[[{"fid":"2757","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Stay focused on your customers in 2016.","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"Stay focused on your customers in 2016.","height":810,"width":1080,"style":"width: 400px; height: 300px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]It is a new year and everyone likes to predict what will come in 2016. We decided to review these predictions and share strategies you may want to try this year. These trends include ways to refocus on your customers, developing an interactive marketing strategy and ways to make your team more dynamic.
1. Focus on Customers
Business is about serving your customers. Stay focused on the individuals who use your services and market to them. Consider perks you can provide your return customers such as awards or free advice. This will begin building a community around your brand.
2. Leveraging Analytics
Consider ways to use analytics to inform your customer focused strategy. Review the analytics you collect and consider if these analytics are still useful. Use your analytics to identify your top customers and their needs. This can help you develop a customer retention strategy.
3. Retain Customers
Building a brand is about retaining customers. Consider who your top customers are and interact with them through events or contests. These are opportunities to gain customer feedback and thank your customers for their business. Use customer feedback to enhance your product or service and keep them coming back.
4. Develop Interactive Marketing
Experts predict this customer focus will result in greater use of interactive marketing. It is not enough to publish material such as blog posts or infographics. Customers want to interact with content and have a personalized experience. You should look into the use of video, apps and mobile technology in your marketing strategy.
5. Launch a Video Campaign
You may see an increase in the use of video marketing this year. Video is an increasingly easy media to use due to smart phones and cheap video editing software. It allows you to demonstrate your products and services as well as speak directly to your customers.
6. Move to Apps and Mobile Technology
Look for opportunities to use apps and mobile technology to form personal connections with your customers. Mobile technologies and apps make the marketing and selling experience nearly seamless. Customers can browse and buy products and services from anywhere with data or Wi-Fi coverage. Customers can also interact with your team in real time if they have questions or concerns.
7. Build a Team
To maintain a customer community and interactive materials in real time will require an excellent team. Consider roles your team has or will fill and who is best suited for the task. You should also look at ways your team can be available to respond in real time to customer feedback.
8. Delegate to Freelancers
Freelancers will become an increasingly important part your team in 2016. You can assign part time or temporary work to freelancers to maintain your real time operations. Freelancers will also help your team fill skills gaps such as website development and copy writing.
9. Liberate Employees
You may see more of your employees work from home or on the road as advertising and business take place in real time. Consider ways that you can share files with your team using tools such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Also look into setting up office messaging or an in-office social network.
10. Protect Customers
If your business moves online in 2016, take steps to protect your customers from fraud. Write a privacy policy for your website if you do not have one. Set up HTTPS and DMARC to let your customers know that websites and emails belong to you. Review your log-in settings and account authorizations to make sure they are still appropriate.
As we move into a new year it is a great time to review your past strategies and develop new tactics. We can all benefit from reviewing our past policies and consider how we can improve our performance. What is your top business priority in 2016?
References
Hoque, Faisal. "Five Business Trends To Watch In 2016—No Matter How Or Where You Work." Fast Company. Accessed: January 11, 2016. Web: December 21, 2015.
Gavril, Matei. "7 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch Out for 2016." Entrepreneur. Accessed: January 11, 2016. Web: December 16, 2015.
Arnold, John. "Top 10 Customer-Centric Marketing Trends for 2016." Entrepreneur. Accessed: January 11, 2016. Web: January 6, 2016.