Not too many years ago, small businesses would put up Christmas decorations in their storefronts around this time of the year. They will deck their window displays with fake snow, Christmas tree, and even the nativity scene in the Bible. They will also post ads in the local newspaper and give out flyers to passersby to advertise their holiday collection offering. But lo and behold, the Internet has changed every facet of small business entrepreneurship.
So if your small business is not relying on the Internet right now, there’s something wrong with your strategy. Relying on the Internet is not a trend, nor is it something that comes and goes. The Internet in small businesses is the reason you will succeed in the first place. There is barely any business that succeeded recently without using websites, social media platforms, and blogs.
This is what consumers want. A whopping 97% of your potential market is searching the Internet right now for products and services that they can avail. It makes perfect sense why businesses must work on their web presence. Simply put, this is what consumers are demanding from you.
Stability, Speed, and Security
But before you go and build a new website or launch your social media pages, remember the three tenets of a capable Internet connection. It needs to be stable, fast, and secure. Make sure that your connection uses high-quality 5G RF filters that will eliminate any form of disruption in the connection. It will also ensure fast connection speed that will have no lag time and buffering.
And the most important thing is to have all the security measures in your connection. Customers will only be willing to transact with your business if they are sure their information will be protected. Invest in tools, software, and encryption that will keep your customers’ data safe and away from hackers and other cybercriminals.
A New Generation
Millennials make up most of the workforce today. Senior citizens are retiring and leaving their posts to this tech-savvy generation. They are your market. The Internet is their source of life—they communicate with loved ones and do business through the Internet. You can see their fingers flying quickly over the keys on their phones. This is why businesses must adjust to the Internet; their biggest market relies heavily on it.
But millennials aren’t only consumers; they are business owners, too. Even old businesses that use traditional marketing methods need to keep up with this generation of business owners that are into vlogs and social media posts. Fast-paced marketing is the name of the game today. Forget about newspapers and magazines. The success of every business hinges on the ability of your platform to spread information quickly. Only the Internet can do that.
Analytics
Small businesses must also understand that analytics isn’t just for big businesses anymore. The use of the Internet and social media means smaller ventures have a large set of data to their perusal. While big businesses have a ton of data scientists and research teams that can develop strategies based on trends, small businesses can use analytic tools and online resources that gather the same type of information.
Some examples of online tools are Google Analytics, Cyfe, and Domo. Using these tools, small businesses can watch out for trends and follow some of the best practices of more successful business ventures. On the Internet, there is an infinite source of information and data. All businesses have to do is to make sense of these.
eCommerce
The way you shop has vastly changed, too. This is not only because of the pandemic. Even before the coronavirus upended the world, consumers are turning to the Internet for shopping. The proliferation of eCommerce platforms and online shops made people realize how convenient it is to shop online. Why waste time getting ready for the mall when you can just “add to cart” and wait for the items to arrive?
And then, the pandemic happened. Almost everyone decided to stay at home. With no way to go to your favorite deli and boutique, consumers turned to online stores for support. So if there is ever any doubt that small businesses need the Internet to survive, the pandemic obliterated it.
Consumers like easy things, and the Internet provides a venue for that. Expanding one’s reach is also a critical component of running a business. The Internet, again, allows that to happen. No matter how any industry tries to deny the importance of being connected, the truth is that the Internet runs the show.
