Are you sick and tired and researching the “Top Tech Trends of 2019” or “5 Trends for Businesses to Watch This Year”? Most entrepreneurs are bored with it yet understand the need to Google the things they don’t understand. Knowledge is power, and truer words have never been spoken in regards to technology. In the world of business, a new gadget or gizmo can take companies to another level and you want to get in on the ground floor. Otherwise, there’s the risk of the competition absorbing your market share.
Still, it’s tiring and takes up a lot of your time, time you’d rather spend on other things. If only there were a way to keep up without expelling a ton of energy – wouldn’t that be great?! Well, it turns out there are a handful of hacks you can use to stay current and streamline your business and you can check them out below.
They are by no means quick and easy because research takes time regardless. Still, the following should take no more than one hour or two per day which is a massive improvement (hopefully).
Get Multi-Social
Imagine a world without social media. Okay, some people might prefer it but the likes of Twitter and Facebook do have their advantages, especially for entrepreneurs. The Twittersphere is the perfect example. By following the most reputable movers and shakers in your industry, you can access their advice on the daily. And, there’s no need to message them directly or ask questions; they post nuggets of info without cajoling. But, if you want to understand a topic better, then Facebook is handy. If you follow a forum or sign up to a group, it’s not hard to track the conversation and get answers of your own. Of course, LinkedIn is a platform made for professionals to connect and share their experiences. Barring the latter, you probably spend time on the rest for social reasons so you need to switch your business brain on and multitask.
Hire Age Appropriately
Let’s start by saying that this isn’t a public service announcement to dismiss applicants of a certain age. Experience is an important factor and you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of knowledge. However, there are times when hiring a younger candidate might be of benefit to the firm. Take digital marketing as an example. Millennials make excellent employees in this area because they grew up with the technology and are interested in the changes. As a result, a digital marketing apprenticeship will automatically mean you stay on top of the latest trends. The fantastic things about an apprenticeship are that it’s cost-effective and long-term – they’ll remain loyal and you won’t break the bank. So, there’s even more reason to invest in the youth and bring them aboard.
Analyze The Data
Big Data is no longer a niche topic. Businesses need to understand which areas they excel in and where they are weak to avoid going broke and challenge their rivals. Data is the answer because it holds all the answers to the questions if you know where to look, and it’s hard to view them with analytic software. The internal trends of the company – bounce rate, for example – point to patterns in customer behavior as to why they are no longer turned on. Once you make the link, you can add it to the business plan and start to give the base what they want and need. But don’t forget about general trends too. Once upon a time, entrepreneurs didn’t care about the growth in mobile users because the internet is one big connection. Nowadays, everyone knows that mobile tech is the driver of leads and profits thanks to smartphones and apps.
Create Email Alerts
Signing up to websites and business publications is a nice idea yet it’s not as if you have the time to surf the Web. What you need is a direct link to the relevant information without having to waste time and energy clicking through different sites. The good news is that you can do just that with email alerts. By signing up, the website will send you a notification every time they find something of interest. And, with multiple parameters to choose from, you can tailor to your exact needs so that every piece of mail contains a link that’s on point and of use. All that’s left to do is to pick the sites that you can trust and which churn out quality content. Forbes springs to mind, as does Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal.
Go For A Drink
You want to use your time wisely and you think going for a drink on a Friday night is a waste. After all, you could be sat in front of your laptop at home tickling the buttons on the keyboard. Of course, this is only true if you view going for a drink as a waste of time, which it isn’t. Aside from allowing you to relax and de-stress, it’s the perfect place to socialize and network. Entrepreneurs never switch off so the conversation inevitably centers on work and that’s when you can delve deeper into the topic. Think of it as work, but the only difference is you have a glass of wine in your hand rather than a cell.
Hit Up A Convention
Again, a convention is a fantastic place to network and to learn more about new business trends. With hundreds of your peers in one place, it’s not hard to start a discussion and get them to reveal more. Plus, some bona fide speakers talk about the exact things you need to know, so you have everything under one roof. While they can feel indulgent, conventions are a big hit among entrepreneurs for a reason and it’s not just the free food and party atmosphere. Go on - Google your closest one and see who’s scheduled to speak.
By integrating your current agenda with a dollop of extra business, you won’t find it challenging to keep up with the latest trends.
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