Happy New Year! We hope you’ve had the chance to enjoy time with friends and family, reflect on 2022 and get ready for a fresh start. If you’re like us, we bet there’s nothing you’d rather be doing than making 2022 your best year yet.
As we begin this new year together, we want to help you make sure that happens by presenting 30 smart business resolution ideas that will lead to more success in 2022:
1. Keep up with customer emails daily even while on vacation (but don’t overdo it)
According to the results of a survey run by software company Outright Inc., 51% of respondents said they wanted communication from businesses at least once per day. Respondents also reported receiving about eight to 10 weekly emails from companies they do business with, so the key is not to overwhelm customers with too much communication.
2. Offer more flexible shipping options
Customers want fast shipping, but what they’re really looking for is convenient options like free expedited shipping..
3. Test new social media content ideas (but don’t post too often)
Social media marketing hasn’t become any less important in 2022; rather it’s taken on an even larger role in customer service and overall awareness of your brand. Marketers should plan to continue investing their time and energy into these channels in 2022. According to research conducted by Bazaarvoice, 52% of online consumers rely on social networks for shopping inspiration; additionally, 68% of consumers would like brands to respond to their questions and comments on social media channels.
4. Hire more virtual assistants
According to the results of Virtual Assistant Marketplace’s survey, 86% of respondents said they spend at least one hour per week searching for information about hiring a virtual assistant; additionally, 13 hours are spent researching topics related to outsourcing every month on average (with 60% saying they’ve responded to customer inquiries).
5. Offer new free trials or test periods
Marketers know that getting customers in the door is always step one when it comes to SaaS (software as a service) marketing success stories. Find ways for customers to try your product or service before deciding whether it’s right for them. For example, Zendesk, a customer service software company, offers a free trial to all potential customers before requiring that they pay for the software.
6. Offer corporate gift cards to better target clients
In 2022, try experimenting with gift card marketing as a way to reach out to your best and most influential business contacts. Gift cards from Whole Foods have been used as networking event gift ideas in the past among entrepreneurs looking to engage with other movers and shakers within their community or industry.
7. Don’t neglect LinkedIn! – 94% of marketers think LinkedIn is important for brand awareness; however, only 36% say they actively use the platform right now (according to results from a Conductor survey of 5,000 marketers). If you’re not using LinkedIn as a marketing tool yet, consider setting up your profile and experimenting with posting content to the newsfeed.
8. Upgrade your financial management features
Marketers should plan to upgrade their financial management tools in 2022. According to research done by Cloud 9 Federal Credit Union and HighRadius, 90% of small businesses that use accounting or payment processing solutions say they would switch providers if faced with higher fees; additionally, 41% of respondents said they pay more than $50 per month for these solutions on average (with 16% paying $100+ per month).
9. Involve customers in product design
Customers are looking to have more control over how products and services are designed and developed, so they’re willing to share product feedback with marketers. In 2022, try crowdsourcing ideas for new products or services directly from your customers — you might be surprised at how innovative most of them really are!
10. Keep an eye on big data
With studies projecting that 94% of the world’s data has been created within the past two years, marketers will need to keep a close watch on how Big Data affects their competitive landscape and customer relationships in 2022 and beyond. Marketers should stay up-to-date on who is collecting and using data, and continue investing time into evaluating what those investments look like as part of future marketing strategies.
11. Expand your rewards program options
If you don’t already have a rewards program, consider experimenting with one in 2022. According to results from ShopperTrak’s survey of 745 retail marketers, 55% of respondents who think their loyalty program was effective to say they will expand it this year; additionally, 79% of respondents note that the rewards programs are very important for increasing store traffic and purchase frequency (with 38% saying they’re extremely important).
12. Look for new ways to get your product or service in front of people
According to results from an online poll conducted by One2One Network, 67% of consumers shop via search engines; additionally, 90% admit at least some reliance on search engines when making purchasing decisions. Marketers looking to connect with customers in 2022 should continue to experiment with paid search and other forms of SEM (search engine marketing), along with online video ads.
13. Develop better email relationships
According to research done by Constant Contact, marketers who use automated emails see 67% higher open rates than those who don’t; additionally, these marketers are seeing 23% higher clickthrough rates than others using manual, or semi-automated email processes. Marketers looking for ways to optimize their customer engagement in 2022 can do so by making sure their email sequences include post-purchase follow-up, promotional announcements, and re-engagement campaigns.
14. Be prepared for data regulation compliance
From the European Union’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and the UK’s DPA (Data Protection Act), to California’s CCPA (Consumer Privacy Act), there has been a significant increase in data protection regulation announcements over the past year; as such, marketers should start preparing for data regulation compliance in 2022. Marketers need to know how new government initiatives like these will impact their customer relationships and brand reputation, as well as how they can leverage this information moving forward.
15. Prepare for eCommerce optimizations
Whether you’re optimizing your mobile site, working on improving checkout or making changes to your online store’s design and usability, it’ll be important for marketers looking to connect with customers in 2022 to plan ahead and prepare for optimization efforts that drive sales and revenue. A good place for marketers to start might be testing and improving their online merchandising processes and presence.
16. Expand your use of big data
According to a ShopperTrak 2022 Big Data report, brands that want to optimize store traffic and revenue should develop a detailed strategy for utilizing customer loyalty programs, as well as leveraging location-based insights from data analytics tools like beacons. Marketers looking to deliver better experiences in 2022 can do so by implementing strategies that focus on targeted messaging for engaging customers at appropriate times, along with providing incentives based on past purchase history.
