The new year is rapidly approaching. This is a time when small businesses need to examine the current and predicted trends in marketing, adopt new strategies and catch the wave of the future. The following tips illustrate three of the trends that will help shape small business in 2017.

No. 1: Cater to Millennials. Millennials, people born between 1982 and 2000, are the largest generation America has ever seen, and simply cannot be ignored when it comes to marketing. There are over 83.1 million Millennials in the United States, most of whom are extremely tech-savvy, having been raised like no other generation before them with the Internet, cell phones, etc. Due to the tech-savviness of Millennials, small businesses should focus on social media advertising, e-commerce, etc. Keep in mind that this generation already comprises approximately 25% of the American workforce, is expected to take over even more of the job force in 2017 and numerous Millennials are in charge of buying decisions at their places of employment.

No. 2: Have a mobile app. According to a recent Gallup poll, 75 percent of Americans check their mobile devices at least once per hour, and 90 percent of that time is spent using apps. If you are a small business owner and don’t have a mobile app, now is the time to get one, as they are increasingly becoming essential marketing tools. In addition to standing out from your competitors that don’t have a mobile app, they can help make you visible to your customers at all times, create a direct marketing channel, increase engagement with your brand and much more.

No. 3: Issue press releases. The ancient art of writing will always have a place in any marketing endeavor. Despite the social media revolution where abbreviated text talk is king, poor, unprofessional writing will damage your brand. To ensure your brand remains respected, a professionally written press release can control the public’s image of your business and is an essential building block for ongoing management of your reputation. They also provide earned media, build brand authority, reach new audiences, build credibility with third-party validation, increase website traffic, boost lead generation, and counter negative content.

Blog by Dale Myers. the NALA's Head Writer.