Being a startup in the professional world is like being a tiny spec that is invisible to the naked eye. That is how much of a chance newbie companies have at standing out. It is only thanks to breakthroughs like social media that have helped them garner some level of notice.
It is places like the Silicon Valley and that too of San Francisco that has allowed technology to level the playing field for new business entrants. The world is looking forward to new technological breakthroughs as the years go by. And it looks like 2016 could be the dawning of a new era for rookie businesses all over the globe.
Let’s gaze at 5 of the most appealing trends that are heading our way.
- Marketing Becomes Automated
Marketing itself is a stressful task which involves a great investment of time and effort. However, with the introduction of marketing automation software, there will be no need for that. It is like dropping a huge weight off of our shoulders. It also relieves us of the painful fees for using a dedicated marketing agency.
Firm leaders can use this to identify a goal and let the software handle the rest of the tasks like publishing a single post to a number of social media platforms. Eloqua and HubSpot are examples of such. They can handle all of the funnel management, CRM and delivering customized messages to prospects at the right time during the consumer buying cycle.
- Giving Out Co-Creation
Outsourcing has never been a greater blessing ever since the internet came along. It gives us the power to communicate and utilize the talents of people outside the walls of the office. Now companies can actively get suppliers, consumers, independent contractors in the loop for the creation of new products.
Outsiders have a chance to offer some depth of insight when it comes to product development, but the companies still hold control of the innovation process. The new technology allows companies to delegate control to outsiders, which is what we call co-creation.
- Payment Becomes Easier
While credit cards and PayPal is a great way of paying without paper, 2016 is offering an even better solution. Google Pay, Apple Pay and a host of other upcoming mobile payment solutions are making their way over to us. All it takes is just a simple smartphone button click and the transaction is complete.
- Apps For Small Businesses
Given how ubiquitous mobile marketing is, it makes all the more sense for small businesses to capitalize on that power in order to drive traffic. Offering customers a dedicated mobile application is a great tactic. Creating apps may seem too technical for some, but with Appy Pie as well as Microsoft’s PowerApps, you can easily make apps for Kindle, Blackberry, Android, and iOS.
It also makes it easier to embed click-to-call video and voice communications like the ones offered by Agora.io. What we mean is that you can integrate video chat into your app that makes it easier to engage with your customers.
- Smart Inventory Management
One of the biggest disadvantages of small businesses is that they are unable to manage stock that could be lying around. With this in mind, there are fewer chances for a sale, it interrupts cash flow and affects warehouse management. But with the help of tools like Fishbowl Inventory, it will be quick and simple to track and manage stock levels.
We should like to add that Fishbowl is the most requested add-on for QuickBooks, which is a huge gain for small and medium-sized businesses. It also integrates with other types of accounting and CRM software.
2016 has never looked more bright for newly established firms who would have otherwise have had a near zero chance of being visible.
Author Bio: Joseph Carey works as a Business Consultant and a Freelance Writer. He has a firm command over academic writing and has been writing essays for university students.