Ah, predictions! Marketers like me love predictions. That and looking at trends. Trends and predictions are interchangeable. Reading predictions, especially presented by marketing think tanks is my industry’s equivalent to attending New York’s Fashion Week. (Catsuits are predicted to be the hot new item this spring. You’re welcome.)
We thrive on reading report after report looking for signs of how humans are going to react or respond to a future event, which can range from a weather pattern to the emergence of a new social media tool. Once analyzing the next “big thing,” we marketers attempt to come up with creative ways to align our product or service to the corresponding event.
Understanding trends and predictions is not unique to marketers. As business owners, you sit in a unique position that intersects between the world of anticipation and reality. Over the past two years, however, any attempt to predict what’s to come seemed fruitless.
The reality is, the normal that we all once knew may be long gone, yet there is one constant that motivates us to keep reading predictions: hope. We hope our investments will pay off. We hope our families and friends stay healthy. We hope our businesses get back on track. And we hope our shipments make it in time for the holidays.
IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE
In the spirit of that message, all of us here at MRA hope you have been able to navigate the unpredictable events that transpired in 2021. This month, we feature two members that live in the world of bringing hope to others – Friends Together, a cancer support organization based in Alpena that Judy Burns created in the memory of her daughter, and Vocational Independence Program, Inc. (VIP), an organization once devoted to the disabled in Flint that has expanded to bring hope to everyone in the community. Our IHOW features English Gardens. With six locations around the state, English Garden’s President John Darin explains why giving back is a driving mission for the company.
In our “how tos” sections, if you’re looking to reconnect with your community and a feeling a little short on ideas, check out, “Creative ways to involve your business in your community.” We highlight some of the latest trends in community giving. If supply chain woes have you rethinking some of your business operations, the answers may lie with your point-of-sales (POS) system: “Looking to reduce shrink in the new year? The answers may lie in your POS system.” Tom Clement provides guidance on youth employment in his Legally Speaking column in the hopes your employment prospects look brighter in 2022. Last but not least, Bill Hallan addresses OSHA’s ETS announced in November, here’s to hoping there’s a change in direction with the looming rule set to take effect in December.
In every issue, we aim to provide you with new ideas and strategies in the hope they help your business in some way. From all of us here at MRA, we hope 2022 proves to be a profitable year for you and the current challenges of inflation, shipping and supply chain delays, and hiring leave your business unscathed.
And because I can’t resist, I’ve included a list of the top 2022 business predictions.
Happy 2022!
If you have story ideas or news about your business, send me a note at: jrook@retailers.com.
