Alan Rita — February 9, 2017 Successful entrepreneurs have one thing in common – they don’t stop pursuing business growth. One way or another, they find new ways to uplift their brand, improve their services, and maximize profits.
These entrepreneurs have the achiever’s mindset. They always seek continuous improvement and never shy away from challenges. More importantly, they know how to set clear goals that will guide them on the way to success.
Here are five business goals for a strong start this 2017:
1. Invest in New Content Types
Content marketing is the engine to online brand development. To be recognized as an authority in your niche, you need a content marketing strategy that will spread your message to your target audience.
A few years ago, simply maintaining a blog with well-written posts would’ve sufficed. This 2017, you need to step up your game and explore other content types to engage different audiences.
“Content marketers are going to have to be more unique with the types of content they create. They’re going to have to get higher quality and more niche, serving smaller and smaller interest groups but doing a better job of serving each of those,” says Rand Fishkin in an interview with Mention.
Based on today’s trends, two of the content types you should invest on are infographics and 360 videos.
Infographics
According to statistics, infographics are liked and shared three times more than any other content type in social media. The typical long-scrolling infographic is also perfect for mobile audiences who can simply swipe through them.
360 Videos
VR technology already has a foothold in the world of digital marketing. While big companies are coming up with unique VR marketing strategies, smaller brands have the option to provide 360 videos to deliver fresh experiences to their audience.
2. Have a More Compelling Brand Story
Developing your brand’s story should’ve been one of your goals back in 2016. In fact, it should be one of your priorities ever since the inception of your brand.
Remember that new companies similar to yours are brought to life each day. One of the things that can set you apart is your own brand story. Make it relatable, emotion-inducing, and compelling.
To make storytelling more effective, make sure your audience know the faces behind your brand. That’s why the first component of a compelling brand story is a little information about the founders. Next, you need to establish a direct line of communication between you and your audience through various content types.
Creating a company-run blog is a step in the right direction. Videos, on the other hand, will make your audience familiar with your voice and face. And if that doesn’t initiate a human connection, then nothing else will.
3. Harden Your Site’s Security
Even though security companies have been around for a long time, cyber-attacks remain a constant threat to online businesses. Studies show that the costs of cybercrime will escalate over $ 2 trillion by year 2019.
Not only will cyber-attacks result in financial losses, it can also permanently soil your brand’s reputation especially if a customer data leak is involved. To make sure this never happens, set security safeguards that protect your business data.
If most of your business operations rely on your website, then make sure you invest in online security tools like the following:
4. Focus on Your Millennial Workforce
Sooner or later, the future of your business is in the hands of the millennial workforce – whether you like it or not. Unfortunately, millennials have a nasty reputation for being lazy and unreliable when it comes to office work. They’re also generally seen as entitled and impatient.
All these presumptions, however, are mostly based on the fact that millennial workers love to job-hop. And if you want them to stay and form a tightly-knit culture for your brand, you need to have the right approach in managing them.
Take note that millennials want to be creative, and their minds work best when they’re having fun. That said, you must provide them with a fun-loving company culture that gives every member a voice. A tool like Basecamp, for example, allows you to automatically collect “check-ins” or feedback pertaining to their day-to-day activities.
For more tips on managing millennials, you can refer to this post from The Balance.
Conclusion
Your online brand is just as important as your business itself. It—alone—can make the difference between success and failure. With the goals outlined above, you’re well on your way to a solid brand for upcoming years.
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