Sometimes, the business world changes so rapidly that it’s hard to know which trends to follow. Try out a few of these new developments that are guaranteed to help your small business for years.
Move Your Communication Services to the Cloud
Over the past few years, cloud-based communication services such as softphones, email, and videoconferencing software have experienced explosive popularity growth. It’s hard to beat the convenience of being able to conduct business from any device without buying work-specific laptops or phones. Not only are you able to access your business network from all your devices, but you can also personalize your plan for your area. For example, if you have branches in a few different cities, you can get business numbers here that use each city’s area code.
Offer Remote Work Options
Once you’ve invested in cloud-based communication services, it’s much easier to participate in another top trend: remote work. Many companies started experimenting with flexible work options when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and quite a few are still allowing their employees to work from home when possible. If your company is too small for positions such as human resources representatives, accountants, and sales representatives, this trend may not be possible. For your employees whose work doesn’t depend on them being in your store, though, working from home often increases efficiency.
Optimize Your Cashless Payment Plans
Fewer people carry cash today than ever before, so you must optimize your cashless payment options to maximize your customer base. If your cash register can’t handle electronic payments, download an app such as Square and purchase a card reader. Experiment with money-sharing services such as CashApp and Venmo to increase your appeal to Millenials and Generation Z. The more ways that people can pay you, the more likely they are to purchase your products.
Prioritize Your Social Media Presence
Another critical small business trend is to recognize how powerful your social media platforms are. Each one allows you or your social media manager to interact with customers from all over the globe. Posting photos of your products and employees is a good start, but you also need to share your blog posts, ask for customers’ advice, and host fun contests. Use the question and answer feature on your Instagram and Facebook stories to get customer feedback, and host live streams to increase your visibility.
When you’re looking for ways to improve your company, explore these new small business trends.
