Pretty soon you’ll be shifting from bustling holiday activities to a bright new year packed with potential. It’s your moment to seize success, whether craving a positive reset in your personal life or your business strategies. And for many small brand owners, the pair are tightly woven together.
Future-proofing your business should be high on your list for a prosperous calendar year, especially whenever economic times are uncertain. Minimal efforts won’t be enough to keep the lights on, and you need to step up to each challenge to extinguish any setbacks threatening to emerge.
Keep spirits soaring with this checklist of tips that will help bolster your brand so you can secure your new year’s resolutions.
Prioritize the Customer Experience
Customer expectations are ever-changing, so you’ll need to pay close attention to these trends as they shift and evolve. Businesses that are willing to adapt and change direction to meet current demands are more likely to reap rewards in the year ahead.
Consider the customer journey. Someone out there has a problem they’d like to solve. Does their search lead them to your business? If so, is it easy to navigate, communicate, and checkout? An exceptional customer experience makes it a cinch for potential buyers to sail smoothly from curiosity to conversion.
You’ll also want to avoid the costly mistake of thinking the journey is over as soon as your customer crosses the finish line. Create lasting relationships with loyal visitors by continuing to offer an outstanding customer experience. This will not only bring in repeat business but also lucrative referrals thanks to word-of-mouth reviews from pleased customers.
Offer Today’s Flexible Payment Options
Flexible payment options have been skyrocketing in demand since the pandemic began in 2020, and we predict this trend will continue in the year ahead. That’s why you shouldn’t discount the impact of offering a multitude of payment options that make purchase commitments effortless for every customer.
Global Payments conducted a survey and found that 53% of merchants planned to expand payment methods in 2022. Younger demographics are especially eager to embrace convenient payment options that match their digital lifestyle. Are you meeting this demand, or shying away from sales?
How can you make payments more flexible:
- Offer Buy Now, Pay Later plans with bite-sized installment billing
- Use digital wallets for credit, debit, bank, and loyalty information
- Modernize with payment by QR code, digital invoices, or custom links
By giving your customers a choice, they’re able to pick what works best for their financial situation, which is beneficial to both parties. Looking for a good starting point? Take a look at our mobile payments via text, a modern method for bill payment.
Make it A Snap to Contact Your Business
Effective communication is never a one-way street. Your customers want to get in touch with you, whether they have questions before making a purchase or feedback about their experience. Shutting them down or limiting their ability to get what they need will not gain any favor and could cause that customer to move on entirely.
As a business owner, it’s important to provide multiple communication channels to diversify how customers connect with you. Preferred methods include email, text, Webchat, and voice. The good news is that Podium is here to help you seamlessly incorporate these methods into your company’s communication strategies.
Remember, your customers are probably on the go a lot, and might jump from one mode of communication to another in the blink of an eye. Make it easy for them to accomplish their goals, no matter which device they use or which communication channel they cherish the most.
