Top trends for 2010

Ok. Let’s face it. If there’s anything the dawn of the new decade has brought with it, it’s a period and feeling of uncertainty. The economy is still reviving, consumers seem to be hoarding more than spending, advertising in the traditional sense is no longer as we know it and things are all a change in the new world.

So where does that leave a small business trying to make it in a big world?

Confused and overwhelmed spring to mind, but if this is you, don’t worry. The idea is to look at the trends coming out in business, in society, in your industry and try to apply that knowledge to your business. Trust us when we say, a little bit of planning can go a long way and leave your business laughing long after 2010 has come and gone.

Here are some of the top trends we’ve spotted/heard about to help you on your way. We can’t cover them all, but these are the ones we think will make a difference to your business anyway.

Who’s breaking into business?

This is the year of women in business. If you missed our post on mumpreneurs, the birth and growth of working mums is set to go from strength to strength. Women all over the world are using that great big opportunity called the web to break into business. Recent research from BT Business revealed one in 10 mums aspire to have their own business, with one in five looking to have more flexibility on choosing the hours they work. Nearly 15% of women have already started their own businesses since having children proving that ‘mumpreneurs’ are a growing force in the UK economy.

Following closely is the emerging trend of 5-9 businesses. With pay freezes and cut backs, it seems the UK workforce is looking for alternative ways to make up the dosh so running a business after work hours is the perfect answer. The latest 2009 Home Business Report showed a 9% increase on figures from the previous year. This is also based on the fact we hear from more 5 to 9’ers each and every day!

“2010 will be a great year for home business.” Comments Emma Jones, founder of the home business website Enterprise Nation, “More people will start a business from home (driven by the lower costs and no commute) and existing home business owners will grow by outsourcing and sub-contracting work, as opposed to hiring staff. What we’re seeing is a significant rise in the number of people turning a hobby/passion/skill into a way of making a living. These entrepreneurs are focusing on niche markets and making the most of technology to increase turnover. They are also enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with being your own boss.”

Are you a home business or a working mum? Leave a comment or post a comment in our ‘Working Mums’ community and let us know how you came into business so we can feature you!

What’s changing with consumers?

Last month, we covered the top social media shopping trends. With online shopping taking centre stage, consumers are looking and using the web to find more niche products at prices the high street just can’t match. What’s more, social media is going to dominate the way consumers make up their minds. Opinion is now the driving force of purchasing decisions. Buyers/shoppers are not only basing decisions on what their peers are recommending (or not), they’re looking for a more enriched experience when shopping online. Just think Google and Amazon.

If you want to tap into the new way consumers are thinking, sourcing and buying, then you’ve got to move with them. Is your website and Tradespace delivering the experience customers want? If the answer is no, then do something about it because mediocre just doesn’t cut it any more.

Consumers are calling for honesty and transparency; they’re calling for recommendations, for businesses that stand out, for fantastic service!

If you haven’t done so already, get your customers to sign up and leave you a testimonial, buy a Flip camcorder drive more traffic to your Tradespace with video. Also, focus on your niche. Are you an ethical and green business? Are you a family business? What’s your niche? Make sure you’re telling your customers and giving them something to come back for.

What’s happening online?

Anyone who knows anything about the Internet will know that it’s a constantly evolving place. So what’s a trend this year, in all probability won’t be a trend next year. That’s why our focus relies on what’s happening right here, right now and what we think will continue into this not so new year.

Hear it here and hear it now – location is going to be pivotal! When I did my ‘geeks’ series of videos, the one thing that I took from those Silicon Valley experts was that location is going to drive more business in the future. So how you use your business location can and will dominate how potential customers will find you. Here on BT Tradespace itself, we map your location and so does Google and Bing, so think of the potential when it comes to appearing and getting noticed in relevant searches.

Some quick wins are:

• Use your location as part of your Tradespace link.
• Make your location or areas you cover (with your business name and full address) known through your ‘About us’ information and through your Tradespace/website.
• Submit your Tradespace link to the likes of Google and Bing Maps.
• One idea for video is that if you cover several locations, do short videos on that location and cover how you contribute to that community.

The second trend is in direct response to the thirst for up to date, instant information and it’s the introduction of real time search results.

Make no mistake, the move for search engines to display relevant results from social networks like Twitter and Facebook is an important one, not to be ignored. It means social media/networking is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a necessity.

The formula is pretty simple, because even traditionally, search bots looked for relevant, up to date and qualitative linked information on web pages. If you were a business who did this well, chances are, you would’ve been easily found on Google. Now, the interesting thing is, by its very nature social media activity delivers on all those fronts.

If you’re still not convinced and you’re wondering what real time search means for your business, then have a look at the image below which shows how Featured Tradespace Me Me Mine is featured in Google. It not only shows her website but relevant tweets about her/by her.

So how can you make more of this new feature?

• Up your online presence to generate a positive buzz about your business.
• Ensure there are positive testimonials on your Tradespace and that you’re encouraging relevant people to become fan. The positives are there to counteract any negatives that emerge across the web.
• Be active in communities like BT Tradespace, Twitter and Facebook, this will not only show that you’re a business who’s moving with the times, who’s around when your customers need you but it helps your ranking.

So those are the trends we’ll be moving in on this year – but what about you? Have you spotted a hot trend that you think the community needs to hear about? Leave a comment and let us know!