Following Where The Market Leads

Business and selling is all about social trends.  Consumers generally follow patterns which can evolve over time, and staying on top of these changes can allow small businesses to make the necessary adjustments to suit public tastes.  Online markets follow these same trends, but the shifts can often appear more quickly and have a greater impact.  The immediacy that technology gives to consumers plays a large role in this, and it is important for internet businesses to stay ahead of the game.

Although digital communications and promotions are still strong, one interesting shift is that dialogues have become more human and engaging.  Clients are looking for value, not just in the products and services that a business offers, but also in the information and expertise that is provided.  For much of ecommerce, this links marketing with forming organic connections.  The approach ends up being less pressure to promote and more of an offering to spark interests.

 This engagement also carries over into the actual sales process.  While many online consumers use the internet for convenience and efficiency with shopping, there is also a focus on customer service.  The desire for a social experience, whether making a purchase in person or online, is very high.  Web stores that provide clients with a personal experience are seeing greater return traffic and word of mouth recommendations.  Although the public is using a computer to shop, they still want to be treated like a human, and not a robot.

 Technology is also making for changes in marketing.  While most households in Australia have at least one computer, individuals will also have separate mobile devices.  Promotions that utilize all the digital channels have a wider reach than ones that are supported by only one or the other.  As with their shopping choices, consumers also want variety in the manner that they access products.