Small businesses were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, and they’re only just starting to recover from the damage. With the business world beginning to find their “new normal”, several trends are emerging to help them find their feet. Keeping up to date with the latest trends is important for business owners, especially for businesses looking to find growth. Throughout this article, we have gathered together the top eleven trends shaping small businesses throughout 2022.
Cloud Technologies
Small businesses don’t always have a strong online presence because they lack the resources to dedicate time to it. Unfortunately, this needs to change because success in the coming decade will hang on to the use of cloud services. Currently, businesses are using Microsoft Teams, Twitter, and Slack to connect and their customers. Tomorrow, there is no telling what the most important services will be. The only way to remain relevant is to keep on top of digital trends in business.
Workplace Mental Health
No matter what size team a company has, 2022 is placing importance on mental health in the workplace. Issues regarding supply chain demands, remote working, and staffing demands are all common problems increasing employer stress levels. If you can create policies that support the mental health of your workforce, you’re more likely to see an increase in productivity and turnover.
Personal Branding
Nailing the business brand is essential for success in 2022. However, people are looking for more personality today. In particular, they want to know the person behind a business. With this in mind, don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through your business – don’t hide behind the walls of your business’s personality anymore.
Wider Recruitment Efforts
Throughout the global pandemic, the world became more connected than ever before. In particular, companies realized that they could rely on remote workforces to complete projects. When it comes to recruitment, this means that businesses can expand the net by searching for talent without borders. Creating a transparent employee environment built on norms and values will almost guarantee success when recruiting.
Recruitment typically indicates company growth, which means company assets are higher. Business growth needs to be protected, so make sure you have quality small business insurance in place. You will be protected in the event of errors, accidents, and workers’ comp claims. When searching for small business insurance, we suggest outsourcing the task to experts like those at The Hartford.
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
Businesses can no longer get away with offering shallow empathy because it’s not a luxury now. Instead, demonstrating legitimate empathy is a strong skill that will help to normalize the working life. Business leaders don’t need to know every detail of an employee’s life, but they should recognize their feelings and understand where behaviors are coming from. When you ask, “How are you doing?” make sure your employees know that you truly want to know.
Big Business System Adoptions
There are certain things big businesses do that you can also adopt as a small business. For example, you can offer toll-free phone calls and implement automated/interactive voice responses. To attract a wider clientele, you can also open virtual offices in other locations. These changes can make your business look more established.
Business Owner Networking
There’s no point going it alone in 2022, so reach out to business owners and see where the relationship takes you. Networking will help you generate business and can lead to referrals. Further, you will learn from the experience of others and have access to resources if you need them in the future. If you act generously and positively towards fellow business owners, they are more likely to recommend your services to backlink to your website. Through the course of market research, results will vary from business to business. If you network well, you may find an element you overlooked, which will help you expand.
Focusing on Coaching and Mentoring
Employee retention relies on companies creating a positive working environment. Although physical activities including games consoles, pool tables, and TVs are fun, coaching and mentoring are much more valuable to employees. If you can focus on mentoring and coaching within your employee journey, you are more likely to see growth in retention rates.
Use Video Conference Tools
Throughout the global pandemic, the use of video conference tools was adopted by businesses and consumers. In 2022, companies can utilize video tools to meet people, sell products, and provide demonstrations. The majority of people have access to a phone, laptop, or tablet, so make sure you’re taking full advantage. Although video conferencing isn’t new, it’s an area that’s expected to continue seeing significant growth.
Social Media Marketing and Influencer Interaction
The power of social media has been explored for many years, and 2022 is no different. Throughout the pandemic, the TikTok platform blew up and was used to set social trends. Businesses can use social media platforms to get their message out there. If your company lacks the following, you can reach out to influencers that will promote your brand and drive traffic towards your page. When choosing which platforms to focus on, you will need to research your target audience; you will need to target more than one social media platform no matter what.
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing has been around for a while now, and business leaders need to acknowledge that it’s not going anywhere. During the pandemic, digital marketing was the main way of spreading the message. In-person lead-building might not always be second-best to digital marketing overall, but its efficiency, low cost, and time-reducing qualities make it a winner for many brands. For maximum success, businesses need to leverage digital marketing tools so they can reach a wider audience.
Small businesses are beginning to return to offices and establish “new” normal routines, which can be a daunting task. The global pandemic promoted the true meaning of togetherness, the underlying motivation for the majority of the above trends. Stay up to date with small business trends and you will find post-pandemic success in no time.