17. Prepare for the future of marketing automation
In a recent survey of nearly 100 marketers, 86% agreed that marketing will become more automated this year; additionally, 67% say that marketing automation will be key to helping them achieve their 2022 revenue targets. Moving forward, marketers looking to simplify tasks and workflows should consider testing out software like HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot.
18. Expand your use of mobile
According to research from BI Intelligence, 66% of marketers are using mobile apps for customer engagement; additionally, this number is expected to increase by almost half (43%) in the next two years. Marketers looking for ways to connect with customers should look at optimizing their own mobile presence first, but they should also think about how other companies can be used as an extension of their marketing efforts via SMS campaigns or location-based check-in offers.
19. Focus on list building
According to a study by Shop.org, marketers are finding it difficult to collect email addresses from mobile shoppers, with 52% of consumers saying they don’t want companies to send them promotional offers via text or email; this is yet another obstacle marketers need to look out for in 2022 as they’re looking for ways to connect with customers. Marketers who are struggling with engaging customers should look into using marketing automation tools that can help create targeted emails or SMS campaigns, while still ensuring that their efforts are personalized and relevant.
20. Start crowdsourcing content
Crowdsourced content platforms have become popular over the past few years, but there’s even more opportunity now for brands looking to generate interest in their brand, product, or service. Marketers looking to stand out from the competition should look to crowdsource content ideas for blog posts, social media campaigns, and email marketing efforts to drive brand awareness.
21. Launch a real-time chat support option
According to a survey of more than 1,000 marketers, 67% said they used chat support as a customer retention tool, with another 55% saying that using mobile chat is the next big thing in customer service; as such, brands need to start thinking about how they can better serve customers via live chat. Not only does this provide an opportunity for brands to build trust and loyalty among new and existing customers, but it also allows them to compete with other eCommerce sites that are already leveraging chat as a sales tool.
22. Take advantage of mobile coupons
Mobile couponing is becoming more and more popular with shoppers, and it’s also not surprising that marketers are finding new ways to engage customers via their mobile devices. Marketers looking for new ways to engage with customers should look at implementing tools like Uber Offers, geofenced offers or QR codes; this will help increase brand awareness and drive engagement without having to spend too much money on traditional methods like newspaper ads or email campaigns.
23. Encourage customer reviews
According to a study by BrightLocal, 82% of consumers say positive online reviews make them trust a local business more; unsurprisingly, there’s even more opportunity now for brands looking to implement tools that can help encourage customer reviews. Marketers looking for ways to stand out from the competition should look into social review tools like Yotpo, Feefo, and BazaarVoice, which will provide additional metrics brands can use in their marketing strategy.
24. Extend your content beyond email
One of the best ways for marketers to increase engagement with customers is by helping them think differently about how they approach their own marketing efforts; as such, marketers need to start thinking more creatively about how they’re using different types of content. This year, marketers who are struggling to engage with customers should consider expanding blog posts or whitepapers into infographics or video formats, while also leveraging Pinterest boards and Slideshare presentations.
25. Use in-email navigation to drive engagement
Consumers are also finding that the dominant form of online content is through email, which makes it one of the most important tools for marketers looking for new ways to engage with customers. Marketers who are struggling with increasing engagement should look into using different types of in-email navigation, which will help guide their entire customer journey and increase conversions.
26. Update your campaigns for mobile-first
According to a study by Google, around 50% of users expect brands to have a mobile-friendly site; as such, marketers need to ensure that all their campaigns can be easily accessed on any mobile device. Marketers should look at updating landing pages as well as A/B testing or multivariate testing campaigns for mobile content to increase conversions while also increasing engagement.
27. Make your email marketing personalized – Marketers are finding that one of the best ways to engage with customers is by sending them personalized emails, which will help make their brand more memorable. Marketers looking for new ways to stand out from the competition should look at using tools like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integrations, dynamic content personalization or even predictive text and artificial intelligence (AI).
28. Leverage influencers in your email marketing efforts
According to a study by MarketingProfs and Fractl, 91% of marketers consider influencer marketing an important tool when it comes to generating awareness about different products or services; as such, marketers looking for new ways to engage with customers should consider including influencers as part of their email marketing strategy. Marketers should look at partnering with different types of publishers, thought leaders, and celebrities, which will help drive engagement and boost brand awareness.
29. Add a little fun through gamification
Gamification is one of the most effective tools for marketers who are struggling to increase engagement among their customer base; this is because it provides an entertaining element that also helps keep potential customers interested in the subject matter. According to a study by Bunchball, around 70% of consumers say they’re willing to spend more money if rewarded by completing tasks or challenges, making it a great tool for brands looking to stand out from the competition. Marketers should look at using a tool like Badgeville to add a little fun to their email marketing efforts.
30. Make your content shareable through interactive elements
One of the best ways for marketers to increase engagement with customers is by making their content more shareable, which can be achieved through adding different types of interactive elements. For example, including quizzes in whitepapers or infographics will help highlight key information while also encouraging consumers to share them across social media channels. Marketers looking for ways to stand out from the competition should look into tools that will provide access to ready-to-use interactive elements, such as Qzzr, QuizRocket and Visual Website Optimizer (VWO).