However, having all that data at your fingertips may seem a bit overwhelming at times. There’s a possibility for a report on any topic you might imagine, but how exactly does it benefit your business?

In a survey of 2,865 BI professionals, researchers discovered one of the top trends in BI for 2020 was integrating with the IoT (Internet of Things). As more and more devices and programs connect to the internet, and connections become faster and more reliable, expect your competitors to tap into BI data.

If you want to become or remain a top business in your industry, you must learn to take all the data at your disposal and disperse it in intelligent ways that help your business grow. Increase your own sales and stay competitive in the following five ways.

1. Sell more to customers

A current customer is worth far more spending-wise than a new customer. You’ve already acquired them, so you don’t have that cost, and they’re more likely to buy again and spend more money.

Use data to understand their buying habits and track any issues they might have had. Work hard to resolve problems, and the customer will come to trust you and be willing to give you bigger orders.

Bain & Company did some research and discovered that improving retention rates by only five percent increased profit by as much as 95 percent. Even if your profits aren’t as high, your efforts to keep the customers you have will pay off in some improvement in company profits.

2. Use sales territory mapping

Utilize business mapping software to figure out whether or not current sales categories work for your brand. Start by looking at territories you currently cover, and see what areas you don’t yet cover nearby. A sales territory map will also allow your salespeople to divide up areas and adequately cover all sections of a market.

You can also use mapping software to see the coverage of your competitors and either figure out the best ways of competing or gain an edge in areas where they don’t have one.

3. Determine the best new products

One use you might not have thought of for big data is looking at sales patterns over time and making more accurate predictions about future popular products. For example, if you sell massive amounts of an item every spring, it stands to reason that a new release in the category would also sell well.

On the flip side of new products, you’ll also see what doesn’t perform well. Avoid buying too many products in categories that move slowly.

4. Manage inventory

Big data can help you manage your inventory in smarter ways, which will help your sales force. Whatever their customers want will always be in stock. Wait times will go away, and no more loads of inventory will be just sitting in a warehouse and creating cash flow issues. Watch the patterns in company sales data over time, and compare it to the inventory you have on hand.

Salespeople can access the database and make notes about upcoming orders, which helps trigger automated ordering when inventory gets low.

Some of the more advanced systems integrate with apps, so your field team can take an order and input it for an immediate update to what’s available in the warehouse. You can also see company revenue data and which customers are your top buyers so that you can cater to their needs.

5. Personalize Offers

BI will allow you to track customer buying habits and past sales. Over time, you’ll get a better picture of each client’s specific needs, which will enable you to personalize sales offers as well as stay in touch at just the right time. Some of your processes can easily be automated, such as an email or text reminder to each customer asking if they need to order a particular item.

That said, the personal touch still creates a better customer experience (CX), which can gain you loyal clients. Analyze the data and touch base with the customer if you’re notified that they missed a regular order or haven’t ordered in a while.

With all the reports in front of you, you can say something like, “I see you typically order 100 gizmos every three months but haven’t ordered in a while. I wanted to touch base and see if you’d like to place an order or if I can address any concerns.”

Big Data Sales Tips

When it comes to enhancing your sales department, big data turned into intelligent reports will give you an edge.

Embrace the changes in technology and access to more detailed reports. As computers learn how to reason like humans and more data becomes available, expect even more automation and capabilities for business intelligence in the next few years.

The post 5 Ways to Use Business Intelligence Data to Increase Sales appeared first on DMNews.

If you want to attract people to your page and keep them there, you need to offer something more than just a catchy headline or two. Digital tools are one way of bringing new visitors to your site while also getting them to bookmark your page.

Around 77 percent of people want free products or services, according to Merkle’s recent Loyalty Barometer Report of more than 1,500 American consumers. Adding digital tools to your lineup is a way of offering something free and getting your brand name out in the world. When they need whatever product or service you offer, your name will be the first they turn to.

While hundreds of different tools are available at your disposal, some stand out as more helpful than others. Here are seven tools that will turn you into the go-to resource for your target audience.

1. Free newsletters

There’s a reason nearly every website you visit offers a free newsletter and a perk for signing up for it. All the traffic in the world doesn’t do you much good if you have no way of connecting with the user ever again. If you can entice them into signing up for your mailing list, you have a direct line of contact with the person and can continue to market to them and offer them other fun digital tools over time.

Add a signup form on your site that requires something as simple as an email and first name. Then, offer a free guide, course or ebook in exchange. Those genuinely interested in your company are highly likely to sign up.

2. Live chat

Customers have a hard time trusting companies in the 21st century. One way you can gain their trust is by showing how easy it is to contact you with questions and concerns.

Adding a live chat feature to your website will attract people looking for your particular type of business with easy ways to ask questions. Staff the live chat with well-trained agents, and watch your sales and traffic soar. eCommerce sites particularly benefit from live chat.

3. Calculators

If you offer any kind of product or service with variable costs, an online calculator is an invaluable tool for your site visitors.

