Growing Trends in 2021 that May Impact Your Business
Written by Mel // January 7, 2021 // Business // Comments Off on Growing Trends in 2021 that May Impact Your Business
Owning and running a small business can be hard in any year or age but with the pandemic putting many small business owners in a tight spot, 2021 is a very welcome sight.
The pandemic of 2020 will impact small businesses in big ways for the next few years. There are a few growing trends that will continue to emerge in 2021 that small businesses should sit up and take note of for the next year and decade!
Creative Ways to Work
Offices and cubicles have rapidly become a thing of the past! While the pandemic forced a large number of offices to shut down, many have found that having employees work from home is just as effective and less costly. Employees are more engaged, happier and more productive when allowed and encouraged to work from home.
Also, many small businesses have taken advantage of the current economy and employed people as freelancers and contractors rather than as full-time employment. This saves money in the long run and allows businesses to keep their hiring pool fluid following their needs.
Both of these new and creative ways to work mean that small businesses need to invest in high-quality IT and technical support. Both regular and full-time work-from-home employees need to be able to call in or connect via the internet in order to have the support they need, which is when the use of real-time messaging software such as can be found at https://www.agora.io/en/products/real-time-messaging/ is most helpful. Gig workers and freelancers choose when and where to work and they’ll need good connections to turn in work on time.
Get Moving and Get Mobile
Everyone carries their phone with them and it often becomes the center of social and professional interactions. Small businesses are increasingly looking to connect with mobile and cell phone technology as well as get moving and be with customers!
Mobile payments, mobile marketing, and mobile customer support have all become prevalent in recent years and will be game-changers for small businesses in 2021. Allowing customers to make payments with their phones and devices allows small businesses to compete with larger companies more easily. Ordering and paying online helps decrease face-to-face interaction which during the current pandemic is a must for any small business hoping to stay afloat.
Mobile marketing is another way to increase the availability of small businesses to the general public! Everyone does their shopping from the comfort of their own home and the design as well as ease of access to your company’s website can make or break a sale. Making sure your website or domain is user and mobile-friendly can help you compete when people are looking to make their next purchase. To get people over to your website, it’s important that businesses improve their marketing strategy without using third-party cookies or idfa. With both of those marketing methods beginning to disappear, it’s crucial for businesses to have other ways of personalizing their marketing methods. Perhaps Epsilon could help with this. They can improve marketing strategies for businesses to improve brand awareness.
Lastly, mobile customer service has come to the forefront with the advent of social media. Customer service for small businesses rarely happens at a call bank but instead has a tendency to be resolved and addressed in the comments of your Instagram or Facebook page. This allows small businesses to offer quality service that’s customized to each customer’s needs.
Creative Business Models
The pandemic has forced everyone to think outside of the box when it comes to what their purpose and focus will be. Small businesses are no exception!
To keep customers coming back, small businesses need to be willing to think outside of the box and create new streams of revenue. This may be as simple as offering take-out or to-go items or rerouting production means to create something that customers need or want.
Having creative and flexible revenue streams amid a pandemic can seem like a short-term solution, but it has long-term implications. It shows that you’re willing to work and think outside the box to give yourself a boost in the future. These creative revenue streams may even end up being more profitable for your business when the pandemic ends!
Social Responsibility
Increasingly, shoppers and customers are concerned not just with the product they’re getting but where it comes from and how it’s affected the world around them. Addressing these needs and sourcing things locally as well as making sure they’re socially responsible is a good way to encourage repeat customers.
One of the biggest boons for small businesses amid the pandemic is that many customers and consumers have become increasingly concerned with shopping local and shopping small. This concern for local businesses and social responsibility puts small businesses at the forefront for customers.
Translating this desire for socially responsible products means looking to increase and diversify your inventory in your small business. You can also source new products and product lines from your social media pages that customers comment and suggest!
Flexible payments
Mobile payments and payment plans for larger items have rapidly become the norm. Incorporating these ideas into your small business is a great way to accommodate any type of shopper or customer.
The convenience, speed and security of mobile payments makes them ideal for small businesses to utilize on a website or brick and mortar stores. In addition to being simple to use, they’re also contactless which reduces the spread of the pandemic and keeps employees and customers safe.
Larger items have seen a boost in payment plans as well. This allows people to buy bigger items without breaking the bank or going without.
Burnout
Employees are your small business’ greatest asset and keeping them healthy both physically and mentally should be a big concern for any employer.
Incorporating different types of ways to deal with burnout into your daily and weekly routine is a great way to keep your employees happy and healthy. Gaps in schedules can put pressure on employees to work harder than they normally would and ensuring that they get time off or spend time together doing yoga or relaxation techniques will help them stave off burnout.
Takeaway
Small businesses have taken a hit in 2020 but some growing trends speak well for 2021! Taking care of employees and getting creative with revenue streams and making things mobile are all pandemic induced plans that have lasting impacts on small businesses. Instead of resisting the trends that 2020 brings on, jump on board and see your business bloom in 2021!
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