Trendy can be tricky because trendiness implies a period that is not forever. But in terms of business strategies, understanding current trends and striking while the iron is hot to boost your business is essential. Using techniques that have always proven successful for your business is a great foundation. However, you should always leave room in your plan for innovation. A growth strategy is more than just marketing. If you do, or did not, include a plan for this in your original business plan then you leave yourself open to the fluctuations of the market and the fickleness of the consumer base.
The most palatable thing about growing your business is that there are many paths to take to achieve this goal. While hopping from trend to trend is not the most sustainable route, it is beneficial to ensure that the more traditional strategies you employ are keeping trends in mind. You want your strategy to be able to appeal to not just current customers, but the future ones you are attempting to gain. Below are examples of modern strategies that are the perfect combination of modernity and tradition. These can help your business grow in today’s market.
You have assuredly heard the term SEO at a high frequency. SEO is an acronym for search engine optimization, and it refers to the strategy of improving your website traffic back to your page from search engines. In simpler terms, SEO is a strategy of creating a website that pleases the search engines. This means that when individuals are using these engines to look for specific items, your site is near or at the top of the list of options. Large corporations have huge teams in place to focus their energy exclusively on this. But what about small businesses and independent contractors who have a brand to grow but are not able to dedicate a team of people to using SEO?
A great example of a company and group of small business owners that have nailed this is Etsy. As an eCommerce company that focuses on handmade items sold by independent business owners, Etsy has managed to bring together a huge collection of sellable goods and still please the search engines enough to be a top hit. If you are curious as to how they achieve this balance, review a guide on Etsy SEO tips for success in 2021. This guide is relevant because it highlights a modern approach to business growth by focusing on SEO. All while prioritizing the integrity of all the small business owners that sell on their site. All the independent contractors on Etsy have a chance to experience growth without having to switch up their individual strategies.
At this point, it is basically impossible to avoid creating a social media presence. Whether it's for your business, product, or brand. Often these platforms are the first place that potential customers will go to when they want to learn more about your company or product. While social media is not a terribly new growth strategy, it does come with trends that you can use to your advantage if you are aware of what they are. Some ways to use social media to grow your current customer base are:
The best, and worst part, of social media is its outreach and its immediate nature. It can take only seconds for something to go viral. For better or for worse. If your goal is simply to gain new customers and increase your usage of marketing platforms, do not fear the dark side of social media. Same as every small business had the occasional customer rant, you should expect the same on your social media accounts. The plus side of this modern strategy is that social media gives you control over complaints. You have the chance to address bad press and develop a resolution that is visible to all. This means that even when you do face a disgruntled customer your reputation remains intact.