Calculators work particularly well at driving sales in the real estate industry, where users might wonder how much house they can afford or what their payment will be based on a home’s price. You can even offer a range of different types of calculators meant to cover your audience’s needs.

4. Social media integration

An estimated 3.1 billion people will use social media by 2021. Penetration is currently at 45% worldwide and is much higher in developed countries such as the United States and European cities. If you tap into your social media channels on your website, you’ll attract traffic from those channels as the two integrate. For example, offer an easy way for site visitors to share articles from your blog to their social networks. Integrate your Facebook or Twitter feeds into your site’s sidebar.

5. Games

Does your site cater to younger people? Adding a unique game may attract traffic from the exact demographic you hope to reach. Look for something that allows them to connect with others.

Role-playing games (RPGs) are particularly popular with Gen Z, for example. Think about the type of user you want to attract and decide if it’s the right move for you. Games can be a drain on your hosting resources, so weigh the pros and cons of adding them to your site.

6. Media galleries

Photo and video media galleries are an excellent way to highlight the products and services your brand offers. This is your chance to show what you do.

As an added benefit, you’ll attract traffic from those searching the image feature on Google. You’ll also have a built-in way to share photo-rich posts on social networks.

7. Video embeds

Online video is powerful. Tweets with video get 10 times the engagement of ones without, according to Twitter. People respond to videos, so embedding some educational or entertaining clips into your site’s design attracts viewers and keeps them on your page. The key is making sure any videos relate to your business.

Get Creative

Think about the features most likely to help your target audience. Create a buyer persona that represents your typical customer and put yourself in that person’s shoes. What tools would you find most beneficial?

You can also poll your current customers and ask them what digital tools they’d most like to see on your site. With a little creativity, you’ll find unique ways to draw attention and stand out from other businesses like yours.

The post 7 Digital Tools That Will Drive More Traffic to Your Website appeared first on DMNews.

As the tides of advertising shift and customers demand fresher innovations, brands will rise to accommodate them.

Many industries will experience significant marketing transformations in this new year. Establishing a consumer-seller relationship requires in-depth care on the agency’s part to meet specified needs. Here’s how those industries are changing and how people will benefit from new engagement methods.

1. Health care

Health care may experience a shift toward better data privacy as a way of building consumer trust. Patients have banked on privacy laws for years to keep their information safe, but a shift toward internet-based technology has made it harder to protect it.

Even if a health care provider uses a secure network, internet providers can see shared data. Researchers found they could match individuals to anonymous physical activity information from wearable trackers by using machine learning.

Adjustments to privacy laws are the primary solutions for such flaws, but health care businesses must do their part to regain consumer trust. An emphasis on data privacy is necessary for gaining leads and ensuring their interest in health-related companies. Technology’s rapid integration into the medical field — through methods like telemedicine and geofencing — will require strict safety standards to rise along with it.

2. eCommerce

Researchers expect real-time bidding to become integral to eCommerce within the next four years. This phenomenon is due to the rise of smart technology and consumer preferences for strong branding. RTB is a form of programmatic advertising that occurs within a span of milliseconds. Advertisers bid on ad space, and whoever gives the highest bid gets their brand displayed. 

RTB lets companies target consumers individually rather than wasting time and money on showing ads to uninterested users. An online pet product company can target users across various websites instead of only presenting their advertisements on animal-related sites. With consumers showing an appreciation for personalized ad campaigns, this strategy can entice relevant leads.

3. Food

Leaders in the food industry have expressed concern about what the food advertising landscape will look like in the upcoming years. Manufacturing the foods consumers want is only one part of the equation — the other consists of persuading them to buy it. Green labels like cage-free, free-range and more are increasingly important to consumers and will inevitably see a greater focus in 2020.

Meatless alternatives are growing in demand due to a global concern about fossil fuel emissions. However, many substitutes have received skepticism and pushback due to ingredient lists containing GMOs.

Food industry executives will seek to remedy these issues with healthier products, informative labeling and revised nutrition facts labels in 2020. 

4. Fashion

The fashion industry often shows its prowess concerning customer relations and excellent service. Virtual shopping assistants help people design wardrobes and lookbooks, taking cues from personalized advertising methods.

People want curated looks that feel unique and one-of-a-kind. By offering each shopper an individual experience, fashion companies can make customers feel appreciated and willing to return — and recommend friends.

Many brands track what items their customers buy and retarget them later for similar clothing pieces. Retargeting often happens through mediums like email and social media advertising. Shoppers will be inclined to buy a new item if it complements an outfit they already own, which highlights the relevance factor in marketing. If a product or service isn’t useful to the targeted user, they won’t be interested in seeking more.

5. Insurance

Many people have less-than-pleasant feelings about the insurance industry, but like any sector, it still needs to appeal to consumers.

The company Lemonade is flipping traditional insurance marketing on its head by offering a new structure. It receives payments on a fixed-fee schedule, and it doesn’t benefit from denying claims like conventional businesses. Lemonade also treats insurance premiums as your money rather than theirs, and donates any unclaimed funds to charities.

