Keep up with the latest business trends.
People are getting vaccinated for Covid-19, and cities are reopening. One by one, consumers are returning to stores. Things are starting to seem “normal” again. But after such a weird year, there seems to be a new sense of normal. Many are wondering what this new norm looks like.
Staying up to date on trends is essential for any growing business. Successfully identifying what’s a trend and what’s a fad is key. It provides you with a competitive edge that not everyone else has.
If you’re reading this, it means you actively take the time to read and learn how to regularly improve your business. That’s how you find success. As always, you can find more business tips on our blog.
This season make sure your store is prepared. Here are four Q2 business trends you shouldn’t ignore.
People Want Personalization
We love personalization. Tailor made suits, made-to-order meals, and customizable options are popular for a reason. It’s the same online.
Think about the last time you made an online purchase. If you were on Google or Amazon, you likely saw a list of recommendations.
Those recommendations are based on what the website thinks you’d be interested in. It looks at your recent purchase history and search history to determine your interests.
As creepy as it is to have a device spy on you, we still appreciate the personalized aspect. We love it when we receive a coupon for the exact item we’ve been wanting to purchase.
It’s not just personalized marketing that is becoming more popular. Personalized service is growing too. Think of items like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. All three of these devices are made to act as a personal assistant. They can help people create a shopping list, set a timer, and more.
Consumers love these devices. They’re helpful, and they make the customer feel important by providing a personalized service.
In a world of convenience, consumers are starting to prize personalization and customization options. Consider making your store’s shopping experience more personal towards your customers. You’ll want to focus on customer experience both in-store and online.
You could email customers marketing materials for products they’ve expressed interest in. For your website, consider adding a recommended products section. For your store, consider making them feel special when they walk in. It’s been a long year, and we could all use a friendly face.
E-commerce is Efficient for Everyone
Does your business have a website or online store?
And no, just having a Facebook page doesn’t count.
Customers want a website.
With the pandemic, there was an increase in online shopping, and it’s here to stay. To be exact, e-commerce had a $174.87 billion revenue boost in 2020. Don’t you want a piece of the pie?
Customers enjoy the convenience of being able to shop online. Even with brick-and-mortar stores, they like being able to learn more about the company and the products.
For restaurants, customers want to see an online menu.
With services, customers want to learn about the company values and services they provide.
When it comes to products, customers want to see images of the items they’re considering purchasing.
In addition, customers prefer easy access to information like the business phone number, hours, and address. Although your Facebook page may be up to date, there’s plenty of business pages that aren’t. Customers are more likely to trust the information on a website than on social media.
If you don’t have a website, it’s worth the investment to create one.
You could pay someone to make a website for you. Or you could bite the bullet and make your own. Even if you’re not the most tech-savvy, there are website options out there that require little-to-no coding. A simple website is all you need.
Customers Use Contactless Credit Cards
Speaking of advances in technology, more customers want to pay with contactless credit cards. Does your outdated credit card terminal accept them?
If you said no, you might be losing out on sales. 54% of consumers said they’d switch retailers if one didn’t accept contactless credit cards.
A lot of times, these cards are safer than other alternatives. Plus, contactless payments are very popular in other modern countries. Even In the start of 2020, trend experts were already anticipating that contactless cards would become the new norm.
Then the pandemic hit, and people became conscious of sanitation.
With a new focus on health, many stores and consumers switched to contactless forms of payment. Simply passing their phone or credit card over a terminal was enough for a payment to go through. They didn’t have to take the risk of touching the device. It helped protect both the customer and the store’s team.
With any kind of technology, there’s an education phase. Traditionally, customers and businesses would have spent years learning how to use contactless technology. The pandemic rapidly sped up this learning process. A majority of consumers have now seen or used contactless payment.
Today, contactless cards are convenient, or at least more convenient than other payment types. A customer just has to hover their card over the machine. That takes less time and energy than having to swipe, tap buttons, and sign.
Customers like using contactless cards. This is a trend that’s here to stay.
Thinking of joining the 21st century? A payment processor, like Acumen Connections, can help get you set up. You’ll never have to turn away sales again.
Consumers Care About Carry Out
Speaking of contactless options, customers enjoy the convenience of delivery and carry out. And it doesn’t just apply to restaurants.
During the pandemic, a lot of shoppers got used to being able to call ahead to order a product. They got used to driving by the front of the store and having their purchase walked out to their car.
People like convenience, and curbside options are very convenient, especially when you know what you want.
If you’re a restaurant or grocery store, you could partner with a delivery service. Consider options like Door Dash, Uber Eats, and Instacart. They can be pricey to join up with, but you’ll have access to more sales.
Plus, you’ll be introduced to new customers that might not find you otherwise. Apps like Door Dash and Uber Eats allow customers to search for nearby food by category. If they’re craving a specific type of food, they may just land on your listing.
There’s less diversity on these delivery apps, than Google, which means there’s a better chance of getting discovered.
If your business is more similar to a store, customers will love seeing curbside options. It makes their lives easier and saves them time when they need to go shopping or run errands.
Plus, there are some customers that still have legitimate health concerns. Even though vaccines are rolling out, there are plenty of individuals that don’t have access yet. More than that, there’s people that aren’t able to get the vaccine due to health risks. Offering a curbside option helps them shop safely at your store.
Successful Companies Keep Up With Their Customers
Customers know what they want. It’s important to listen to them. One way we can do that is by looking at consumer trends.
Your customers have spoken. They want contactless payments, access to information via websites, curbside options, and personalization.
Following these Q2 business trends are sure ways to find new customers and retain the ones you already have. The central theme of these trends is that they make shopping easy at your store. These trends help customers find convenience and feel secure while buying from you.
Follow these four business trends into your second quarter. You’ll thank me later.
