I spend a lot of time at hockey rinks serving as taxi driver, equipment manager, and cheerleader for my 11-year-old goalie, Ethan. Recently, hockey took us to a goalie camp in the Atlanta area. Besides Ethan having a good experience at the camp, I ran across an interesting article in the Gwinnett Business Journal. It was a list of 10 small business trends for 2012. Marketing advice is plentiful, even if not always useful. However, I thought the 10 items on the list was excellent food for thought. The ideas may not be a perfect fit for every small business, but they can be taken as a challenge to refresh approaches taken to marketing in the coming year.
Below are 3 highlights from the list. The complete list can be viewed here.
• Listen to customers differently. Take advantage of social media for listening, but face-to-face communication remains vital.
• Offer bigger value propositions. Be able to clearly articulate your point of difference and why someone should buy from you.
• Identify and pursue new growth opportunities. Whether it is new products or new customer segments, how can you expand your footprint?
Here is hoping that 2012 is your best yet, professionally and personally.