This insurance firm embodies a personable, technologically advanced model in an industry that’s typically neither of these things. Placing the customer first — and giving back to those in need — humanizes its efforts and offers a healthy emotional appeal.

The Future of Marketing in 2020

2020 will prove to be a promising year for marketing, with major advancements in various industries. Consumers will have more choices than ever and additional control over who they patronize.

People want to play bigger roles in shaping the industries they buy from. Putting the reins in the customers’ hands can produce beneficial relationships for businesses and consumers.

The post 5 Industries Poised to Reform Their Marketing in 2020 appeared first on DMNews.

Unfortunately, that sense of urgency may not apply to your potential new clients. Perhaps you’re in the situation of communicating with someone for at least a week, but they’re still not convinced to buy a product.

Here are five strategies that could fix that common but frustrating problem:

1. Focus on how now is an ideal time to buy something that sparks a change

People often think a new year gives them a perfect opportunity to enact positive changes in their life. That’s why you should try to tie your product to something that facilitates improvement. This option works particularly well for B2C sales since emotions so often drive their purchasing decisions.

For example, maybe you sell a meal delivery service, and a person can get the best deal on a plan if they sign up for a year at a time. Try emphasizing how your company could help a hesitant customer finally make good on their promise to stop eating so many fast-food meals from a drive-through, for example. 

You could also mention that beginning something like that at the start of a year makes it especially easy to keep track of things like the overall money spent or saved, or how many times they make meals to eat at home versus dining out. Then, they can look back over time and see the evidence of their beneficial change. 

2. Prove your credibility

B2C and B2B clients view a company’s credibility differently. For example, if a B2C company has a compelling social media campaign and receives rave reviews from a potential buyer’s friends, those two things could cause a purchase to happen by cultivating credibility. 

However, when you’re trying to close a B2B sale, customers more often want evidence of how you’ve helped similar customers. That might mean showing them case studies or testimonials. The more you can do to prove credibility, the easier it should be to ultimately convince people they’re making the right decision by choosing to do business with you. 

3. Gauge the genuine interest level

When a prospective customer tells you, “I need to think about it,” that response can seem discouraging. However, it merely means you need to be friendly and accommodating, plus find out when you can schedule a follow-up. Hearing that reply from a person should also encourage you to ask some questions that clarify whether the person is truly still interested in what you offer or intent on backing out.

For example, say something like, “Just so we’re on the same page, can you confirm whether you’re still interested?” Alternatively, find out if the person intends to buy before the year is out by asking a question such as “Is this purchasing decision a priority for you by the end of the year?”

By finding these things out, you can spend more time interacting with the people who are most eager to buy — even when some of them say they need to think about it some more. 

4. Bring up time-sensitive offers and the need to capitalize on them

People are often more willing to buy if there are specifications they must meet to save money. In one instance, Harvard Business School researchers found that customers spent 9.4 percent more when an eCommerce store had a minimum threshold for free shipping. You can take inspiration from that finding and use the knowledge — with a slight tweak — to help close sales.

Instead of requiring people to spend minimum amounts to receive free shipping, draw potential customers’ attention to any offers you have that expire as 2019 comes to a close. For example, maybe people can save 25 percent off the price of an enterprise-level password manager if they purchase by December 31. Or, perhaps customers can get something extra by showing their commitment and signing up for your service by the end of the year.

Reminding people of how they’ll miss out by delaying their decision-making could spur them into action. If you opt to give a freebie to individuals who become new customers by the end of the year, it could also be helpful to tell them about the value of the complimentary offer, provided it’s sufficiently impressive. 

5. Understand your role as a problem-solver

It’s natural for you to ask questions about what a potential customer wants. And, hopefully, you’ve been doing that throughout the communications with them. It’s equally essential to be an outstanding listener, however. Your leads will probably be straightforward regarding some of the problems they want to solve. By also tuning in to what they tell you, you’ll likely uncover some that aren’t as obvious. 

You can frequently present yourself as a problem-solver by focusing on your ability to offer consistently outstanding service. If you can’t beat competitors on price, that may not matter. Research carried out in 2017 by Podium showed that 63 percent of customers would pay up to 15 percent more for the same product or service if they had the assurance of a good experience. 

Potential customers get fed up if it sounds like you’re offering irrelevant solutions. That’s why it’s crucial to listen to what they say, then angle your pitches towards the precise things they mentioned as struggles or goals. 

Power through the final push

People can express hesitation at any time of the year. However, it can be exceptionally disappointing to experience at the end of a year — mainly if you’re trying to meet a year-end sales goal or wrap up any loose ends with leads before 2020 kicks off.

The five suggestions here can help you break through barriers and stay on track to have a strong finish to the year. 

The post How to Close Those Last Few Sales Before 2020 appeared first on DMNews.

While that is also important, CX is defined by interactions between the consumer and company throughout the entire business relationship. This requires you to invest in their journey — from the second they see your logo or hear your name to the weeks or years after making a purchase.

