Shane Reiss is a professional speaker and consultant on leadership and organizational development. Omni-Solutions Consulting LLC.
Small business owners deal with everything from crunching numbers to ordering inventory at the end of the quarter. As the new year approaches, it's time to think about your marketing strategy for the coming year. As you plan your budget and allocate resources, consider incorporating these seven marketing trends to beat your competition in 2023.
Personal brand
You can't have a business without a brand. Unfortunately, once consumers see your product or service, the next step in their decision-making process is to research your company and its founders. What will customers or clients find when they visit your social media channels?
Does your social media profile tell them what you do, who you serve and why? Is your personal brand aligned with your business goals?
If you want to participate in the contest, you must answer yes to these questions. You want people to recognize you and your brand when they see it. To do this, you need to be present in the digital and physical worlds, be consistent with your message online and offline, and be active where your audience hangs out.
Marketing meta
Tech entrepreneurs talk about "rest" all the time. The next big leap in marketing will come through the metaverse. The question is, is your small business ready? To see how you can adopt this new technology ahead of your competition, watch this video by Satya Nadella on how metaversion can change the way we see and participate in the world.
A metaverse is a virtual world that people can explore and interact with. It is a bridge between the "real" world and the Internet. At Metaverse, companies can create their own virtual reality experiences for their customers. This is a great way to give them an immersive experience.
There are three ways your small business can embrace the meta universe:
1. Use AR and VR to create engaging experiences for your customers.
2. Use 3D printing to create physical products that your customers can use in the meta world.
3. Use blockchain to create a secure and decentralized way to store data and transactions.
Create a community for your audience
How can your small business connect its members together under a shared vision? I recently watched the WeWork documentary on Hulu. If you're not familiar with the story, WeWork is a company that provides shared office space for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The company started with an ambitious goal: to change the way we work.
The idea of WeWork is simple but powerful. people are more productive when they feel part of a community.
I'm not here to discuss the mistakes of the founders, but rather the power behind the idea of community. Your customers want community; Give it to him.
Data-driven content
According to Hubspot research, 54% of viewers prefer video over written content.
Does your audience define this percentage? When was the last time you looked up information? As an evidence-based educator, data is an important input to my business decisions.
We know content is king, but small business owners can't rely on assumptions when deciding what type and medium of content to create. Make data-driven decisions to maximize your marketing budget. This will help you understand who your customers are, what they want, and how best to reach them.
Add speakers and authors to subtitles
Speaking at professional conferences and writing books based on your industry expertise will continue to be key marketing strategies for small business owners, especially professional service providers.
Both allow you to reach new audiences unfamiliar with your work and increase your visibility and experience.
Strategic partnership
You are six degrees away from a potential business partner or contact that could change the trajectory of your business. The problem is, you don't know the other five people between them. Here you will need communication with colleagues. A long-term but effective small business marketing strategy in 2023 may be an alliance between non-competitors to help spread the word.
The Continued Growth of Influencer Marketing
You may not be able to get A-list celebrities to endorse your product or service, but you can find influencers. Audiences turn to influencers for advice, and small business owners need to connect with interested audiences who need their products or services.
But don't be fooled. Not all influencers have the same relationship with the public. Consider the following when evaluating influencers for your business:
• Flow. How many people can they reach with their message?
• Appendix. Are fans busy with their posts?
• Compatibility. Is their audience the right fit for your business?
• Originality. Are they a true influencer?
What does your product or service mean to them? Do they preach something like that? These are all questions you should ask yourself before signing a sponsorship deal with an influencer.
For some small business owners, niche influencers with small but highly engaged audiences are the best bang for your marketing dollars.
Small businesses need to start thinking about marketing to stay ahead of the competition in 2023. When you combine the power of personal branding with new technologies and proven offline marketing tactics, you have a marketing mix that will help your business succeed in 2023 and beyond.
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