Connect with us
Hi I am Cortana

Hi, I am Cortana (Source: DualShockers)

We’re heading for another big shake up in marketing next year (what’s new?). And now that it’s December, it’s time to roll up our collective sleeves and get stuck into the changes that will be coming our way. As always, what actually happens is going to be very different to how most of us imagine it to be. Chatbots, not people, will be talking to our customers, and marketers are going to be getting more and more invested in the ad blocking arms race as savvy consumers try to hide their personally identifiable information from businesses and governments they see as a threat.

Check out these interesting and sometimes outright weird marketing trends expected to arrive in the year ahead.

ROI Metrics Will Dominate

At the moment, companies are using things like CPMs to measure the performance of their websites. The idea is that the higher the rate of conversion on their websites, whether it’s downloads, signups, or purchases, the better. But the problem with these data is that they are very mono-dimensional. Companies aren’t able to measure what the return is on their investment very easily. After all, different conversions have different values, and converting one set of customers can be a lot more costly than converting another set.

In the coming year, it is expected by Forbes and other experts that ROI-based performance metrics will come to dominate. Companies will be able to get real-time information on how much it cost them to generate an individual conversion, as well as how much that conversion cost relative to the amount of value generated by it. This new approach will then make it easier for companies to dedicate their precious marketing dollars to those instances that will generate the highest return.

Businesses Will Uncover Dark Social

Knowing where customers came from online is important. But right now, many people are choosing to keep their identities hidden, thanks to ever-increasing intrusion on their lives by governments and to a lesser degree, companies. This has led to the widespread adoption of encrypted, private messaging apps that effectively block out the ability of businesses to collect data. The problem with this is that companies rely on knowing which channels people are coming from to optimize their marketing strategies. If for instance, they’re getting lots of traffic from Facebook, but not very much from Twitter, it doesn’t make sense to plow investment dollars into Twitter.

Next year, companies will get tools that will help them uncover the world of dark social. GetSocial.io, for instance, can help firms find out where their customers are coming from, without revealing any personally identifiable information. It’s the best of both worlds, where consumer data remains private, and where companies get the information they need to better target their marketing campaigns.

Third-Party, Social Media “Buy Buttons”

social media apps

The future of ecommerce looks surprisingly different from the present. At the moment, the paradigm is that online retailers have to have their own website to which their customers arrive and make purchases. There’s a lot of money being spent right now on these sites to make sure that they have high visibility on general search engines.

But thanks to the fact that people never seem to tire of social media, social media itself will soon become a shopping platform in its own right. Facebook and Pinterest and currently investigating ways to include buy buttons next to products or items. For Pinterest, this is a particularly interesting idea, since it is a site dedicated to hosting and organizing photographs, usually of beautiful, bespoke products. Companies wouldn’t have to invest their marketing efforts trying to improve their rank on Google; they’ll be investing in enhancing their visibility on platforms like Pinterest and making sure that they produce the most alluring photographs possible. New social media marketing is something you can learn more about at Simplilearn here.

Marketing That “Gives Back”

Customers want the brands that they consume to have a feel good element. They want to know that when they buy a product that at least some of their money will be going to a noble cause. There are all sorts of companies that are doing this already. Take Warby Parker, the online glasses seller, for instance. This company proudly promotes the fact that “for every pair purchased, a pair is distributed to someone in need.” Regular, everyday companies need to think of ways of resonating with their customer base and making them feel as if they are improving the world with every purchase.

Native Advertising

Internet users are getting more and more savvy to the marketing tactics of online advertisers, hence the growth in the use of adblockers. Next year companies will have to focus more exclusively on native advertising – advertising that is expertly weaved into the content of an article or a video. Advertisers are going to need to target bloggers and vloggers and get them to incorporate their own products in a way that adds value to consumers. People don’t want yet another banner ad promising to save them money: they want something that actively helps them to understand something or somewhere that gives them unbiased information about a product. Product reviews, as well as videos showcasing how much fun a product can be, will form the lion’s share of marketing going forward.

Yet More Market Segmentation

You might think that we’ve reached peak personalization for online marketing, but according to experts, it’s going to be going up another notch next year. Personalization means targeting advertising based on a person’s habits and preferences online. The basic idea is to give consumers only the advertising content that they want, rather than bombarding them with information that they are not interested in. In a world of information overload, this may be the only approach marketers can use to get their message to stick.

Marketing Will Become Mobile-First

mobile marketing Social media apps windows phone

Long gone are the days when the PC was the dominant platform through which people consume online content. The market has spoken, and it turns out that people prefer their mobile devices, despite the fact that they only provide a fraction of the screen real estate. This new reality means that businesses are going to have to optimize first for mobile, and then for desktop after, to make sure that they are prioritizing their experiences in the correct way. Right now, many website builders have a desktop-first approach, which will have to change as we go forward in 2017.

