• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

PlanningShop

Plan. Start. Grow.

  • Our Products
  • Instructors
  • Entrepreneurs
  • BizGear
  • Rhonda’s Blog
  • Book Rhonda
  • About PlanningShop
  • Search
  • Our Products
  • Instructors
  • Entrepreneurs
  • BizGear
  • Rhonda’s Blog
  • Book Rhonda
  • About PlanningShop
  • Search
Trends 2018

Small Biz Trends for 2018

February 12, 2018 //  by Rhonda Abrams

You don’t have to be “trendy” to take advantage of emerging trends to help your business grow. Smart small business owners know they need to keep up with social and technological changes to succeed and survive over time.

Which trends can your small business benefit from in 2018?
  • Local. The term “local” is hot. Consumers increasingly recognize that if they want healthy communities, they need to shop local and support local businesses. Make sure you inform customers and prospects of everything you do that supports local companies and individuals, whether you buy produce from local farmers for your restaurant, stock locally-made merchandise in your retail store, or hire local contractors in your service business.
  • Pictures and videos; Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat. Have you noticed that your social media feed is filled with photos and videos and not a whole lot of words? There’s a reason for that. Millennial and younger customers particularly respond to visually-oriented messages and picture-heavy social media posts. Small businesses are learning they get more engagement when they emphasize visual assets in all their marketing, not just social media.
  • Loyalty. Customers increasingly want a sense of attachment to the companies they patronize, and you certainly want deeper relationships with your customers. After all, you’ve got to fend off online discounters whatever you’re selling, and having very loyal customers is the way to do that. But loyalty is a two-way street, so spend time in 2018 on building and maintaining meaningful relationships with your best customers, whether through business lunches or other entertainment, regular communication, special discounts. And, of course, through always providing excellent customer service.
  • Social responsibility. An increasingly important aspect of creating and maintaining a deep relationship with customers is to have and articulate a sense of purpose for your company, in addition to providing an outstanding product or service. Customers want to feel like their purchases are helping to promote an important social goal, such as helping people in need, improving the environment, saving animals. Can your company meaningfully embrace a worthwhile social purpose? If so, let your customers know.
  • Mobile accounting. Cloud-based accounting apps have taken a big leap forward in the last few years, making it possible for you to get away from your office and still stay on top of your finances. In 2018, there’s a whole array of great mobile tools to help you keep track of all your expenses and income, whether you run a manufacturing company, a winery, or sell stuff from your basement. QBO—QuickbooksOnline—has an entire ecosystem of apps, and you’ll also find great mobile accounting and invoicing solutions from Xero, FreshBooks, and many other providers.
  • Work/life balance. Whether it’s 2018 or any other year, an important trend is to make sure you are taking care of yourself and those you love as well as your business. Often, this starts by unplugging (have times every day when your phone is off). And take that vacation already.

Copyright, Rhonda Abrams, 2018

This article originally ran in The Costco Connection on February 1, 2018

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Category: Solution Center, USA TodayTag: accounting, cloud-based, rhonda abrams, small business, small business tips, social responsibility, success, trends

Previous Post: «Valentine's Day Valentine’s Day is for Small Biz Too
Next Post: Small Biz Lessons from Ice Skating Ice skating lessons»

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Rhonda's Blog via Email

Instagram @rhondaabrams

Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #newsletter #smallbizguru
What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of your smallbiz customers, in my latest @usatoday column. Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #customer #digitalmarketing #smallbizguru
National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to sta National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to start the weekend!! Enjoy, and go find yourself some doughnuts 😋 🍩 
.
.
#smallbusiness #fridayfeeling #nationaldoughnutday
#smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #ins #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes
“And I’m proud to be an American, where at lea “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” - Lee Greenwood -
.
.
#memorialday #neverforget
We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some R&R, productivity . . . whatever your small business needs~
.
.
#smallbusiness #weekend #entrepreneur #fridayfeeling
Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #tips #entrepreneur #newsletter #smallbizguru
#smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #inspirationalquot #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #inspirationalquotes
Here's to a great week, small business owners! . . Here's to a great week, small business owners!
.
.
#smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner #mondaymotivation
My Tweets
  • Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #newsletter #smallbizguru
    What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of What’s old is new again! How to stay in front of your smallbiz customers, in my latest @usatoday column. Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #customer #digitalmarketing #smallbizguru
    National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to sta National Doughnut Day on Friday?? Great way to start the weekend!! Enjoy, and go find yourself some doughnuts 😋 🍩 
.
.
#smallbusiness #fridayfeeling #nationaldoughnutday
    #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #ins #smallbusiness #tuesdaythoughts #entrepreneur #inspirationalquotes
    “And I’m proud to be an American, where at lea “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” - Lee Greenwood -
.
.
#memorialday #neverforget
    We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some We're heading into a long weekend! Here's to some R&R, productivity . . . whatever your small business needs~
.
.
#smallbusiness #weekend #entrepreneur #fridayfeeling
    Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tip Sign up for my newsletter - get small business tips and the latest info. sent straight to your inbox! Link in profile~
.
.
#smallbusiness #tips #entrepreneur #newsletter #smallbizguru
  • Footer

    Our Products
    Instructor Central

    Privacy Policy
    Contact Us

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    Copyright © 2023 PlanningShop · All Rights Reserved · Site design by paulinaart

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. ACCEPT Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT