Time to Review, Renew, Revise Your Plan?
One-quarter of the year is nearly over. It's time for you to review the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Is your business on the right track? Are you following your plan? If not, now is the perfect time to re-evaluate your strategies and make adjustments.
By evaluating your progress at regular intervals, you can determine if you're making enough progress to reach your goals. It's also important to consider any changes in market conditions affecting your business.
Some trends other businesses are embracing in the ever-changing marketplace
Genuine sustainability—a commitment to reducing waste, using green energy and materials, and making sure your employees are treated fairly. Consumers are pretty savvy and call out companies who use fluff statements and greenwash their websites. If you do it right, you will be rewarded with loyal customers and new market share. If you're not, it will come back to bite you in the butt.
Video—the rise of video content shows no signs of slowing down. As a business, video can be an effective way to increase brand awareness and engagement. Whether it's product demos, employee stories, or behind-the-scenes footage, create content that adds value to your customers' lives. Avoid boring, tired formats! Don't just pan across your showroom with a voice-over about your years in business and commitment to satisfaction. Invest a little time and resources into producing something unique, quirky, or funny. Try for original—it will pay off!
Vanity Metrics - stop chasing followers, likes, and views. Instead, focus on customer experiences that will move the bottom line. You want to build lasting relationships and make sure people remember your brand fondly. Whether through podcasts, targeted emails, or personalized content, focus on creating experiences that make your customers feel part of a tribe. You want them to feel like they don't just use your brand; they ARE your brand.
Social Influencers are getting more granular. Celebrity endorsements may be great, but what "insert big-name celebrity here," thinks doesn't impact our daily lives. You build a long-term relationship with genuine authenticity when you join forces with an influencer with a smaller but highly engaged following. I came across a term recently—I wish I had thought of it first—that sums this idea up perfectly. Realfluencing. Real reviews and endorsements from regular, imperfect people who actually shop in your business and use your services.
Stay on track for success; write down your goals, review your progress, and adjust if needed. Start thinking about where you want to go next and what strategies can get you there. Remember, the businesses in the best position for success in 2023 are prioritizing sustainability, embracing video content, building a sense of community with their customers, and looking for realfluencers. So take time to smell the tulips, enjoy the warmer weather, and the trill of the red-winged blackbird.
