“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instil in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey.
Today, many people will be busy making New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps they want to lose weight, form new habits, or simply hope one of their dreams will come true this year.
This year you will have more experience than ever before, and can make wiser decisions because of it. In order to get it right, your business must evolve to match the needs of your customers. Mobile access and Social Media interaction will have great influence in 2015, and we want you to be prepared. So while you are contemplating your personal goals for 2015, here are 5 more resolutions to add to the list!
1. Create Content
Let’s face it. Social Media isn’t going away anytime soon. If your business isn’t already participating, then this is your year to start creating content. A blog is a great way to start communicating with your customers and generating new leads. You can create one via WordPress.com, WordPress.org, and Blogger.com. Try to post a few times a week, consistently. Photos, videos, and podcasts are also highly recommended. Once you create content, it needs to be shared. The most common avenues are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. However, which social media platform you choose will depend on the nature of your business. You can learn more about the different platforms in this article, and decide which one is right for your business.
2. Encourage Customer Loyalty
The real money is made in business by obtaining customer loyalty. These days, online reviews can make or break a business, so you want to be sure that your customers share only positive sentiments. You can ensure this by making customer service a priority, and by getting closer to your customers this year. Know who they are, what they want, and why they have chosen your business over others like it. Only when you can answer those questions will you know how to keep them around, and get them to tell their friends about you. Using CRM software ensures that you won’t drop out of touch with your customers, and always have access to a 360 degree view of your customer.
3. Listen to Your Employees
Whether they are in shipping, sales, marketing, or accounting, take the time this year to hear what your employees have to say. They can provide insight into what your customers really want, what is slowing down processes, and where you can cut costs. This can be done in person, or you could create a forum for discussion on your 1CRM.
4. Go Mobile
In 2014, more customers will find your business using their mobile phone than ever before. While optimizing your website, you want to make sure that it is accessible and useful via mobile. If you mainly sell products in-store and not online, you should feature a map on your website, hours of operation, and a number you can be reached at with the click of a button. Having an online catalogue serves both in-store and online customers as well. In-store customers can make sure you have the item they are looking for before they visit, and online customers can simply order it. Lastly, having an iOS App where your customers can place orders or make reservations is very handy, and makes your business look tech savvy.
5. Collect Data
If you aren’t already acquainted, get to know Google Analytics. It contains a wealth of information about your business. What keywords people are using to find you, who your customer is, how effective your website is, and what you can do to encourage engagement. Using this information can help to optimize your marketing efforts and cut costs. Join the Google Analytics Academy today – A free course on Google Analytics.
We wish you the best of luck in business and life in the year 2015, and look forward to hearing all about it.
Thank you from all of us at 1CRM, for another fantastic year!
