Marketing is an ever-evolving world. In recent years, businesses have had to embrace digital transformation and constantly adapt to the ever-changing and dynamic virtual and hybrid marketing landscape. This was even magnified during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with everything and everyone shifting to online platforms.
Marketers, regardless of their experience level, should learn to keep up with every change happening. This rings true these days when the audience is constantly seeking relevant information, products, and services. It is not just enough to keep the conversation flow going, you must learn to keep a step or two ahead of your audience. With the help of the best SEO companies for small businesses, you can stay ahead of game.
In 2022, here are the marketing trends that you need to keep a close watch of and the reasons why adapting them will do your business some good:
Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
Customer care is a huge part of the after-sales effort of any company. You want to know if your client is benefitting from your product or service. In order to effectively do that, you need to ask how they are doing. Right now, it is not just about having the right script on your social media or customer service hotline, you want to make them feel that you are serious about caring for them and their needs. If done right you get more appreciation from clients with the potential of gaining recommendations and more sales.
Influencer Marketing on Social Media
Influencer marketing is a trend that small businesses should take advantage of. This type of marketing allows you to tap the help of influential users from various platforms and social media channels to help promote your brand. Influencers with an audience both large and small can strengthen your brand by sharing stories that involve you and/or your product.
If you are running a medical spa business, like Clarity Medspa & Laser Toronto, for example, you can reach out to influencers in the fashion or skincare industry to promote your skincare procedures and products.
Adapting Big Business Systems and Processes
Finding success in 2022 means adapting the big business mindset. Start by taking on the systems and processes that work for big businesses. Consider setting up toll-free numbers or establishing business flow in a way that you seem much larger than you actually are. It will become easier for you to transition once your company grows.
Family-First Workplace Values
Most people have reassessed the value of family over their careers in the last two years brought about by quarantine restrictions. Companies that thrived most during this time were those that put great importance on family. They are the ones that adapted the people-first policy in that their teams are given more flexible working hours and other benefits that focus on helping their families thrive. As a business, this also communicates to the consumers that you are putting the welfare of your employees and their loved ones on top of the priority list.
Building Links With Other Businesses
In search engine optimization, the best SEO companies for small businesses will focus efforts on link building. It is when you try to get your content to be cited by other websites and link back to increase your authority. This is adapted from the actual business link building process where one business owner establishes a connection with others to gain referrals.
Digital and Cloud Technologies
A handful of small businesses still refuse to have a strong digital presence. This hampers their success as it is projected that in the next decade this will be the biggest driving force that will determine the status of businesses. Having the right digital tools and cloud technologies will help you stay on top of your industry.
Agile Service Delivery and Product Development
Clients place value in a business’ ability to adapt in terms of service delivery and product development. It also gives you an advantage since it helps establish and make your personal brand recognizable.
Digital Marketing
The pandemic proved that a business with a strong digital presence is the future of the economy. Small businesses that have embraced online platforms and are leveraging these to market their businesses have seen an increase in sales despite physical shops closing down. With the help of the best SEO companies for small businesses they were able to navigate the hard times and have reached more buyers. If you run an aesthetics clinic offering medical aesthetics courses, for example, you can venture into promoting your courses on your website. This way, when potential students look for your services, they’ll find all the information, like topics, duration, and rates, on your site.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Video
Video is the future of marketing. It has shown great potential in selling, serving, and meeting the audience’s needs across the globe. With gadgets within arm’s reach, companies that do not produce videos will simply be forgotten about. Invest in video platforms that will help you market your products and establish your business identity.
Coaching and Mentoring of Employees
For you to maintain a happy workforce, you need to give them room to grow. Mentoring and coaching are two ways to keep and improve the performance of your people. When they feel that they are pushed to do and become better, they become more loyal to the organization. Make it a goal to keep good and hardworking people in your team.
Hybrid Workplaces
There was a time when working from home and flexible work schedules were unheard of. The past few years however proved that allowing hybrid workspaces can help organizations grow. Helping your team find work schedules that suit them, allowing for remote offices and other types of arrangements will give your employees a chance to enjoy a better work-life balance. If you have happy people, they become more productive, and your business thrives more.
Focusing on Mental Health
The last few years saw the rise of mental health concerns especially among employees directly dealing with customers. Business owners should spend time evaluating the mental health policies of the workplace and the actions taken to help those who are under extreme pressure. In social media’s cancel culture, many have called to boycott companies that are not giving their employees space to breathe, grieve, heal, and find happiness.
The year 2022 offers a promising start to many industries as several restrictions have been lifted. With the help of the best SEO companies for small business you can execute the right strategies so your business can prosper.