Direct-to-consumer pivots and a customer-centric approach really paid off.

After two decades of steady growth, the trajectory of digital consumerism went into hyperdrive when the pandemic changed everything—giving us ‘Generation N.’ Meet Generation Novel, a growing cross-generational psychographic of digital-first consumers galvanized by the disruptive effects of COVID-19. This emergent and significant customer segment isn’t just digital-centric. It’s also emotionally charged, as pandemic-fueled fear, anxiety, and worry take their toll. With the impact of the novel coronavirus likely to endure, companies must prioritize the study of Gen N. Doing so will help executives understand how consumers’ increased and accelerated use of technology affects their preferences, behaviors, and routines. These insights can guide brand, product, and market strategies to be more timely, relevant, and empathetic at a time when there is no pandemic playbook to follow. Read Full Story

There have never been as many ways to pay online as there are today. Nor has it ever been more important to make sure you offer your consumers their preferred option. For some, that might be a long-trusted Visa or Mastercard. Others may prefer Apple Pay, PayPal, or another digital wallet. And, increasingly, consumers are choosing to use buy now, pay later solutions when they checkout. But what is this payment solution? And is it time you added buy now, pay later to your website? Read on to get my views on the topic. What is Buy now, Pay Later? The name says it all. “Buy now, pay later” literally lets consumers buy a product and have it delivered while delaying payment until a later date. This option is very similar to the old-school layaway method, in which stores let consumers reserve an item while paying it off in installments. …

If you own a business, you know word of mouth is vital to your success. A glowing review from a handful of customers, or even just one influential somebody , can put your business on the map. And a bad review? Well, that can ruin your reputation. Or at least put a good dent in it. Before you worry about good or bad, you first need a place to get those reviews. Here are a few questions to ponder: How can you, as a local business, stand out among your competitors? How can you attract the customer base you want, while also collecting reviews and ratings in one place? Most importantly, how can you interact with consumer reviews to put your business in the best possible light? Let’s take a closer look at Yelp Ads, Yelp’s various other services, and how they may help. What is Yelp? A crowd-sourced business …

For better or worse, technology affects communication because it is a part of our everyday lives. It impacts the way we work, entertain ourselves, and stay in touch. You might see the average elementary-aged child with their head buried in a smartphone and tempted to take a gloomy outlook on what technology has done to us. But is it all bad? From a business perspective, you could argue that technology communication is beneficial. With this in mind, here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about how technology affects communication with customers, plus how to use these developments to your advantage. How Has Technology Affected Communication? Technology communication affects us continuously. As we make technological advances, new trends in communications emerge and often become the norm. Machine learning and artificial intelligence will have a significant impact on how we communicate. Chatbots currently field over 25,000 conversations per month. Furthermore, …

In today’s global marketplace, it’s a great time to be a consumer. The rise of e-commerce means more and more businesses are striving to get the consumer’s attention, offering better prices and services just to keep them interested. With online sales representing 16 percent of total retail ad spend , business owners don’t want to leave money on the table. The smartest business owners know that the only way to consistently beat the competition is by offering more value to customers. However, if everyone in my industry is selling the same products, at the same price, how can I stay competitive? The answer: Create memorable experiences . If you’re looking for a unique way to offer value to consumers, customized products can be a powerful, engaging tool that improves customer satisfaction and drives up conversions in the process. What Are Customized Products? Customized products exist as a way for consumers …

Providing great customer service isn't good enough anymore. Successful brands need to be fanatical about understanding their consumers and solving their trickiest problems.

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission. The best VoIP phone services create exceptional customer experiences. And exceptional customer experiences work wonders for your bottom line. Imagine this: a potential customer calls the sales number listed on your website. Six states away, a personal cell phone rings. Your sales person picks it up, answers a few questions, and closes the sale. Within a matter of seconds, that potential customer turns into a paying customer rather than being transferred from employee to employee, wasting their time and testing their patience. With the right VoIP service, you can streamline and automate the customer journey, resulting in more money for less work. Furthermore, these services are easy to set up, easy to use, and most of the leg work happens behind the scenes. But choosing the right service feels …

The founder and CEO of Mack Weldon, a company specializing in essential products for men, predicts the most agile and customer-focused brands will have a fighting chance. The last decade generated a new category of digital-first, direct-to-consumer businesses that upended how consumer goods were created, priced, marketed, and sold. My company, Mack Weldon, is one of them. Brands like ours have touched nearly every consumer category from cooking pans to mattresses (and yes, even men’s underwear). Read Full Story

Marketing lets you build a relationship with consumers and earn their trust so they want to spend with you.