Here are just a few ways you can create a better customer experience.

1. Map out the customer journey 

Before embarking on a company-wide initiative to improve customer experience, you must first create a feasible plan. One way to do this is by illustrating each step a customer takes interacting with your company. This may include social media engagement, online advertising, how often they visit your website, or communications with customer service. 

When building your map, it is important to consider both pre- and post-sale aspects of the customer experience. It may be tempting to solely focus on one or the other, but both are essential. Creating a linear map of each potential interaction will help you and your digital marketing team better understand the customer’s needs and desires. 

Then, you can determine which areas need improvement. With this understanding, you can tailor your campaign to better influence the consumer to make a purchase, which can result in increased sales at the end of the day. 

2. Create quality content 

Content marketing is quickly becoming the most effective way to build relationships with customers and increase sales. Quality content has the power to move buyers to become loyal customers along their journey. Once you understand your target audience and current customer base, you can begin creating content that is relevant to them and compelling enough to incite action. 

Consider each point in the customer’s journey and figure out what information they might be searching for then. For example, if someone is just beginning to look into hiring an online marketing agency, they may want to know more about how SEO and PPC affect sales.

Therefore, you should create content that addresses these topics. Likewise, if they later decide to hire an agency, they may wonder how to pick one. You can offer insight by creating content tailored to this subject. 

Creating content that resonates with the consumer builds a foundation of trust throughout their journey. By the time they are ready to make a purchase, chances are they’ll choose you because you’ve already provided a great experience. 

3. Hire a stellar customer service team

Employees are key to creating a remarkable customer experience. By forming a knowledgeable, well-equipped customer service team, you make the consumer your priority — and they will definitely notice. 

This also allows you to create a unified team specifically dedicated to handling feedback and customer reviews. Every stage in the journey should have a support team behind it, ready to answer any questions or concerns. 

The customer service team is also extremely valuable because they receive all types of feedback, which you can then use to improve both products and services. You may even use this information to create new items better tailored to consumers’ needs. This results in both loyal customers and boosted revenue.

4. Streamline communication

Customers love a simple, straightforward experience, and your company must provide them with nothing less. The goal of every communication should be to reach the right people at the right time with the right message. Streamlining your entire communication process is the perfect way to accomplish this goal and improve the customer journey. 

One way to simplify their experience could be to allow social sign-ons to your website, instead of making a user fill out an entire registration form. You might also consider surveying customers to gain insight into which types of communication work best.

For example, teenagers and young adults might prefer texts, while the older generation may rather receive only emails. Pinpoint what is working and what isn’t, removing any communication customers don’t pay attention to.

5. Give away free stuff 

Who doesn’t like freebies? They make you happy, and they’re sure to do the same for customers. Consider providing free information and helpful tips or a free item to anyone using your services.

For example, Spotify recently gave all Premium users a free Google Home Mini, no strings attached. Now people can hear music with their new device, which promotes loyalty to both Spotify and Google. It may have even encouraged Spotify users who listen for free to upgrade to Premium, giving Spotify even more business.

Why Customer Experience Matters

Creating a better customer experience is paramount to your company’s success. Improving the journey results in an influx of new clients, as well as a higher retention rate. It also generates your most powerful form of advertising — word-of-mouth. 

Customers who have a great experience can’t help but tell others about it, which sparks an interest in people who may never have heard of your company otherwise. This may eventually translate into increased sales. In the end, happy consumers will make yours a better company.

The post 5 Ways to Create a Better Customer Experience and Increase Sales appeared first on DMNews.

1. It Speeds up the ideation process

Digitization in marketing means colleagues can compile ideas or make decisions faster than they did before. Such collaboration happens regardless of the physical distance between the participants.

In one example, Unilever created what it describes as “Tinder for ideas.” The brand tasked an in-house team to develop an app called Idea Swipe. It lets people weigh in with new possibilities without using traditional, non-digital methods that usually involved putting sticky notes on a wall. Unilever hopes the app will double the company’s impact, while cutting time and expenses in half.

More specifically, the app generates questions that receive feedback almost instantly. It also allows people to ask open-ended questions or submit them as part of a group. The app reportedly allows getting and giving feedback much faster than was possible before Unilever underwent this kind of digital transformation.

2. It deepens and extends the customer-marketer relationship

Before marketing evolved to be so heavily influenced by digital transformation, a marketer’s role was primarily to promote the appeal of a product or brand to make it more desirable for customers. Their primary objective was to make sales. Today’s marketers still want to sell things, but their relationship with buyers doesn’t end once the sale happens. It persists for as long as a customer engages with the brand.

Social media is often the first place people go to get in touch with brands, and those companies must turn to technology to foster those ongoing communications. Many people won’t bother waiting for a customer service representative to get on the other end of a phone line to talk to them. They’d sooner go to the company’s official Twitter feed.