Chatbots Will Talk To Your Customers For You

If you’ve ever gotten interested in artificial intelligence or computer science, you’ll have heard about the Turing test. The Turing Test was a test devised by Alan Turing, the esteemed computer scientist depicted in the film The Imitation Game. It said that artificial intelligence was achieved if an expert couldn’t tell whether he or she was talking to a person or a computer.

It might surprise you to discover that we’re not far off the world that Alan Turing envisioned. Today’s chatbots are being developed by the world’s most advanced AI companies, including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon. They’re all in a sort of arms race to build an AI that is able to chat with customers on behalf of business, find out their preferences, and feed all those data into a central repository where it can be analyzed and made use of. Chatbots, as they are called, will soon provide users with news updates on the products that they are interested in, as well as personalized responses to their queries, slashing the costs customer service in the process.

Companies Will Deliver Their Own Breaking News

Top tech companies are already making a habit of live streaming their events. You can now watch the biggest product launches, right from the comfort of your own computer as they happen in real time. As we go into 2017, live streaming technology will continue to push boundaries. For example, Instagram has now integrated its live stream option into its new “Stores” feature, meaning companies are able to keep users apprised of the very latest developments at company HQ.

Without Influencers, Companies Will Be Nowhere

We’ve already discussed just how important it will be for companies to find bloggers and vloggers who can act as hosts for their native advertising efforts. Next year, they’ll have to reach out to these influencers more than they ever did in the past. The reason for this is that people tend to trust influencers a lot more than they do the company’s own, direct marketing. Smart companies realize that to be successful, they have to reach out to influencers to gain credibility and sell their product. They need people who are seen as leaders in their own particular social field to promote, review and use their products if they are to be successful.

So there you have it – the big marketing trends to look out for next year. We haven’t even talked about things like VR or interactive content here because they are enormous topics in their own right. Suffice to say that 2017 is going to be very different – again.

Student @ Advanced Digital Sciences Center, Singapore. Travelled to 30+ countries, passion for basketball.

Continue Reading
Comments

Business

Here’s How to Boost Employee Satisfaction Today

Published

on

Pros-for-your-business

If you wish to maintain your employees and positive workplace morale, it is important to stay on top of employee management and know how to improve the workplace to benefit your employees. 

This guide will share the best ways to boost your employee satisfaction and guarantee to make them feel appreciated. 

Use chaplains to improve your workplace conditions

As a business owner, it is essential that you improve and maintain workplace conditions so that employees can feel satisfied while working for your business. Whether you lack support or have a dirty and messy workspace, you will not guarantee to maintain employees’ happiness or keep them working for your business if you do not offer great workplace conditions.

If you wish to improve your fast food employee retention, it is a great idea to use chaplains as they work to improve workplace conditions and measures so employees can feel happier and attain greater job satisfaction. 

Offer rewards for their efforts

It is important to offer rewards to employees for their hard work and effort so you can show that you appreciate and respect them.

A small pay bonus at the end of the month or taking them out for a nice lunch cannot prove to them that you have noticed their efforts and respect them for it, which will encourage them to feel satisfied with your management.

Ask them how they are and offer them support when they need it

As a manager or boss, you might often lack the time or thought to ask employees how they truly are. You might ask them each morning briefly how they have been, which will likely attain the same response. Many people will tell you that they are OK, even if they are not.

Whereas if you sit down with your employees individually and open up an honest conversation, you might find that they are not truly happy inside or outside of work. If an employee tells you this, it is important to listen to them and offer them support so that they can boost their happiness and well-being again which will ensure that they are satisfied at work.

Support their development and provide more training

Another great way to boost employee satisfaction is to support their development and offer them more training. 

Not every employee will want to climb the ladder in your business however there will be a select few who will want to climb higher in your company which will help them gain more success.

Therefore, to maintain and boost employee satisfaction, it is essential that you support their development and listen to their goals so that you can provide the right training for them to reach them.

Using these simple yet effective tips, you will guarantee to boost employee satisfaction in your company today. Simply listening to them, rewarding them and ensuring it to improve your workplace conditions will guarantee that your customers feel more satisfied and happy working for your business.

Continue Reading

Business

Tighten Up Your Customer Service In These Ways

Published

on

customer care

It’s always a good idea to make sure your customer service is as good as can be. After all, the better the customer service is, the more profitable the business will be – because having happy customers means that you are going to be a lot more successful. In general, then, what are some of the great ways to make your customer service better? In this post, we’ll discuss just some of them that you may want to be aware of so that you can effectively keep your customers much happier for longer.

Schedule Your Staff Properly

Your customer service staff need to be scheduled as well as possible if you want to keep the customer service as good as possible. The more effective their scheduling is, the more that they can actually provide a decent service to people, so this really is something that you will want to be aware of here. Scheduling can mean having some time tracking for call center purposes, or simply making sure that your staffing is at the appropriate levels. In any case, it’s hugely important to get it right, and will mean a better experience for your customers every time.

