If you have not done this trend on Tiktok or Instagram Reels, you are way behind in trends. And trends are crucial to businesses. There is even a name that advertising agencies use as a brand strategy: trend-jacking. This pertains to brands riding on a particular trend and joining the community conversation. Trend-jacking is a great way to use viral posts to the brand’s advantage by sharing in the algorithm that shows it to its potential market.
Many digital marketing trends showed up last year. Do you remember some of them?
Speaking of trends, I have collated some of the things I have been seeing in the digital and marketing space. Here are 10 Trends that Every Seller and Business Owner Needs to Know in 2022
1. Solutions, not products are what customers will look for
Your clients have a pain they want to address or a possibility they want to achieve. Although it might seem counterintuitive, consumers rarely want to buy things for the sake of buying them – they want to solve their problems.
Your customers have to see your product as a solution, and not just a product. To do this, especially in writing copy, focus on the benefits rather than the product features.
2. Prospecting will be more critical
With the many ways, you can now get leads using different strategies, sales teams have to be ready to turn these online leads into prospects. Sellers, business owners, sales professionals have to be able to turn them from being aware of the product or service to actually having the interest to buy. How do they do this? Online sellers, business owners have to maximize Conversational Commerce using Psychology or Neuro-Linguistic Programming and know how to create rapport even through direct messages.
3. What are your NEXT steps?
In a previous meeting I had with the Facebook Philippines marketing team, they told me that customers and buyers will only give you 3 minutes to reply when they send you messages. You have to be available for their questions 24/7. They have a short attention span. This is why you cannot let an opportunity be wasted by not setting a clear next step once you speak with a client. Immediately tell them if they should click the purchase button, send them a Zoom link for the next meeting or schedule delivery of the product with them.
4. Research, research, research.
- Going on an online presentation with a client? Check out their Linkedin, Facebook, or Instagram profile before logging in. Find out if you have anything in common. Rapport is simply “people liking people because they are like them”. Find out shared interests so you have a foot in the door when it comes to conversation topics. Your client will also appreciate the extra effort you took in knowing about them ahead of time.
- Doing a webinar or an online challenge? Check your attendees’ demographics. Are they in a common age range? Why not choose music that will fit their generation. This will get them in nostalgia mode and remind them of happier times.
- Meeting a client for the first time? Ask about them in your circle. Choose a place where you think they will feel comfortable. If at all possible, find out their favourite drink and casually include it in your orders.
5. Understand your buyers
Have a deep and clear understanding of your customers’ minds. This way, your digital marketing campaigns become more intentional in reaching your audience, creating rapport, empathizing and building relationships. The relationship you want with your clients all start in the brain. You have to remember the Five Magic Words, “What’s In It For Me?” Make sure you have, within your product or service, the answer to this question.
6. Think in terms of stories
Neural coupling allows people to relate to another person’s story. They see themselves as the characters you write about. This is why it is important to tell stories about your customer’s situation, journey, pains and problems and then position your product or service as something that solves that problems.
7. Turn your video on
Whether it’s on Tiktok, Instagram Reels, Linkedin Live, Facebook Live. Youtube, Youtube Shorts, Instagram Live, Webinars, Conference and Summits. Video marketing is ON.
8. What is a sales funnel?
The stages of a sales funnel can vary, but a traditional model follows these phases from top to bottom:
Awareness – potential client finds out about your brand or business
Interest – where a prospect signified interest or show signs of liking of your brand or business
Desire – when it becomes clear that you can provide the solution they want, potential clients start to really want your product or service
Action – this is where the decision-making happens.
The role of the funnel is to take your customers on a journey about your brand. This is included as part of the list because while the concept is pretty known in the US, Canada and Europe, its use, the function it is still not as popular in Asia. With the arrival of less expensive, but equally reliable providers like The Conversion Engine more business owners will have access to better digital platforms.
9. Be an active listener
We listen to the reply. Or we listen to agree. We rarely listen just to listen. 2022 will see many brands continuing polls on social media or asking questions in their emails. This helps them get the pulse from customers and potential clients. If you want to truly understand what your audience thinks and feels, you should follow this trend.
10. Meet buyers where they are
Not geographically, but psychologically and platform-wise. Some of you may already know the different stages of a customer’s journey. They start from being completely unaware, problem aware, solution aware, product aware to being fully aware of your brand or business. Business owners and marketers should have different communication for each stage of the journey and adjust this according to the platform where they are at. For example, Tiktok is great for Discovery Commerce. Since this is your first touchpoint, you assume that they are still completely unaware and create an ad or material that will focus on the emotional benefits of using your product and a very short mention of your brand. Webinars on the other hand are for those who are willing to spend more time getting to know you and are therefore already fully aware customers.
Which of these are you going to try this year? Let me know in the comments.
Get more tips like these by joining my exclusive Facebook Group New Online Sellers, Agents, Business Owners Support Community here.