The Ghanaian branch of Vodafone, a popular telecommunications brand, recently made headlines when its CEO responded to every customer comment or question on social media. Since customers can get on social media and give feedback to brands in seconds, they hold the marketers associated with the products accountable for any issues.

On a positive note, this continual feedback gives companies an advantage by letting them quickly gauge responses to things like new offerings, different packaging styles or a recently launched contest. There’s no longer a need to wait weeks or months to start calculating the impact of any change a company or marketing department makes.

3. It facilitates task automation

Digital transformation in the marketing sector also allows marketers and other professionals to stop spending so much of their time on manual tasks. One of the mistakes companies often fall victim to when working on their digital transformations is assuming they need to completely overhaul existing systems, rather than going through more gradual changes.

The most effective companies figure out how to introduce new processes and tools into the ways they get things done. Then, the transition happens over time, instead of all at once. One of the best ways to avail yourself of digitization in marketing is to determine how it could automate tasks and streamline workflows.

When DISH Network decided to increase its investments in automation, one of the biggest payoffs related to using machine learning to automate bidding for keywords concerning the brand’s advertising strategy. The company’s CEO reported the brand got a 60 percent conversion rate increase after connecting their offline media to the digitally transformed parts of the business.

4. It provides more opportunities to appeal to customers

There’s no single definition for the digital transformation. But, in the marketing sector, a successful digital transformation often means a company has tapped into improved ways to reach out to customers and encourage them to take desirable actions.

For example, a marketing team might use digitization to help them focus on creating a better omnichannel experience for customers, so their experiences are similar whether they engage with a brand through online or offline channels. Or, marketing digitization might entail more specific email marketing efforts, so people receive content that’s maximally relevant based on what a company knows about them and their habits.

The transformation means even some companies people wouldn’t ordinarily associate with a robust digital presence are changing their ways. For example, online grocery services are upping their digital investments to better address customer needs and help them see why buying groceries online is a worthwhile switch.

FreshDirect is an online grocery store that uses digital promotions particularly well. It makes product suggestions during the checkout process based on things a person already chose to buy. This strategy is similar to the tried-and-true technique of putting must-have items like batteries, hand sanitizer and breath mints by physical checkout lines. But, it’s even more intelligent because it personalizes the suggestions to an individual shopper.

When marketers choose to dig into the data they have about customers and base engagement efforts on the information, they’ll be better able to compete during an era when companies increasingly realize generic content doesn’t adequately cater to customers anymore.

Plenty of reasons to start a transformation

The four items covered here emphasize why it’s so critical to consider moving forward with a digital transformation for your marketing practices if you haven’t done so already. Remember, any changes you make don’t need to happen immediately, and it’s best to look for ways to do things differently without discarding all the tools you use now.         

The post How Digital Transformation Is Changing the Marketing Industry appeared first on DMNews.

In an ANA report from last year, marketers prove to be a diverse team by gender. However, ethnic diversity is low. And in leadership roles in marketing, the diversity lags by gender and ethnicity.

Most are familiar with the growing awareness of social justice and workplace diversity. Less are aware of the link between diversity and business success. Diversity has a positive impact on the world we live in, but it also improves a company’s financial performance.

Diversity, innovation and financial performance

All evidence points to diversity being a net benefit for businesses, no matter the industry. Ethnic and gender diversity are predictors of higher-than-average financial performance. Companies with diverse leadership teams have the highest innovation revenue — the share of profits derived from new or enhanced products or services.

Companies with diverse management teams earned 19 percent more revenue. In the United States, there’s also a positive linear relationship between racial/ethnic diversity and financial performance. For every 10 percent increase in diversity on the senior-executive team, earnings before interest and taxes rose by 0.8 percent.

Companies with lower levels of diversity performed below average. Not only is inclusion a net benefit, but a lack of diversity can harm financial performance.

While the positive impact of inclusion is apparent across the globe, there are interesting differences in types of positive effects dependent on location. For example, variety in national backgrounds drove innovation in the U.S. more than industrial histories.

These results prove diversity can help companies perform better. A number of studies on a wide variety of industries demonstrate that diversity is a significant benefit for businesses. Business leaders agree that inclusion has a positive impact when it comes to innovation and financial performance.

Several hypotheses exist as to why diversity drives innovation and profits. A diverse workforce is known to reduce the levels of interpersonal discrimination in the office. Therefore, a more diverse workforce, one where all team members feel included, may help encourage better communication between team members.

When every employee feels like they can contribute to the team, they’re more likely to provide ideas and opinions. By having a background not shared by other team members, they bring a unique perspective to the table.

Fostering a culture of diversity

How best to build diversity varies from company to company. Some change their hiring practices, shifting away from the idea of one perfect candidate and instead focusing on a wide variety of candidate pools.

Other companies focus on company culture, creating initiatives and programs that help employees at all levels to think of ways to make the company more inclusive.

There is evidence that company culture will affect how long-term benefits of diversity. One study found diversity improves overall collaboration in large companies, but only in companies that foster diversity, treating it as a plus rather than an obstacle. If a company doesn’t put effort into inclusion and diversity, the benefits are null.

