Many local businesses struggled through 2020 and are ready to take on 2021 with a fresh start. While some trends feel like they come and go, the ones that stay can help you identify new and effective business strategies to ensure your company thrives. Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) shares the following tips for emerging trends that will be important for small businesses.
1. Mobile marketing
Nearly everyone has a smartphone, so you should attempt to reach your customers through their mobile devices. Rather than only communicating through email, send text messages or even create an app. Check out BBB Pacific Southwest’s digital marketing tips and business management system THRIVe, to learn how to make your company stand out online.
2. Online courses
Online courses have been surging in popularity, especially since people have been spending more time at home during the pandemic. Establish yourself as an expert in your field by creating an online course. Check out BBB Pacific Southwest’s online events and webinars, and full playlist of educational content to get you started.
3. Data transparency
Be transparent about your data practices and ensure that you aren’t careless with your customers’ data. For more information on how to keep your data safe, read our BBB Business Tip: The top 5 cybersecurity practices every small business needs to do now.
4. Marketing to Generation Z
Over the next few years, Generation Z will start to make up more and more of your consumer base. Some important marketing considerations that matter to Generation Z are strong loyalty programs, quality products, diversity in advertising and socially responsible products.
5. Social media for customer support
Consumers want answers quickly, and look to using social media to connect with companies. When a young customer has a question or complaint, they can’t be bothered to write an email. BBB Pacific Southwest has a dedicated team monitoring our social media accounts and offers live chat on our website.
6. Gig economy
As your business expands, you may find that your employee base starts to look a little different. As a small business owner, the gig economy offers many opportunities. It’s much easier today to hire highly skilled people at reasonable rates for short-term contracts. If you need graphic design work, marketing assistance, or accounting help, you can simply contract the work out. Hiring contractors allows you to hire experienced people for a shorter time, learn from their expertise, and extend or cut the contract as you need.
Moving forward
Some trends come and go, but others become patterned behavior that stick around for years. It’s essential to keep an eye out for these new behaviors so you can make sure your business adapts to the changing marketplace.
One trend that will never go out of style is the value of consumer trust. Visit BBB.org/get-accredited to learn more about BBB Accreditation and how it can help your business.
BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western N.C. contributed this article.
For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2020, people turned to BBB more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 6.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Incorporated locally in 1938, BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest serves Greater Arizona and Southern California, providing critical tools to ignite success including mentorship, online products and access to capital. Our objective expertise educates the community on ethical behavior in the marketplace and how businesses can build trust.
