Personally and professionally, the New Year represents a clean slate. It’s the ideal time to reevaluate your investments, your health and Orlando Business Liability policies, and even your phone and internet services. It’s also an ideal time to familiarize yourself with emerging trends that will affect you in the year to come. Here are three business trends to watch for in the New Year. The sooner your business embraces them, the sooner you can benefit from them.
Freelancing is Booming
Savvy companies are embracing “the gig economy,” a buzzy term for the freelance workplace. Thanks to available, advanced, and affordable technology, not all workers must be official employees to make significant contributions to a business’s bottom line. Smart companies are realizing that they can avoid the overhead and benefits expenses (and geographic constraints) of hiring some classes of employees. Instead, they can turn to freelancers who work independently, on a per-gig basis. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, at least 34% of U.S. workers are now freelancers. If your business hasn’t yet explored this dynamic talent pool, resolve to do so in the New Year!
Social Selling Works
If your business doesn’t have a website that’s frequently updated with compelling content like videos, blog posts, and articles, that should be a top priority for 2016. If you don’t have a social media presence, you should cultivate one. Social media is valuable for more than socializing! In 2016, savvy business will take to Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram to market their products and services. Why? Studies show that buyers turn to these sites and their online friends for purchasing advice.
Big Data Can Provide a Big Competitive Edge
The term “big data” may be off-putting. Basically, it’s an umbrella term for complex, somewhat nebulous data sets that many businesses collect but don’t use to their advantage (because processing this data requires new analytics.) Examples of “big data” include Twitter tweets or call-center recordings related to your business. This data can provide useful information that can help you identify the best ways to market your company … If your business takes time to analyze it!
Regardless of what business you’re in, an easy way to begin 2016 on the right foot is to audit your commercial insurance coverage to make sure you’re fully protected against the myriad potential liabilities you face. Call Newman Crane & Associates Insurance at (407) 859-3691 to request a free quote. We are standing by to help you ring in the New Year with a new comprehensive policy tailored specifically for your business.