There is evidence that diversity at the executive level will make a company more inclusive over time. A diverse leadership will no doubt result in hiring practices or company cultures that lead to multi-faceted companies.

Structural diversity, when inclusion is present at all levels of a corporation, may be the most critical kind of factor in driving financial success. If a company pushes for diversity at lower levels but doesn’t commit to hiring a diverse set of administrators and executives, it’s not as diverse as it could be. Plus, it won’t get the full financial benefits of diversity.

The future of workplace diversity

Overall, ethnic and cultural diversity was low when it came to executive teams. Even the most diverse companies struggle with representation. No top companies in gender diversity outshone in ethnic diversity and vice-versa.

Even with the knowledge that diversity results in better financial performance, most companies are a long way from being as diverse as the country where they’re located. 

However, the future looks good for diversity in the workplace. By 2025, millennials will make up 75 percent of the global workforce. The vast majority of millennials believe that diversity fosters innovation. Many of them actively consider the value of diversity to an organization when looking for a job.

Inclusion and diversity will work at different rates across the globe. While metropolitan cities like Los Angeles and New York might jump on the bandwagon immediately, rural areas might need time to catch up.

The good news is, as millennials move up in corporate hierarchies, they will be the ones making decisions about how diversity and inclusion fit into corporate culture.

There’s no doubt diversity will become an integral part of the workplace, even as the economy shifts to remote and flexible work opportunities. How will diversity influence profitability looking forward?

The post The Surprising Link Between Workplace Diversity and Business Performance appeared first on DMNews.

The speed of the networks is at an all-time high as well. Look around any public arena, and you’ll see the majority of people with their faces turned toward the blue light of a smartphone screen. There’s no denying cellphones are here to stay and that they connect us all to a vast network that drives our daily interactions.

There are more than 3 billion smartphone users around the world, and experts predict the number will reach 3.8 billion by 2021. What is more interesting for businesses, though, is the expanded capabilities of phones and the Internet of Things (IoT).

People are more connected than ever to what has become a mini portable computer. It’s inevitable businesses would use the technology to reach consumers. Here are five ways mobile tech has changed business already:

1. Kayak and messenger apps

More brands are turning to messenger apps for instant, one-on-one communication with customers. The advantage of messenger apps over live chat is that they integrate better with smartphones, and the conversation is saved for future reference. Messaging is also less expensive than live chat. The average chat costs $3 to $5 per transaction while messaging falls under the $1 range.

Kayak utilizes Facebook’s messenger to interact with customers. The user can send a question, such as “Can you find me a weekend beach house for under $600 in June?” The messenger app makes the interaction personal and also delivers information that might lead to a booking.

2. Kroger and communication

Keeping the lines of communication open with customers is something most businesses work hard at. If you don’t understand the client’s needs and let them know what to expect at different points in the relationship, you risk losing them. Mobile devices offer an excellent opportunity to engage your users.

Kroger offers a new Clicklist service, where customers order groceries and then pick them up at an allotted time. However, Kroger takes this a step further by sending SMS alerts about any products that are out of stock and suggests replacements — which the customer can accept or decline. It also sends reminders when it’s time to pick up the order. The client also receives a thank you after the order is complete and is invited to take a survey for some free Plus Card points, which can be used for gas discounts.

3. Humana and remote work

As mobile data speeds have increased and the reach of cell towers has expanded, the dream of working from anywhere has become a reality. Many businesses now adopt this model, and it opens up the door to the best workers possible because the company isn’t limited to only people who live in the area.

Working from home at least occasionally is also attractive to people. Imagine you have a job and want to go to Florida to visit your parents who live there. You can take your work with you and sightsee in the evenings, allowing you to take a mini-vacation without using precious paid time off.

Humana offers remote work for many of its office-based positions that don’t require direct contact with the public. By utilizing their laptop and a hotspot from their mobile device, workers can complete their tasks from anywhere they can pick up a cell signal. It offers a ton of flexibility for a company’s workforce.

4. Samm’s Heating and Air Conditioning and demos

The use of mobile technology puts all the information a company has in the cloud at the fingertips of workers. Field techs in service industries can use the devices to pull up customer information. They can also be used to demo a new system that’s available or get GPS directions to a client’s home. The many advantages of having mobile devices dedicated to work leads companies to issue smartphones and tablets to their workers.

Samm’s Heating and Air Conditioning is one example of an HVAC company using mobile technology to improve its services to customers. It installs smart home systems, so its techs can pull up a video demonstration to show customers while out in the field.

Devices are also used to report when work starts on an assignment and when it’s completed, making scheduling easier than ever before. Customers can be notified when a tech leaves one job and is en route to their home. Improved fleet management is another benefit of using mobile devices.

5. Primitive Wood-N-Giggles and Mobile Payments

One obvious area where mobile technology has changed life for small businesses is in the ability to accept instant mobile payments. In the past, if an artist set up at a local craft show, they either had to accept cash or a check and hope it didn’t bounce.