Be Honest In Your Dealings

In any and all dealing with your customers, you need to make sure that you are being as honest as possible. The more honestly you approach and communicate with your people, the better that is going to be for them and for you. To this end, make sure that your staff are trained on being as honest as possible with customers. This is a simple step and change that can make a world of difference, so it’s something you really want to think about. You will find you have much happier customers as a result of this simple change.

Under-Promise & Over-Deliver

This is a general approach that you may want to consider if you are trying to keep your customers happy, and it’s amazing how much it can help you to do so. Essentially, it’s all about being careful not to promise too much to your customers. If you know that something is going to take three days, promise five days. That way, when it only takes three, they will be pleasantly delighted. This is a really effective way to keep your customers so much happier, and it really does work very well, so make sure to bear it in mind.

Exceed Expectations

In general, going above and beyond is a really important way to impress people too, and this is something that you should be able to achieve relatively easily as long as you make a point of it. In fact, turning this into a core thing that you tend to try and provide will mean that you become excellent at customer service in no time at all, and it’s amazing just how well it can really work. So make sure that you do this if you want to keep people happy and make them smile.

Continue Reading

Business

How to Supercharge Your Construction Company’s Customer Service

Published

on

Alright, alright, let’s talk about the elephant on the construction site. As much as we love the smell of fresh cement in the morning, we’ve got to admit – construction is as much about people as it is about projects. And the secret to any successful people-centered business? Drumroll, please… Customer service!

So, grab your hard hats, folks! We’re about to rev up your customer service game and transform your construction company into a lean, mean, customer-loving machine. Buckle up, it’s gonna be a thrilling ride through the world of construction customer relations.

1. Make it Personal, Keep it Real

Here’s the deal: Clients aren’t just walking checkbooks, they’re people – people who dig being recognized. So, why not give ’em a little something to remember you by? Remember their kid’s name, their favorite football team, or that they prefer coffee over tea. When clients feel seen, they stick around. It’s a win-win!

2. Chat ’em up – But Keep it Relevant

Communication. It’s as simple as it gets. Keep your clients posted about every brick being laid and every nail hammered in. Transparency equals trust, and trust equals return customers. Let’s make this our mantra, shall we?

3. Construction CRM – Your New Best Friend

Ah technology – the magic wand of the 21st Century, How did we ever live without it? Meet your new pal: construction CRM. This techy gem helps manage customer interactions, keep track of project progress, and store customer data – all from one handy place. By harnessing its power, you’ll have more time to focus on the fun stuff (like choosing the perfect shade of paint).

4. Train your Squad

A strong team makes a strong business. Arrange some killer workshops for your crew – communication skills, conflict resolution, how to navigate that fancy CRM system amongst other things. Remember, your team is the face of your brand, so make sure they know their stuff!

5. Feedback: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Feedback isn’t just about patting ourselves on the back (although that feels pretty good, too). It’s about finding areas where we can do better. So, don’t shy away from the harsh truths – use them to your advantage. And when you turn a complaint around? Boom! That’s how loyal customers are made.

6. Go That Extra Mile

In the cut-throat world of construction, it pays to stand out from the crowd. And nothing says “pick me” like going above and beyond for your clients. Deliver earlier than promised, add a touch of unexpected luxury, or just check in to see how they’re doing. Trust us, they’ll love you for it.

7. Understanding Your Client’s Vision

You know what they say, right? You’ve got two ears and one mouth for a reason. So, listen more than you talk. Understand your clients’ vision, their dreams for their space. If you can show them that you’re invested in their dream as much as they are, you’ll have clients for life, and as you will probably know, it is a lot easier to keep existing clients than it is to find new ones, not to mention much cheaper to do so too!

8. Never Underestimate the Power of a ‘Thank You’

Gratitude is underrated. Sending a ‘thank you’ note after a project completion, or even a little token of appreciation, can leave a lasting impression. It’s a small gesture that can go a long way in making your client feel valued, and it will not cost you very much in terms of time or money at all, so what do you have to lose?

9. Promptness is Next to Godliness

Okay, maybe we’ve tweaked that saying a bit, but you get our drift. Being prompt with responses and never leaving a query unanswered assures your clients that they’re in good hands. Nothing screams ‘professional’ like a timely email or a returned call, because your customers know that, if you answer their queries quickly, chances are you sare more likely to show up and dso their construction work in a timely manner too, an that is exactly what the average construction company customer is looking for when they need some work done. 

So, there you have it – your blueprint to supercharging your construction company’s customer service. By doing all of the above to the best of your ability, you’ll be well on your way to building a reputation that’s just as sturdy as your constructions. So, are you ready to hammer down on customer service and build some lasting relationships? Let’s get to it!

Continue Reading

Trending