3 “new normal” trends for marketing and operating small business.
You are likely hearing these words more frequently: “New Normal”. This phrase is coming up more and more as business owners and individuals alike continue to evaluate what the future holds as we experience an unprecedented halt on business and the way we live in America and around the world. As a business owner, you must become dynamic in the way your business changes and pivot in many ways inclusive of the way you market to your target audience. So, what exactly will this “New Normal’ be in the near future when it comes to the small business owner? How will you market to your past and future clients a bit differently now that they world has temporarily shut down? Will things ever be the same. Well here are my thoughts on this as an entrepreneur and marketing agency leader.
1: Online Presence: Where are you online and how can we buy your services?
This likely sounds like a no-brainer. Prior to COVID-19 many businesses began to focus on their online presence and how they can make sure that they are now found. In a world where your website is always at a potential client’s fingertips, it has always been especially important to have an online presence that makes you available. This is true, though many businesses were not equipped to transfer their entire way of operating onto their online platform.
If you have not already, as a business owner, began to place your offerings online and to translate them into the digital space, it is a must now. This is not only putting marketing and information on your platform online, but also making sure that you have the tools to land a sale within your site.
Functionality has become immediately the goal of all websites and companies online. Can your site handle a sale from start to finish in this contactless world? When we are back to “normal” will the trend be contactless? You must as an entrepreneur evaluate if the true goals of your site and marketing online now mesh with the actual function of your business.
2. Robots are the future: How are you cutting cost with automation?
Automation is going to be even more important as we become a less personal community of businesses and consumers. Going online and shopping was already a trend, but now it is a necessity to truly fulfill the shoppers itch in some cases. This goes for even more industries than e-commerce. How can you manage the influx of online interactions autonomously while managing operations? Automation is the answer. Find platforms, bots, widgets and more that allow you to vet clients or purchasers and lead them through the purchasing funnel right on your website or through simple technologies that are cost efficient.
For those in the service industry or professional services, creating automatic pay walls for your services will allow you to truly pivot in the way you do business. While we all re-evaluate how we are going to do business, we must also still create a method in which we will maintain an income. Make automation a part of your pivot strategy today. Here are just a few automation platforms to think about: Replyify, Growbots, Pipedrive, Hubspot & many more.
3: Money is key: Budgeting and priorities must change?
Many businesses are cutting unnecessary costs as they note that sales are down, or they may be simply changing due to the virus. This is the perfect time to regroup by looking at your budget (which I hope that you have in a document form) and cut some of the fat. Businesses are realizing that having an office building may not be important in this remote world. Small businesses are leaning on automation, tech, and great inexpensive software to manage and create lead. All of these directions are necessary to cut costs and prepare for the future of business as we know it.
We must continue to think about ways that we can save, become more agile in our businesses, and provide the products or services that we are looking to sell to generate profit. We have to keep the customer in mind wile doing all of this. How can we make for a great customer experience no matter the unforeseen circumstances? If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we must absolutely expect the unexpected. This “New Normal” may not be anything near normal at all, and it is time to realize that and change accordingly.
Reginald Parks, MBA | Creative Director and Owner of Reality Marketing Group
