Oh, change is most certainly in the air. In fact, that’s apparently what the Mayan calendar debacle was all about – not the end of the world but a shift or change in consciousness. Beyond the metaphysical, businesses should expect a few tangible changes in the new year that may shift the way they run and think. John Brandon recently shared six major business trends for 2013 that may change how startups do business.
1. It’s all about reverse outsourcing
So, we’ve all heard about efforts to bring jobs back to the US, and 2013 is the year that will see businesses reversing their outsourcing efforts. Himanshu Sareen, CEO of Icreon Tech says the trend in the new year will involve “redistributing jobs.” Apple will also join the trend by building new manufacturing facilities here in good old America. Hooray for US job creation!
2. Brand management will be more important
We’ve seen a growth in reputation management in the past year, with businesses putting more and more emphasis on what others are saying about their brand. 2013 will see an even bigger emphasis on managing the reputation of their brand. To get a little help in this department, check out BrandYourself.com where you can make sure you build and maintain a good rep online.
3. Bye Bye Flash… Hello, HTML5
We’ve all come across the irritating non-compatible Adobe Flash errors when we’re trying to download Beyonce’s new music videos. Wait, just me? Anyway, those days are gone thanks to HTML5’s ability to download rich content, animation, videos, movies, etc., quickly and without compatibility issues to our mobile devices. As a result, we’ll be seeing less of Flash, and more of HTML5 in 2013.
4. Email is on its way out
Apparently, email is slowly being ousted by our social media friends Twitter, Yammer and the like. This communication is more instant and more productive, and that means faster business processes. Email is a bit more, well, slow. And, in these lightning-speed days, if you’re slow… you gotta go.
5. Bye Bye email marketing
Going along with our old friend email’s demise is, naturally, email marketing. Peter Friedman, CEO of LiveWorld, says another trend for 2013 will be the end of bulk emails and newsletters. With the rise of online survey tools like SurveyMonkey.com, email marketing will eventually become unnecessary and obscure.
6. Adios, fax machine
And finally, John says the reason fax machines haven’t died yet is because we’re still struggling with digital signatures. But thanks to alternatives like DocuSign, 2013 will likely see the death of the fax machine.
So, all you business owners, get excited for (or mourn over) the new business trends for 2013. And, as the Mayans predicted, you should expect a physical energy change too. Fax machine funerals and metaphysical shifts? 2013, you crazy!
Photo Credits
FreeDigitalPhotos | BrandYourself | Survey Monkey | Office Space Facebook
