

Probably the biggest, most interesting but also most exciting decision concerns the preferred country to which you would like to travel as a nomad, even if you don’t have to commit yourself for a long time, of course, because as a vagabond you are reasonably mobile.

Several factors play an important role in the choice, first and foremost, of course, personal preferences and interests. However, other factors should and must be taken into account, which are not insignificant.

• Cost of living: Assessment of everyday financial expenses in the destination country, especially accommodation and food.
• Visa requirements: A valid visa is a necessity for a long, smooth and legal stay.
• Internet supply: A stable and reliable internet connection in the destination country avoids unwanted work breaks and is therefore a basic requirement
• Infrastructure and facilities: Basic services and full medical care should be available without exception.
• Budget: Even though expensive destinations can be tempting, you should never go over budget. Unforeseen expenses could lead to unpleasant surprises.
• Weather: The climate and weather conditions should make it possible and pleasant to work at the destination. Monsoon season and tropical storms, for example, are not very helpful.
• Safety: The official security advice for potential travel destinations should be checked thoroughly. A long-term stay should be safe in any case.

These are some popular destinations:

Marketing for Digital Nomads

However, mobility and the mobile way of working do not only have advantages and many elements of working life need to be synchronised or respectively organised in another way.

One of these components is “marketing measures”, which inevitably have to be adapted to the mobile lifestyle and so the question arises as to what form marketing could take.

Email marketing is one of these options, as it offers a flexible and location-independent way of reaching target groups and keeping in touch with them over the long term.

Digital nomads can use email marketing in various ways. Examples include:

• Maintain customer relationships: Digital nomads can stay in touch with clients, partners and customers no matter where they are. Email marketing enables consistent communication and updates.
• Promote services or products: Email campaigns can be used to promote new services or products.
• Automated campaigns: Email marketing tools offer automation features that allow you to schedule and send emails even if you are in a different time zone or busy with other activities.
• Analytics and insights: Email marketing platforms provide valuable data and insights that help digital nomads track the performance of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions, completely mobile and virtually anywhere on the globe.
• Cost-effective: Email marketing is characterised by a high ROI, the resources to be invested are comparatively low and therefore very suitable for limited budgets. Many email tools offer affordable, or even free, plans.
• Direct contact: Digital nomads can share their blog posts, videos or other content via email and reach their audience directly and independently of social media portals.

It can therefore be said that email marketing is a versatile tool that fits in well with the lifestyle of “digital nomads”.

In order to reach new markets and potential customers worldwide, providers of high-quality contact databases can also be used to significantly accelerate the process of acquiring new customers in the B2B sector. The company Bancomail, for example, can pave the way for entrepreneurs with its services, regardless of whether they are mobile or localised.

Disadvantages of this lifestyle

As already indicated in the chapter on marketing, there are of course not only advantages to such a mobile lifestyle and before embarking on this path, you should consider the risks, potential difficulties and disadvantages in detail and weigh them up for yourself.

• Self-motivation: Staying motivated without the structure of a traditional office environment can be a challenge and requires strong self-discipline and focus.
• Bureaucracy: Dealing with visa regulations, work permits and legal requirements in different countries can be complex and time-consuming.
• Not always a guaranteed income: Facing income fluctuations due to unpredictable remote work opportunities, leading to financial uncertainty.
• A lot of work: The digital nomad lifestyle is often perceived as a leisure activity, but work and travel need to be well balanced, which requires a lot of commitment and effort.
• No paid public holidays and leave days: Traditional public holidays or even paid holiday time are often completely absent.
• Uncertainty of life plans: The nomadic lifestyle can make it difficult to plan for the long term, which can have a negative impact on personal and professional stability.
• Loneliness and isolation: Digital nomads can experience isolation and loneliness, especially if they move frequently or work in remote locations without a supportive community. Long-term social contacts or even stable partnerships are made more difficult and it is practically impossible to establish family structures.

Conclusion

With the right character traits and a good dose of self-motivation, life as a digital nomad can become a real adventure that appeals to younger generations in particular. An interesting and exciting alternative to traditional working life. A truly invaluable experience, even if you only embark on this path for a few months or years.