Everyone agrees that 2020 has been an incredibly challenging year. It’s been a rollercoaster ride of lockdowns and constant readjustments. Experts agree that Covid-19 and its after effects will be around for a while yet. So, with the end of the year approaching quickly, I’m looking at 2021 and making plans that will enable Energise to not only survive but thrive in the coming year.
Many of you will be doing the same, so I thought I’d share my top 4 business trends for 2021.
Flexibility and adaptability
The need to be flexible and adapt quickly will continue for the foreseeable future. This applies to everything from your workforce and your product offering to your marketing. It’s no longer enough to keep doing business the way it’s always been done. Have a Plan A, a Plan B and just in case a Plan C.
Personalisation is going next level
Personalisation has been trending recently and it’s going continue growing. It’s a win – win situation for both businesses and customers. If customers receive offers that are more relevant, they’re more likely to purchase. And businesses can maximise their return on investment by delivering the right messages to the right people.
Employee happiness matters
I touch on this in my other article on brand love. Your employees are your best advocates and the ones your customers interact with daily. Make sure they’re happy and feeling valued and they’ll be eager to do their best for your customers. Often this comes down to your employer brand. Your employer brand affects everything from your recruitment to staff loyalty and retention. If you feel like your employer brand is not working for you, get in touch as it’s one of my areas of speciality.
You can’t escape social media
One of the after effects of Covid lock downs has been the acceleration of digital channel adoption by consumers. More people are comfortable with doing business through Zoom calls and keeping in touch via social media. This has exponentially increased the reach of digital marketing channels. For business owners, this means that it’s important to make sure your messages are where your customers are. Make sure you regularly review your campaign results and put your spend towards channels that deliver the best returns.
In summary
There’s always a plethora of trend predictions for the new year but these are the ones that I feel will have the biggest positive impacts for small to medium sized NZ businesses. These are the trends that I’ll be building into my business plan for 2021 over the next couple of weeks. I encourage you to do the same and if you need a hand get in touch, I’m always happy to help.