Today, small businesses can take a mobile payment immediately with a small attachment added to a smartphone or by pulling up the app and running the information through. They can also accept PayPal, Venmo or Zelle payments from customers simply by sharing their email address.

Primitive Wood-N-Giggles often sets up at local craft fairs or takes custom orders. It can accept a deposit or payment in full thanks to mobile technology. The changes in payment gateways have expanded where smaller companies can do business and how well they manage their cash flow.

Where Mobile Tech Goes Next

As the world becomes more interconnected via the IoT, and consumers expect more mobile device offerings from businesses, expect software companies to come up with new features to offer the public. Games such as “Pokemon Go” remain popular, and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) mean future smartphones will be expected to do more than ever before.

Businesses can remain competitive by paying attention to how other brands use the rapidly changing digital device landscape to attract new customers and keep current ones.

The post 5 Ways Mobile Tech Has Changed Business appeared first on DMNews.

Here are six of the top challenges of marketing cannabis online.

1. Major eCommerce brands are staying out of the cannabis industry

Even in locations that have not legalized marijuana, purchasing cannabidiol, also known as CBD, may be an option.

It does not have the same ability to get people high as other components of marijuana, such as tetrahydrocannabinol, more popularly known as THC. The tricky part is that some states and countries legalized CBD but banned THC — or at least products containing more than 0.3 percent.

It’s not always possible to confirm the amount of THC in a CBD product. That uncertainty has made brands, including Amazon and PayPal, steer clear of cannabis products for now. Some have grown their brands in different ways, such as by partnering with influencers, utilizing SEO for cannabis companies, or creating organic content that achieves a far reach.

That means that cannabis companies that make their products available online must look for tailor-made options. Some exist to fill the need, but the unwillingness of major eCommerce brands to associate with cannabis companies poses an obvious restriction.

2. The inability to advertise cannabis through social media ads

Marketers use social media ads to reach out to their customers. They know how many of them view social media as their go-to place when they’re ready to buy things. Social media users often depend on posts from people they know or influencers they respect to guide their purchasing decisions. However, social media companies have cracked down on social media advertising for cannabis products.

In addition to barring marijuana ads, Facebook does not allow advertising related to CBD or ingestible hemp. Most of the other leading social media brands have similar policies, thereby prohibiting companies from selling cannabis products through social media. Some have grown their brands in different ways, such as by partnering with influencers or creating organic content that achieves a far reach.

However, there’s no sign of social media platforms relenting regarding their advertising policies. That poses obstacles for companies accustomed to advertising through more conventional methods.

3. Increasing demand coupled with distribution constraints

As cannabis becomes legal in more places and the Internet becomes another place to buy it, some retailers have had trouble keeping up with demand. And, that problem is not likely to ease significantly anytime soon. In 2018, the cannabis industry’s worth exceeded $7 billion, with forecasts expecting it to rise to $65 billion in five years.

Fortunately, some of the same technologies that parties in other industries use to keep track of inventory and sales apply to the cannabis industry, too. For example, tracking order requests through a smartphone could help retailers stay on top of demand wherever they are and know which products sell the fastest.

Another obstacle to distribution is that you cannot send marijuana through the mail in the United States. Online retailers that want to stay above board get around that by arranging for door-to-door deliveries of what customers order. But, that extra step could cause even more slowdowns as a growing number of people desire cannabis products.

4. The need to meet strict regulations

Merchants who sell CBD products online still have to adhere to applicable laws. For example, their products must go through testing to ensure they don’t contain more than the permitted amount of THC. Moreover, merchants that want to get into the online cannabis market cannot necessarily sell all the products they anticipate will be the hottest sellers. For example, most ingestibles remain federally illegal in the U.S.

Platforms exist to help online cannabis sellers meet regulations. But, some parties may not want to go through the process of getting their products tested to verify how much THC they contain, for example. Moreover, the testing process is not perfect, and it may take longer than some sellers prefer.

In California, 2018 was a tough year for cannabis testing labs. The people working in those facilities had to rapidly adapt to regulatory changes and some encountered friction regarding the necessary regulations. Some of the labs asserted that the expectations the regulators have are not realistic and are too hard to satisfy.

It’s up to online sellers to decide if the requirements are worthwhile. Doing that requires assessing whether future profits would make it viable to jump through those legal hoops. But reaching that conclusion is not easy.

5. Legitimate companies still compete with illicit dealers

Something that marijuana retailers have had to come to terms with recently is that many of their would-be customers would rather buy the drug on the street for cheaper. At the end of 2018, a California-based cannabis retailer called MedMen had more than a dozen stores in the state. Even so, cash flow problems substantially hindered it, and they continue to threaten its future.

During the latter half of last year, MedMen lost $131 million — the equivalent of more than $2 for every dollar of marijuana sold. Although the continuation of people buying from street dealers instead is not the sole reason for the company’s woes, it seems to have played a substantial part. In California, the costs to become a regulated distributor are high. And, the legalization of marijuana has not caused the dramatic drop in the street trade that some expected.

Similarly, recently released national statistics for Canada show that cannabis users still rely on illegal sources. More specifically, 42 percent said they buy from those parties at least some of the time.

6. The difficulties of verifying customer identities online

In some places around the world, selling cannabis online remains restricted. Alberta, Canada, is one of them. Only a government agency called Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) can handle sales through the Internet for now.

But, private-sector sales are apparently on the horizon. A University of Calgary professor named Thomas Keenan has already raised the alarm about how difficult it may be to check identification through the Internet and feel confident in the accuracy.

Currently, if a person wants to buy cannabis through the AGLC, they have to prove their age and get their order shipped to an Alberta address. They don’t even have to live at the destination but could pick up the goods the next time they pass through Alberta, for example. Alberta residents upload their name, date of birth and address to verify their age. People outside of Alberta upload images of a government-issued ID instead.

And, therein lies the trouble. Keenan worries that people could alter their uploaded images after merely learning a bit about readily available photo-editing software. Plus, he’s unsure of whether the systems in place for confirming a person’s documents would be robust enough to detect such tampering.

The risk of people altering their documents during an online purchase may pose an additional liability to online cannabis merchants. Would they want the blowback that would almost certainly result if authorities discovered a trend of underage purchases?

Not a straightforward process

The six obstacles mentioned here highlight why online cannabis marketing is not simple. That’s not to say people should avoid the prospect altogether, but they must be ready to encounter challenges.

The post 6 Continuing Challenges of Marketing Cannabis Online appeared first on DMNews.

Many existing roles in the marketing sphere have also experienced a surge. The following careers are only five examples in a growing list of desirable marketing positions.

1. Digital marketer

The attention that digital marketing has received over the past several years is reasonable. Digital technology has affected virtually every industry, from the financial sector to agriculture. With this transformation, companies want to enlist professionals who have experience with online marketing. Digital marketers can help them with social media, pay-per-click ads and similar strategies.

Because of these responsibilities, digital marketing is a wide field, and many positions will have a much more narrow focus. For instance, some digital marketers aim to boost pay-per-click marketing methods, as previously mentioned. Others strive to hone their company’s email marketing campaigns. Content strategy, eCommerce and even blogging fall under this umbrella.

2. Market research analyst

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs in market analysis will grow by 23 percent between 2016 and 2026. This rate is much higher than that of other fields. Because of this upward trajectory, aspiring marketers should see a market research analyst job as one of the industry’s most promising positions.

Current trends underscore the need for market analysts. They sift through an enormous amount of market data to uncover new insights. These include vital marketing stats, such as who the target consumer is and which markets they inhabit. From there, a company or brand can hone its strategy to more effectively reach their intended audience. Market analysts are clearly a valuable asset for any business.

3. Public relations specialist

Public relations specialists work in a myriad of different companies and industries, but they all have a similar mission. They communicate with the organization’s leaders and share their message with the media, the public and shareholders. With a non-stop news cycle, a PR specialist’s job is rigorous. They’re constantly dispensing information via press releases, social media and countless other mediums. In a world where a company’s public image becomes more and more important, this role is indispensable.

One of the most appealing aspects of PR is the ease of upward mobility. After entry-level roles introduce an employee to the more administrative tasks the industry has to offer, they’ll move onto a more hands-on position, working on press releases and campaigns to boost a brand’s image. Later on, there are opportunities to advance to a managerial role, where the employee would oversee the entry-level and middle-management PR professionals.

4. SEO specialist

As of 2018, the number of SEO-related jobs had increased 43 percent year over year. That’s because SEO, like public relations, has become a vital asset to companies who want to increase visibility. They use search engine optimization to earn a high rank at the top of Google’s search results, improving the likelihood of interaction from an internet user.

The appealing part of SEO is that it’s easy to learn without assistance. However, aspiring SEO specialists should remember that SEO best practices are constantly changing, so they have to dedicate themselves to their field. Ongoing education is crucial to their success. But the end result, of course, will be a rewarding career with long-term relevance.

5. Content writing

In order to implement a successful SEO strategy, many companies need content writers on staff. They take important keywords and implement them seamlessly into the brand’s website or blog. When someone searches for the topic, they not only click on the brand’s website, but they linger on the page. They’ll find valuable, relevant information while the company receives attention — a win-win for consumers and business owners alike.

Content writers don’t necessarily have to keep their finger on the pulse of SEO trends, but they should definitely understand how to use keywords. They might also want to learn tools such as Google Analytics to see how successful their writing is in drawing organic traffic to the site. Again, these skills are vital in today’s digital world, so content writing will remain a good career choice in the years ahead.

Moving forward

Whether a marketer is searching for a new career or looking to expand their company’s team, these five options are among the best out there. Marketers should decide which of them is ideal for their particular situation and pursue it fully. Regardless of what they choose, they can look toward a fulfilling future in an exciting, ever-evolving industry.

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